KAYAK DIVERS > GEAR > ANCHORS & ANCHORING

If not diving from the shore kayaks need to be anchored or tethered when diving. We use small rock anchors on 4mm kernmantle cord, which is thin, light, strong, abrasion resistant and you can get loads of it into a small bag... Type of Anchor:- Aboard a kayak, keeping weight and bulk down is important. Rock or sand anchors are the usual and are available in small sizes. Attachment to the Kayak:- It's common practice to fit additional eyelets and a small "v" bridal to the bows to spread the load but there are other ways of doing it. With some kayaks it can be better to anchor stern on as many designs are more bouyant to the stern and in rougher conditions this can prevent forward hatches being swamped when open. It can also be an idea to use a bigger "v" bridal attached further along the hull which allows the bow or stern, which ever is pointing to anchor, to rise and fall with the wave rather than being pulled through it. In addition this reduces jerking on the anchor reducing the risk of it being pulled out of place. The other advantage of anchoring stern on is that the wind and any spray is on your back when kitting up and not in your face. Deployment:- Once over the site the anchor can be deployed and with luck will hold firm in rocks, wreckage or kelp. The line is fed out until the angle of pull is shallow. Away from shore or other visual markers it can be difficult to tell if the anchor is holding and you can be dragged by wind or current for quite a long way before realising. The best thing for checking for drag is a GPS. Once the anchor is deployed we watch the speed read out, and if we have a consistant zero the anchor is holding. Checking the anchor:- Once in the water follow the anchor line to the anchor and check its security. If required it move it to a secure position. If you've 'landed' in the wrong place the anchor can be moved towing the kayaks above to where you want to be. Retreval:- Once back onboard the kayaks and ready to go the anchor has to be retreved and usually it's just a case of pulling in on the line until the kayak is above the anchor at which point it becomes free. If it snags a bit of tugging on the line will usually free it. It is extremely rare that you'll have to re-enter the water to retrieve it.