Right, White! The bolt with a circle at one end, that's an eye-bolt. In the configuration you've described, that eye bolt functions as a "fairlead" that guides the anchor line into and away from the pulley.

Some configurations on this theme have a second eye bolt positioned durectly below the pulley, so that once the anchor line makes the pulley turn and heads downward it can't be pulled off the side of the pulley (if the boat suddenly yaws). Wise, because if the line comes untracked you lose the benefit of the end-of-canoe connection.

And no, you really DON'T have to drill holes in a canoe to enjoy the 2-anchor system. Check out some of the recent posts where FAOL folks have put photos of their canoes after they've outfitted them with a pair of "cat's paw" anchor outriggers.

The only reason I didn't go with cat's paws is because I didn't want to take time each trip to attach them to my canoe prior to launch, then take them off before racking. This said, I feel that properly designed and lubricated cat's paw outriggers are a superior solution to the problem; the pulley eliminates line friction and rubbing noises that my cruder system allows.

Still, the U-bolt fairlead system I installed on my canoe works very well for me. It doesn't make much noise because at the bend point my anchor line rubs across smooth, rounded hard plastic end caps. Best of all, the U-bolts are small and don't stand up very tall, and they stay on my canoe permanently. All I do once at the lake is run the anchor line through each one, cam cleat the line after each anchor is pulled to the raised position, and I'm outa there, Jack.


Joe

"Better small than not at all."