Anchor styles

[Wes_G]

Whats the deal with different anchor styles and the bottoms they best hold in.

I bought a 15lb navy anchor last year for my 16 foot aluminum. With the wind in the south, most times it just didn't seem to hold where I wanted to be or it would hold fine untill another boat came by and the wake would send me out drifting in the wind again. There are quite a few anchor styles so I am just wondering if a different style would hold better on the mud bottoms around here or if the navy is fine and I just need to go heavier.

Any opinions and experiences are appreciated!!

[huntsfurfish]

Add 3 feet of 3/8 "chain if you havent already(helps to set anchor) and adds weight.

Go 4 to one ratio for depth/rope out.

And heavier helps if in doubt.:)

Some anchors do better than others, I use mostly Folding claw anchors.

Some I know swear by this one:
http://www.cabelas.ca/product/66759/digger-freshwater-anchor

What I like:
http://www.basspro.com/Bass-Pro-Shops-Folding-Grappling-Anchors/product/39740/
But mine are up to 22 or so pounds- I like em. Think I got mine at Wholesale Sports.

Best anchor ever made is the Xi5 though.:):sHa_shakeshout:

[catnthehat]

My main anchor is an articulated plowshare.
I have used it for everything from pulling a boat off mud bars to yanking out beaver dams with it using winch!
I often am anchored in very fast water on the Athabasca, and this anchor keeps the jet boat in one place.
I also employ 8 feet of chain .
Cat
http://www.petersmith.net.nz/boat-anchors/old-generation-anchors.php

[32-40win]

Lots of info there, Cat. I'd never bothered doing any research on them before, seems as though there is a bit to learn about them. I get the general impression, we are still trying invent the perfect anchor. But, I suppose with so many different surfaces to dig into, and variables of other sorts, we may never quite do that.

[SNAPFisher]

Best anchor for any bottom is the one not touching it :)
The iPolot anchor feature will blow your mind the first few times using it. I sure do not miss the anchor line.

yeah I know, not a cheap solution but if you have the means...

Otherwise, I'm thinking the style Cat posted would be my choice. Something that bites in usually out performs something that is simply heavy.

[Walleyedude]

Add 3 feet of 3/8 "chain if you havent already(helps to set anchor) and adds weight.

Go 4 to one ratio for depth/rope out.

Some I know swear by this one:
http://www.cabelas.ca/product/66759/digger-freshwater-anchor

I'm one that swears by the Digger. I don't anchor much anymore, but this is the best one I've used by far. You need the chain though, and don't cheap out lol, buy at least 4' of the heavy rubber coated stuff!

Best anchor ever made is the Xi5 though.:):sHa_shakeshout:

X2.

It's the reason I never take my anchor out of storage anymore.

[EZM]

The danforth design, like the digger, works great if you use chain as mentioned to keep the stem down in soft mud, small cobble etc...

The biggest mistake people make are - no chain and they don't let out enough rope. For 10 feet of depth, you should let out 40-50 of rope and you will remain firmly in place.

Having said all that, my anchor has been dry for the last couple years since I run the Minnkota anchor. Works like a dream and easier on the back ...

[cube]

Whats the deal with different anchor styles and the bottoms they best hold in.

I bought a 15lb navy anchor last year for my 16 foot aluminum. With the wind in the south, most times it just didn't seem to hold where I wanted to be or it would hold fine untill another boat came by and the wake would send me out drifting in the wind again. There are quite a few anchor styles so I am just wondering if a different style would hold better on the mud bottoms around here or if the navy is fine and I just need to go heavier.

Any opinions and experiences are appreciated!!

Best style for most conditions
http://www.rocna.com/product-range/rocna-fisherman

The chain helps with abrasion and in relatively calm conditions helps hold the attitude of the rope to the anchor at a better angle.

From the sounds of your problem you have not been letting out enough RODE/rope (which is the most common problem I see). You get pretty good holding at 5 feet of rode for every foot of depth (depth here is the depth of the water plus how much the tie point is out of the water) but get much better at 7 to 1. eg. If your anchoring in 8 feet of water ad your tying to your bow cleat which is 2 feet above he water you would need 5X (8+2)=50 feet of rode out to hold. If conditions are even more windy or current stronger. 7 X (8+
2) + 70 feet of rode.


Going heavier will not help you that much and If you go with the Rocna you would even save 6 pounds for other gear or beverages etc..

[cube]

Sorry did not edit it quickly enough. Best style for most conditions
http://www.rocna.com/product-range/rocna-fisherman

The chain helps with abrasion and in relatively calm conditions helps hold the attitude of the rope to the anchor at a better angle.

From the sounds of your problem you have not been letting out enough RODE/rope (which is the most common problem I see). You get pretty good holding at 5 feet of rode for every foot of depth (depth here is the depth of the water plus how much the tie point is out of the water) but get much better at 7 to 1. eg. If your anchoring in 8 feet of water and your tying to your bow cleat which is 2 feet above he water you would need 5X (8+2)=50 feet of rode out to hold. If conditions are even more windy or current stronger. 7 X (8+
2) = 70 feet of rode.


Going heavier will not help you that much and If you go with the Rocna you would even save 6 pounds for other gear or beverages etc..

[sanjuanworm]

I use the digger anchor with 3ft of chain and a snubber. I find sometimes in heavy wind it takes a couple of times before it's really caught.

[Wes_G]

Thanks for the info. My rope is only about 40' long and usually I am anchored over around 20' give or take 5'. Also don't have a chain on there which sounds like I should also be using.

If you have so much rope out though do you not find that you swing back and forth a lot. I mean if I have 60'+ of rope out anchored over 20' I am going to be swinging 20-30' either direction. Or do you drop another anchor off the back to keep you from swinging around so much?

[EZM]

http://www.sailboatstuff.com/images/TMP307LG.jpg

Snubber .......... just like this one ..........good call sanjuanworm .....

[EZM]

Thanks for the info. My rope is only about 40' long and usually I am anchored over around 20' give or take 5'. Also don't have a chain on there which sounds like I should also be using.

If you have so much rope out though do you not find that you swing back and forth a lot. I mean if I have 60'+ of rope out anchored over 20' I am going to be swinging 20-30' either direction. Or do you drop another anchor off the back to keep you from swinging around so much?

Yes ........ you will swing around. The bottom line is .... if it's windy and choppy you need to go 5:1 ......... if it's calm maybe 3:1 does it.

You can always anchor at 10'o' clock and 2'o'clock (or tail anchor) but that's just helps you reduce the amount you wander side to side as the wind shifts.

A snubber really helps in the chop and when doing the 10 and 2 thing.

Anchoring properly is why a 35' sail boat can get away with a 12lb anchor - because they are doing it right.

[skidderman]

On my 20' boat I use a version of a jetboat anchor only much smaller. I've made a few of these myself and they hold incredibly well. The nice thing about building one is you can make it as big or as small as you wish.

120012

[cube]

Thanks for the info. My rope is only about 40' long and usually I am anchored over around 20' give or take 5'. Also don't have a chain on there which sounds like I should also be using.

If you have so much rope out though do you not find that you swing back and forth a lot. I mean if I have 60'+ of rope out anchored over 20' I am going to be swinging 20-30' either direction. Or do you drop another anchor off the back to keep you from swinging around so much?

You will swing around some for sure. For allot of fishing though a bit of slow moving is not a problem and can actually help. I do carry a much smaller anchor for the back when I need to hold on a particular piece of structure etc. Given it is only holding the back from swing it does not need to be very big or have allot of rode out.