boat anchors?

[mrpike1973]

hi i have 2 14 foot aluminum boats what is the best anchor weight to hold these. mushroom, fluke style. and do most of you just use 1 anchor or 2 thanks

[ClownColor]

Generally speaking for that boat on a LAKE...A mushroom should be fine. I prefer River and Navy styles. You wouldn't need anything heavy...10lbs would be fine-no more then 15 max.

The key to any good anchor stick is to put out AT LEAST twice the depth is not 3 times on windy days.(10 feet deep= 20 feet of anchor rope)

[20lbSloughShark]

yep my vote is for rubber coated navy anchor. 15 should work, a 20 pound holds my 16' fine. I like the navy because they dig in well, and clean off easy, especially with weeds. Mushroom anchors get very muddy.

[wahoo]

We hold well on Lake of the Woods in a 16 1/2 footer with a 10 lb fluke anchor. the advice to let out enough line is key to reduce scope. You will find a 5-10 foot length of chain makes a huge difference.

we carry 2 anchors--one for the bow and one for stern. Rarely use the stern as the boat will straighten out and when jigging the bit of movement helps.

[Jim Almquist]

I like this style of anchor if you are trying to hold a boat in place on a windy day. I have a 20 pound rubber coated and if the wind is blowing it will never hold. My 10 pound in this style will work much better.

[winniewalleye777]

The best anchor hands down is the "Digger Anchor." They are made in Sauk Centre. We have a 17.5 ft boat and this thing will stick all day in 20+ mph winds on a big lake like Winnibigosh. Plus they are much easier to release from the bottom. This might be too much of an anchor for a 14 ft, but you will only need one of these anchors. www.diggeranchor.com

[BobT]

A couple things that haven't been mentioned yet that I have found to really help.

1. Include an anchor chain. You can buy them pre-made but basically it's about 4' of 1/4" log chain that you attach between the anchor and anchor rope. This chain does a couple things. First, it helps tip the anchor over for better grip. An anchor doesn't hold the boat by virtue of its weight but by digging in to the lake bottom and to do that it needs to tip at an angle that allows it do dig in. This is why the rule of thumb is to let out at least twice as much anchor line as the depth to the bottom. The extra line pulls the anchor over on its side. Second, the chain acts like a spring or shock absorber when waves are lifting your boat up and down preventing this action from lifting your anchor off the bottom every time the boat lifts.

2. Don't attach your anchor line and/or chain using a spring clip similar to the picture I've attached. I didn't believe it myself until it happened to me. These things can somehow come open and you can lose your anchor. I don't know how but they do. I've heard it from others and it actually happened to me. Put the anchor over the side and shortly realized we were drifting and found no anchor at the end of my rope.

[Bob/Mn]

I will second not using this type of device. I also lost a anchor and could not believe the device opened up. :-(

[Wish-I-Were-Fishn]

This device is meant for rock climbing. If they open up there, you won't be around to post about it!

[RumRiverRat]

This device is meant for rock climbing. If they open up there, you won't be around to post about it!

Actually that device is not meant for rock climbing since it does not have the locking mechanism on it.

Anything like that will be stamped NOT FOR CLIMBING.

[BLACKJACK]

Get a Richter anchor, as they say on their web site, 'it will be the last anchor you ever own'. I have a digger anchor, its fine for the local lakes, lighter to use, but on big water and big waves, it wouldn't hold, on big water I use my Richter.

[Northlander]

I love my Richter Anchor. I have the big one with a 6' coated chain and it will hold in just about anything. Key is to let out plenty of rope in big winds. The digger is also anive anchor and it will be my next anchor if I ever lose my Richter.

[walleyeking19]

I vote for a richter anchor too. It costs a little more, but its definitely worth it. One of them will hold you regardless of wind, and they're virtually impossible to get stuck under stuff.