Sunday 24 January 2016

Christmas - A Second Anchor

During last year we began to realise that having a second anchor would be useful. Although a 3.2KG folding anchor would not be everyone's first choice, especially if leaving the boat unattended. However kept in the aft locker, it would be easy to deploy, for short lunch stops, as a kedge, dropping onto the shore or into some rocks. There is 2 metres of 6mm chain, which can soon be attached to a longer piece of rope.
 
It would be easy to wrap it up in a plastic bag but a 4 inch piece of waste pipe with wooden plugs makes an ideal method of storage. There are two slots at the top, so the end of the chain can be left out, so it doesn't become knotted and makes attachment of the rope much easier. This also allows a very slight flex in the tube, so the top plug remains a tight fit. A hole is drilled in the bottom plug, which locates the end of the anchor and allows any water to drain out. The intention is to secure the tube in a vertical position to the rudder moulding in the aft locker.