Out yesterday for a little cruise and noticed a rope just under the surface, one end going down. I figured it was an anchor line so turned around and grabbed a hold of it. Yep, stuck pretty good for my hands and arms to pull out. So I walked the line, trying not to fall overboard, to the back of the boat, tied it to the loop eye under the swim platform, put her in gear and walla (sp) pulled it right out with no struggle at all. Other than my wife hoping it was not a body (too mush CSI, HAHA).

This is the second time I have rescued an anchor and possibly a bad day for someone's prop if it had caught the rope just under the surface.

Has anyone found many anchors before? What gets me is the fact that both I've found came loose so easily. Do some people just try and pull with the muscles and cut the rope if they can't get it loose?

I once forgot to pull my anchor up, and was wondering why my boat was handling so badly, and just about the time the line parted, I realized why. I imagine my lost anchor might look just the way you described if someone happened upon it.

Just my story, enjoy!

Guess it could be that, or it could be the bottom changes over time and anchor frees itself, maybe?

I pulled an anchor up once with my anchor. When I pulled it in, it felt very heavy, I just thought it was full of mud and weeds, but nope.

Funny thing was it was almost an exact match for my anchor. It didn't have a rope on it though.

Not knowing what the anchor is hooked into, I'd hesitate to use an eye on the boat to pull it free.

The eye is stronger than a cleat in my opinion. I only bump it into gear, if it doesn't come out then I would not keep trying. But both anchors I found this way came right out with no drag on the boat at all.

I understand your concern though.

Once the body decomposes it's a piece of cake!

Doesnt anchor line sink?

Some folks still use poly line for their anchor line...

(not me... just sayin')

I've pulled up a few "lost" anchors over the years, but one sticks out in my mind very clearly...


While trying to entertain a GF on an overnighter, I went to toss in the stern anchor (we were anchored up to a tule berm), and in my rush to get things "started", I neglected to make sure that the anchor was attached to the line.

Yep, you guessed it! My danforth and chain was tossed into the drink without a line attached! D'oh! Even though I was only in about 7' of water, I wasn't going to spoil the mood by jumping in after my mistake.

Oh well, on with the evenings festivities!

A few months later, I was fishing in that same spot (a popular "multi-purpose" location, hehe) and I hooked into a snag. After pulling for a bit, I thought it was a lost cause, but I did get some movement, so I kept trying.

Low and behold, I saw my hook attached to a chain! I reached down and grabbed a hold of it and pulled it up.

It was an anchor!

I then realized that it was MY anchor from the previous event!

I had a smile on my face! (for the SECOND time)

Now THAT'S a good story.

Your LUCKY spot!

ABoater, I wonder if you could find the steak I tossed overboard when I was on a date?????

I have also pulled up a nearly identical anchor on two occasions. Both in the same lake (Berryessa, CA) and in the same general location. Neither had rope attached on did have a chain attached.

My first boat was an older 14'. My anchor was a large rock with a rope tied around it. I never did lose that "anchor". It went with the boat as an accessory.

If it was a double cut ribeye, medium rare, I might give it a shot!




I was known for letting a meal or two get cold when the time was right, but tossing a chunk of beef??? No way!!!

I would agree. At an old marina I used to work at when someone wanted a hull clean we would strap the bow and both right and left rear eyelets and lift it up with our overhead hoist. Its a good way to tell how strong the glass is and if you have the eyelets tight lol. Fortunately we never had any problems and did quite a few boats while i was there.

I wasn't suggesting using a cleat, and agree that would be much worse. I'm saying I would be very careful about using any point on the boat to pull a fixed object that is hooked onto who-knows-what. There might be a good reason it was cut loose.

I hate the sound of a cleat ripping loose from the boat...

Well == I haven't recovered any lately -- but my son left mine in the coral in 60 feet of water of Cudjoe Key near Key West a few weeks ago -- if anyone finds it, I would like it returned --

Of course the other option is I go search for it myself -- that wouldn't be all that bad either -- of course it would be a liesurely search -- snorkel a little -- look at the bottom for the anchor -- rest -- have a Corona on the boat -- etc --- it would be rough duty I am sure ---

I was anchor with a buddy, a fellow boater and Marine. Pretty strong wave action and we were trying to get close to shore to swim.

I told him to toss the anchor out and then cinch it down when I told him to. He tossed the anchor and then asked what the other end of the line was attached to. He had pulled it out of a storage bin, not a proper anchor locker. I told him nothing. You guessed it!

The boat wound up pretty hard on the beach and we had a dickens of a time getting it off. Luckily he and I are both good sized and the kids were able to help.

We went back and drug it up with a fishing lure.

Was pretty funny all the way around.

Of course he had to take some ribbing about "Sea Going Bellhops" not making good deck apes.

When anchored at the favorite sandbar, I sometimes make a run to pick people up, and I'll just untie the boat and leave the anchor set. When I get back, I just tie back up. Although the times I have done this, there were always friends hanging around my spot keeping an eye on the anchor and making sure no one hits it, (or takes my spot) and its usually just a quick 10-20 min trip to the dock and back.

We have found 1 in 41 years of boating

have lost several however