River Anchor

[catbones]

Hi,

So today, I had to get an anchor and line, and everything else needed for the weekend to get my feet wet. Now I live around lake Erie and Niagara River. However, checked out few stores and none of them have any of the claw or even fortress anchors... or they sold out I guess and craigslist wasn't the greatest either and I'm not going to drive an hour one way for one either, because of gas.

In any case, anyone know if the River Anchor are any good? I've read up on them but of course, would like to hear anyone and everyones thoughts on here. River Anchor is what I bought for now, sure I can always return it if suggested that it was bad idea. Btw, I got a 16 footer aluminum boat... and this thing is 12lb River Anchor, if that helps.

Cheers!

 

[catbones]

Re: River Anchor

Hi,

Alright, so here is a different question. I have a 16 foot aluminum boat, I've got a line that says maximum 150 lbs working load and 1500lb something else. Now I have a chain that says maximum working load 900lb and I've got an anchor that is 12lbs.

1.) Will this setup work ? I don't want the line to snap or anything.

2.) Also is this normal? The shackle of the chain won't fit over the loop thing on my anchor or did I get the wrong size anchor, it's 12 lbs and I know it should be maybe 5lbs good for a 16 footer. Any suggestions or do I just try and pry the shackle opened more, its by millimeters.

Thanks everyone.

 

[Dragboatdad]

Re: River Anchor

I don't know what a river anchor is. I always us a danforth style anchor with plenty of heavy chain. If you are in shallow water I would use about 10 feet of chain. Double that if it's over 10 feet deep. Just get a shackle or some type of coupler that fits. Take your anchor for a test where it's safe if it doesn't hold. You want to have plenty of scope (long rope) when anchoring so it lays flat on the bottom to dig in when pulled. Google anchoring for more info. Hope this helps

 

[rbh]

Re: River Anchor

Hi,

Alright, so here is a different question. I have a 16 foot aluminum boat, I've got a line that says maximum 150 lbs working load and 1500lb something else. Now I have a chain that says maximum working load 900lb and I've got an anchor that is 12lbs.

1.) Will this setup work ? I don't want the line to snap or anything.

2.) Also is this normal? The shackle of the chain won't fit over the loop thing on my anchor or did I get the wrong size anchor, it's 12 lbs and I know it should be maybe 5lbs good for a 16 footer. Any suggestions or do I just try and pry the shackle opened more, its by millimeters.

Thanks everyone.

OK I will take a stab at these Qs
150 pound "safe" working load, but will take up to 1500 pounds if item is dropped. (shock loading)
I bet you have poly rope and it will strech before it breaks.
Get a bigger shackle.
Anchor with the bow into the current, even better find a back eddy to anchor in.
A plow anchor IMHO works better in mud/silt and sand than a danforth.

 

[roscoe]

Re: River Anchor

You have a 16' aluminum boat.
You need a 80# anchor, 21' of 5000# chain, and 200' or 3/4" line. !!!


You should be fine with what you have. Give it a try.
A river anchor, basically a mushroom with cut outs around the bottom, will work in most applications.

 

[fishrdan]

Re: River Anchor

How fast is the current on the Niagra?

I had one of those "river anchors" and it was anything but affective in swift currents, just bounced along the bottom..... I boat below Hoover Dam and when the dam is generating power full tilt, the current is ripping right along.

I'm happy with how fast the Danforth anchor hooks up and holds tight, but haven't tried it in swift current yet.

 

[Slide]

Re: River Anchor

Used to have a mushroom/river style anchor that never held our 24' Maxum cuddy very well in the Ohio river. The line came undone and we lost it, so we replaced it with a 9# Danforth anchor. It locks in nice and tight even in very heavy current.

 

[5150abf]

Re: River Anchor

I fish a river, mostly mud bottom but some gravel, I use a 15lb mushroom with no chain and it works really really well.

Anchoring is a bit of an art and each situation is different dependiong on depth, currrent and wind, there are times I will let the back anchor all the way out, then let the front down and reel back in some of the rear to suspend the boat beween them, I also have a drift sock that is great if there is wind, other times with little wind and current you can get by with 20' of rope in 10' of water on just the front.

I did get a little rednecky and I took an old brake rotor and filled all the fins with lead and drilled a hole in the side so you can get the hook through a bolt hole and the new one and it makes it drag flat, between the two I have never been pulled off anchor.

Alot of it has to do with how much rope you let out, generally it is about 5 to 1 so in 10' of water you will need 40'-50' of rope out, but here again it is very situational and practice makes perfect so get out there and practice!

 

[fishrdan]

Re: River Anchor

I did get a little rednecky and I took an old brake rotor

LOL, I did the same years ago. Put a 12" long eye bolt through one of the stud holes and dipped the rotor in an old bucket of latex house paint about 10 times. The anchor worked good in muck bottom, and the paint job worked really well to keep rust off the boat.