Type of anchor

[bigskydrift]

I bought a mushroom type anchor for my new 14' Alumacraft fishing boat. Since I purcgased it, I saw on TV that this type of anchor "sucks" down into the mud, and they said that to release it, you must get in the water and get ahold of the anchor to "unstick" it.....well, I didn't intened to get into scuba diving just so I could pull anchor! Most of the lakes I will go to have a mud / sand and/or fine gravel bottom, most of the lakes being less than 60' deep. What type anchor would be best for this?

 

[QC]

Re: Type of anchor

I'd use some type of Danforth. Long sharp flukes seem to work best for a wide variety of bottoms.

 

[bigskydrift]

Re: Type of anchor

Thanks QC - I am a novice, will do a search on 'Danforth'so I can get an idea of what they look like.....

 

[QC]

Re: Type of anchor

I'd use one of these. True Danforths are pretty expensive, but are also available here at iboats . . . Good luck!!<br /><br /> Super Hookers <br /><br />Here are my standard anchoring suggestions too . . . <br /><br />I recommend a Danforth style, 1/2 to 1x your boat length in chain, and at least 100 ft. of 3/8 inch rope (combination called "rode").<br /><br />The proper way to set is to gently drop the anchor overboard and let it fall, there is no need to throw it. Then slowly reverse to keep the anchor, chain and rope from "fouling" (tangled up) as it settles to the bottom. Secure the line as close to the center of the bow as possible and continue to reverse to "set" the anchor. Many say that a "scope" (length of total rode vs. depth of water) of 5/1 or more is best. You may need 7/1 or more for really tough weather conditions, there are times I have to live with 3/1 or even less. There are many opinions like anything else, but I swear by chain as you may not be able to get 5/1 etc. in some spots on a small lake or cove. Chain helps the boat pull the anchor along the bottom as opposed to more up without it. Longer scope helps limit the need for chain.<br /><br />After setting, I line up a reference point on the shoreline with a fixed spot on the boat to insure that I am not "dragging" the anchor. After I am comfortable that it is set I still recheck my visual reference often. I am especially vigilant if I have used less than optimum scope or the wind/current is of concern.<br /><br />When retrieving, move the boat to as close to directly above the anchor as possible and pull with a quick strong tug directly up, this helps dislodge the "flukes". In some cases you may have to use power in the opposite direction of the original set to free it.<br /><br />There are lots of anchor threads here. Do a search and you will probably even find me contradicting above . . .

 

[Bondo]

Re: Type of anchor

I bought a mushroom type anchor for my new 14' Alumacraft fishing boat.

For Fishing out of a 14' Boat,......<br /><br />The Anchor you Have will Work Just Fine..........<br /><br />You're going Fishing,...... Not trying to Moor-up for the Night.......<br /><br />Just use the Mushroom,+ If by chance it ever Does get Stuck,........<br />Cut the Line,+ Then go buy a Different Kind..........<br /><br />The Only time I've hung a Mushroom,.. Was on Rocks,+ Debris.....And Any anchor would have been Hung-up.............

 

[bigskydrift]

Re: Type of anchor

geez, thats a wealth of information! I didn't realize that there was so much involved with anchoring, but after reading your words, alot of it sounds like common sense. I appreciate you sharing your knowledge, thanks QC!

 

[QC]

Re: Type of anchor

BTW, I have to defer to Bondo on the Mushroom as I have no experience with those . . .

 

[jlinder]

Re: Type of anchor

One neat idea I had come across for the Danforth anchor is to attach the chain to the bottom end, then use a tie wrap to connect it to the top end.<br /><br />The idea is that under normal conditions you pull from the top. When the anchor gets stuck you pull hard enough to break the tie wrap. Then you start pulling from the bottom and pull the anchor free.

 

[QC]

Re: Type of anchor

I have heard of that too Jack. The type below is kinda designed to do that if you pull from the opposite direction:<br /><br />

<br /><br />They are called slip ring (there's a bunch of them out there, some cheap). When you pull the opposite way the ring slips down the shank towards the base of the flukes. You can just make out a ring at the base of the blue and purple examples.