deep water anchoring

[Mortalkombat]

At the fishing club on monday night were talking about deep water anchoring and as we are starting to do more BB i took note. I have 120m of 12 mm rope. We are going to be anchoring in 80 to 90 m on some trips it was suggested i should go down to 8mm as the drag was far less and use the anchor retreve Bouy The boat is just over 7m is 8mm a bit thin?
Nick

[Mortalkombat]

have a look 8 mm seems right
http://www.boatus.com/boattech/casey/34.htm

[aido]

always nice to have 2 anchoring setups.
keep your 12 mm for bay anchoring and get
200 meters or so of 8mm, with the pick setup
and ball for the deep stuff.
pulling up the anchor, chain and 200mtr of rope
can become tiresome.
the retreiver ball is a must, imho.

[kevy]

YO, BLACK & BLUE. THE THEORY IS 3 TIMES THE DEPTH YOUR FISHING IS THE RULE OF THUMB. I WOULD GO TO 10MM ROPE. 80 METRES IN A LOT OF CURRENT & WIND IS NOT A WISE MOVE, ALL THE BEST, KEVY.

[Smithy]

Nick,

some of my info here.

http://www.ausfish.com.au/cgi-ausfis...0015;start=9#9

Further to this Chandlers sell 300m coils for around $70 of 8mm silver rope I think. 300m will fit in the big Nally fish tubs. I make up a length of 12mm with a loop on one end and a big Carabina clip the other that is just long enough to go from the bow roller to somewhere convenient in the cockpit. Just loop it through the roller and you only need use it when you know you are going to anchor. Same for having the rope in a tub - only take it when you know you are not Marlin fishing. Make sure you get the right size Ezy lift clip. On the weekend I think I was using a small one on 12mm on someone else's boat and didn't work as easy as mine used to. If you use a big plough or heaps of big heavy chain and a big heavy anchor you might even need two of those 300mm floats. We have done that on Russ's Signature and I remember in an old Damon Olsen article they used two as well.

System goes like this. Find spot you want to drop anchor on. Drop anchor and chain out of tub over side in cockpit without hitting glass. Stop anchor half way with a jolt on rope to jerk it out straight and to minimise tangles and to get anchor to sink first. Circle anchor as it descends so you don't drift off spot. Feed out line to allow for wind/current and how far uphill you have gone so you can lay back on fishing spot, attach Ezylift clip the right way (takes some practice), do clove hitch (Grannies Glasses from Scouts) behind float, attach Carabina, let out rope so the short length of 12mm lays out and you are now hanging off the bow roller. Tie off 8mm to somewhere with a bit of slack in it and store tub out of the way.

Once you get used to this system I find it the ultimate. Only problem is finding room for a tub in a 1/2 cabin boat but for your boat or Russ's Signature you can do away with the tub and use your anchor locker as being centre cabs it is so easy to get to the front. My old boat I prefered to keep a separate sand anchor and shorter rope in the nose for overnighting in anchorages and carry the reef pick in the cockpit on non-Marlin trips. Don't expect you to do many overnighters in sandy country so put your reef pick up there. Only penalty will be the weight factor for trolling trips if you keep it up there all the time.

[Hagar]

Black n Blue
Anchoring in 80-90 metres with 120 metres of rope is very marginal with any kind of current or wind mate . I use the rule of thumb of min twice the depth of rope available preferable three times ( you might move out wider ). For a 7 metre boat I would also use at least five or more metres of chain . Don,t forget the weight of the reef anchor is an issue . I use my own design six prong reefie with extended shaft made from thick walled pipe for extra weight and sink rate . I have never broken a rope even with the smaller diameter ropes . They have a lot of stretch factor which will lift the pick before they break using the anchor buoy set up .
Chris