Noodles Posted July 17, 2011 Share Posted July 17, 2011 I decided to take advantage of the clearer weather today and ventured out off Swansea. In anything less than 50 metres the current was so strong I couldn't get an anchor to stick let alone a baited rig, even with 8 ounces of lead. Still managed a couple of flatties but generally a waste of fuel and effort. The drift was way too fast with wind and current from the north. Shame I waited through 2 weeks of crap weather for that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basil D Posted July 17, 2011 Share Posted July 17, 2011 I decided to take advantage of the clearer weather today and ventured out off Swansea. In anything less than 50 metres the current was so strong I couldn't get an anchor to stick let alone a baited rig, even with 8 ounces of lead. Still managed a couple of flatties but generally a waste of fuel and effort. The drift was way too fast with wind and current from the north. Shame I waited through 2 weeks of crap weather for that. Get your self a drift anchor, well worth the money Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noodles Posted July 17, 2011 Author Share Posted July 17, 2011 Do you mean a drogue? I've considered getting one. A question though, with the wind and current running in the same direction wouldn't you go faster? I was travelling at 2.5 - 2.8 knots with nearly my full 100M of anchor rope out to my chained reef pick and it didn't hold the bottom in 50M of water. There really wasn't much wind either. When I came in close to Moon Island in only 26m of water I picked bottom but it was like fishing in The Rip with the current running harder in the shallow water. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaineM Posted July 17, 2011 Share Posted July 17, 2011 (edited) That would be a SEA ANCHOR OR DROGUE and this can dramatically slow your drift in current or wind,just make sure you get the right size for your vessel. Regards Stewy Current and wind? Thought these were for wind. Will just float with the current. P.S. Not much of a boaty so apologies if not right! Edited July 17, 2011 by CaineM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaineM Posted July 17, 2011 Share Posted July 17, 2011 Current and wind? Thought these were for wind. Will just float with the current. P.S. Not much of a boaty so apologies if not right! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_anchor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pongrass18ft Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 I decided to take advantage of the clearer weather today and ventured out off Swansea. In anything less than 50 metres the current was so strong I couldn't get an anchor to stick let alone a baited rig, even with 8 ounces of lead. Still managed a couple of flatties but generally a waste of fuel and effort. The drift was way too fast with wind and current from the north. Shame I waited through 2 weeks of crap weather for that. Try very thin braid , put one hook paternoster style rig and heavy sinker per rod to maximise your chances of going down to the bottom . Should work fine in 50m of water , to gather a great feed It sure becomes annoying sometimes out there for all of us Good luck. chris. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keflapod Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 Hi Noodles, My understanding is as follows: I will give you some scenarios. In some, the sea anchor will help. In others, it won't. 1. Lots of wind, no current (assume same same direction) Will the sea anchor slow you down?.....Yes Why?.................................................Because the boat is being moved along the water by the wind, faster than the current can take it. The wind force is having a brake applied 2. Lots of current, no wind (assume same same direction) Will the sea anchor slow you down?.....No Why?.................................................Because the current is a big block of water, in which you are on. The whole lot is moving. Take the extreme example of a rapid river. Will a sea anchor work in that situation? No because everything is moving as one. You will find that your sea anchor is going nearly straight down (depending on wind influence). 3. A mix of both current and wind (assume same same direction). This is a more likely scenario. Will the sea anchor slow you down?.....Yes but degree will vary greatly Why?.................................................Because the sea anchor will lessen the effect of the wind. 4. A mix of both current and wind (assume opposite direction). This is a less likely scenario. Will the sea anchor slow you down?.....Depends on which force is stronger. Why?.................................................If wind is stronger, then YES (and this is desirable). If current is stronger, no need for sea anchor as current moves you into wind but wind slows you down. At the end of the day, not many of us can work out exactly what force is dominating the scene and how, so it's worthwhile to throw out the sea anchor and see if it makes a worthwhile difference. Just be aware that it can make a positive difference or no difference... Hope this helps... Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaineM Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 Here endeth the lesson. My thoughts exactly Tony. Caine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noodles Posted July 18, 2011 Author Share Posted July 18, 2011 Thanks to all, so yesterday a Sea Anchor would not have helped me much at all which is what I thought. The current was very strong and in the same direction as the light wind. I've just bought one anyway. I considered dropping a heavier Sand Anchor but I'm reluctant to do this just in case you happen to pick up a piece of hard bottom. There are methods of attaching chain to the "wrong" end and then using a cable tie or other device intended to break so the ancher can be drawn free but I wasn't set up for that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helliconia Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 Another thing to remember is that 100M of rope/chain isn't going to hold you in 50M of water. It's recommended to use 3-7x the depth as your rope length depending on the conidtions. More current/wind = more rope. This allows the anchor to get a steep angle on the flukes as they enter the bottom and hold you better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MISTERT01 Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 When fishing FADS I have used sea anchors when the current is raging with zero wind and it didnt work at all..