Anchor ball - Page 2

captken · 06-05-2008, 07:42 PM

For Jesse22r

The line going through the weedeater handle is the anchorline, not a lanyard. My anchor , line, and ball hangs on a rod holder in the stbd stern corner.

Danno · 06-06-2008, 05:36 AM

So, if I understand right, we're talking about a big float on the anchor line. If floats above or nearly above the anchor and does exactly, that floats the anchor while you retrieve it.

Am I understanding this right ( its a little after 4 AM and I hadn't had my coffee,

). That's it?

Danno · 06-06-2008, 05:47 AM

Ok, I did some homework on this anchor ball thing and now I do understand it better. It sounds like what I need to do. Thanks for the replies and here is what I found:Anchoring Using an Anchor Ball (The Easy Way)I?ve been using an anchor ball since before the red plastic balls were invented. At first, I used an empty Freon can. When the plastic balls were invented, everybody switched to them and eliminated a lot of rust stains on their boat.For single hand operation, nothing is as fast, convenient, or safe as anchoring with an anchor ball. Frankly, I think I can haul anchor faster than two guys hauling in the conventional manner. When I drop anchor, I can watch my depth finder as the boat drifts back and tie off precisely on top of the fish.Here is how my boat and anchor ball system is rigged.

Here is how I anchor. The first step after finding a rock is to determine where the anchor should be hooked to allow the boat to be positioned over the fish. I drop anchor from the cockpit as shown below. The engine is in reverse at idle speed. The anchor ball is not released. The anchor line slides out through the anchor ball ring.

Continue adding scope until you are about 2 boat lengths from your buoy and then release the anchor ball.

Secure the anchor line at the spring line cleat when you are close to your buoy. You can haul or release more line as needed.

I always rig my anchor system on the side of the boat closest to the helm. This gives me a better view of the anchor line while I haul anchor. Turn the wheel to port and pull ahead. The anchor ball will begin to track down the Stbd side of the boat as shown in figure 1.

Continue forward and slightly to port until the ball comes along side. Reach over and grab the anchor line as the ball passes and secure the anchor line with one wrap around the stern cleat. No way to foul up now. See drawing 2.

Continue pulling ahead until the anchor catches in the anchor ball ring. The anchor ball will start following the boat, creating a large wake. The chain will sink when the boat stops and the anchor will stay in the ring as you haul.

Stop the boat and haul the anchor and ball back to the boat while flaking the line on the deck.

Use a ball for a day and you?ll never go back to the old hand over hand method.

sealark · 06-06-2008, 05:47 AM

Quote:

Danno (6/6/2008)So, if I understand right, we're talking about a big float on the anchor line. If floats above or nearly above the anchor and does exactly, that floats the anchor while you retrieve it.

Am I understanding this right ( its a little after 4 AM and I hadn't had my coffee,

). That's it?

No,, the float always stays on the surface of the water. When you run the boat around the float in the direction of the anchor the line slides down the line and lifts the anchor out of the sand then the line, chain and anchor go through the surfaced ring and float and get hung. Then you take yourboat out of gear and retrieve the line,and float. Then remove ring and float assemblyand you are ready to do it again. It saves you from pulling the anchor from the bottom!!! the weed eater thing guy is saying that he leaves his assembly over the line all the time and has a way to put it over his roller so he can re deploy it without taking it off the anchor line ever. In most cases the assembly can get into the way of anchoring operations. That's why 99% of the people that use the float assembly method like it to be removable for convenience.

Nat · 06-06-2008, 06:50 AM

The guy I saw on Sunday.......went off into the sunset with his anchor and anchor ball dragging @ 30MPH, the weight of the anchor had the ball partly submerged and it was holding the line really tight, so I guess at that speed fouling the prop wasn't a proplem.

He was still tied off on the bow cleat, and I suppose that cleat had a fair amount of extra stress on it

I have a sealark rig but havn't used it yet, But I will soon. Trying to hold over a spot in the wind is a pain in the arse

captken · 06-06-2008, 08:00 AM

Hey Dano. Where did you find my old drawings? I updated the same drawings and the text for the e-books. I posted those drawings on my old web site at least7 years ago.

When I am at anchor, the ball is usually right under my bow pulpit with the line out ahead of the boat. As you pull forward, the ball slides back down the anchor line until it pulls the anchor out then the anchor comes up and locks into the ring. The chain falls down and the anchor cannot go back down.

I saw a similar rig when I was about 15.(over 50 years ago)I haven't pulled an anchor by hand many times since. I even hava a ball on my bass boat.

By the way, a weed eater handle will probably out last a recreational fisherman.

