Anchor trolley

How close to the bow or stern should the anchor trolley extend?  6" seems about right to provide a steep enough aspect angle in a current. 

I just went as far fore and aft as the preinstalled padeyes allowed me. This has worked fine so far.

Jay

Quick update:  held my breath and drilled holes in the kayak for the pulleys.  Used wide-flair rivets for the stern and stainless nylocks with cutting board backing for the bow.  Was a bit timid with the goop on the first pulley - the stern.  Less timid on the bow.  Will add goop tonight and string the line tomorrow. 

Thanks for all your help.

Used barrel knot splices for the 3 100' skeins of line.  I've spliced fishing line, but never boating lines.  Barrel knots okay?  Uni-to-uni seemed unwieldy

Used barrel knot splices for the 3 100' skeins of line.  I've spliced fishing line, but never boating lines.  Barrel knots okay?  Uni-to-uni seemed unwieldy

Depends upon the line.

Is it woven or braided? What kind of material? Braided line (especially the cheap poly) can be spliced pretty easily, if you have a fid, or a tapered stick. A splice will be a much smoother connection than a knot.

After installing and playing with the anchor trolley, what is to prevent the trolley from slipping?  I have a cleat for the anchor line, but if the anchor line runs through the trolley ring what is to prevent the anchor line tension from pulling the ring toward the anchor line cleat at the seat? 

Another cleat?  Except, cleats are one-way and the trolley can be pulled in either direction.

After installing and playing with the anchor trolley, what is to prevent the trolley from slipping?

Generally you use an anchor trolley to move your anchor to either the bow or the stern of your kayak.  If you have any wind or current at all, your kayak will be pulling away from your anchor and it is unlikely that your trolley and anchor line will end up "slipping" in any direction away from that force.  If you don't have any wind or current then you don't really need to worry about the trolley location and I doubt it would move anyway.

Brian

After installing and playing with the anchor trolley, what is to prevent the trolley from slipping?

Generally you use an anchor trolley to move your anchor to either the bow or the stern of your kayak.  If you have any wind or current at all, your kayak will be pulling away from your anchor and it is unlikely that your trolley and anchor line will end up "slipping" in any direction away from that force.  If you don't have any wind or current then you don't really need to worry about the trolley location and I doubt it would move anyway.

Brian

As Brian stated, it's usually not a problem. However, to prevent it from happening at all, go back one page to FFTW's picture. That zig-zag cleat will prevent line movement in either direction.

Jay

Generally you use an anchor trolley to move your anchor to either the bow or the stern of your kayak.  If you have any wind or current at all, your kayak will be pulling away from your anchor and it is unlikely that your trolley and anchor line will end up "slipping" in any direction away from that force.  If you don't have any wind or current then you don't really need to worry about the trolley location and I doubt it would move anyway.

Good point.  Thanks.

As Brian stated, it's usually not a problem. However, to prevent it from happening at all, go back one page to FFTW's picture. That zig-zag cleat will prevent line movement in either direction.

Thanks.  I didn't notice that both the anchor line and trolley line were in the zigzag cleat.

I use a zigzag anchor cleat to secure the trolley line.  The cleat I use is one that is attached to a think velcro strap so it's very easy to remove/move to different locations as needed.  My trolley has been changed about a half dozen times.  It's pretty sweet right now.  I really needed to get the quick release working for safety. 

My last trip on the Columbia had me appreciate getting it right.  I was at anchor near river center below the The Dalles bridge.  I moved my anchor line with the trolley to my side and began retieval.  It freed and I began quickly going down stream with the current. 

The anchor hooked up on a large rocky formation.  I felt the kayak react quickly just to a moment hesitation in letting go of the line, causing the yak to yaw broadside.  I let go and used my trolley to move the line to my stern and I straighten out.  This saved me from a very bad huli.  I was able to get my anchor the second time.

The anchor system is very, very good.  Practice deploying to get used to it, so in an emergency you can react quick enough for it to work.  In a light current even seconds will matter.

-Scott 

I use a zigzag anchor cleat to secure the trolley line.  The cleat I use is one that is attached to a think velcro strap so it's very easy to remove/move to different locations as needed.  My trolley has been changed about a half dozen times.  It's pretty sweet right now.  I really needed to get the quick release working for safety. 

Is the velcro really secure enough to withstand the load of the trolley line and the anchor line?   How is the velcro attached to the boat? 

Thanks for the story too.  I understand from this and other activities that the shit can hit the fan pretty quickly.  This is why I take safety very seriously and will not be tackling river or tide current until my anchor trolley and anchor line quick release are in place. 

The velcro holds, not a big deal...just less holes to drill. In a current the anchor trolley holds fast by the force, bow or stern, you should be set(strong wind can push you around a bit though).

Anchoring in a lake, only the wind will cause the force, and the velcro will hold.  I only need to use the zig zag to hold my anchor line for the right depth and slope.  I have a combination of hardware, pig ring, carbines, and two nice pulleys.  My anchor is one of those little folding claw types.  I stow it in a sock to keep it from banging around.   
-Scott

Where/how do you attached the strap with the velcro'd zigzag cleat?  This setup would allow me to experiment and then decide on permanent cleat position.  

How big an anchor do you use in the salt/river?

Attach the cleat to the kayak's carry handles in the middle.  I think you can find a quick release zig zag cleat at Sportsman's W that has a pressure clasp for the nylon strap.  The anchor I have is a Jetski claw.  It has claws that retract and lock, it's great for storage.  I am going to take some pics and get them posted.  I also incorporated the (Bsteves?) alternate rope color to know how much anchor line is out (50',100',100').  I hope to post the pics this evening.
-Scott

Attach the cleat to the kayak's carry handles in the middle.  I think you can find a quick release zig zag cleat at Sportsman's W that has a pressure clasp for the nylon strap.  The anchor I have is a Jetski claw.  It has claws that retract and lock, it's great for storage.  I am going to take some pics and get them posted.  I also incorporated the (Bsteves?) alternate rope color to know how much anchor line is out (50',100',100').  I hope to post the pics this evening.
-Scott

I ended up spooling 200' of straight rope, so I don't have the luxury of different colors.  However, I can spool it out and hit it with various colors of Acrylic paint at various intervals, like 25 or 50 foot sections.   

I also incorporated the (Bsteves?) alternate rope color to know how much anchor line is out (50',100',100').

I actually just marked mine with a sharpie in  roman numeral-esque fashion....   Long dashes = 50 and short dashes = 10.. i.e. ----  -  -  -  = 80,    ----  ----  ----  ----  -  -  = 220