Anchor stowage

The end is in sight... Stem head and pulpit bases are done.  The boat needs a darn good clean but it's pretty much ready to go back in the water.

I have always struggled to find a good way to secure the anchor.  I've seen all sorts of blocks and bits which bolt to the foredeck but not really that great.  I've had it tied the rail, wedged around the cleat and wedged on the toe rail.  At best it's been in the way, at worst it dropped off and the boat did a handbrake turn. :)

In a splash of inspiration I realised what I needed to do.  I attached a couple of deck eyes by the toe rail, tied a slack line between the two. This line drops over the anchor and the shank is pulled back to secure it.

I initially thought I'd tie it back to the pulpit base but then came up with this natty idea.   I cut a block of mahogany with a slot to accept the shank and fitted a deck eye to one side and a cleat to the other.  A line is then attached to the deck eye, looped around anchor and led back to the cleat to put a pull on it.  Seems to work a treat and no excess line to trip over. 

 

The other little job I did this evening was to put a couple of cleats in the boom, one each side to help with reefing. Just need to get her in the water now.