Anchor Trolley Opinions wanted

I want to put in an anchor trolley (Revo 13) but I'm not sure if I want to go the permanent or removable route.
I'd love to hear from those with experience.

Right now I'm leaning towards removable , but maybe I'm just "skerred" of putting holes in the boat.
Both the Hobie and Austin Kayak kits look like good ones for the money (the price of the Harken blocks alone are what the kit costs), but I think there may be some advantages of taking it off when not in use.

Thanks for the input.

Zip tie pulleys to the front and rear handles or you can just do it half way from the stern to the side handles. Cheap and easy.

I use a bow line and a stern line with jam-cleats instead of an anchor trolley.  Is there an advantage to the anchor trolley?

-Spot-

I use a bow line and a stern line with jam-cleats instead of an anchor trolley.  Is there an advantage to the anchor trolley?

-Spot-

+1

I use a bow line and a stern line with jam-cleats instead of an anchor trolley.  Is there an advantage to the anchor trolley?

-Spot-

They look cool.   

I bought the Austin Kayak kit and put it on my Outback.  I won the Hobie one from the AOTY last year.  That is now on the Adventure.  I like the AK one better.  The bow line/stern line is simplicity at its best.  If I had not won the Hobie trolley, I would have just stuck with that on the Adventure.  That being said, I like the ability to easily flip around from front to back anchoring off the trolley.  I have even found anchoring from the side (never in strong current!!) in some eddies on the Willamette holds me in position better.  Another advantage is that they act as a perimeter line. It is another thing that is not slippery to grab onto if you fall out of your boat.  I had thought about adding another to the other side of the Outback to run a drift sock off of, but I have found that cranking that sailing rudder one way or the other holds me in position well when anchoring with the bow pointing downstream.

I use a bow line and a stern line with jam-cleats instead of an anchor trolley.  Is there an advantage to the anchor trolley?

-Spot-

I dunno about any advantages, but the way I have my trolley set up, it's damn solid. I've anchored in the jaws of the Alsea on the incoming, and I let the water come over the stern into the tankwell before I cut loose.

I bolted pad eyes to the b&s, but all the other rigging (except the zig zag cleat) is removable.

Same installation issues whether T13 or R13.

http://www.demonick.com/kayak/Anchor.Trolley/Anchor.Trolley.html

The trolley or half trolley is also nice because it keeps the stern line from being tangled with the rudder when you drop off anchor.

The trolley or half trolley is also nice because it keeps the stern line from being tangled with the rudder when you drop off anchor.

I had thought about the half trolley. Noah, is yours a "permanent" ziptie setup, or do you remove it for the days you don't need it?

Demonick - I've been to your site a couple times. Your setup is really solid and close to what I want to pattern mine off of if I end up with a permanent route.  Thanks for the link.

For those using just a bow and stern line, I don't get it. (maybe I'm a little dense) Are you able to drop the line to fight a fish? (or is it a driftboat type of setup?) Spot -  Do you use your drift pulley system in the Columbia?

Thanks all for your replies.

Check out the Bsteves quick release on page 2 of the home page.
http://www.northwestkayakanglers.com/index.php?page=26
My set up is the same as Bsteves except I have tennis balls on the bow and stern line so the ring doesn't get caught up (somebody else's idea maybe Ron's).

Spot -  Do you use your drift pulley system in the Columbia?

Thanks all for your replies.

I use my anchor arm/drift pulley only in shallow water (< 30')and only in areas where I know the bottom won't try to keep it.
If I'm fishing deep in the Big C, I'll use the Bsteves system.

Another Question:  How do drop off anchor when running a pulley system?

-Spot-

The trolley or half trolley is also nice because it keeps the stern line from being tangled with the rudder when you drop off anchor.

I had thought about the half trolley. Noah, is yours a "permanent" ziptie setup, or do you remove it for the days you don't need it?

Demonick - I've been to your site a couple times. Your setup is really solid and close to what I want to pattern mine off of if I end up with a permanent route.  Thanks for the link.

For those using just a bow and stern line, I don't get it. (maybe I'm a little dense) Are you able to drop the line to fight a fish? (or is it a driftboat type of setup?) Spot -  Do you use your drift pulley system in the Columbia?

Thanks all for your replies.

I guess it semi permanent. I usually just leave it on there but if I'm going to the salt sometimes I'll remove it. The permanent ones certainly work better but it's nice to limit the holes sometimes too.

Spot, you run a line from your anchor buoy through the ring in the trolley to a cleat. Then you just release it when needed. It keeps you from dragging around a loose stern or bow line.

Another Question:  How do drop off anchor when running a pulley system?

Given you have a float on the line, just free the anchor line from the cleat.  It will eventually pass out the ring/carabiner.

For my Outback, I added a nylon padeye in front of the cleat for the rudder up/down cable.  Therefore I did not have to add another cleat.  The padeye allows me to anchor from the bow or the stern.

Line can run to the bow:


Line can be run to the stern:



I did the same thing on my wooden SOT and cedar strip SINK.  It has worked very well for me.