Stolen Anchors Disappointing Day Johnsons Cove
 

6 very lovely people ventured out today for a Sunday float. As year round lake residents we love to explore and enjoy all the nooks & crannies the lake has to offer.
Today we anchored in Johnson's Cove in Winter Harbor. A great day to swim & float only to be spoiled in the end.
As we pulled up to depart we found 2 of our 3 set anchors had been disconnected from the line.
To what end? Did you mean to send us a message? Come over and talk to us. We're a bunch of 40 somethings who like to meet new people. Did you need an achor? We'd gladly loan it to you.
I'm saddened that someone would purposely vandalize another boater. If you'd like to make it right... PM me.
Thanks


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Confusing. Needs more information. Maybe I misunderstand your post.

Are you thinking that someone approached from underwater and disconnected and stole your anchors?

While you were on the boat or swimming above?

How deep was the water where you anchored?

How could someone steal your anchor and you not see them? Didn't you feel your boat drift? This doesn't make sense....

Exactly. How else do you explain it? Both line shackles were disconnected

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3 anchors set?!

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Sorry should have been more descriptive.... 3 boats 3 front anchors 1 rear (center boat). Center boat not tampered with.

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Go Back...Check Again...
 

Shackles are an appropriate anchor-line fixture, but have to be securely tightened. (Use as big a nail that will fit).

Your anchor(s) may still be securely set in their original location. (Unless, like some other boaters, the anchor line is wrapped around a tree). :rolleye2:

Lost anchor
 

I was also in winter harbor but down by the town beach. My grandson was floating off the back of the boat and he was telling me the Rear anchor was gone And The rope was just floating. I didn’t believe him but he brought me the rope and half the shackle was on it but no anchor. My daughter grabbed a mask and found the anchor but not the shackle bolt. I did see a person snorkeling in the area.

Something's rotten in Denmark.

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I am sick thinking it was intentionally done. But there is honestly no other explanation.

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Sorry that doesnt make any sense that someone snorkeling could do it. Its just too time consuming.

Maybe with full scuba gear, but that would be a lot of work just to piss someone off.

My first guess would be the shackles were loose to begin with, but 2 at once, thats too strange.

Maybe get someone with scuba gear to see if the anchors are still in davy jones locker.

You have a real jolly roger ghost story with this one,,,

That’s incredibly messed up! I’m hoping there is a more reasonable explanation but to have two anchors fail at the same time is certainly unusual.


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I have had the shackles back off and lost anchors before. I use a diver to retrieve one of them. (It was a friend and he was resetting the water intake at the house at the same time so cost wasn't an issue)

I think there is a much better chance that this was a mechanical error than someone stole two anchors. Coincidence that both would fail at the same time? Yes, but in my opinion much more likely than someone swam up and disconnected and stole two anchors and then swam off underwater carrying two anchors. Just my opinion.

I guess my real question is whether or not they're good anchors and if I should be out today accidentally finding them...

Like, are they Mantus?!

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proper connection?
 

Three anchors without safety wire or cotter pin on the bolt? Three, maybe four captains that didn't notice that they were disconnected until departure time?
Lots more questions here than answers.

No, two anchors were lost not three. Were they without safety wire or pin, I can't say but two anchors lost at the same time in the same place is odd to say the least. We will never know and I truly hope it was just mechanical failures.

Other wise that means we have some really ****ty people out on the lake with us! To do this intentionally not only, means you're a real piece of whale S--t!! They could have put people and vessels at great risk!

As for not noticing the anchors were disconnected until departure, the three boats were tied together. The first boat set his anchors (bow and stern) and the other two boats were tied up to the first and put their bow anchors out as a safety factor.

While I find it very hard to believe someone could snorkel down, and bring 2 sets of vice grips, one to hold the shackle and the other to unscrew the pin which can sometime be tough to unscrew, and then do it again all without anyone noticing the diver coming up and going down or the lines going slack.

Seems unlikely, but maybe some kid with really good lungs and who has nothing better to do than wreak havoc on boaters might be able to pull it off.

Dont see how that would be worth it to the kid, but its possible, i guess,,

As for some crusty old guy doing it, just doesnt seem possible, not without full scuba gear.

Still very odd losing 2 at once.

Sorry, I'm sure that this is frustrating and not at all how anyone wants to end a day on the lake.