Somebody mentioned an anchor puncturing a ball. It has never happened to me. I use a home made SS. Grapnell anchor. I haven't used a Danforth type in years. Lots of chain is the key to good anchoring. Dragging an anchor and ball at 30 knots would probably cause problems after a while. Kinda hard on fuel too.

I'm sure guys with balls enjoy them as much as I've enjoyed mine.::clap

Clay Peacher · 06-06-2008, 09:07 AM

Quote:

Nat (6/6/2008)The guy I saw on Sunday.......went off into the sunset with his anchor and anchor ball dragging @ 30MPH, the weight of the anchor had the ball partly submerged and it was holding the line really tight, so I guess at that speed fouling the prop wasn't a proplem.

He was still tied off on the bow cleat, and I suppose that cleat had a fair amount of extra stress on it

I have a sealark rig but havn't used it yet, But I will soon. Trying to hold over a spot in the wind is a pain in the arse

I'm guessing that the conversation on that boat you saw Sunday went something like this:

" Son, we are at are next spot. Deploy the anchor. But Dad, the anchor is already out! Holy crap, son, when did you do that? Dad, I haven't touched the anchor since we were at that last spot. Holy Crap, son........."

Inn Deep · 06-06-2008, 10:42 AM

Warning!!! For those of you not use to using an Anchor Ball please be advised: I do not like the idea of using a rear cleat to bring up anchor. This can be very deadly very quick like especially on smaller boats. A young couple died doing this at the Mass. at couple of years ago. The same year another larger boat capsized the same year doing this. Now the young couple I mentioned was not using a ball but the same thing can happen with a ball.If your anchor does happen to get stuck if the wreck or if it just happens to catch something on the bottom, you then stretch your anchor line out like a rubberband. When you have pulled hard enough on theanchor line your boat can easily be dragged backwards towards the anchor line. Seeing your line is still held to the anchor, then pull backwards can pull your transom under extremely quickly!!! This happens so fast that you never even know whats happening till you find yourself in the water with your boat going under fast like!!! Please be careful till you get use to it. If the same scenario happens with the anchor line cleated of on the front of the boat the tension will turn your boat around instead of pulling your transom under.

sealark · 06-06-2008, 01:07 PM

In deep is correct about pulling the stern under and I was the one that found the 21 foot chris craft that the two people drowned on they found her body around pensacola beach and never found him. The accident happened on the Freighter not the Mass.

Danno · 06-06-2008, 03:22 PM

CaptKen, I can't tell you where I found your drawings or the directions, I can only tell you I was looking for more detail on how an anchor ball worked and this is what I found. I googled anchor ball and this was on one of the sites, I did have to scroll way down thesite to find it.

Your knowledge is alive and well on the world-wide-web. Thanks for making the post.

06-05-2008, 07:42 PM	#11
captken Senior Member Sailfish Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Crystal River, FL Posts: 1,927	RE: Anchor ball For Jesse22r The line going through the weedeater handle is the anchorline, not a lanyard. My anchor , line, and ball hangs on a rod holder in the stbd stern corner. __________________ Captken http://www.panhandlefishingbooks.com/

06-06-2008, 05:36 AM	#12
Danno Senior Member Snapper Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Pensacola, FL Posts: 421	RE: Anchor ball So, if I understand right, we're talking about a big float on the anchor line. If floats above or nearly above the anchor and does exactly, that floats the anchor while you retrieve it. Am I understanding this right ( its a little after 4 AM and I hadn't had my coffee, ). That's it?

06-06-2008, 05:47 AM	#13
Danno Senior Member Snapper Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Pensacola, FL Posts: 421	RE: Anchor ball Ok, I did some homework on this anchor ball thing and now I do understand it better. It sounds like what I need to do. Thanks for the replies and here is what I found:<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt; TEXT-ALIGN: left" align=center><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Anchoring Using an Anchor Ball (The Easy Way)<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">I?ve been using an anchor ball since before the red plastic balls were invented. At first, I used an empty Freon can. When the plastic balls were invented, everybody switched to them and eliminated a lot of rust stains on their boat.<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">For single hand operation, nothing is as fast, convenient, or safe as anchoring with an anchor ball. Frankly, I think I can haul anchor faster than two guys hauling in the conventional manner. When I drop anchor, I can watch my depth finder as the boat drifts back and tie off precisely on top of the fish.<SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Here is how my boat and anchor ball system is rigged.<P class=MsoNormal><P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Here is how I anchor. The first step after finding a rock is to determine where the anchor should be hooked to allow the boat to be positioned over the fish. I drop anchor from the cockpit as shown below. The engine is in reverse at idle speed. The anchor ball is not released. The anchor line slides out through the anchor ball ring.<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center><P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Continue adding scope until you are about 2 boat lengths from your buoy and then release the anchor ball.<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center><P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center><P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center><P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center><P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Secure the anchor line at the spring line cleat when you are close to your buoy. You can haul or release more line as needed.<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center><P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">I always rig my anchor system on the side of the boat closest to the helm. This gives me a better view of the anchor line while I haul anchor. Turn the wheel to port and pull ahead. The anchor ball will begin to track down the <SPAN class=SpellE>Stbd side of the boat as shown in figure 1.<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center><P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Continue forward and slightly to port until the ball comes along side. Reach over and grab the anchor line as the ball passes and secure the anchor line with one wrap around the stern cleat. No way to foul up now. See drawing 2.<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center><P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Continue pulling ahead until the anchor catches in the anchor ball ring. The anchor ball will start following the boat, creating a large wake. The chain will sink when the boat stops and the anchor will stay in the ring as you haul.<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: left" align=center><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Stop the boat and haul the anchor and ball back to the boat while <SPAN class=GramE>flaking the line on the deck. <P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center><P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Use a ball for a day and you?ll never go back to the old hand over hand method.

