"Wayne.B" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 8 Nov 2009 10:28:02 -0700, "SteveB"
wrote:

Are these still available? I weld, and thought I'd make some. Do they
make
them for larger ropes? IIRC, the old rope was 1/4" braided, and this is a
little heavier, like 1/2".

I've never seen anything quite like what you are describing. On our
runabout we stow 1/2 inch anchor line into a canvas tote bag with the
free end tied off to one of the handles. Nothing fancy is required
when stowing the line, just let it flake into the bottom of the bag
and it will come out the same way without tangling.

The lead in to this is that I just bought two sections of 100' of rope each
so I can anchor over particular fishing spots along a drop-off, and pull
myself along. The water is about 40' deep. The first trip out yesterday, I
just unwrapped the whole mess, and had a big birds nest. I know better
than that. I should have laid it out on land, all straight, pulled it
straight, then pulled all the spirals out of it. Then, with a one inward
one outward sequence, made a coil that would not spiral on unlaying. But
that makes a fairly large shot of rope, and my wife has a hurry up attitude,
and she hasn't got the hang of the one over one under thing, and many times
will pull the garden hose up through the coil, giving a bunch of overhand
knots.

I have found the anchor mates at about $40 per on ebay. I may just either
make two out of wheelbarrow wheels, or make two semicircular hangers like
hose hangers but turned ninety, where I can figure eight the rope, and that
will store it without any spiraling. That would be simple, neat, and clean.
Got a friend who powder coats, too, so that would be free. They would cost
next to nothing, as I weld, and have the scrap steel to make those.

The anchor mates would be a whole lot easier, but, then, maybe not for
getting a two point spread out there and pullying along it. Right now, I
have four cleat looking things that are for ropes to pass through that I can
run the ropes through with a sheet bend knot to join, and pull along about
100' of the 200' of anchor.

Guess I'll just have to try it and see.

Steve