Anchor Retrieval System (ARS)

Abstract

An improved anchor retrieving device is disclosed. The Anchor Retrieval System (ARS) of this invention has three major parts. One part, the slider, is slide-ably mounted on the anchor rode. Another part, the tether, attaches the slider to the crown end of the anchor during use. Another part, the retriever, is stored on the boat and put onto the anchor rode when needed. This invention encompasses a remotely releasable retriever and a slider that is easily and safely mounted on the anchor rode without having to be threaded on from an end of said rode.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]The present invention relates generally to an improvement in or relating to marine anchor retrieval devices to retrieve an anchor when it becomes snagged at the bottom of a body of water, for example, seized by roots or ledges of rocks or submerged timbers or like, and particularly to an improved anchor retrieving device having an easily and safely mountable and dismountable slider portion and a remotely releasable retriever portion allowing the retrieved anchor to be easily and safely hauled on board the boat.BACKGROUND[0002]In order for a conventional boat anchor to perform an adequate boat anchoring function, the flukes of the anchor must dig into the earth. Frequently such operations result in an entanglement of one or more of the flukes with roots, rocks, debris, underwater cables, pipe lines and the like making it impossible to release the anchor by conventional methods. In order to render an anchor releasable several methods have been employed in t...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0006]The object of the present invention therefore is to provide an improved anchor retrieval system that is provided with a slider that can be easily and safely installed on an anchor rode and a retriever that can be remotely disengaged from the anchor rode thereby allowing a retrieved anchor to be safely and easily brought onboard.

[0007]To this end, a slider according to the present invention can be easily and safely placed onto an anchor rode without the inconvenience, labor and risk involved in threading it on from the end of the rode distant the anchor or parting the anchor rode or disconnecting the anchor from the rode and a retriever according to the present invention can, by means of a remotely releasable latch, be disengaged from the anchor rode by contact with the bow roller or by manipulation from a distance as with a boat hook or an oar or pole like implement.

Problems solved by technology

Frequently such operations result in an entanglement of one or more of the flukes with roots, rocks, debris, underwater cables, pipe lines and the like making it impossible to release the anchor by conventional methods.

In order to render an anchor releasable several methods have been employed in the past but each has undesirable features that greatly limit their effectiveness.

This extra effort generally discourages the use of this method, especially since it cannot be used in crowded conditions due to space limitations and the danger of the float being destroyed by boats in the area.

While such yieldable latches may render the anchor releasable from undesired entanglement, it is likely that undesired release of the anchor may occur when the pulling force on the anchor line exceeds the bias of the yieldable latch and the anchor is rendered unusable until it is brought back onboard.

This arrangement may result in undesired release of the anchor due to a change in the direction of wind or tide which causes the ring to slide to the crown of the anchor.

This method introduces a potential weak link in the anchor / rode connection and renders the anchor unusable until it is brought back onboard.

This becomes a distinct disadvantage and inconvenience if, for instance, the boater doesn't want to leave the slider on the anchor rode at all times but rather only wants to use it occasionally.

An anchor rode can be many hundreds of feet long and threading from the end distant the anchor can be laborious and time consuming.

Parting the rode or disconnecting the rode from the anchor can also be laborious and time consuming.

If care is not taken through inattention or haste, the safety of the boat and crew can be put at risk.

Another short coming is the need to manually remove the retriever from the rode before a retrieved anchor can be brought onboard in the usual fashion over the bow roller.

Due to the bulk and complexity of the retriever, it may not easily pass through the bow roller.

In ideal conditions, it may be nothing more than an inconvenience to have to lean over the bow of the boat and remove the retriever before bringing the anchor onboard but conditions are rarely ideal.

Any of these conditions can create a situation that puts both crew and the boat in danger.

If there is any kind of wave action, trying to manually disengage the retriever from the anchor rode while the anchor is swinging at the bow of the boat can be very dangerous.

If the crew is inexperienced or if the boat is being handled solo, these dangers are greatly increased.

Leaving the anchor hanging at the bow until it is safe and convenient to disengage the retriever and bring the anchor onboard is also a dangerous option.

Depending on conditions, the anchor can do serious damage to the bow of the boat.

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