I lost my drift anchor!

Let me start from the beginning. I procured a anchor from a fellow kayak fisherman (I said I would keep it a secret so he didn't get inundated with requests) last year. I took the anchor to my local Rhino Liner dealer and had him Rhino Line it. It turned out great.

I used it several times on the RR and even on the Smith River with Sean. The last time I was at the Smith with Sean, I unhooked my anchor from my Kayak and placed it on the bumper of my truck. Short story, I forgot it and now it's gone.

I decided to make my own anchor with some lead I had laying around. I used plywood to build a mold and melted the lead. As I poured the lead inside the plywood, it leaked out as fast as I poured it in. Next I remelted the lead and lined the inside of the plywood with aluminum foil. I poured the lead in again and it leaked out almost as fast as the first time. 

I remelted the lead again while I used more aluminum foil to line the plywood for the second time. In addition, I placed the plywood inside a bucket of water to cool the lead if any escaped. As I poured the lead into the mold, the water and lead boiled up and popped and sizzled in my face. Fortunately, the mold worked enough to kick out an ugly anchor that worked.

I used the anchor one time, and even though it was real heave compared to the first one, it worked great. Yesterday I used the anchor again on the RR, where i caught a 5" trout and a sucker fish. As I was pulling up the anchor to leave, I noticed that it got real light. Yep!, you guessed it, it came unhooked and now it's sitting on the bottom of a deep hole on the RR.

So, today I went down to the local metal shop and had them cut three 8" triangle pieces of 14 gauge steel. I brought them home and welded them together. I melted more lead and poured it into the mold. I used a piece of brassing rod as the eyelet on the top. The anchor came out looking real good, but it weighs 20 pounds.

Close enough for me! If anyone wants, I'll post a photo.

CHEERS!

TWENTY pounds?!?!?!? Holy schnikies!
You ain't gonna budge.

So how deep's the hole with your ugly anchor in it?   

You guys using the drift anchors should be careful about dropping in big holes. If the hole is big enough you shouldn't need an anchor. That technique works best when you know the the rivers CFS and when you can see the bottom. What could happen is that dropping into a big hole could snag your rig on whatever is down there. If the current is strong enough your boat would be sucked under before you could fiddle with the anchor quick release (if your using one). Bad anchor management is the #1 reason cited in a majority of driftboat tragedies. As a kayaking community we have been a very lucky group but the way things are going someone is going to get hurt or worse out there. I'm a little paranoid but that's my job. Keep it safe fellas and fish with a buddy
-HAWK

So how deep's the hole with your ugly anchor in it?   

It was around 5 or 6 feet. Knowing you, I'm sure you'd strip down to your skivvies and dive down to retrieve it. That's why you live up North with the brown bear. 

In 50 degree water that would have to be one sentimental anchor to get me going over in my skivvies. 5-6 ft does not a big hole make! We have holes on the Eel and Smith near twenty feet. I use to never carry my fishfinder on the river but now I do when I'm going to be anchoring. The depth readout can be very useful on unfamiliar runs. Sync it up to a GPS or buy an all-in-one unit and you can gauge your real time speed on the river. If your cruising faster than the speed you would be anchoring in SF Bay or elsewhere reconsider anchoring or move out of the current further.You could also waypoint lost items for later retrieval.  Mahi, It sounds like you weren't doing anything out of the ordinary but don't they make cops learn to bowlines and knots. 

I want the ugly anchor!   

  Mahi Mahi 
Wanted to let you know that when Sean gets back, you may want to drop a line and ask if he has anymore drift anchors. I have a reliable source  that some are being made. In the weight of around 5-6 pounds, right?

In 50 degree water that would have to be one sentimental anchor to get me going over in my skivvies. 5-6 ft does not a big hole make! We have holes on the Eel and Smith near twenty feet. I use to never carry my fishfinder on the river but now I do when I'm going to be anchoring. The depth readout can be very useful on unfamiliar runs. Sync it up to a GPS or buy an all-in-one unit and you can gauge your real time speed on the river. If your cruising faster than the speed you would be anchoring in SF Bay or elsewhere reconsider anchoring or move out of the current further.You could also waypoint lost items for later retrieval.  Mahi, It sounds like you weren't doing anything out of the ordinary but don't they make cops learn to bowlines and knots. 

