TODAY I LEARNED

How to unwind an anchor chain from a rock!!

Anchors and rocks don’t really go together so well.

If your anchoring in rocky territory, you can employ a lot of techniques to try and keep your anchor and chain from getting stuck, but ultimately, you might need to understand how to get it free when it does.

there are two types of rocky bottom, those with actual rocks and those with a solid rock bottom. The latter are a lot easier to get unstuck from because your chain is unlikely to get jammed and pulled under a huge boulder that then takes a lot of effort to remove yourself from.

In the solid rock bottom situation the FIRST thing to do is dive onto the anchor chain and see what is going on. Knowing what way to head and how to manoeuvre the boat, in order to unwind the chain is essential. Just reversing around at high revs hoping you’ll pull it free, usually means you’re making your situation worse.

No, better to dive, see where you need to go, do that slowly and gently and then, if need be, dive again.

The time taken to look will save you at the least time and at the most a lost anchor.

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