Outback anchor trolley

Hello all,
Just installed my anchor trolley on my yak. I know you have all seen a million of them, just thought I'd post.

I used a hobie anchor kit for a pro angler. Blocks we're placed 10" from bow and stern, about 1" above centerline seam. I opted out of replacing the bungie paddle holder with the screw in loops. I just like the bungie holder. I feel this kit was seriously lacking the proper hardware for a good installation, a quick hardware store run for stainless fender washers and longer screws fixed that. I ended up using four of the small button line guides. Two for the lower line at the usual flats that hold a paddle, and I added the other two where the kayak "bends" fore and aft of the those same flats. Reasoning? Visually I like my lines to run parallel, and more importantly to prevent the upper line from riding up. I always see pics of trolley lines jumping over the sides of the boat and close to intruding either into storage or the pedals. These seem to help with that.

Now just to figure which kind and placement of a good solid rod holder...

MrEgg





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Something I haven't been able to figure out about the Hobie anchor trolley system:  How do you lock the trolley line in place with the rings positioned at either the bow or stern of the kayak?  And how do you tie off your anchor line?  The system doesn't appear to include a way to do either.

I anchor my kayak while spearfishing for pike, and I like the CaptDick Enterprises anchor trolley system, http://www.captdick.net/ANCHOR-TROLLEYS_ANCHORS.htm , which includes a zig-zag cleat to lock off both the trolley line and the anchor line.  I suggest mounting the zig-zag cleat where it won't get banged when you're taking the kayak on and off your vehicle, or when floating up against docks or other objects, because you can break projections off the cleat.  If you can't find a protected place to mount the zig-zag cleat, consider using a metal zig-zag cleat rather than a plastic cleat, because metal is less likely to break.  On my 13' Trident, I mounted the zig-zag cleat behind my left hip so I won't bang my knuckles on it while paddling.  I need to be careful to keep the cleat away from the cross bars on my roof rack when I flip the kayak upside down.



I have replaced the rings on my anchor trolleys with carabiners, so if I don't need a quick-release anchor system where I run a loop of the anchor line through the ring on the trolley, you can easily clip the anchor line through the carabiner and then lock it off to the cleat.  If you need to set up a quick-release anchor system with a float on your anchor line, you can pull a loop of the anchor line through one of the carabiners just like you would pull it through one of the rings.

Mr Pete,

I plan on adding a zig zag cleat or a clam cleat on the port side, close to where yours is placed, for the anchor line. I use a large carabiner locked onto the plastic loop which I will be using. Line float would be placed outside of yak and rigging fixed in place after sufficient scope.

In terms of locking the actual trolley? It is nice and taught and I can pull any slack up over the same screw head that holds the paddle keeper. Other than that I wouldn't see much need to truly lock it in place. Of course this is just my theory. Besides  anchoring actual power boats for sturgeon and salmon, I have no experience with kayaks or kayak anchors.

Any more constructive concerns or comments would be helpful as anchoring can be quite dangerous if done improperly.

Mregg


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You need to lock the anchor trolley line in place, or the tension of the anchor line will pull the ring or carabiner through which the anchor line is running back towards the cleat to which the anchor line is attached.  That will turn your kayak sideways to the current and/or the wind, which is bad.

If you attach a zig-zag cleat to your kayak along the route of your trolley line, you can use it to lock down both the trolley line and the anchor line.  For example, you can run the trolley line right-left-right through the cleat, and can run the anchor line left-right-left on top of the trolley line.  Or you can use the bow end of the cleat to lock the trolley line, and the stern end to lock the anchor line.

If you're running your anchor line through a carabiner which is hooked into the plastic rings on your anchor trolley system, you might as well saw the plastic rings off the bungie cord and hook the carabiner through the loop in the bungie cord, as shown in the picture in my first reply.  If you always anchor your kayak with its bow into the current or wind, you only need to replace the front ring with a carabiner. If you want the option of anchoring your kayak with its stern into the current or wind, you should also replace the back ring with a carabiner.

Something I haven't been able to figure out about the Hobie anchor trolley system:  How do you lock the trolley line in place with the rings positioned at either the bow or stern of the kayak?  And how do you tie off your anchor line? 

Like you I have replaced my ring with a stainless carabiner, and use a zig-zag cleat behind my right hip. 

Your question of how to tie off the trolley line is a good one, I never really considered.  I don't anchor often and in the cases when I have, either it was in current or prevailing wind.  In those cases the yak weather vanes and trails down wind/current and the trolley has no tendency to move.  My trolley has never moved from bow or stern where it was set.

I could see a dead calm wind/current situation where the yak is moving move or less randomly and could move the trolley around, but in that case I'm not sure it matters.

Mr Pete,

That is a great idea of using the zig zag cleat as a dual purpose cleat. I think that will work best with my set up. One half as trolley, and second half as anchor line. Placement will have to be on top or top/outside but that shouldn't be an issue with my car topping. I might as well take everyone's experience to mind and just replace the rings with carabiners. I only purchased the trolley kit for the pulley blocks anyways.

MrEgg


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I changed my trolley to just the back half of my Outback. I realized I never anchored from the bow.
So far I  just tie the anchor rope to the handle to keep from turning sideways in the wind.The cleat is on the wrong side for me and haven't wanted to move it yet. I will probably change the rings to carabiners like you suggested. I fish the lakes around here.

I like a full length anchor trolley, because it gives you the option to anchor with either your bow or your stern into the wind or current.  For example, if you want to anchor and cast towards the shore, if the wind is coming off the lake, you'll want to trolley the anchor line to the stern of your kayak.  If the wind is coming off the shore, you'll want to trolley the anchor line to the bow of your kayak.

If you have a Hobie anchor trolley system with a foot-long piece of bungie cord to hold the trolley line tight, you'll want one carabiner at the front of the bungie, and a second carabiner at the back of the bungie, as shown in my picture earlier in this thread, so you can trolley your anchor line all the way to the pulley at either the bow or the stern of your kayak.  If you don't have a bungie in your trolley line, you only need one carabiner, because you can pull that carabiner all of the way to the pulley at either the bow or the stern.  The advantage of having a bungie is that it keeps the trolley line tight, but provides enough play so you can get the trolley line in and out of a zig-zag cleat.  I don't have a bungie on the trolley line on my Trident, but have adjusted the length of the line so I have just enough slack to run the line through my zig-zag cleat.