USE A TROLLEY

Reader John Preston’s kayak anchor retrieval method (Letters, issue 539) caused me much concern.

An anchor chain is not used to make the anchor heavier, but to ensure it rests flat on the seabed and assists with grip. He describes paddling up to the bouy and pulling up the anchor, but this approach will result in people ending up in the water; pulling from the side of the kayak means you move your centre of gravity to one side and go overboard.

There is an accepted solution for anchoring – the anchor trolley (below). This is a paracord on a couple of pulleys, and runs either the full or half length of the kayak, either to its front or rear.

An o-ring or carabiner is tied to the centre of the trolley, and the anchor line fed through the ring when deploying the anchor. This allows the anchor to be moved, before it is dropped, to either the front or rear of the kayak by pulling the anchor trolley.

When the anchor is at the front or rear of the kayak, the trolley is secured by placing the paracord in a cleat to stop the trolley moving and causing the vessel to move side-on to the tide or wind.

The anchor is retrieved by pulling on the anchor line. With the trolley locked in place by the cleat, you are hauling the anchor from either the front or rear of the kayak. As the vessel is facing into the tide and wind, it avoids any danger of tipping sideways. Once the anchor is at the front or rear side, you unclip the trolley, slide it until the anchor is next to you and then lift it aboard.

Anyone learning to anchor should join a reputable club or forum and seek advice; meet others to see how they have set up an anchor trolley; get to your fishing waters (every area has different tide and wind factors); and go out with experienced yakkers and practice your anchor and retrieval method. Rob Morgan, SWKA, Swansea