– Can the Elastatether Anchor Marker be used as a trip line?
The Elastatether Anchor Marker is not intended to be used as a trip line since it is deliberately sacrificial. The tether is designed to give way between 6-10 lbs of force, which is many times the force required to sink the float. In normal conditions, the tether and float will remain attached to the anchor, but with force from a prop or large floating/submerged debris it will sacrificially give way leaving your anchor safely set.
However, see the last picture of the “How Does It Work” section for information on how the Elastatether Anchor Marker can be used as a visual aid to help retrieve a stuck anchor.
– Can the Elastatether Anchor Marker be used in current?
A small amount of current itself will not impact usage of the Elastatether Anchor Marker. We have frequently used it in 1.5 knots anchored in 15 feet of water with success. Judging by the slight angle of the tether, our best estimate is that it is pushed off the mark by 3-5 feet. However, if you are in an area with current and evidence of floating or submerged debris, then we do not recommend deploying it. It is deliberately sacrificial and force from a log or large branch in significant current could cause it to give way.
– My Elastatether Anchor Marker sometimes ends up amidships or even at the stern of my sailboat. Why?
When anchored in current with light wind, the keel can actually lift the boat forward overtaking your anchor. This is another benefit of the Elastatether in that sometimes your anchor isn’t anywhere near where you or others would guess it to be. These are conditions when keel wrap is possible when using a rode/chain combination and the Elastatether can alert you of that possibility before you start retrieving your anchor.
– The elastic core of my Elastatether Anchor Marker broke, but I didn’t see other boats or debris where I anchored. What happened?
The Elastatether core is deliberately designed to be the sacrificial safety fuse. If the Anchor Marker is accidentally fouled, it separates, preventing anchor tripping or prop fouling. Often debris and fouling hazards are submerged and out of sight. Also, the weight of your own anchor/chain during deployment/retrieval is the largest threat to the Elastatether’s longevity. Trapping/pinching the tether between the bow roller and chain/anchor will likely sever or weaken the internal core but this is easily avoided following the techniques described in the deployment instructions and the ‘how to’ video.
It’s important to check your own anchor doesn’t catch the mid-point of the tether on the way down. This prevents the Elastatether extending correctly and may damage the tether under the anchor when it sets. We recommend you hold onto the float off the side of the bow until ideally you feel the anchor has touched the bottom, or you sense you’ve fallen back sufficiently from the anchor and the Elastatether will spring forward away from the vertical hanging chain from the bow. This eliminates the snagging possibility.
It is also important to make sure the tether does not get pinched between the bow roller and chain upon deployment and retrieval. This can cause hidden damage, weakening the core that may separate in the future at lower loads.
– I anchored in less than 32 feet of water accounting for tide changes, but I cannot see the float at high tide. What happened?
Something may have snagged the tether (e.g., submerged debris or your own ground tackle). See the previous answer for preventative measures.
– Why isn’t the Elastatether core covered under the warranty?-
Each tether is 100% load tested during manufacturing. The core itself cannot be covered by the warranty because it is deliberately the safety fuse and will purposefully separate if accidentally fouled / overloaded. The Elastatether core, in good condition, is many times stronger than the buoyancy of the marker float. Any core breakage during normal use is an indication that a fouling situation was averted and is not considered a fault due to its purposeful sacrificial design. Any damage from external trapping or pinching, such as trapping between bow roller and chain, is not covered but easily avoided with care and attention.
The Elastatether Anchor Marker is warranted for 1 year from purchase for manufacturing defects. If you would like to make a warranty claim for manufacturing defects, please send an email to sales@elastatether.com along with a description of the issue you experienced, conditions, and anchor used. If possible, please also send a photo of the tether and/or float. You may be asked to mail the items for further inspection.