# anchors



## Neal013

Hey Guys

i have just purchased a hobie anchor trolly kit and hobie anchor for my outback. seems easy to install, but what has be stumped is how to attached the anchor when im out on the water.

do you just simply let the anchor hit the bottom and tie it off, or do u need a float and a snap clip. 
ive also seen people tie to the bottom of the anchor and then a cable tie through the top eye around the rope. this a good idea or should i use somthing else.
also how much line is too much?

any advise and further ideas would be greats


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## TheFishinMusician

Some good stuff here
http://akff.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3 ... at#p505957
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=42273&p=436772&hilit=Crab+float#p436772


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## Neal013

thanks mr musician!  food for thought right there


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## Squidley

If you can't get a hold of one of those reel floats, Karnage's reel works very well. Tried it last weekend.

viewtopic.php?f=95&t=60603

As to cable ties, Solatree's right about using fishing line instead. Ties are much harder to break on a kayak than a boat, I got stuck in a strong current for quite some time because of a cable tie not breaking.


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## Neal013

Do you guy recommend chain? i see some people using it and others not worrying about it.


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## Shuggy22

Gday Neal

I have just tied a bunch of loops into my anchor line at 
approx 1m intervals and then drop it down the desired depth and clip
the anchor trolley onto the open loops. (to make a loop simply double a section of line over
and tie an ordinary overhand knot)
Im assuming that your anchor trolley has one of those snatch clip things but it might not at all
in which case you could always attach something similar.

I then just store the line on a large hand caster
and hang that over my rod holder extension tube.

Hope that helps somewhat
Hugh


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## solatree

Neal013 said:


> Do you guy recommend chain? i see some people using it and others not worrying about it.


People in stink boats use chain connected to the anchor to prevent dragging. The chain has to be tied to the top of the anchor and then to the anchor rope. Let out enough rope so the chain lies along the bottom of the ocean. The chain absorbs the "lift" from the boat as it rises and falls with swell so preventing the swell lifting the anchor and the anchor dragging. 
Same theory for those in kayaks that use chain - but I reckon that makes it harder to tie a breakaway system because you can't tie the anchor rope to the bottom of the anchor - it has to be tied to the chain. If you use bungy cord between your anchor float and the kayak, you don't need chain - the bungy cord does the same thing as chain in that it absorbs the swell and so stops your anchor dragging. Then (a) you can tie an easy breakaway system which needs the anchor rope tied to the bottom of your anchor, and (b) you don't have to carry around a bulky heavy piece of chain attached to your anchor.


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## cheaterparts

Neal013 said:


> Do you guy recommend chain? i see some people using it and others not worrying about it.





solatree said:


> People in stink boats use chain connected to the anchor to prevent dragging. The chain has to be tied to the top of the anchor and then to the anchor rope. Let out enough rope so the chain lies along the bottom of the ocean. The chain absorbs the "lift" from the boat as it rises and falls with swell so preventing the swell lifting the anchor and the anchor dragging.
> Same theory for those in kayaks that use chain - but I reckon that makes it harder to tie a breakaway system because you can't tie the anchor rope to the bottom of the anchor - it has to be tied to the chain. If you use bungy cord between your anchor float and the kayak, you don't need chain - the bungy cord does the same thing as chain in that it absorbs the swell and so stops your anchor dragging. Then (a) you can tie an easy breakaway system which needs the anchor rope tied to the bottom of your anchor, and (b) you don't have to carry around a bulky heavy piece of chain attached to your anchor.


putting the chain along the rope above the anchor works even better



above is my light weight anchor I use in light tide flows and I use a heavier anchour when heading into high tide flow areas
the heavy anchor is a 2.5 kg with a 3 ft section of 10 mm chain about 1.2 meters above the anchor this holds quite well in 8 kph tide flows
in 20 meters of water and I only carry 50 meters of rope


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## intrepid

cheaterparts said:


> putting the chain along the rope above the anchor works even better


after much research, this is the way i am redoing mine...


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## Neal013

thanks for all the info guys. 

ive attached a pick of my attempt. havnt been able to try it out yet as when installing the trolley anchor kit i relised i needed the hobie tool (ordered from the guys at sunstate Hobie top service BTW)

Things i may change/add would be chain or the rope (stuff i have on is what came with the anchor kit)

all up cost me about $18 (not including the anchor or the rope) and dearest part being the stainless clip and the nut n bolts.


