Can you go without Anchor chain

[SCSTWG]

What's nice about the box anchor is it sets itself. Also for us salty dogs if wind or tide changes the anchor will flip over and reset itself.

I have a ball and chain...Been married to her for 37 years now.

Thanks for the video. I am a believer now.

 

[Wayloncle]

@txav8r
I read on the other forum that you made box anchors, I sent you a message a couple weeks or so ago to see if you still made them, that was way before I knew people were banned and what-not. So after I didn't get an answer I ordered one. How did you make yours to hang in the locker? Just have two tabs that fit in the hanger notches? I have an '09 AR230, the anchor fits in the locker while opened by about 1/8 inch.

 

[txav8r]

I am surprised. I had a small box anchor before I started making them. It didn't fit. The fluke spread was too wide by a half inch, so you had to fit it in one fluke side at a time, and it would hang at all, so it is loose in there. If you can get it in, that is great, but I don't think it will go. My anchor was a half in less fluke spread and a half in narrower in width and length. I put mine in upside down and it has 3/8" steel rod welded in to support it in the hangers. These pics are of my stainless steel version... I wouldn't consider making them again unless I have at least 8 members wanting them...and they are not cheap. I don't do them for profit, but I do pad the cost a little to allow for unexpected expense. I contract out the plasma cutting of parts, pressing, and welding. I purchase stainless shackles and have it welded using stainless welds to prevent rusting of the shackle bolt threads. I polish and grind them to my satisfaction myself and then have the hot dip galvanized. The last batch was $179 plus UPS shipping and about $4 for packaging. Your small is cheaper...it just doesn't fit. Notice the padding on the throat of the locker and down on the hull under the flukes...any bouncing in there will crack your hull. Also, I lost my first small box because I used a carabiner to assist in assembly/disassembly...don't use one! Use a shackle and just go to the trouble...too costly to lose.

 

[Sotally Tober]

I do exactly what Bruce stated. I have two box anchors. One medium, one small. I use anchor buddies with them and they Both work well. I can't remember which one it is, but one has a couple feet of rubberized chain on it like Julian mentioned.

I could never get a fluke anchor to set in the tight coves that I boat in. Especially with wind blowing me around. The box anchor is easy to set up on board and just throw out where you need it to set. It's just that easy.

Great minds think alike!

I do the exact same thing.....2 Box anchors and anchor buddies hooked to them. Throw them over board and your done. That easy.

 

[Gym]

I took a 27" bicycle inner-tube, cut it in half at the valve stem and then use it ty-wrapped over the 5' chain as padding. I am using my reverse engineered bulawaga anchor. Like the box anchor is is self resetting. It doesn't fit in the acnchor locker. My boat survived a entire night storm of 100kmh winds and 6' swells without moving so I guess it works. I was freaking out on shore. Its worth having a good anchor you can trust for those unexpected situations. Cam.View attachment 1703

I'll bet you can repel boarders with that too @KXCam22.

 

[Tollus]

I had a bit of a scary situation this past weekend with my box anchor. I threw the anchor out, jumped on a boat taxi and went in to a restaurant to eat. In 10 feet of water I had about 25 feet of rode out. It was a fairly windy day and a hard sandy bottom.

When I came back out, my boat had moved a good 50'. I'm lucky the bottom didn't drop off and send my boat floating down the river. Even more lucky that the 50' SeaRay that was anchored down wind from me was closer to shore than I was or I would have drifted right in to that boat. Made me lose some confidence in the anchor and I've been searching for some other options.

Looking at a Fortress Guardian and I'll just store it under the seat.

Thoughts on what may have gone wrong?

 

[Evil Sports]

Better duck, the legion of box anchor folks are coming

 

[Tollus]

LOL, I know....I've religiously touted them to my boating friends. One in particular makes fun of it and he uses a fluke anchor and never has issues. Of course I was boating with him that day. We moved to another cove after lunch and I anchored again with no issues. Muddier bottom, so the box may have sunk in a little better. Shallower too, so my ratio may have been greater.

