"Larry" wrote in message
...
nom=de=plume wrote:

"Wayne.B" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 17 Jun 2010 18:38:26 -0700, "nom=de=plume"
wrote:

How about disconnecting the chain, attaching a light line to it that is
long
enough to reach the surface, and have a small float on the end. Then,
take
your handy, dandy GPS and mark the spot. Go into a dock, get some help
from
the locals, and retrieve your anchor. What's the worst case... someone
steals it? You can't find it again? Nobody is willing to help?

That's fine for an anchor that is stuck on the bottom and won't come
up. The original problem statement was: "how do you retrieve a heavy
anchor and chain with a broken windlass?"

Yes. This is a slightly different question, raised by Larry, who seems
unwilling to ask for help?
Wayne's scenario is different. If you can't lift it by hand, and it's not
stuck on the bottom, you cut and run. If it's not stuck, you lift it by
hand. If you can't do that (I need a flowchart now) you cut and run.
If it's stuck in mud or sand there is a remedy for that. If it's stuck on a
rock there might be a remedy for that. If you don't have an idea what it
might be stuck on there is a third remedy to try if the other ones don't
free it. Cutting it loose is the remedy of last resort.