Anchor mooring line twisted up

[Harmony 33]

Hi.

I am new to boat ownership, sailing and everything that comes with it. I just bought a 1978 Morgan 33 O / I and I'm trying to take her home but the mooring line and anchor are twisted. Previous owner hasn't moved her in a year. The bottom hasn't been cleaned in a year. First step please help me get free from this mooring line mess.



Thanks

[jholovacs]

You have diving gear? sounds like you're going for a swim.

[tkeithlu]

Welcome to the forum, Harmony. Sorry you're having a bad day.

Consider casting off the mooring line and then raising the anchor with the mooring line wrapped around it. Can you secure the boat in place while you do that?

[Shrew]

Is she anchored, or on a mooring (mooring ball)? I think the nature of the problem might be unclear.

[skipmac]

Second the post from Shrew. Can you be more specific?

Are you attached to a mooring ball or float to a permanent mooring OR are you attached to your own boat anchor OR possibly both? How many lines?

IMPORTANT NOTE!!!!!

If the boat hasn't been moved in a year and the bottom is covered with weed and barnacles then the prop will be as well. In that condition you will have little or no power and control so do NOT cut free from your mooring, whatever it is, until you make sure you have engine, power, forward and reverse.

If you don't already understand this, be very aware that a boat has no brakes so the only way to slow down or stop is to use reverse. If you aren't 100% sure of all this you might want to get a tow to where you're going.

[JPA Cate]

Hello, Harmony 33, welcome aboard CF.

Skipmac has given you some very good advice above. It is that we've no knowledge of your experience level, and if you are just beginning, it is very important to know that severe fouling can make it impossible for you to move the boat safely at will.

If you are not a diver, hire one to inspect the situation, and clean the prop and bottom before you try to remove the boat from its present location. [Some take before and after pictures for you.] Consider learning to use a hookah safely and do it yourself from now on. It is expensive to hire such work done for you, but if you have to move the boat in a short time frame, hiring it may be the best solution at this time. The diver, who can see all of it, may also be able to tell you how to get undone, if there is more than one line fouled on chain, etc., once the biofouling has been removed. [Biofouling=marine growth containing, but not limited to, shellfish, barnacles, corals, tubeworms, and various weeds. I've seen fouled props that look like a basketball of growth.]

Ann

[AndyEss]

Originally Posted by skipmac

IMPORTANT NOTE!!!!!

If the boat hasn't been moved in a year and the bottom is covered with weed and barnacles then the prop will be as well. In that condition you will have little or no power and control so do NOT cut free from your mooring, whatever it is, until you make sure you have engine, power, forward and reverse.

If you don't already understand this, be very aware that a boat has no brakes so the only way to slow down or stop is to use reverse. If you aren't 100% sure of all this you might want to get a tow to where you're going.

VERY important note.

Start your learning process by going over the side. I wear inexpensive leather gloves when cleaning my prop/bottom. A 2-3” offset paint scraper is a good weapon to use on a prop. Depending on the bottom growth, a 10-12” drywall taping knife speeds up bottom cleaning. I put in a elastic cord (bungi type) through the scraper handle to keep the scraper on my wrist.
Always consider any tool you have onboard as expendable - once you drop them overboard, most tools have a strong tendency to sink.
Be very careful working with 110Vac power tools. Electrocution is real.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by Harmony 33

Hi.

I am new to boat ownership, sailing and everything that comes with it. I just bought a 1978 Morgan 33 O / I and I'm trying to take her home but the mooring line and anchor are twisted. Previous owner hasn't moved her in a year. The bottom hasn't been cleaned in a year. First step please help me get free from this mooring line mess.



Thanks

By the way, what part of the world are you in? If anywhere near me in north Florida would be happy to come by and lend a hand.

[Scaramanga F25]

Remove one of the 2 lines that are both anchored to the bottom and untwist one.

[Mike Banks]

This sounds kinda crude, but if you know the direction of twist, start your engine, slip it gently into reverse, then slowly circling the mooring in reverse untwist the lines, always retrieving the one with the most released slack as the twist unwinds, whichever it is. Sooner or later you will untwist the mess, or you will notice that the twist direction has reversed as a knot in the chain has come free. Simply set off in the new direction until your anchor chain is free then retrieve the anchor.

[deblen]

Further to all the above useful ideas.

A years bottom growth may have blocked your engine sea water intake(seacock) and there may be growth further up the intake line.
Check & clean before you run the engine. Clean the sea water filter & check the sea water pump impeller.


Same applies to other sea water intakes for head,etc.


a useful link: https://marinehowto.com/



Cheers/Len

[jen1722terry]

Sorry to hear about the misfortune with your new boat.

It may be best to hire the diver, who could then either untwist the anchor rode or go down and cut the anchor free and attach a retrieval line to it.

However, the risk in trying to unwind it is that the anchor rode could have gotten badly chafed by the mooring chain and/or weakened by sunlight and you could then lose the anchor if you try to hoist it. Anchors for your size boats ain't cheap.

Whatever you decide, do enjoy that new boat.

Jenn and Terry

[ArmyDaveNY]

If the anchor is using a line and not chain, and if you are able to go into the water, consider attaching a second, untangled line to the anchor, then removing or cutting away the anchor line.

I recommend that after you have taken steps as mentioned above to ensure that fouling hasn't affected your intakes, prop, and/or other critical areas. I would also make sure the rudder is clean.

I wish you the best of luck.

[Disailor]

Welcome Harmony 33. What is your location? I, too have a 33 Morgan OI! Not fast, but ooh so comfy!

[Boatyarddog]

Originally Posted by Harmony 33

Hi.

I am new to boat ownership, sailing and everything that comes with it. I just bought a 1978 Morgan 33 O / I and I'm trying to take her home but the mooring line and anchor are twisted. Previous owner hasn't moved her in a year. The bottom hasn't been cleaned in a year. First step please help me get free from this mooring line mess.



Thanks

Some good responses.
IMHO, if you want to get the boat home.
Fetch an anchor you can use, or get another one, you need two anyway...
in case you lose one.

Cut and Tie off your old anchor line to the mooring ball.
Attach your new line or old anchor line from the boat to the new anchor.

Now you have an anchor, you can deploy.
And you know where your old anchor is.

You can then get the boat home.. And you'll know where your old anchor is so you can figure out how to get it untangled.
It's probably so overgrown with sea life, that you'll need to dive to retrieve, or donate to Poseidon.
New anchor or second one isn't bad. Personally I have 3 at present and a new rode, for back up.
Cheers,
SV Cloud Duster