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## intrepid

i think you still need a small zip tie on one end:


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## Neal013

haha i though t some one would pick that out! I only had the big ties at home, i grabbed a pack today from work lucky i work for an electrical wholesaler haha

may also add a Ubolt.


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## intrepid

Neal013 said:


> may also add a Ubolt.


ha ha - I was gonna say that you could consider addind a D-shackle too  but that is not as important as the attachement on the other end...


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## spork

A swivel-shackle helps prevent twists in the anchor line.

I also use a big handreel to hold the anchor rope. It has slots around one side to use as hook keepers. I have a little stainless clip on my anchor rope that slides along it (the rope) freely. I just run the anchor rope through the snap on the trolley and clip other one to the handline when I have the desired amount of rope out.


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## Neal013

tested it out, works a treat!!!! i did how ever add the u bolt and the cable tie but had the dramas with it. only thing i may change is get a bigger hand line down the track.


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## solatree

Neal013 said:


> tested it out, works a treat!!!! i did how ever add the u bolt and the cable tie but had the dramas with it. only thing i may change is get a bigger hand line down the track.


Nice set up on the anchor Neal - but if you are going to use a cable tie, I'd make sure is a very very very small one - I personally don't like cable ties for the reason Squidley gave


Squidley said:


> Ties are much harder to break on a kayak than a boat, I got stuck in a strong current for quite some time because of a cable tie not breaking.


I am aware of several similar experiences - with lost anchors the result. I also reckon its safer to tie a loop in the anchor line and tying the breakaway link to that, rather than simply running the anchor rope through a tie like in the photos that Cheaterparts or Intrepids posted - think about the anchor caught under some reef by one prong but able to swivel in all directions, so that no matter what direction you pull, you are not able to strain against the breakaway - the anchor rope continues to take the strain so the breakaway won't break -> lost anchor.


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## cheaterparts

Squidley said:


> Ties are much harder to break on a kayak than a boat, I got stuck in a strong current for quite some time because of a cable tie not breaking.





solatree said:


> I am aware of several similar experiences - with lost anchors the result. I also reckon its safer to tie a loop in the anchor line and tying the breakaway link to that, rather than simply running the anchor rope through a tie like in the photos that Cheaterparts or Intrepids posted - think about the anchor caught under some reef by one prong but able to swivel in all directions, so that no matter what direction you pull, you are not able to strain against the breakaway - the anchor rope continues to take the strain so the breakaway won't break -> lost anchor.


I dont think they are hard to break at all - first use a small ( thin ) cable tie

and hears the trick and remember I fish high tide flows so when an anchor get stuck its more than a little reefed -- let out more rope and tie it off to the yak then paddle straight back over the anchor quickly
then the rope breaks the tie quite easy
I had a mate tell me this was a problem on his Hobie as it needed speed to turn it - that were having an anchor trolley to both end of the yak comes in handy just move the anchor to the front of the yak and the tide turns you the right way

I dont even think twice about doing this when my anchor gets stuck and have used this method quite a few times not once did the cable tie not break

if fact the tie quite offen breaks just lifting the anchor in high tide flows


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## Neal013

the tie im using is only 100mm long and very narrow wouldnt even be 3 or 4mm i recon


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## Squidley

solatree said:


> I also reckon its safer to tie a loop in the anchor line and tying the breakaway link to that, rather than simply running the anchor rope through a tie


Just bumping this to say I've started doing this and it makes a huge difference to the effectiveness of the breakaway; when you give the anchor line a quick jerk you know that shock is going straight to the breakaway, whether it's a cable tie or a fishing line. I don't anchor in racing currents where I normally fish so I'll stick with 25 lb line for now.


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## intrepid

> Just bumping this to say I've started doing this and it makes a huge difference to the effectiveness of the breakaway; when you give the anchor line a quick jerk you know that shock is going straight to the breakaway, whether it's a cable tie or a fishing line


ive never had to break mine yet, but do you think this will be OK?

it is only a tiny cable tie...










the chain is pretty heavy, so i guess that might help to rip it harder?

or should i go to a 25lb fishing line breakaway?


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## Squidley

If it were rope down to the anchor I'd say do the loop trick but with that cable I'd either use 20-30lb mono or cut a small nick in the cable tie. You could test it by holding the anchor on the ground with your foot and seeing how much force it takes to break


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## Slazmo

those 3mm zip ties dont break as such - but the locking teeth give way to let the tie slip backward through the locking gate. I have a zip tie thats doubled over and the tie is pushed through the gate and then trimmed uber close - I can release this without any issue while out on the water.


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