Anchor Gone !!!

[Rakuflames]

Just a vent -- nothing to be done about it. I set an anchor today and COULD NOT get it up. Finally I tied a small fender to it and marked it on my GPS. I went back to my slip and called a friend, who came down to help me retrieve it.

It was only out there for TWO HOURS. What did we find? A new row of crab traps that hadn't been there earlier -- and the anchor was gone.

Bah humbug. May he (she) get nothing but coal!!!

[minaret]

Pick the crab pots and leave a note in one quick! Message in a bottle? Maybe you'd get lucky if you tried...

[cat man do]

Did you get the crab pots as compensation or will you wait for them to fill up first?

[Ex-Calif]

Originally Posted by Rakuflames

Just a vent -- nothing to be done about it. I set an anchor today and COULD NOT get it up. Finally I tied a small fender to it and marked it on my GPS. I went back to my slip and called a friend, who came down to help me retrieve it.

It was only out there for TWO HOURS. What did we find? A new row of crab traps that hadn't been there earlier -- and the anchor was gone.

Bah humbug. May he (she) get nothing but coal!!!

You should have taken the crab pots, left a floated note. "Wanted - XYZ type anchor. Will trade for slightly used crab pots..."

[Dkdoyle]

I am sorry to hear that. Didn't know the pots were back yet. Gosh they are a pain.
Sorry to hear about your anchor. I also sail Tampa bay. See you out there. I will wish the person that took your anchor empty pots.

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by minaret

Pick the crab pots and leave a note in one quick! Message in a bottle? Maybe you'd get lucky if you tried...

We thought about that but didn't think of putting it in a bottle -- that would be pretty funny -- unless, of course, Fish and Wildlife came along while we were disturbing someone else's crab pots!

And, maybe it wasn't the crabber who took the anchor -- but it seems like a remarkable coincidence.

The anchor wasn't that much, just a Danforth -- although I've gotta say it was really anchored well! I tried to drive it off from several directions with no success. But the chain and rode were new, the rode that really nice, soft 8-plait. Since I don't have a Windlass I love rode that goes where you want it to as you're hoisting the anchor!

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by cat man do

Did you get the crab pots as compensation or will you wait for them to fill up first?

I like the way you think! "Oh look, we traded an anchor for a really fine dinner!"

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by Dkdoyle

I am sorry to hear that. Didn't know the pots were back yet. Gosh they are a pain.
Sorry to hear about your anchor. I also sail Tampa bay. See you out there. I will wish the person that took your anchor empty pots.

Karma will take care of it, and it was kind of a remarkable afternoon/evening. Remember, I'm still kind of new to this sailing thing. I brought my boat in, in the dark (at this marina) for the first time. It's a narrow channel, and privately marked. Not all the channel markers still have signs on them! Wouldn't have tried it by myself but handed my friend the spot light.

Then we got in and my BRAND NEW ENGINE wouldn't turn off. FINALLY found a good illustration of what I needed in the manual -- a push button ON THE ENGINE as a backup way to turn it off! Fortunately I have complete access to the back of the engine ...

My friend has done all of her sailing on smaller boats, and she learned things she's never done before, such as plugging in a power cord. Without guidance it's ... tricky. Especially since I failed to tell her that it was already plugged into the boat ... left that little detail out, I did ...

It's all a grand adventure.

[shorebird]

I once saw a guy have a fit over his missing crab pot, going on and on about the low-life thieves, ect. He finally left, but as I continued fishing, the tide fell, exposing his previously submerged trap float...
Sure your anchor was gone?

[minaret]

Once long ago in my early days of sailing on SF bay, I saw a similar fender floating. "A free fender!" I thought. It was a really rough day, but I went back and nabbed it, and was surprised to find a line attached to it. I started hauling it in, only to realize the more I hauled the heavier it got. It was tough work in a nasty short chop, but being young and dumb I kept hauling. I had to know what was on the end of that line! Eventually, after much cursing and heaving, the top of a mast broke the surface! Not a small stick either, but a huge one bristling with all sorts of antennae and the like. My crew laughed at me and we put the stick back in the water and went on our way. The damn thing looked brand new...

[Privleoplag]

Would knowing how to freedive have been something that could have helped?

[NDH]

My anchors gone too!! I had my 25kg Rocna (no smart comments please) stolen off the bow roller in the marina. CCTV did not show anyone exiting the gate with it so it appears to be a visiting boat.

[downunder]

Originally Posted by NDH

My anchors gone too!! I had my 25kg Rocna (no smart comments please) stolen off the bow roller in the marina. CCTV did not show anyone exiting the gate with it so it appears to be a visiting boat.

Bummer

Save some money replacing it with a Manson.

[southace]

I found a nice new Manson supreme will diving a few weeks ago,working better than the old CQR!!

[Dkdoyle]

Well this is a great opportunity to upgrade.
If you want to stick with a danforth design get yourself a light weight fortress. If you plan in doing extended anchoring then I hear good things about delta, Manson, rocha. But then you are probably going to want a windlass.