Patent ID: 8720360

Claim:
A flotation control system, comprising: at least one line having first and second ends, the line secured to a float at the first end and releasably secured to an anchor at the second end; the anchor comprising a ballast bag having an inner bag and an outer bag, the inner bag disposed within an interior of the outer bag and configured to house a weighted material, the inner and outer bags each having a closing mechanism for selectively closing and opening the inner and outer bags, the outer bag further comprising a first hook and a second hook on an outer surface thereof, the first hook disposed proximate an upper side of the outer bag and the second hook disposed proximate a lower side of the outer bag; a weighted material comprising granulated material being housed within the inner bag; a leash extending between the second end of the line and the second hook, the leash being releasably secured to the second hook; wherein the anchor is deployed by lowering the ballast bag from the float with the second end of the line being attached to the first hook and the leash being attached to the second hook; and wherein the ballast bag is configured to be emptied by releasing the line from the first hook such that the line and the leash are attached only to the second hook, opening the closing mechanism of the inner and outer bags, and retracting the line to invert the ballast bag so that the granulated material is dumped out of the opened bags.