JimH wrote:
"Bryan" wrote in message
y.net...

" JimH" jimhUNDERSCOREosudad@yahooDOTcom wrote in message
. ..

"Bryan" wrote in message
. com...
Picture this:
A picture-perfect day at the lake. Not a boat in sight and none
anywhere near the launch ramp. The ramp is empty, the dock is empty,
the water is empty. The sun is shining. The air is warm. Only
thing
left to do is launch my boat.

Oh, one problem. While I was prepping my boat a PWC'er came to the
dock
from the water and tied up on the dock near waters edge! He had 4
options that wouldn't have interfered with my solo launching plans
and
he picked the one that kept me and anyone else from using the dock
for a
launch.

Anyway, it forced me to perform my first water launch and solo at
that.
The water launch went well. I'll be comfortable doing that from now
on
when the dock isn't available.

So, the bad news: just another encounter with another knucklehead.

The good news: it caused me to learn another water skill.

Oh, and I practiced using my new anchor buddy in preparation for
teaching my wife how to use it for her upcoming boat-in camping trip
this weekend. Glad I practiced; I'll need a longer land line and I
think
I'll take advantage of the suggestion to tie the anchor rode and land
line to a float for easy come easy go.

Once again, I've learned as much from this ng as I have from boating
friends; in fact, I'm finding myself more knowledgeable than most,
but
less experienced/skilled.

Summer 2006: So far so good!


Glad to hear things went well with only a small bump along the way.

All you need on the stern anchor is 50 feet of line at tops as you
don't
have to anchor on the beach or tie up to a tree on the
beach.........setting the anchor in the water (assuming sand or mud)
will work just fine. You also do not need a special float on either
the
bow or stern anchors when anchoring near the beach. Get everyone on
board except one after running the blower for 5 minutes. Have the
person
in the water lift the stern anchor and bring it to the boat, taking in
the line along the way. Let that person board the boat. Start the
engine (with someone on the bow) and slowly motor out to the bow
anchor,
taking up line along the way, until you can pull it up and into the
boat.

No need for anything fancy Bryan.


Your description is a little confusing to me. I'll be dropping my
anchor
about 30 feet from shore (to take advantage of my stretchy anchor
buddy)
and backing to the shore as close as possible. A line will go from the
boat to land and tie around a tree. The anchor buddy will pull the
boat
away from shore while the land line will hold the boat as close to
shore
as I choose. The shore isn't soft (lots of rocks) so I can't land the
boat. My anchor buddy comes with a tip to use a float to attach the
anchor rode and land line to when not in use making it easy to
reconnect
when returning without having to drop achor run the land line each
time.

Now if I had a nice soft mud or sand beach to land on I would just
drive
up and land the boat and attach the bow line to a tree or something
like
that.

Am I missing something?




Yes........the fact that you spent $30 on an anchor buddy (
http://tinyurl.com/kcdrh ) that is worthless.

If I remember correctly you have a 20 foot boat. Depending on where you
anchor your anchor line should consist of at least 6~8 feet of galvanized
chain attached to at least 100 feet of 3/8" 3 strand nylon line (150' may
be
required depending on the depths you anchor in).

Forget the 'anchor buddy' and do it right.

wrote in message
oups.com...
jim, it might be alright if you're in shallow water with a small
craft.. But I can also see the advantage of the bungee effect. like not
having to have 100,150 ft. of anchor line, and it's easier to stow.
I'm not really sure what your need is for a galvanized chain .

Really I don't see where I would have much need for the "anchor buddy"
but I think it would make a cool tow rope...



T,
The anchor buddy is not a substitute for the anchor rode; in fact it would
suck trying to break away a stuck anchor while pulling on a bungee cord!

The bungee semi-replaces the first 45 feet of rode, but the rode is there if
needed (see above).