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Permalink Reply by AJ DeRosa on February 9, 2009 at 4:34pm

There are a couple ways to solve this problem. One is to spend some dough for a transom mount anchor hanger which will suspend the anchor from the top of the transom. Most anchor dragging in the water problems are a result of a large carabiner clipped to a loop at the end of the anchor rope. This can add 6 to 8 inches of connection between your anchor and the transom pulley. This also allows for more anchor swing which is hard on the transom. Naturally this results in Anchor in the Water Syndrum. It is common to see. The simple solution is this. Cut that knot off the end of your anchor rope, pass the rope through the steel loop or eye that's on the anchor and then through a big washer with a 1/2 to 5/8 inch hole. Now tie an overhand slip knot at the end. This rig allows you to pull your anchor all the way to the pulley because your knot is now on the down stream side of the rope and not between the pulley and the anchor. Now with your anchor secured tight against the pulley no more anchor swing. We use 1/2 " braided nylon which makes the slip knot easy to untie at the end of the day so you can stow the anchor in your truck instead of the back of the boat. Bad, bad things happen if the anchor rides in the boat. Don't ask me how I know this. Thirty five years of trial and error have taught me some hard lessons about wooden drift boats and also a few tricks.

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Permalink Reply by Dan Burr on February 10, 2009 at 6:43am

Thanks AJ, I think I will get an arm for the transom, and the knot trick sounds like a good solution as well, by the way I went for a ride with you last fall on the snake, I was the guy with my son on the trip with Andy Steel.
I should come over and see your anchor setup some time.

thanks again,

Dan

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Permalink Reply by Randy Dersham on February 10, 2009 at 2:58pm

Fantastic tip A.J. Sandy and I have been looking for the best knot that will allow the rope to slide up into the back pulley. No knot between the anchor's steel eye and the pulley is fantastic. This needs to get around.

Have you every had a knot behind the washer pull free? I'm guessing you leave a bit of extra line to insure it doesn't if it want's to slip a little.

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Permalink Reply by Greg Hatten on February 9, 2009 at 7:44pm

Good one AJ... I did not know that little trick!
Greg

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Permalink Reply by AJ DeRosa on February 10, 2009 at 4:55pm

Randy,

I've never had a problem with the knot slipping out. Yes, a long tail and a generous loop keep it tight. The other added benefit with this is that you will not wear a flat spot in the rope if you are using a foot release system. The knot is tied in a slightly different spot each time. I also tie a big LOOSE slip knot with a 2' long tail in the "bitter end" of the rope to keep it from running out of the system if I,or someone else, steps on the pedal while floating. The loose knot will catch but you can still release it by pulling hard on the long tag end in the event of a stuck anchor.

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