Box anchors or Danforth?

[Jim Robeson]

I was talking with my brother-n-law on getting an anchor for his boat and I recommended the Danforth.
It has worked well for me so far but know I'm not so sure if the box anchor would've been a better option. I thought that box anchors were more for sandy bottoms with little obstruction. Was I wrong? Table Rock is pretty trashy on the bottom and thought it would be a problem with the box anchor.

 

[tdonoughue]

I just have a brand new box anchor. Used it for the first time of significance yesterday. Now, I was not on the ugly bottom you describe. But I do have to say I was extremely impressed. I think I only did about a 3:1 scope on it, but it was solid as a rock holding the boat. And, when it was time to leave, it came right up (but it is a heavy sucker). Our bottom was silty/muddy, so different from your situation probably. Lots of wood down there, too.

But wow, what an anchor.

 

[1rjclark]

I've used a box anchor in sandy and rocky bottoms with good results. But you gotta eat your Wheaties to pull it up.

 

[txav8r]

Nothing beats a box Jim, IMO. Sets by itself and was designed for loose river sand! But it holds as well on clay. Nothing does well in timber or rocks.

 

[Ronnie]

My primary anchor was a danforth for 8 years on 3 different jet boats. I purchase a used 242ls almost 2 years ago that came with a box anchor. It has worked so well in every bottom type I've used it in that the box anchor is now my primary anchor and although it easily costs 5x what the danforth I used to have did I would by another in a heartbeat is it was lost or stolen. It sets the first time almost every time unlike the danforth which seemed to only catch 3 out of 4 attempts no matter where I was boating.

When My pumps are clogged with vegetation that needs to be cleared before I drift onto the rocks of a nearby levee or when I'm anchored near other boats in windy conditions (like mccovey cove newer AT&T park is sf bay), I've got to have an anchor I can depend on to set and hold on the first toss.

 

[davel501]

I have to say I like my Danforth now that I can set it pretty reliably. The box anchor is an attractive option because in theory all you have to do is throw it over the side but it is bigger and heavier and I would have to spend money to get one.

 

[Bruce]

If you boat in the same areas and a danforth has worked for you then it will work for him.

I have a danforth a river anchor and a box anchor in my boat.

I use the danforth with sand bottoms where it can dig in. It is light and comes out clean.

I use the river anchor with muddy and rocky bottoms. Which is the majority of the time on my home lakes.

I use the box anchor when the anchor absolutely must hold. It is heavy and more difficult to clean up.

 

[txav8r]

I can tell you how to make cleaning a box anchor an absolute breeze to go along with absolute holding power...just let it dangle 10' deep after you pull it up, and run at no wake speed for 2 or 3 minutes, check the anchor, if it is clean, haul it in, if it isn't, run a no wake a little longer with it dangling below the boat as you do. I am not saying to risk catching it on anything, if your in a shallow lake, you can't do this, but I do it every time and it comes up clean...every time! Also, if you have ANY issue getting a box anchor to hold, just let out a little more anchor rode, nothing more, nothing less...it will hold with less scope and less effort, than any anchor I have ever used. But as several of you have mentioned, it ain't a lightweight or flimsy anchor. I also use a double stainless steel swivel in place of the shackle, it prevents twists in the rode, and makes my dangle cleaning method fool proof!

 

[steined]

I LOVE the box anchor. It has seriously improved my wife and my relationship on the boat. The unfortunate side effect is that now I am the one doing the anchoring because that damn box anchor is heavy and much harder to pull up. I am very tempted to buy the baby anchor but am unsure if it would hold or be much of a benefit.

I have a guardian G-7 and it is a bitch to set in the river with the 242. It worked great with the 19ft singray, but on the 242 it seems not to have enough holding power unless you let out the 5:1 scope they suggest, which is just impractical in my mind... That's 125+' of rope for my typical 25-30 ft anchoring. It looks like for whatever reason the Fortress FX-7 of the same size has more holding power and would be more appropriate for the 242.

 

[jetboater4life]

I have the small box anchor and really like it. It's a little more work to use, because I have to assemble it and spend more time swishing it back and forth below the boat to get the mud off (my lake is shallow so no dangling for me). It is rock solid though with minimal rode. I bought the galvanized one for about $150.

 

[txav8r]

I am getting used to collapsing and assembling the standard small box anchor on my knee and it takes all of about 3 seconds and I pitch it. I wish it was fully assembled and in my locker ready to go. I know some of you have said it will fit assembled. While it will, it is WAY too tight and scratching gelcoat in the anchor locker throat would be a given, so I won't be doing that, without modifying that anchor by reducing the spead of the flukes and shortening the length and width of the body by about a half inch. Funny, same size I made for the 230, would fit the 240/242 without the hanging pins. I would have to devise a different kind of hold down for this boat. I also removed my ladder in the bow...that is just too much to get out of the way to actually be able to throw an anchor when I need to, and retrieve when I am ready to do that! But that anchor is a beast in terms of hold.

 

[Kevin M]

I love my box anchor as well. It has never failed me on Lake Erie nor the Ohio river. Like everyone else has mentioned, it is a little heavy while pulling it up and if you have mud on it, you have to swing it up/down and side to side to clean it. I marked my rode so I always know when it's within 10 feet of the boat so I don't scratch the boat with the anchor (like I did already). Like Mel, I am going to remove my bow ladder as I don't use it and it seems to me it would be easier to manage the anchor. I am going to buy the heavy, rubber anti-fatigue mat and line the anchor box. The box anchor has caused spider cracks from bouncing in there (rookie mistake) so what I have been doing is pulling it up and putting it in the starboard side front under seat compartment.

 

[txav8r]

@Kevin M , I used those 2'x2' squares you get at Lowes or Home Depot to put on the floor, cheap anti fatigue, and I lined the front and back walls with it. I still need a better hold down, but it is working just fine wedged into the padding.

 

[steined]

@Kevin M , I used those 2'x2' squares you get at Lowes or Home Depot to put on the floor, cheap anti fatigue, and I lined the front and back walls with it. I still need a better hold down, but it is working just fine wedged into the padding.

I did the same thing with a set from Costco. Actually my wife did it and as a result it looks 10x nicer than I could have done it!

 

[jdonalds]

After 45+ years of boating I won't buy another Danforth. I've had way too many issues with getting them to set our hold.

I'm quite happy with the Richter but obviously the box is highly regarded too.

 

[Kevin M]

@txav8r That sounds like a plan, Home Depot here I come! Lol

 

[txav8r]

I expect the Richter is like the box anchor, holds well and almost every time, I have seen one, just don't have any experience with those. Having made a box that fit my 230, and a few for my friends, I have more experience and can speak to them first hand.

 

[txav8r]

Get yourself a can of 3M spray adhesive too...that will make the job easier. Do a trial fit first, then coat the mat liberally with the adhesive. Try not to get the adhesive on anything else, and get something to lay in on top of the mats to put a little pressure on them. I actually just stood on my ladder and pressed on them for a couple of minutes each...but if I had had something to lay on them, it would have been easier.

 

[GTBRMC]

I have a Richter, it is my "set it and forget it" anchor. I use it the vast majority of the time.

I have a large Danforth style that is my big water anchor (open Lake Michigan waters), but I rarely anchor that way.

I have never tried a box, so can't comment. A 25 lb Richter is a little under $100. Note: I like a bit more anchor, so you might find the 18 lb Richter to be enough. I would not go with the 14 lb for any recent Yammie.

 

[itsdgm]

Love our box anchors.