How do you rig a plow anchor

captain zac · Mar 10, 2011

Does anyone have diagrams of the rigging of a Plow Anchor
I will be using rode and chain and a V700 windlass
I am not sure how to rig the front hole ( I guess you would call it an emergency release)

Thanks
Harry

Pez Vela · Mar 10, 2011

Re: How do you rig a plow anchor

You don't need to rig the hole closest to the flukes unless you want a "breakaway" set up. If you do, there are a variety of methods, all of which rely on a relatively weak fastener at the head of the shank (zip ties are often used). Here's how someone rigged a traditional danforth with an alternative method (wire cable). http://www.thehulltruth.com/boating-forum/180164-breakaway-anchor-rig-pics.html The more straight forward method is to simply run the chain down to the bottom hole and fasten it at the head of the shank with zip ties or some similar breakaway fastener.

rad28 · Mar 10, 2011

Re: How do you rig a plow anchor

If the breakaway breaks when you don't want it to break (middle of the night) is the holding power of the anchor reduced? Is the anchor's abilility to reset itself on a tide change compromised?

Pez Vela · Mar 10, 2011

Re: How do you rig a plow anchor

Absolutely. ... that's the downside to breakaway rigging. Who knows what other issues may arise. Breakaway rigging is for special situations where losing anchors is a real problem.

rad28 · Mar 10, 2011

Re: How do you rig a plow anchor

So--That tells me the only way to rig an anchor to break loose is to buy the devices that are tested and sold for this purpose. I don't remember the name but I've seen a couple different systems sold.

Pez Vela · Mar 10, 2011

Re: How do you rig a plow anchor

There's no escaping the fact that, no matter the anchor, and no matter the style of rigging, a "breakaway" set-up incorporates an intentionally "weak link" at the traditional attachment point for the chain at the head of the shank, and moves the "fail safe" attachment point to the lower part of the anchor so that it may be pulled up backwards if enough pressure is applied. There's a time and place for this, and likewise there are situations when a "breakaway" set-up would be ill advised.

captain zac · Mar 10, 2011

Re: How do you rig a plow anchor

OK

You guys got me thinking
not sure if its worth it to me to use the breakaway
but I still don't want to get the anchor stuck and not have a way to get it up
do you guys think this would work
If the anchor gets stuck

Tie a rope to a quick link (have it on board)
put it on the anchor rode
drive over the acnhor
let it slide down the rode and over the anchor arm
drive behind the anchor and pull the rope
should release the anchor

Fireman431 · Mar 10, 2011

Re: How do you rig a plow anchor

rad28 said:
If the breakaway breaks when you don't want it to break (middle of the night) is the holding power of the anchor reduced? Is the anchor's abilility to reset itself on a tide change compromised?

I have used breakaway rigs for years and NEVER had one break when it wasn't supposed to. Think about it, if the wind and tide switched suddenly, the boat is not going to ride overtop of the anchoring point. It's going to swing in an arc , keeping tension on the attached portion of the rode. People always worry about it breaking away suddenly, but if you ask the people who use them, it's never happened to them or anyone else they know.

Pez Vela · Mar 10, 2011

Re: How do you rig a plow anchor

captain zac said:
do you guys think this would work

No comment on things I've never tried. I've had plenty of stuck anchors and I've bent a few, but never lost one. I've got a few tricks that rely on boat maneuvering more than anything else, but when push comes to shove, I tie off to the strongest bow cleat I have and carefully power that bad boy free with engine power ... and that cleat is still there after 25 years.

tschmidty · Mar 10, 2011

Re: How do you rig a plow anchor

The quick link idea seems like it would work but it would need to be fairly heavy on order to make it all the way down and over the anchor without a lot of insurance that t would actually slide all the way down. I'd personally go with either the break away or just take my chances.

Yacht Dr. · Mar 10, 2011

Re: How do you rig a plow anchor

Fireman431 said:
I have used breakaway rigs for years and NEVER had one break when it wasn't supposed to. Think about it, if the wind and tide switched suddenly, the boat is not going to ride overtop of the anchoring point. It's going to swing in an arc , keeping tension on the attached portion of the rode. People always worry about it breaking away suddenly, but if you ask the people who use them, it's never happened to them or anyone else they know.

Never anchored in the caribean I see

..

Winds can go 180 deg. in a heartbeat..2 anchors are allways better then 1 when morred for more then a day.

We had to get up every morning and unwrap our rode at the cleats because the boats spun 3 times during a night..

Morr right and keep an eye out no matter what ( lines crippled are not a good thing ) .

YD.

Bob's Garage · Mar 11, 2011

Re: How do you rig a plow anchor

Another method, useful if you have the storage space and know the depth of the water you are going to be in, is to secure a trip line to the forward hole on the anchor and the other end of the line to a float (could even be one of your fenders).

It lets you see your anchor location, and others can see your rode direction, and using a boat hook you can pull the trip line into the boat and release the anchor.

Fireman431 · Mar 11, 2011

Re: How do you rig a plow anchor

Yacht Dr. said:
Never anchored in the caribean I see

No, YD...you are correct. I have never anchored in the Carribbean, so I can only say what wotks in the majority of lakes and rivers where the average boater is. But then again, I'm pretty sure 99% of the others on this site will never anchor in the Carribbean either

I would love to be anchored in the Carib. Call me the next time you're going...I'll hitch a ride...

Bob's Garage said:
Another method, useful if you have the storage space and know the depth of the water you are going to be in, is to secure a trip line to the forward hole on the anchor and the other end of the line to a float (could even be one of your fenders).

It lets you see your anchor location, and others can see your rode direction, and using a boat hook you can pull the trip line into the boat and release the anchor.

That is an excellent compromise between the two methods. I have done that in the past with a gallon jug filled with parachute cord. 1000' easily fits inside and when you run the cord through a hole in the cap, it only plays out enough to get the jug to float. I wish I would have posted that, too...forgot all about it. Good job!

How do you rig a plow anchor

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