DIY Anchor Trolley

Sometime I find myself drifting away from my course while working on traps.

So, I decided to pick up an anchor to fix that problem. The anchor worked great, except my kayak would get all turned around depending on the water current. To fix that problem, I went to West Marine to picked up some hardware for a DIY anchor trolley.

Here is my shopping list:


(2)   Harken Cheek Block Pulley w/ Ears-  $15 ea.
(4)   3/16 x 3/4 SS Rivets-  $1 ea.
(1)   SS Ring-  $2
(20) Shock Cord-  free from my garage
Total price-  $33


Tools I used for the project:

Cordless drill
3/16 drill bit
Rivet gun
Marine Goop
Electrical tape

There are a million ways to hook up an anchor trolley to a kayak. Trust me, try searching "anchor trolley" in YouTube. The concept is fairly straight forward, but what complicate things are the tons of different kayak configurations.

 For example, the bow in my kayak has a hatch to access the inside of the hull which enables the use of bolts and nuts to fasten the pulley, but there is no access in the stern. This is why rivets are used instead of bolts.

Some people simply hook a carabiner to the lift handles and run the cord thru them. I like cheek blocks better. They are much neater and solve the issue of lines staying on the side of the hull and out of the way. Between the anchor line and traps, no need for one more thing to crowd up the cockpit. It gets crazy there enough as it is.


Installation:



1.  Locate and mark a good spot to attach the pulleys on the side of the kayak. I fastened mine about a foot away from the tip of the bow and stern. I also made sure that they are high enough to be above the water line. No one want to reach down in cold waters just to adjust the trolley.

2.  Drill holes where you made your marks. Make sure to use the proper drill bits for the job. I had 3/16 rivets, so I used a 3/16 drill bit.

3.  Fasten the cheek blocks to the side of the hull using rivets. If you have not used a rivet gun before, I suggest to practice on something else until you feel confident with the tool.

4.  Seal the holes in your rivets with Marine Goop. It does get pretty messy if not careful, but that should keep the inside of your hull nice and dry.

5.  Take one end of the shock cord and tie an anchor knot to your SS ring. Then run your cord thru the pulleys. Take the other end of the cord pull it tight against the hull and tie the same knot to the ring.

Note:  I do plan on adding a clam cleat or a zigzag cleat to secure the trolley's position in the future.

This is a fairly easy project to do. It took me longer to go to the store and pick up the materials needed, than to put everything together. If you are planning on doing some crabbing or fishing with your kayak, this is a definite must have.