On Sun, 8 Nov 2009 10:28:02 -0700, "SteveB"
wrote:

When I lived in Louisiana, small boats were equipped with devices, IIRC,
called anchor mates. This was a crank, and a cradle for a 10 mushroom
anchor and stem to seat into.

I have 100' ropes on the two anchors I have now, and need to get some sort
of organization going before someone goes overboard in all the tangle. I
can manage them okay, but others don't know how to unlay line, or they grab
the tail and bring it through the center bight making a series of overhand
knots. Or just a big tangle.

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".

They're still out there. Worth Anchormate.
Depending how you handle anchoring, there are other solutions.
Do you have anchor pulleys installed?
Most fishing boats I've been on have one, and we just pull hand over
hand and coil the rope on the deck.
But here's one idea that could work instead of coil on the deck.
I use a garden hose spooler to hold electric cable. Started using one
because I had a number of electric garden tools and a lot of cord to
organize.
Went to gas because of the hassle with the cord, but the 200' of HD
extension cable on the spool still comes in handy for the remaining
electric chainsaw and if I'm drilling cement or mortar.
Among my garden hose spools I put one by the garden that's pretty
small. Think I got it at Home Depot.
It's square and about the size of a 20 quart cooler. Probably hold
100' of 1/2" easy, and you can sit on it.
Don't really know if it's practical for anchor line, but it could
work. If you pull the line in by hand, just letting it pile up, then
crank it into the hose spool you'd have a neat little package.
Might have some twist.
Better be sitting it on when you drop the anchor, and have the bitter
end tied off on the boat.

--Vic