Educate me how to use a grappling hook to anchor on a wreck
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Capt.Ed
Contributor
You'll want to use a scope of at least 5:1; more for heavy current or wind. I often times use 10 to 1 when fishing under bridges because the current will be ripping. 5:1 btw, refers to 5 feet of scope for every foot of depth. therefore, 250 of scope is required for optimal holding in 50 feet of water; minimum!
What you may want to do is take a boating safety course if you're going to be using your own boat and asking these types of questions...just a suggesstion; these types of things are covered in those types of classes. You might also consider purchasing and reading Chapman's Seamanship; great book with lots of information. Your local Coast Guard Auxilliary gives these classes and many Marine Parts stores have information on classes or provide them at the store.
Something else to consider is that a great number of small boats are on the bottom of the ocean because of a poor anchor job. Anchors can come loose and set the boat adrift. Too little scope can cause the bow to dig into a swell and swamp. Poor under power anchor tripping techniques can result in swamping or capsizing your boat. I find anchors on the wrecks and reefs all the time because someone failed to drop it in the right spot and couldn't recover it from toposide.
What you may want to do is take a boating safety course if you're going to be using your own boat and asking these types of questions...just a suggesstion; these types of things are covered in those types of classes. You might also consider purchasing and reading Chapman's Seamanship; great book with lots of information. Your local Coast Guard Auxilliary gives these classes and many Marine Parts stores have information on classes or provide them at the store.
Something else to consider is that a great number of small boats are on the bottom of the ocean because of a poor anchor job. Anchors can come loose and set the boat adrift. Too little scope can cause the bow to dig into a swell and swamp. Poor under power anchor tripping techniques can result in swamping or capsizing your boat. I find anchors on the wrecks and reefs all the time because someone failed to drop it in the right spot and couldn't recover it from toposide.
grouchyturtle
Contributor
Sorry Captain Ed, but you're wrong on this one.
Fishing is very different from diving. If you're fishing or using any other kind of anchor, then you'd be 100% correct with the old 5-1 - 7-1 rule.
But for diving, no one uses that even close to that much scope when hooking into a wreck with a grapnel. The tie in is what keeps the hook from pulling.
Sooo...there are un-moored wrecks down here? Glad I kept that grapnel!
Fishing is very different from diving. If you're fishing or using any other kind of anchor, then you'd be 100% correct with the old 5-1 - 7-1 rule.
But for diving, no one uses that even close to that much scope when hooking into a wreck with a grapnel. The tie in is what keeps the hook from pulling.
Sooo...there are un-moored wrecks down here? Glad I kept that grapnel!
Almost forgot to address this part of the post....
Are you nuts? Diving 70' and 100' deep wrecks alone, in the gulf stream, with one person topside?
I mean, we're all adults and have to take responsibility for our own safety, but the list of things that can go wrong in your scenario is almost limitless.
Spearfishers do it all the time.
Leslie Sapp
Registered
Here's how I rig mine for fishing and diving in the Gulf. You may have to experiment with the number of cable ties to match your boat and anchor. This allows you to put the motor in gear and break the cable ties. The anchor then flips out of what ever it's hung up in.
I first mark the spot I wish to anchor on with a marker buoy. I then bring the boat to a dead stop as close to the buoy as possible, shut the motor down and drift away a few hundred feet. I then drive straight back past the buoy and anchor up current from it. As the boat drifts back to the end of the anchor rope, I take in or let out scope until I'm over my marker.
Most of the time this works pretty well, but if wind and tide are contrary to each other, it can be difficult to get set up directly over a small rock or wreck.
This type of rig also works with other types of anchors, but around here is most commonly seen on grapnels.
Hope this helps.
I first mark the spot I wish to anchor on with a marker buoy. I then bring the boat to a dead stop as close to the buoy as possible, shut the motor down and drift away a few hundred feet. I then drive straight back past the buoy and anchor up current from it. As the boat drifts back to the end of the anchor rope, I take in or let out scope until I'm over my marker.
Most of the time this works pretty well, but if wind and tide are contrary to each other, it can be difficult to get set up directly over a small rock or wreck.
This type of rig also works with other types of anchors, but around here is most commonly seen on grapnels.
Hope this helps.
Attachments
When, like the OP, I/we dive from my 19 foot boat, I do not have a rescue diver on ready or a recompression chamber. I do leave my wife aboard and go solo unless the conditions are especially benign in which case we leave the boat alone if she wishes to dive and we are within swimming distance of the shore (for me that would be several miles even towing my wife). We anchor and tie to the wreck, as is legal and if not I anchor beside the wreck. I don't use the tie-wraps or twine to tie the chain in the "release" method. I do stay within sight of the anchor once on bottom and content myself with some macro shots or just watching what comes by, especially so if my wife has joined me. We do carry safety equipment such as a signal mirror, flare, dye pack, and now we have a PLB which I will soon be making a carry case for from a PVC tube.
Once a few decades ago, people dived/fished from much smaller boats much further from shore and it was routine, they did not have rescue divers, recompression chambers on board, electronic locators or 33 footer, triple engine, 90 MPH center consoles, more likely it was a BW Montuck or even a BW 13 footer or a little Mako 17 or similar.
You know, if my boat floats away, because my wife falls asleep and if my PLB does not work and if we are the only people on the ocean because they have all been raptured including my wife to use my dye, flares, mirror to signal and if I am setting there all by myself, I will just swim to shore, 10 miles is possible, I don't care. Safety is important but I cannot paralyze myself for fear of the ridiculous possibility into doing nothing due to today's hyper safety consciousness concerning every facet of life. Live strong, not forever.
N
Once a few decades ago, people dived/fished from much smaller boats much further from shore and it was routine, they did not have rescue divers, recompression chambers on board, electronic locators or 33 footer, triple engine, 90 MPH center consoles, more likely it was a BW Montuck or even a BW 13 footer or a little Mako 17 or similar.
You know, if my boat floats away, because my wife falls asleep and if my PLB does not work and if we are the only people on the ocean because they have all been raptured including my wife to use my dye, flares, mirror to signal and if I am setting there all by myself, I will just swim to shore, 10 miles is possible, I don't care. Safety is important but I cannot paralyze myself for fear of the ridiculous possibility into doing nothing due to today's hyper safety consciousness concerning every facet of life. Live strong, not forever.
N
YouTube - ‪century capsize‬‏
However you use a grapple anchor you might not want to run it off a stern cleat. So many things wrong in this video, stern anchored only one of them. I generally put a buoy on my anchor rode so I can unclip from the anchor, leave it and come back. Bilge pumps, hmmmm, why did not they leave the anchor rode and start the engines and power up onto plane? Plugs left out, sheered off seacock to a bait well pump? Who knows. I like a boat with no bilge to hold water to begin with.
Stern anchoring is probably a poor practice.
N
However you use a grapple anchor you might not want to run it off a stern cleat. So many things wrong in this video, stern anchored only one of them. I generally put a buoy on my anchor rode so I can unclip from the anchor, leave it and come back. Bilge pumps, hmmmm, why did not they leave the anchor rode and start the engines and power up onto plane? Plugs left out, sheered off seacock to a bait well pump? Who knows. I like a boat with no bilge to hold water to begin with.
Stern anchoring is probably a poor practice.
N
grouchyturtle
Contributor
That's a good lesson on how NOT to use any kind of anchor.
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