| How many times have you had a tough time | | | | and stands up well to abrasion. |
| pulling your marine anchor aboard? Perhaps it | | | | Tie one end of the trip line to the crown, or lower |
| snagged on a rock, coral head, cable, or | | | | part of the anchor. On lightweight anchors like the |
| worse--another anchor? As a sailing skipper, you | | | | Danforth or Fortress, locate the crown where the |
| can avoid these headaches with a simple, | | | | shank (the long arm) and flukes meet. Stockless |
| easy-to-use trip line. | | | | anchors--like the Bruce, Delta, or Rocna--often |
| One end of the trip line attaches to the anchor | | | | have a small hole drilled where the shank bends |
| and the other end has a float--like a plastic jug or | | | | down toward the flukes. On a CQR anchor, |
| Styrofoam buoy. When you're ready to pull in | | | | attach the line to the rear horizontal bar. |
| your anchor, you grab the float, pull on it, and the | | | | Tie the other end of the trip line to your float. |
| anchor lifts off the bottom. Here are four times | | | | Form a large eye-splice in this end to make |
| you will want to use a trip line: | | | | recovery with a boat hook easier. |
| 1. Crowded harbors where you might snag | | | | 3. Coil the Trip Line |
| another boat's anchor. | | | | Start nearest the anchor and coil clockwise |
| 2. Poor bottoms like rock or coral where your | | | | toward the float. Pass the coil under and back |
| anchor might get stuck. | | | | over the bow pulpit or rail so that it goes over |
| 3. To mark your anchor so that boats don't run | | | | without snagging. Break the coil in half with your |
| over your anchor rode. | | | | dominant hand holding that half closest to the |
| 4. If you might need to retrieve your anchor fast | | | | float. |
| in an emergency. | | | | 4. Deploy the Trip Line |
| Follow these five easy steps to make, deploy, | | | | Wait for the boat to stop over the anchorage |
| and retrieve a trip-line: | | | | spot. Heave the trip line float over the bow and |
| 1. Determine the Trip Line Length | | | | allow the coiled line to stream all the way. Next, |
| Write down the depth of the anchorage shown | | | | lower the anchor in the normal way. Use this |
| on your navigational chart. Next, determine the | | | | sequence to keep the trip line and marine anchor |
| height of the highest of the high tides during the | | | | from wrapping around one another. |
| time you will be anchored. Find this information | | | | 5. Retrieve the Trip Line |
| using the free public information from the National | | | | Pull on the anchor rode, or use the boat diesel to |
| Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration website | | | | nudge up near the trip line. Use a boat hook to |
| (see footnote for a link to the NOAA website). | | | | retrieve the float. First, try to retrieve your |
| Add a safety factor of three feet to these first | | | | anchor without using the trip-line. If it's fouled pull |
| two factors. | | | | on the trip line to try and capsize the anchor. |
| Example: | | | | Take the trip line to a halyard or sheet winch for |
| Your navigational chart states that your anchoring | | | | more pulling power. |
| spot has a depth of 18 feet. You will anchor for | | | | After you have your trip line aboard, remove it |
| two days. The tide tables indicate the consecutive | | | | from the anchor crown. Rinse the trip line in fresh |
| high tides over those two days to be 5 feet, 7 | | | | water, dry it well, and coil it back down into your |
| feet, 6.5 feet and 9 feet above low tide. How | | | | anchor locker. |
| long should you make your trip line? | | | | Every sailing skipper needs to know the secrets |
| 18 feet (low tide) + 9 feet (highest tide) + 3 feet | | | | of how to make, deploy, and retrieve a marine |
| (safety factor) = 30 feet long. | | | | anchor trip line. Follow these five fast, easy steps |
| 2. Prepare the Trip Line | | | | to make your life on the hook easier, safer, and |
| Use strong, small diameter polypropylene line. It | | | | less stressful! |
| floats, comes in bright colors for good visibility, | | | | |