Rafting in a no rafting zone? That may be why someone decided to spoil your day? Perhaps you were spoiling theirs as well? Just thinking out loud here...

Plus, even in the scuba case--it's a very short list of people who would be far enough away to enter/exit water undetected, yet still close enough to identify the target. And don't scuba divers always go in pairs? And after all that trouble--leave the 3rd anchor?

RE: And after all that trouble--leave the 3rd anchor?

Does seem very odd and unlikely,,,

Did we resolve the question if they were expensive anchors? Guess that could have some bearing on this.

I go back to either loose hardware, or maybe (not too likely, but maybe) some kid with nothing better to do. But in the end i feel like even they always have something better to do.

Did you report it to the NH marine patrol? I think if I really thought it was intentional, this is a potential safety matter and it should have been reported at the time.

I'm sure if I believed it was intentional I would have been mad enough to report it.

Very odd,,,

A fairly quick search
 

Here's what I found for no rafting areas.

Dave

Saf-C 407.03 Prohibited Areas.



(a) Rafting, as defined in RSA 270:42, V, shall be prohibited on the following portions of Lake Winnipesaukee, unless covered by one of the exceptions specified in RSA 270:45:



(1) The area known as Kona Mansion, in the town of Moultonborough, east of an imaginary line running north and south from the red top mark buoy located on the western tip of Avery's Point on the south to the Kona Farm gas docks on the north;



(2) Small's Cove in the town of Alton, southwest of an imaginary line running southeast-northwest from light 75 on the northwestern end to the northernmost point of land marking the entrance to the first cove, south of Small's Cove on the south;



(3) Wentworth Cove, southwest of Governor's Island Bridge west of an imaginary north-south line, running from light 43 on the north to the black top buoy, located off Wentworth Cove Estates on the south;



(4) Braun Bay, within 300 feet of both fish and game property lines, to be delineated by marine patrol with orange mooring balls;



(5) Braun Bay, at a distance less than 75 feet from shore, to be delineated by marine patrol with orange mooring balls;



(6) The area known as Cedar Cove, specifically identified as the area opposite Plum Island which borders the town of Alton tax map 18, lot numbers 12 through 20 and 55;



(7) The area of Winter Harbor from the southern boundary of the town of Tuftonboro tax map 51, block 3, lot number 14 to the southern boundary of tax map 51, block 1, lot number 20;



(8) The entire area known as Green’s Basin in the town of Moultonborough;



(9) Orchard Cove, on the east side of Cow Island, in the town of Tuftonboro;



(10) The entire area known as Buzzell Cove in the town of Moultonborough;



(11) Brickyard Cove, south of an imaginary line running about 2,300 feet from the northern tip of Clay Point to the southern tip of Barndoor Island;



(12) The entire area known as Black Cove, in the town of Meredith, encompassing an area in Meredith tax map S-7, east from the northern most point of Lot 5-1 to the southeastern most point of Lot 1;



(13) The entire area known as East Cove in the town of Moultonborough;



(14) The entire area known as Advent Cove in the town of Meredith;



(15) Roberts Cove, in the town of Alton, east of an imaginary line running north to south from the westerly boundary of lot 41 on tax map 48 to the westerly boundary of lot 1 on tax map 48; and



(16) The entire areas known as Round Cove, Fish Cove, and Flag Cove in the town of Meredith.

No we didn't call marine patrol. When we pulled up we thought it was just a bummer...one of those things that happens. It wasn't until we were 1/2 way home that our friends called to tell us about the other anchor.

Were they expensive... does it matter? We were, I am certain of it vandalized and stolen from.

Did we notice...we felt a shift but thought it was just the wind. It happens.

Didn't we see them...we were sitting on the swim platforms and floating. We DID see a woman float over to the side of one of our boats then drift off after a little while.

The area we were in is not on the map listed as a no rafting zone.


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It seems kind of hard to believe that somebody could do that.. Could they have caught on a log? That area used to have a lot of logs.

How deep was the water you were anchored in?

Johnson Cove is not a no rafting zone. Even if it was, calling Marine Patrol would have been the way to go, not taking it upon yourself to do something about it.

I am thinking this was just an unfortunate mechanical failure.

Yes, there was a sawmill there.

Probably 20 to 30 Feet.

There was a separate, similar, incident in post #8. That's the third anchor and an additional captain on watch.
The similar incident makes the whole episode even stranger.