Better duck, the legion of box anchor folks are coming

 

[jdonalds]

No anchor is perfect. It depends on the bottom as much as anything.

With high winds it seems to me you didn't have enough scope. 10' of water and 25' of rode just isn't enough even for low wind. You'd need 5 to 7x to count on most anchors in high winds. So 70' of rode would have likely held. Of course with 70' of rode you'll have to be conscious of the potential for a 140' diameter rotation of the boat.

Chain can help and can't hurt so you may want to add some. I don't use chain on my Richter anchor. Most don't use chain on a Box.

I will restate my displeasure with fluke anchors. With over 45 years of anchoring the fluke anchors have been the least reliable for me. Of course in certain situations a fluke will hold better than just about any other type, but those cases are few. Forget bottoms with small tightly packed rocks - a fluke usually has no chance of grabbing and digging in there where a box will likely work. A fluke can grab in a dirt bottom with weeds but can be a monster to break loose and it may come up with 100 pounds of weeds and roots with dirt attached. With large rocks a fluke can grab nicely and give you a sense that it will hold but if the wind shifts the fluke can lose it's grip and away goes your boat.

I used to have three fluke anchors on my 30' sailboat. Now I wouldn't use one if it was given to me for free. To set the fluke I've spent as much as 20 minutes trying to get them to grab hold. I'd toss it over the bow with 10' of 3/8" chain and 4 or 5x scope. Then I'd back the boat up with the engine waiting for the fluke to grab something. I'd change locations and depths. What a pain.

I use an Anchor Buddy 50' rode, no chain, and a #25 Richter anchor for most anchoring. But I have a 150' of braided nylon for overnight or heavy wave/wind conditions (not used yet so still in the original box in the bow).

I would buy a Box but they are about 2X the cost of a Richter and, as I have lost anchors in my lifetime, I prefer to use a less costly anchor that seems to work as well as a box. I wish someone would do a test with these two to see if I'm wrong about the Richter. After 5 years of use it hasn't slipped it's grip yet and all I ever do is toss it and forget it.

 

[txav8r]

The claims of 2 to 1 scope are definitely calm day relative. I routinely put out 3 or 4 to 1 and if I were leaving the boat unattended, I would out out at least 7 to 1...because you don't know what conditions happen while your gone and aren't there to correct them. Just consider, whatever anchor you use, that the load placed on it is reduced as the scope increases, and dramatically reduced! So scope is your friend. It is all about scope. But...in relation to anchors, I will gladly put my money on a box anchor vs any danforth for most conditions. It is however a game, and games require skill. So those with the most skill are better players! Anyone can play this game, and anyone can be good at it. Just takes understanding your opponent and your own limitations and equipment. Let the games begin!

If we had a bigger anchor locker, a sufficient danforth (fortress or similar) could be housed with sufficient chain and rode. But it takes a bigger anchor than we have room for, so anchors like the box or richter are better suited than the WAY TOO SMALL danforths we do have room for. If I had a pulpit, winch, and locker capable, I would use a different anchor...like what a cruiser might deploy.

@Tollus , Jim, use more scope!

 

[007]

Not to hijack, but if anyone is interested, pm me - I have one of @txav8r box anchors designed to fit a 230 series anchor locker. Great shape, you'll have to buy your own padding for the locker compartment, my padding went with the boat. Holds like glue on inland waterways where I have boated. Never had an issue, even on the Mississippi river. I am just interested in getting a folding one now since changing boats.

I've used danforth, mushroom and box anchors. I do ok with fluke style, but have to reset a lot. I've had the best luck with the box style.

To answer the original question, I use chain on the Danforth to help set it, but none on the box style. I use the mushroom in a canoe (without chain)...I've never had luck with those and a powerboat!

 

[HawkTX]

Life is complicated enough without your anchor adding to it. Box Anchor FOR THE WIN!!!

 

[billyb]

I had a brand new flute anchor that may have been oversized for my boat...but never used on my old boat.

