[C320-list] Of kellets and keel wraps

[Jack Brennan]

So we anchor in many tidal rivers in western Florida, and I have had a few cases where the rode and chain have  wrapped around the wing keel when wind and tide were opposed.

Once, it cost me a large, expensive Delta anchor, 30 feet of chain and some rode when it happened in Little Shark River in Everglades National Park on the SW tip of Florida. No way anyone was jumping into that murky water with the gators and bull sharks. (They breed there.)

Other times, it is a painful exercise to free the chain and rode,  either heavy cranking on a winch and/or diving under the boat in chilly water.

Lately, I have been experimenting with using a 15-pound mushroom anchor as a kellet to prevent this. Basically, I clip the mushroom with about 15 feet of line (I usually anchor in 8-12 feet of water) onto the main anchor and tie it to a bow cleat.

When the mushroom slides down the main rode, It pulls it almost straight down. This keeps the rode and chain from angling under the boat and catching the keel. As a bonus, it also helps the anchor dig in. I’ve found the 15-pound mushroom and 22-pound Rocna to be a bulletproof combination so far.

It’s also easier to handle than the next-size-up Rocna for us old-fashioned folks who don’t use windlasses. (A Rocna can be a real pain to raise by hand because they dig in so well. A 35-pound one? I’m not sure I’d want to try that.)

Anyone else confront this problem? Any better solutions?

Jack Brennan
Sonas, 1998 Catalina 320
Tierra Verde, Fl.




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