I need some advance as to the weight of anchors.
Should I do 12lb or 15lbs. I have an Old Town Guide 14’7. I am looking to purchase two anchors(stern and bow). I will fish mostly lakes, some rivers. I am in Florida will look to work some saltwater lagoons as well. Also, any preference to flukes over mushrooms shape.
Thanks !!
I use a 12 lb. river anchor for …
– Last Updated: Jul-12-10 10:36 PM EST –
...... a tandem canoe .
It's similar to the mushroom type but instead of the full mushroom it has three ears that look like the radiation symbol . You could use the lighter 9 lb. of that style , I just like the heavier one for back up reasons .
Here's a link to show you a river anchor ,
http://www.premiumpowersports.com/River-Anchors-p-1-c-29.html
the vinyl coating is nice too , good for hands and boat . A river anchor holds well in soft lake bottom or river rocks , frees fairly easily for retrieve , and clean off good .
When you are talking weight of anchors , I can only think dead weight as in mushroom , pyrimid type or similar , like anything that is a weight , barbell , cinderblock , etc. .
When you are talking fluke anchors , you are talking holding power against certain criteria like "boat weight" & length , wind speeds , tidal flows , etc. ... the fluke anchor that holds a 3000 lb. boat in high winds and fast tides may only weigh 6-7 lbs. .
Fortress is the fluke anchor I like best (but that's for power boat and tidal salt waters) ... it's very light compared to a steel one , but very strong .
The smallest Fortress fluke is a #7 , way to much in size and strength for what you need in a paddle boat .
Why would want a fluke anchor for a paddle boat anyway , especially in a lake ?? In order for a fluke anchor to be of any use you have to pay out enough scope (minimum 5 to 1) in order for it to "make bite" , and to hold bite you need to have a constant pressure being pulled on the rode line , like a tide and/or wind . You need a drag chain for a fluke also .
http://www.fortressanchors.com/fortress_anchor_guide.html
My advice , get a min. 8 lb. river anchore (I like 12 lb. better) , deploy/drop it over the side by hand , set it by hand , retrieve it by hand ... don't use a windless or other type deploy/retrieve system for a paddle boat .
If you are considering a gaffel type , consider how well they snag up on every thing in the water , like trees , rocks , cables , etc. ... ever tried to free an anchore that is snagged up ??
"Never" anchore your boat unless you are sure you have a good sharp knife handy ... remember that .
anchors
I meant to say river anchor as opposed to the mushroom not fluke. Thanks for the advice I will get the 12lb anchors. What do you use as line? Braided nylon ? 50ft?
Thanks for the advice very useful.
yeah , I like braided nylon OK …
– Last Updated: Jul-13-10 10:32 PM EST –
...... 1/2" is what I prefer , always feels better in the hand than smaller or larger diameters , and ties up well .
Some like 1/2" high end braid polyesters , we use that on power boats , good stuff .
I have 2 - 25' or 30' ropes on board with me in the canoe always (and a sharp knife) . I'll use these same ropes for auto tie downs alot too , then just transfer them to the canoe .
25' has always been enough to anchore in the rivers , and if I should ever need deeper (which I never do) , both ropes can be joined real easy ... having one with the anchore tied on and the other for roping the canoe to a log or something during a shore stop if needed (mostly just leave the canoe floating and tied off to something - if it's beach I'll drag it up of course) .
My ropes have a tied loop (8") on one end only , that loop is real handy , makes for a quick attach to most anything and comes off just as easy ... makes the ropes very versatile .
Another way is too tie a large loop on one end of the rope used for the anchor ... large (long) enough so that when you attach the loop to the carry handle , the loop can stradle the end deck plate , it slips over the stern or bow point , that keeps the anchor centered right off the end as opposed to off to the side a little .
You'll like the river anchor , 12 lb. feels a little heavy but I'm ok with that , it's really no big deal .
type of bottom?
– Last Updated: Jul-19-10 8:16 PM EST –
If your in a nice sandy bottom ( as much of FL has), a fluke is the answer. a 6# fluke will hold like a 12 Shroom if it has good bottom.. I personally like the folding vinyl covered 10# anchor from Bass Pro. Stows easily , bites decent and doesn't cut up the boat ( which can be a problem with fluke anchors.)
As an aside, I like sailboaters type cam cleats for my ancors. These allow you to get off anchor with one hand/in a hurry if you need to. Just a tug up is all it takes.
rock
I used to go with the handy riverside rock tied with twine route… seemed to work fine.
no need to go fancy
I like to use a couple of 1/2 gallon jugs filled with wheel weights and sand. Soft/easy on the boat, come up near weed free and don’t cost an arm and a leg if you need to cut one free. Th vinyl covered river/mushrooms work OK too. FWIW, I also like to use sailboat cam cleats to tie off my anchors. Anchor lines can be readjusted or tossed free with one had in seconds. Handy (and safe ) feature IMHO.
Dumbells
I just go to Walmarts and buy rubber coated dumbbells. They are great, inexpecsive and the coating is quiet. When your done it is easy to wind the line around the handle.
IF you have a little concrete mix lying
around with a large, empty coffee can and a large eye-bolt = can do the job. Can get a little messy if you’re on a weedy bottomed pond, but it’s not wide = short distance for lift_&_drop once over the gunwale.
$.01
you can often find freebee …
…sash weights from a window contractor who specializes in remodeling, or a demo contractor. They come in various sizes from 3 ponds on up. A quick coat of tool paint, and your’re good to go. No big deal if one hangs up, cause they’re easy to get…
Onion bags
I use a mesh onion bag filled with rocks that I get at the launch site. Tied off with some good 1/4 in. limp nylon rope with the “top” crimped so if you really had to pull hard the rope would slip off - leaving the mesh bag with rocks on the bottom. Then go to shore and do up another bag of rocks. Usually travel with two extra bags (we eat a lot of onions). Cheaper than an anchor or dumbells at Walmart - and on a lake it works just fine. On a river with some quick water - just use heavier rocks.
anchors
I have an 8lb fluke anchor and a 15 lb mushroom. I’ve been thinking that the mushroom was overkill, but just this weekend went to a favorite spot. The current was strong but I had left the mushroom at home. The fluke couldn’t hold me except in the calmest places. So now I’m glad to have one of each.
sledge hammer head
I use an old sledge hammer head. They are easy to tie on to and have a compact shape.
Wow.
Go with five or eight pounds. If the current is running so strong that eight pounds won’t hold you, then the current is too strong for anchoring a canoe. I know many people who use 2 lb barbells. That’s my opinion.
- Big D