Dropped anchor a few weekends ago and it held PERFECT.

The challenge was I could not pull it up as it was stuck on something in the lake of the ozarks.

I replaced it with this and it held just as well and we were able to pull it up pretty easily.

I got the 28#
http://www.overtons.com/modperl/pro...ted-Navy-15-lb-Anchor-For-Boats-Up-14&i=80595

 

[Julian]

Not to hijack, but if anyone is interested, pm me - I have one of @txav8r box anchors designed to fit a 230 series anchor locker. Great shape, you'll have to buy your own padding for the locker compartment, my padding went with the boat. Holds like glue on inland waterways where I have boated. Never had an issue, even on the Mississippi river. I am just interested in getting a folding one now since changing boats.

I've used danforth, mushroom and box anchors. I do ok with fluke style, but have to reset a lot. I've had the best luck with the box style.

To answer the original question, I use chain on the Danforth to help set it, but none on the box style. I use the mushroom in a canoe (without chain)...I've never had luck with those and a powerboat!

Keep in mind this will only fit in '07-09 series 230's anchor lockers.....If I had one, I'd snap this up - even though I already have one....I love mine so much it would be awesome to have one on each end.....then my boat would NEVER move if I wanted to hold a spot!!!

 

[Ronnie]

Now that I have a box anchor I will never go back to using a danforth. The box anchor sets more reliably on the first toss than my danforth ever did. I try to prepare for the worst situations. If the boat's engines won't start for any reason, it is at the mercy of the current and wind, so the anchor is the only thing keeping the boat from hitting the rocks, beach, other boats, whatever. So want and likely need it to set the first time I toss it.

For those with the skills I saw another post here or on yjb recently on how to build your own box anchor. I can't weld so its not an option for me.

 

[sysinu]

Box anchors are great *BUT* they don't fit the bill for every situation. I have actually had my manson supreme hold when my large box popped out and came free. Usually this is in sandy bottom conditions. That said, my box anchor in total with rode is probably 40% lighter than my manson supreme with how much chain I have on it. My box anchor is about the same weight as my fortress with its chain. So I keep both of those in my boat at all times and if I'm going somewhere that I know it's going to be a sandy bottom and I'm going to set an anchor for an extended period of time then I bring my MS.

Overall, the box anchor is my favorite and the price point for that anchor is very attractive.

 

[Evildwarf]

I use a danforth style anchor (15#?) and an 18# River anchor.
Both with 4' chain and shackle.
Muddy lake bottom and no issues with set/hold as long as appropriate scope is laid.
The only issue I've had was getting the danforth under something (tree?) and having to maneuver the boat over the axis of the anchor to reverse the hold and retrieve the anchor.
Probably no perfect anchor for all situations, it's important to have the correct hardware and scope laid for the situation with any anchor.

 

[Glassman]

You need to learn to appreciate the rope burn and consistent frustration of an anchor giving way just as you sit down with a tasty beverage. My father says it builds character.

Ordinarily I'd say he's right. But when there are 4' seas outside the leeward side of Catalina and you are trying to keep a 45' ketch off the rocks while you are down below trying to fix a stinking diesel generator at 11:00 pm, character is the last thing you are thinking about as you choke back the puke until you get to the rail......anchoring can be tons of fun sometimes!

So, anything that makes it easier I'm all for it.

 

[farrelltravis]

I took a 27" bicycle inner-tube, cut it in half at the valve stem and then use it ty-wrapped over the 5' chain as padding. I am using my reverse engineered bulawaga anchor. Like the box anchor is is self resetting. It doesn't fit in the acnchor locker. My boat survived a entire night storm of 100kmh winds and 6' swells without moving so I guess it works. I was freaking out on shore. Its worth having a good anchor you can trust for those unexpected situations. Cam.View attachment 1703

That is SWEET!

 

[Ronnie]

Here is a link to a recent post on YJB describing how to build your own box anchor.
http://yamahajetboaters.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=62832