 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
Grab a pole
By Dave Osmolski
Pole anchors are becoming more common on the water. These shallow-water hydraulic anchoring systems can be deployed quickly and quietly by remote control, making them valuable tools for boaters who like to fish.
Compact, lightweight and sturdy, a pole anchor consists of a hydraulically actuated resin/fiber composite pole attached to an aluminum housing. The anchor operates much like the arm on a power shovel or crane.
The hydraulic pump and reservoir are mounted in the boat’s stern near the pole unit, with tubing to direct the flow of hydraulic fluid. The pump, reservoir and switching relay take up considerable space, which could be a problem on some boats.
Most pole anchors can be hard-wired or connected to a radio-controlled switch, so they can be operated from anywhere in the boat.
A pole anchor is simply a pointed stick thrust into the bottom, so it doesn’t require setting to hold like a conventional anchor. When a pole anchor goes down, it’s as set as it’s going to get.
Most conventional anchors are deployed from the bow, so the boat swings bow-first into the wind, current and waves. The transom-mounted pole anchor will swing the stern into the wind and waves. Because of this, pole anchors shouldn’t be used in rough weather, as the pole could remain embedded as water pours over the transom. Pole anchors also shouldn’t be used on unattended boats as waves could dislodge the pole, causing your boat to float away with the pole deployed.
Pole anchors can be purchased online or at most major marine accessory retailers, or you can make your own. A homemade pole anchor has the advantage of being attached to your boat with a length of line like a conventional anchor, allowing you to fasten it to a bow cleat and avoid the potential problems and extra space involved with a stern-mounted unit. Deployed like a spear, a homemade pole anchor allows you to anchor in depths of up to 10 feet instead of the six- to seven-foot maximum for stern-mounted hydraulic pole anchors.
To make a simple pole anchor, you will need a 6-foot section of 5/8- to 3/4-inch rod. You can avoid welding by using threaded rod from the hardware store. If purchasing threaded rod, you’ll also need a coupling nut to fit the rod, two locknuts, two lock washers and an eyebolt the same size as your rod.
Fasten the eyebolt to the rod and lock it on with the locknuts and washers. Sharpen the business end if you wish, but the force exerted by concentrating weight on the rod’s end is enough to drive it sufficiently into a soft bottom.
Using the anchor bend you learned in Seamanship, tie an adequately sized line to the ring of the eyebolt, and you are ready to go fishing without spooking every fish for hundreds of yards! 
D/Lt/C David H. Osmolski, AP, of Charlotte Power Squadron, has been repairing boats since high school when his first boat, a canvas-covered canoe with cedar ribs, leaked in gallons per minute and required constant repair. Dave’s current boat, a 16-foot Carolina Skiff, gives him plenty of opportunities for repair and upgrades, so look for more of his maintenance articles in upcoming issues.
Handrail helpers
Varnishing teak handrails used to be the most dreaded chore on my boat. Over the years, I tried every varnish on the market. Some were better than others, but none lasted more than a year or two.
Then I discovered Sikkens, which not only lasted longer but eliminated the need to sand between coats. Now I refinish my handrails only about every eight years, and it’s not much of a chore because I merely wipe them down with soap and water and then apply a coat of Sikkens.
To make the finish last that long, I also cover the handrails with foam pipe wrap when I leave my boat for the day or weekend.
–Don Baker
Vintage seamanship maneuver
Pacific Coast lumber schooner skippers once used the now long-forgotten poor man’s tugboat technique when docking single-screw vessels in tight quarters without a tug’s assistance.
When to use it
The poor man’s tugboat maneuver can be used in high winds and shallow water (less than 30 feet), when you’ve lost one of two engines, and when
approaching and departing a dock in tight quarters.
Why use it
This technique holds the bow from being blown down by the wind or current and moves the pivot point from about one-third from the bow to a point at the bow, increasing the rudder’s effectiveness. The anchor bounces along the bottom, and the flukes are never at an angle to really grab hold.
The maneuver also slows the speed over the bottom by requiring more power. The net effect is high flow across the rudder and extremely improved rudder control at a low speed over ground. When backing out of a slip with a single-screw vessel, this technique will greatly improve your ability to maintain a straight line.
How to do it
While approaching a dock with a mud or sandy bottom free from obstructions with minimal headway, lower an anchor to the bottom and then lower additional rode to equal one-quarter the current depth. For example, if the water is 20 feet deep, you’d lower an extra 5 feet of rode. It’s preferable for at least 10 feet of this lower rode to be chain. A deckhand should tend the rode, initially making it fast.
After lowering the anchor and rode, clutch ahead with the engine(s). If the vessel begins to move, lower more rode until it stops. Then increase speed until the vessel begins moving at 1 to 2 knots. If you need more engine rpm, pay out more rode to maintain this 1- to 2-knot speed. Proceed to the dock. You will have the ability to make very large turns right off the dock. Pass the lines over, and stop the engine(s).
This technique has been used on single-screw vessels up to 860 feet and on 300-foot twin-screw vessels. The poor man’s tugboat really works and should be included in your ditty bag of seamanship tricks.
–Tom Stapleton
Weigh down the rode
If you anchor a fin keel sailboat in a current, you have a good chance of fouling your rode on the next tide change. The rode can easily get picked up on the back side of the keel, which can cut the rode if it stays there long enough.
This wouldn’t happen with an all-chain rode, but many small-boat sailors with no room for a windlass will instead use a nylon rode with 20 or more feet of chain at the bottom. To avoid fouling this type of rode, you can attach a 3- or 4-pound weight to the rode a foot below the keel. The rode will go straight to the bottom and clear of your keel.
–Burrage Warner
| About Us | Member Resources | Subscriber Center | Advertisers |
© 2012
The Ensign. All rights reserved. |