It does make you wonder,,, Also make me want to add safety wire to my shackle(s).

Yes, add the safety wire or heavy fishing line to the shackles! Rope/chain combinations will normally have two shackles.

If you are handling the anchor(s) by hand and not using a windless, be careful you don't cut yourself using wire. That's why on my second/back/emergency anchor I use heavy fishing line and redo it every year.

My main anchor is a factory all chain and anchor and they use a special shackle system not the standard shackle. Mine needs special tools to remove, not just pliers or a nail to undo it.

That’s deep! Doesn’t seem likely that anyone except a scuba equipped diver could even reach bottom without air and weights! Ever try to dive that deep? I have and it ain’t easy especially in the cold waters of our lakes!
Looking more like an equipment malfunction than theft.

Agreed. Too deep to do that with a snorkel. They would have had to go up and down multiple times. And a diver would probably need to descend fairly close to the boats or it would be very difficult to find the anchors unless he was really good with his compass. Although the lake seems clear from the surface, it gets gloomy real quick. Visibility is only a couple of feet at most at that depth.

Seems like way too much trouble just to be an ass, or even to score a couple of anchors. I'm guessing freak bad luck.

Anchor/moring line theory
 

The accepted theory, for hand-making either type of line, is to only put metal against metal. To have any type of "rope" against metal is to invite chafing/tearing problems.

Therefore- (chain on one end/rope on the other?) after the thimble is braided onto the line- put the shackle in place (through the thimble) and install the threaded pin. Following this, the accepted practice is to secure the threaded pin with a piece of SS wire twisted around an arm of the shackle.

I have made many of these over the years. Three strand braiding isn't that difficult, but it is sort of an art form!

Hmmm, the great anchor mystery..... or is it the "great anchor heist". We may never know.

What Gatto said....

Dan

I also lost an anchor in Johnson’s cove a couple weeks back. Assumed the shackle was loose and detached. Not an expensive anchor and haven’t taken the time to go back and retrieve. New one is also connected to the chain with zip tie.
Guessing if it was someone with snorkel we would have noticed some type of action off the bow?
Could be interesting if several others are experiencing the same issues in that area.

Its starting to sound like someone should call the marine patrol.

it also sounds like there are now enough of you to possibly hire a diver to take a look for all these lost anchors,,,

Too Many?
 

So we have the OP, post #8 and #37. Am I right? Four "lost" anchors? Time for these folks to report to the police or get off the Forum as a scam. A police report would ask for many details that are omitted here. If you think your anchor was stolen, call the police and give details, don't just tease the Forum.

Anchors
 

So this story was posted on Boaters of Winnipesaukee group on FB 3 days ago as a strange event. Now on this forum it changes to stolen anchors. While it is a coincidence that 2 in the same group would become detached I believe it is just that, a coincidence. Its not strange for anchors to become detached, it happens alot. Johnsons is deep and murky. There are a lot of logs, rocks and debris that can cause a shackle to foul. I know of several instances of this happening over the years, myself included. For all of the reasons mentioned above, I am confident the anchors were not stolen or purposely detached. That's a very bold statement without any evidence.

Agreed, too deep for a snorkeler to detach the anchors. Even if you can dive 20 - 30 feet by the time you reach them you would need to return to the surface for air. To find that small pin and unscrew it two times? Nearly impossible unless your a world class free diver. Of course with scuba gear you could but then with all the people in that cove some one would see the bubbles, a flag. A scuba diver would not go unnoticed.

I read an article a few years ago. There was a bad hurricane in 38. The hurricane was blamed for all the logs in Johnsons Cove.

I was tied to the boat that posted on BOW. He was the center boat.

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Im not teasing the forum.

You can clearly see I've been a member for a long time. I would not post something like this unless I felt very strongly about it.

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I would question the kids in your party to see if they were messing with the anchor's.

I had to disconnect an anchor one day at the Varney Island near the little light house. Anchor got stuck in the rocks. Had to disconnect the anchor for the line.

As for Johnson's cove - We caught a large tree log one day, but we were able to free the anchor eventually.

I will keep an eye out for bubbles the next time we are hanging out in Winter Harbor

I don't know why I find this funny.Attachment 16507

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Maybe, Not Inspected....
 

If the anchors were both purchased at the same time, the shackles both hand-tightened, and both later subjected to the same loads, it would not be unreasonable to have both part company within a narrow time-frame.