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bucko48 Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 you will have to try variation & with experience you will learn. Hear is the information from some experienced people to consider and if you find it not working try something different as we all know every situation is different on our waters. With experience you will be able to find the anwsers. For me sea anchors are a very handy tool for a boat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keflapod Posted July 23, 2011 Share Posted July 23, 2011 Here doesnt end the lesson Caine as there are many factors which have to be taken into account. The current is propelling your boat in whatever direction and having the sea anchor out does slow you down even with no wind at all,BUT the bait and rig you have out will be moving much quicker in the current because it is not being slowed down i.e cubing... we were in a 3.5knot current and the bait just went straight to the surface even though our rate of drift with the sea anchor was half that. So the answer is definately put the SEA ANCHOR OUT and if there is no difference to your rate of drift ? you may as well go home as you have no chance to get anywhere near the fish. SEA ANCHORS are a great additon to your boat for fishing and a great SAFETY AID if you do happen to break down at sea Cheers Stewy G'day Stewy, I definately agree to put the sea anchor out anyway and see if it works beacause as we all know, the sea is complicated and unexpected things can happen. Have you ever had the situation where you're anchored on the ocean proper, your boat is sitting in the current nicely, burley moving with the current and you're ready for that snapper to take your floatlined bait, but when you reel it in, the bait is way under the boat? Now I was using a very light pea sinker and I watched the current take the bait way downcurrent. The boat was anchored on hard reef and didn't drift with the current. What was happening is that the surface layer of water had a decent current heading south while the bottom layers had a decent current opposing. Often the overlap layer will show on your sounder as a convection current and I have seen it once in Bermagui. The bait travelled with the surface layers until it sank deep enough to enter the lower layers which promptly brought it back to me. I discussed the concept with an old mate of mine that was a deckie on "The Ultimate" while tuna fishing, some years ago. The stories he told me were jaw-dropping. Its also feasible that the upper layers and lower layers are travelling in the same direction but at different velocities. The only way to judge if the sea anchor is working is to note your Speed-over-ground before the sea anchor is deployed and note it again after deployment. If it's more than 1.5 knots you will struggle to catch fish.... Still, the sea never ceases to amaze me. She always has secrets to reveal, no matter how much we learn about her. She is always speaking to us, whether it's a gentle murmur via the gentle lapping of water against the hull at sunrise, or a tumultuous rage when a green ocean wave pounds the stone cliffs. She is treacherous and has no conscience, but we still love her... Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morgs84 Posted July 23, 2011 Share Posted July 23, 2011 G'day Stewy, I definately agree to put the sea anchor out anyway and see if it works beacause as we all know, the sea is complicated and unexpected things can happen. Have you ever had the situation where you're anchored on the ocean proper, your boat is sitting in the current nicely, burley moving with the current and you're ready for that snapper to take your floatlined bait, but when you reel it in, the bait is way under the boat? Now I was using a very light pea sinker and I watched the current take the bait way downcurrent. The boat was anchored on hard reef and didn't drift with the current. What was happening is that the surface layer of water had a decent current heading south while the bottom layers had a decent current opposing. Often the overlap layer will show on your sounder as a convection current and I have seen it once in Bermagui. The bait travelled with the surface layers until it sank deep enough to enter the lower layers which promptly brought it back to me. I discussed the concept with an old mate of mine that was a deckie on "The Ultimate" while tuna fishing, some years ago. The stories he told me were jaw-dropping. Its also feasible that the upper layers and lower layers are travelling in the same direction but at different velocities. The only way to judge if the sea anchor is working is to note your Speed-over-ground before the sea anchor is deployed and note it again after deployment. If it's more than 1.5 knots you will struggle to catch fish.... Still, the sea never ceases to amaze me. She always has secrets to reveal, no matter how much we learn about her. She is always speaking to us, whether it's a gentle murmur via the gentle lapping of water against the hull at sunrise, or a tumultuous rage when a green ocean wave pounds the stone cliffs. She is treacherous and has no conscience, but we still love her... Tony Iv'e had this up coffs harbour mate. very strange when the current seems to be moving a different direction on the bottom to how its moving on the top. Makes it very hard to fish Morgs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pure spirit Posted July 23, 2011 Share Posted July 23, 2011 i use a sea anchor all the time and find it very useful to control drifts i largely put it down to my boat being quite light 750kg say just under a 1k with me and fuel / gear but at just under 6m plus with the clears on it really picks up the wind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noodles Posted July 23, 2011 Author Share Posted July 23, 2011 Now that I have one, I'll certainly be trying it out in different situations. It was interesting to see the weather report on TV the other day. They explained the heavy rain as being the result of moist cold air being fed directly from the south over the top of warm water provided by the strong East Australian Current running at the moment from the North. A couple of other things that came up in hindsight were the fact that the tides times in Lake Macquarie's entrance were all wrong over the last couple of weeks with the current pouring in. Also the water associated with this current was very cloudy and green. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finin Posted July 24, 2011 Share Posted July 24, 2011 Noodles a simple experiment for you to explain Rain, Boil a pot of water hold a mirror above it, Steam rises(being hot air from the hot water) condenses on the mirror to form water droplets, Rain! Pretty easy to understand. The cold moist air comes from the antartic and is already laden with water droplets, as it converges with the warm EAC then hot air rises and evaporates meeting the dew point, causing the cold air to become over laden with moisture, hence the heavy rain being fed with warm water. The cold green water is the result of the water turning over from the uphill current, southerly. The downhill current or EAC brings the blue water Northern Current. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigKing Posted July 25, 2011 Share Posted July 25, 2011 If you do not have sea Anchor Use Bucket 20Lt It also works fine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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