06-06-2008, 06:50 AM	#15
Nat Senior Member Grouper Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Foley......AladamnBama Posts: 653	RE: Anchor ball The guy I saw on Sunday.......went off into the sunset with his anchor and anchor ball dragging @ 30MPH, the weight of the anchor had the ball partly submerged and it was holding the line really tight, so I guess at that speed fouling the prop wasn't a proplem. He was still tied off on the bow cleat, and I suppose that cleat had a fair amount of extra stress on it I have a sealark rig but havn't used it yet, But I will soon. Trying to hold over a spot in the wind is a pain in the arse

06-06-2008, 08:00 AM	#16
captken Senior Member Sailfish Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Crystal River, FL Posts: 1,927	RE: Anchor ball Hey Dano. Where did you find my old drawings? I updated the same drawings and the text for the e-books. I posted those drawings on my old web site at least7 years ago. When I am at anchor, the ball is usually right under my bow pulpit with the line out ahead of the boat. As you pull forward, the ball slides back down the anchor line until it pulls the anchor out then the anchor comes up and locks into the ring. The chain falls down and the anchor cannot go back down. I saw a similar rig when I was about 15.(over 50 years ago)I haven't pulled an anchor by hand many times since. I even hava a ball on my bass boat. By the way, a weed eater handle will probably out last a recreational fisherman. Somebody mentioned an anchor puncturing a ball. It has never happened to me. I use a home made SS. Grapnell anchor. I haven't used a Danforth type in years. Lots of chain is the key to good anchoring. Dragging an anchor and ball at 30 knots would probably cause problems after a while. Kinda hard on fuel too. I'm sure guys with balls enjoy them as much as I've enjoyed mine.::clap __________________ Captken http://www.panhandlefishingbooks.com/

06-06-2008, 10:42 AM	#18
Inn Deep Senior Member Trigger Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 279	RE: Anchor ball Warning!!! For those of you not use to using an Anchor Ball please be advised: I do not like the idea of using a rear cleat to bring up anchor. This can be very deadly very quick like especially on smaller boats. A young couple died doing this at the Mass. at couple of years ago. The same year another larger boat capsized the same year doing this. Now the young couple I mentioned was not using a ball but the same thing can happen with a ball.If your anchor does happen to get stuck if the wreck or if it just happens to catch something on the bottom, you then stretch your anchor line out like a rubberband. When you have pulled hard enough on theanchor line your boat can easily be dragged backwards towards the anchor line. Seeing your line is still held to the anchor, then pull backwards can pull your transom under extremely quickly!!! This happens so fast that you never even know whats happening till you find yourself in the water with your boat going under fast like!!! Please be careful till you get use to it. If the same scenario happens with the anchor line cleated of on the front of the boat the tension will turn your boat around instead of pulling your transom under.

06-06-2008, 01:07 PM	#19
sealark Senior Member Sailfish Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Pensacola, Sherman Cove Marina Posts: 2,142	RE: Anchor ball In deep is correct about pulling the stern under and I was the one that found the 21 foot chris craft that the two people drowned on they found her body around pensacola beach and never found him. The accident happened on the Freighter not the Mass.

06-06-2008, 03:22 PM	#20
Danno Senior Member Snapper Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Pensacola, FL Posts: 421	RE: Anchor ball CaptKen, I can't tell you where I found your drawings or the directions, I can only tell you I was looking for more detail on how an anchor ball worked and this is what I found. I googled anchor ball and this was on one of the sites, I did have to scroll way down thesite to find it. Your knowledge is alive and well on the world-wide-web. Thanks for making the post.

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