Do you have the right type of anchor to hold you down?
The answer may depend on the conditions below the surface.
Q: As a new boater, I’m confused by all of the anchors available. We have a 26-foot I/O that came with a steel fluke anchor. Is that adequate? What’s the best anchor for the money?
— Jake Bonoir, Augusta, GA
A: You’ve asked a question with no single answer. Most, if not all, anchors sold commercially perform reasonably well, but they’re not equal under different conditions. One may be better in sand, while another works great with rocks. The type of bottom you’ll anchor in determines which one to choose:
• Steel Fluke Anchor (Danforth) — works well in sand or mud. Not recommended in rocks, grass or on clay bottoms. Is easily stowed.
• Plow Anchor (CQR) — good choice for rocks, weeds and sand. Hard to stow except on a bow pulpit roller.
• Mushroom — in small sizes, this type of anchor will keep a fishing boat from drifting. Not recommended for long-term anchoring. Low cost and easy to stow.
• Slip Ring Anchor — similar in appearance to a steel fluke anchor, but with a
slip ring that allows it to be pulled out backwards for easy retrieval. Good choice for fishing,
but not overnight stays. For your boat, the steel fluke anchor (the style originated by Danforth)
is a good all-around choice. It works under a variety of conditions and is relatively easy to stow.
Be sure yours is the proper size for your boat. There’s a tendency to buy anchors too small just
because they fit into a convenient locker.
Every type of anchor works better with a length of chain between it and the nylon anchor rope. My experience is that ordinary galvanized chain works better than the vinyl-encased chains sold at boating stores. For your boat, the chain should be at least 6 feet in length and properly shackled both to the rope and anchor.
The chain adds weight to make the rope’s pull almost horizontal on the bottom. A horizontal pull helps all types of anchors dig in and stay dug into the bottom. Don’t short the anchor rope. You need a minimum of five to seven times the depth to keep the anchor from pulling out of the bottom. This means 50 to 70 feet of rope for every 10 feet of depth. At a minimum, the anchor rope on a 26-footer like your boat should be 150 feet long.
Q: Am I the only one who has trouble backing my car up to the boat trailer? I never seem to get the ball centered under the trailer coupler, so I have to do a lot of tugging and pushing. Is there something to help line things up?
— Bob Danson, French Lick, IN
A: No, you’re not the only one who has this problem. Most drivers can get within a couple of inches of correct, but few have the “eye” to line up the coupler directly over the ball. A cheater device I’ve used is the Couple-Matenhitch ball alignment tool (www.couplemate.com). It’s a two-part device. One part is attached to the drawbar using the hitch ball as a fastener. The other is a V-shaped shield that snaps in place only when in use.
To hitch up like a pro, just back toward the trailer as you normally do. The coupler comes in contact with the V-shaped shield, which forces it into alignment with the ball. Stop backing when you feel solid contact with the trailer. Set the car in “park” before going back to lower the coupler on the ball. It’s that simple.
Q: I have a conventional inboard boat that has been working perfectly until my last trip. The boat shifted into forward just fine, but it wouldn’t come out of reverse when I used the shift handle by the steering wheel. I can shift using the lever on the transmission, but the same thing happens every time I shift into reverse.
— Tom Grayton, Ocala, FL
A: Sounds like the classic symptoms of a broken shift cable. The push-pull wire inside the plastic jacket has failed. It’ll “push” the transmission lever into reverse, but will no longer “pull” the lever into forward. While this example pertains to an inboard boat, shift cable problems also affect outboards. This is a mechanically simple repair, although removing the old cable and “ fishing” the new one back into place can be a challenging process. Start by disconnecting the shift cable ends at both the helm control box and the transmission. The ends are held captive either by clips or cotter pins. A clamp will also secure the cable jacket. Remove both, saving all clamps, screws, or clips for re-use when installing the new cable.
While the old cable is still in place, attach a heavy string to it. As you pull it out, the old cable will drag along the string, which will later be used to pull the new cable into place (at least, that’s how things are supposed to happen). Carefully pull the old cable out of the boat. Work from the end where you have the most clearance for the cable as it comes out. Have someone at the other end to guide it around snags. Shift cables are sold by overall length. The ends vary, depending upon the manufacturer of the control box or transmission. You must get a new cable that’s no shorter than the old one and with exactly the same ends. Cables are available through most aftermarket marine stores, but may be “special order” items.
In theory, the new cable pulls back into the boat with the string, and you’re back on the water in an hour. However, these things seldom go so easily. The old cable was probably installed before the deck was attached, and it may take a lot of tugging to make the new one slide into position. Re-attach the end fittings after the cable is in the boat. Then, install the cable into both the control box and onto the shift lever using the clamps. Check for full operation of the transmission. Adjust the end fittings by rotating them on the threaded ends of the cable rod. There should be enough adjustment to get full forward and full reverse. Once you’re certain, tighten the locknuts on both ends of the cable.
Double-check all of the cotter pins, clips and clamps to make sure they’re tight. You don’t want the end to “pop” off while you’re out on the water. By the way, there are actually two control cables on every boat, one for shift and the other for throttle. They usually wear out together, but the shift cable is usually the first to break. It’s not a bad idea to replace the throttle at the same time. If both the shift and throttle cables are the same length, you can leave an old one in position as a spare. By swapping end fittings, you have an emergency “ get home” repair already half done.
Q: Last fall, I left the hot water tank on in my boat and then drained down the system. I burned out the heating element, but I can’t seem to find any information about how to fix the problem. Do I have to replace the whole tank?
— Dave Johnson, Grosse Isle, MI
A:Don’t feel like you’re alone. Hundreds, maybe thousands of people make the same mistake every year. Fortunately, it’s a relatively easy job to replace a burned-out element in most tanks. Start by disconnecting the 120-volt AC shore power from the tank. You can turn off the breaker on the boat, but it’s safer to unplug the boat from shore power.
On the side of the tank, there should be either a snap-fit cover or one held in place by a screw. It’s located near where the shore-power wiring attaches to the tank body. Remove this cover to find the element. It’ll be held in place by screws, or it may just screw into the tank body. Disconnect the wires and pull the element out of the tank.
Marine aftermarket retailers don’t seem to list replacement-heating elements in their catalogs. This may be why you thought you had to replace the whole water heater. However, most full-line supply shops catering to professional plumbers will have a replacement element in stock. Take your old element along to make sure you get an exact match.
Follow the instructions packed with the new element when installing it. This
is especially important with regard to the gasket so you won’t have any leaks. Don’t connect the
wires to the element until you have double-checked that the 120-volt AC power to the tank is “off."
More than one brand-new element has been ruined before it ever saw the first drop of water. Don’t test the new heating element until after you fill the tank with water in the spring. Have a bar of soap ready, because you should have plenty of hot water to take a shower.
EYEBALLING IT Many devices on the market can help you hitch up like a pro.
Send your Boatcraft Q&A questions to Dave Brown c/o Boating World, 2100 Powers Ferry Road, Atlanta, GA 30339. You can also e-mail your questions to editor@boatingworld.com. Due to the volume of inquiries Dave Brown receives, he will be unable to answer every question.