Anchor solution?

[reelfishin]

Whats the best way to handle the anchor on a boat like this?
There is no forward access other than through the windshield, and only about 3' out front total. I need a few ideas on how to secure and handle the anchor on a boat like this.
I am not worrying about a power solution, I have no problem pulling the anchor by hand, but I need a way to secure the anchor up at the bow. I see the anchor rollers, but what do I do with the bow lights then? Is there a manual windlass that simply keeps the anchor line neatly stored? The boat's only 19'.

Up until this boat all of my prior boats were either bow riders, center consoles or had a power windlass and anchor roller.
The distance from the windshield opening is just beyond reach, so if the anchor is to be retrieved and stored in the boat, it would have to be dragged across the bow plate.
Any ideas?

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Anchor solution?

what i have done in the past is mount a cleat, center so it can be easiler reached thru the pass thru. install line guides on both sides of the bow light. using a boat pole, i would deploy and retrieve from the side of the boat. you use the boat pole to guide the rope into the line guides, and retrive the line to the side.

http://www.iboats.com/Stainless_Ste...5660691--list_time.1175079135--view_id.237450

 

[reelfishin]

Re: Anchor solution?

My old Sea Ray was set up like that, but the front light was on a lower plane, on that boat the light was on the lowest step of the bow, on this boat, the light is on top and the bow doesn't really have a good place to mount the center cleat other than behind the light.

Something I was considering was to find two separate lights, a red and a green, and then mount an anchor roller and maybe eventually a windlass, but that would get expensive quick. If I stumble on a good used one, then I would go that route, but I can't see putting $500 dollars or more into the anchor set up on an old boat like this.
A bow roller will be the only thing that will keep the anchor from getting dragged across the bow, even if I use the line guides and center cleat, the chain won't pass through them and I still can't reach the anchor to lift it in. The bow plate won't hold my 280lb self either. If I tie off the anchor and let it hang there, it will beat the gel coat of the bow in a hurry while underway. I don't have a problem with pulling the anchor line by hand, but securing the anchor safely is the main concern.

 

[Yacht Dr.]

Re: Anchor solution?

just a quick question

why would you want to anchor off the bow ?

 

[cjames]

Re: Anchor solution?

why would you anchor from anywhere BUT the bow?

 

[cjames]

Re: Anchor solution?

Reelfishin, ive had a number of small boats like yours with a bow light right in the big middle of things. I allways deployed anchor from inside the boat, then crawled forward and tied off to a cleat once i was sure it was set. Better yet, send someone else up there to tie it off for you, then you can simply hand them the line. Same with retrieving, unhook from the cleat, and pull it up over the side, safely inside the cockpit of the boat. On your boat, I'd mount anice big cleat in the center of the bow deck, and put a line guide either side of the bow light.