The knot didn't break, I believe the brass clasp caught on something and opened, allowing the anchor to escape. I know knots!

Mahi Mahi 
Wanted to let you know that when Sean gets back, you may want to drop a line and ask if he has anymore drift anchors. I have a reliable source  that some are being made. In the weight of around 5-6 pounds, right?

I have already made two teo anchors since the tragedy. One is around 20# and one is around 10#. I think I'm good!

COOOOOL Now that I have borrowed a mold from Fishim (Mark) I will make some heavier ones in case someone needs a big one. LATER 

Glad you guys were able to hook up Rory.

You guys using the drift anchors should be careful about dropping in big holes. If the hole is big enough you shouldn't need an anchor. That technique works best when you know the the rivers CFS and when you can see the bottom. What could happen is that dropping into a big hole could snag your rig on whatever is down there. If the current is strong enough your boat would be sucked under before you could fiddle with the anchor quick release (if your using one). Bad anchor management is the #1 reason cited in a majority of driftboat tragedies. As a kayaking community we have been a very lucky group but the way things are going someone is going to get hurt or worse out there. I'm a little paranoid but that's my job. Keep it safe fellas and fish with a buddy
-HAWK

I'll bring it up yet again, but I've mentioned before that kayak fishermen back east that target smallmouth have cussed and discussed drift anchors for many years now. The general consensus is: Be really careful/not a good idea. As Hawk noted above, there's the issue of snagging your anchor on something while in current that is faster than you guesstimated. Then there is also the scenario whereby you are anchored up all beautifully, been fishing for 15 minutes, and then a submerged snag (as in a loose tree trunk) rides your anchor line, your anchor snags, then the tree drags your boat under, and tries real hard to climb over you as well.

Again, as mentioned by Hawk above, people in much larger craft die on a fairly regular basis due to drift anchor issues. Be REALLY careful out there.

Regards,
Scott

P.S.

Were it me, there's no way I'd have a kayak drift anchor line running through closed eyes. I would want something that with a quick swipe at a cleat and a toss, would allow the anchor line to be completely free of the boat. I'm thinking a couple oarlocks meant for small pontoon boats would be just the speed for routing line. But that's just me, and my experience with kayak drift anchors is zero...

Anchoring is like anything else you need to use a little common sense be prepared and know your surroundings.
Don't anchor in deep holes or in the main current don't get greedy and anchor somewhere you are insure of just to catch a fish.
Most places I anchor that have any strong current are less than 3' deep, and always take baby steps. But if you listen to all the nay sayers you wouldn't be taking a 15' piece of plastic out on the big blue.

Bad anchor management is the #1 reason cited in a majority of driftboat tragedies.

I don't claim to be a kayaking or Drift Boat expert but this sounds like B.S. to me, I think most of the accidents that have occurred in drift boats are just Yard Sales gone bad because they were not prepared for immersion or wearing their PFDs. Being in a Kayak most of us are better prepared to get wet.

The general consensus is: Be really careful/not a good idea.

Scott Got any links to back this up, I would be really interested to know who this General Consensus is and what they are paddling and how they prepare. In 40 years of river fishing I have never seen or heard of a stump taking a boat out, although I have seen waders mowed down a couple of times. I have seen sweepers,strainers and rocks take out boats.
 



   

Search this site for threads on kayak anchoring:

http://forums.riversmallies.com/forums/index.php?&showforum=20

Regards,
Scott

P.S.

I don't claim to be a kayaking or Drift Boat expert but this sounds like B.S. to me,

I consider myself to just be a reasonably knowledgeable individual. Part of tribal sea kayaking knowledge, is "you don't turn your back on the ocean". So just how smart is it to be in a very small displacement craft, with your back to the oncoming water, using a 10-20 pound anchor, and line that passes through any number of small eyelets? And folks are doing this during the time of year when it is most likely that there will be large drifting objects in the current. I'm just saying that this is a "freak occurance" waiting to happen.