Course Anchor Replacement - suggestions needed

[jerrym]

We have a course on a private lake that is about 12 years old. Before filling the lake, the course was surveyed and ground stakes were installed for the boat guides and turn buoys. Unfortunately the stakes are mild steel and are starting to fail. We are looking for a source for stainless steel spiral ground anchors, or for a smarter way to rebuild the course anchors. We have three requirements: avoid draining the lake; maintain the existing buoy locations; and to never need to do this again.

[liquid d]

26 concrete blocks 18 inch diameter filled with concrete and a stainless loop to tie on. Put them right next to every buoy you have and cut the current ropes.

[MarkTimm]

Tires filled with Concrete and stainless eye bolts. The tires make them easy to move / roll to get in place.

[RGilmore]

As suggested above, except place a vertical length of plastic pipe, large enough to fit over your existing steel stakes, in the center (roughly) of each weight. Each piece of pipe should have a cap cemented on, and a stainless eye-bolt through a hole drilled in the end of the cap. Each weight's pipe can then be placed over the existing stake, making each buoy position pretty much identical to its current location.

[Skoot1123]

Do you have a certified diver doing this work or will you be trying to do this work from above the water surface? Can you do a partial drain to make access to the current anchors easier?

[RGilmore]

FWIW, the late Ed Brazil probably knew more about putting in slalom courses than anyone alive. He wrote many articles on the subject, and last I checked he had over 1300 posts here. It might be worth weeding through them for some insight.

 

Also, if you know anyone who built one of his "anchor wanker" devices, or even just has photos, that might be something for you to build / borrow to make your project a lot easier. With one of those you can pretty much float into position and set down a 200# block of concrete (on the lake bottom) anywhere you want.

[adkh2oskier]

@jerrym How deep is the water?

[skierjp]

@jerrym I have a source for stainless screw anchors. The company is in Georgia. When I get back to my office I'll get it for you.

[MISkier]

 

[jerrym]

Thanks for the responses...much appreciated!

@Skoot1123 - we do not have any dive gear among us but are trying to borrow some. We'll need it if we decide to install new screw anchors.

@adkh2oskier - the water is not deep - 8-12 ft.

@MISkier - is that the anchor wanker that @RGilmore mentioned? That looks like the ticket for concrete anchor handling.

@skierjp - appreciate the product info.

@RGilmore - good suggestion but I'm a bit concerned about plastic pipe possibly breaking. Might need to use sch 80 pipe and cap?

 

Any thoughts on how heavy the anchor needs to be? We don't want to pull the anchor loose if a rope catches the buoy or boat guide.

[MISkier]

That is the anchor wanker. Supposedly, there is a place for the survey prism to mount to facilitate the positioning and alignment.

[RGilmore]

@jerrym ABS plumbing pipe (the black stuff) is MUCH tougher than the more common PVC (white) plastic pipe, and would probably hold up just fine, IMO.

 

[jerrym]

@MISkier - of course that feature included...ha!

 

@RGilmore - good thought on the ABS - thank you.

[skierjp]

@jerrym Go to Skier to Skier they have all the Info you need

[LeonL]

If you choose screw anchors, rig up a pipe with a T handle and appropriate fitting on the anchor end . 10' step ladder, one dive to locate anchor and stand on the ladder and twist away.

[skierjp]

@jerrym //// milspecanchors.com. They will even custom build your stainless anchors to your dimensions. 256-234-6699. Alexander City, Alabama

[dave2ball]

@skierjp skier to skier is out of business. The owner retired. Not quite sure if the website is still up.

[Mateo_Vargas]

I ordered some stuff this spring and the website was different. Order shipped from Utah so maybe Marine Products bought him out.

[jerrym]

@LeonL - that's a great idea...thanks! That brings back memories of pounding the dock posts into the lake bottom.

 

@skierjp - Thanks for the info...they look to be the experts we need.

[LeonL]

@jerrym I just noticed that you mentioned 12' water depth. You might need more than a 10' step ladder.

[Martin1980]

https://skiertoskier.com Still works but is indeed now owned by Marine Products in Utah.

[mmosley899]

@jerrym placing screw anchors exactly where you want them under water is challenging at the least...

 

I have always used 12” concrete blocks filled with concrete and 3/8” stainless steel eyebolts.

 

My apprentice:

 

[o2bnMaine]

I made mine slightly different. Since we're sharing, here you go. :-) This approach was super easy to do.

 

 

These are for the end of the (insta-slalom) course. The eyelet in the center is for the buoy (so I can find the anchor easily) and to make it easier to move it around before dropping overboard. The eyelet on the side is where I attach the course cable. The shape of the concrete, using the bin I chose, is slightly trapezoidal. By placing the eyelet on the side, the force is more horizontal making it harder to flip the anchor on its side. You just fill the bin to whatever weight you desire. I think I used two 80-pound bags per anchor. All eyelets are stainless.

 

I use 28-pound anchors as Lisa at Insta-Slalom recommended for the pre-gate anchors -- The 55m buoys are on their own line so that the main course cable is as short as possible. This is to keep the course from bowing too much. It is annoying to keep the 55m buoys in alignment though, so keep that in mind if you go this route.