Need anchor advice

[robert843]

I agree @DieselCamel I wouldn't say its the best anchor out there at setting and holding as many of the others if used properly probably hold a little stronger but no chain to nick up the boat when throwing or bringing in and anybody on the boat can toss it to get it to set as long as the can figure out how to unfold the thing lol.

 

[DieselCamel]

Also want to add. Other anchor styles may have more holding power in a hurricane or some other extreme situation if set correctly. But as far as the boating that I do lunch hanging out at The Sandbar and lunch in a cove. Really hard to beat the box.. Except for the storage aspect and it can be a pain to open and close. So I guess it just comes down to which is more important to you. I also have a Danforth that I use on occasion and it works well when set properly.

 

[ruztew]

I've had lots of luck with my Danforth anchor in the sandy bottoms of the bay and Gulf of Mexico.... my SX190 holds fine even in windy conditions. I have maybe 5ft of chain....

 

[mraz72]

I had trouble with the stock anchor on my 192, so I picked up the digger anchor and I store it under the driver bow cushion. I just purchased a box anchor that I plan on using in the bow, and I'll move the digger to the rear.

The two downsides to going this route, can't use the anchor locker and the anchors are heavier than the stock.

BTW, the digger works really well, I've had very little trouble hooking up.

 

[mb300sd]

I didn't have an anchor for a while, and we discovered that the anchor locker makes a pretty nice trash can, it's sealed and drains overboard, so any torn bags don't leave a nasty mess in the storage compartments, and cleaning is just pouring in water. I'm considering getting the box and going back to using the locker for trash.

 

[Zeus2013]

To me, windy days are easier as it keeps tension on the line and sets the anchor even more.

Agree but you can get a lot of side to side movement, I hate that.

 

[WickedPorter]

It's always windy here... At least 10mph and typically variable direction.

With the freeboard of these boats, two anchors are a must if you want to prevent swinging in tighter spaces. If I'm out in the open with no boats/other obstacles to swing in to, my danforth typically holds just fine. I swing, but stay within a relatively small radius back and forth.

In tighter areas where I need the boat to stay put, I set a danforth off the bow using the front bow hook. Once that is set, I drop my small box anchor and secure to one of the stern / under swim platform hooks. The box anchor will typically go straight down and set well. I'll still move slightly back and forth but only a couple feet in either direction due to amount of line out from the box anchor.

If in a really busy cove, pulling up anchors with boats nearby can be scary. It takes a coordinated effort, if my crew is or will be unable to coordinate this with me on a windy day, I typically avoid the cove completely. Sometimes I will back up to the beach, set the danforth on the beach tied to the rear hooks under the swim platform, and drop a box anchor off the bow (or vice versa, this works in either direction). This makes it a little easier to exit a busy cove on a windy day. This is as close to "beaching" as I'll get with my hull. I sometimes have to push the boat in to the water a bit before taking off in order to avoid sucking up sand/junk, as I'm usually in 2ft of water or less.

 

[Topper232]

As others have stated, the Danforth with the correct about of chain and rope let out while anchored makes a big difference. One of the sandbars that I use often has a thousand boats on the weekends, so the boats are pretty tight. When I anchor there, I use a carabiner snap hook to run the anchor line through the bow hook, which decreases the angle on the rope and helps to keep the anchor tight since it's often impossible to use as much rope as I'd like.

Just another inexpensive suggestion. Home depot has SS versions

 

[WickedPorter]

I use Danik hooks on both anchors... very handy and easy to adjust the line. Not an "inexpensive" option though at $40/per...

 

[4x15mph]

If you use a Danforth the chain lead is the game changer. It provides the necessary weight to set the anchor. Then you will need the right length of rope (Rode) which I would use more of a 7 to 1 ratio (10 feet of water, 70 feet of rope). That would change if you are docking around other boats at the beach since I would then use 2 anchors.

 

[txav8r]

Two words...box anchor.

 

[twentiesforever]

I'm reviving this thread. Can someone point out which box anchor to get that will fit in the anchor locker of my SX240?

 

[Devildog]

The small size is all you need and will fit in the locker when folded up. However, make sure to view some of the other past threads to see how to store it it in the locker. I took their advice and had an 18ish inch bar cut so that the anchor fits into the white plastic fittings on both sides of the locker. That way it doesn't flop around in the locker and it's easier to remove. Works great.

 

[SCP1]

Box anchor, I got one and the thing is amazing!

 

[Ilmmct]

Box anchor, 5:1 rode and Danik

 

[Coheeba]

I go to Shell Island for day trips and nice weather that being said, a Danforth or traditional fluke anchor with some chain and enough SCOPE is more than adequate. I like a Bruce anchor also. I have a typical fluke for a bower, that fits in the bow locker and a small fluke that I cut off the ears so its small enough to store in wet locker that I deploy by hand.

 

[Coheeba]

I didn't have an anchor for a while, and we discovered that the anchor locker makes a pretty nice trash can, it's sealed and drains overboard, so any torn bags don't leave a nasty mess in the storage compartments, and cleaning is just pouring in water. I'm considering getting the box and going back to using the locker for trash.

Not having an anchor or two on a boat is asking for trouble. If the engines fail the first thing to do is throw out the hook. Its better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

 

[jameskeller76]

I finally gave up on the danforth in the rocky bottom of Lake Travis. I was having issues getting it to set especially on windy days. Got a box anchor and now I spend my timing swimming and watching other people struggling to anchor. Just like Ron Popeil said. "set it and forget it".

 

[viper15]

I'm going to go against the grain on this one and suggest the OP really take a look at how the boat is used and what the majority of your conditions are when anchored. I only say this because, as many of the suggestions here have merit and many work very well, I find that the best anchor solution for our use is a standard mushroom style, or river style anchor. We almost exclusively boat on smaller inland lakes (100o to 6000 acres). I've tried the danforth anchor setup and have found it difficult to use and way overkill. In fact, it now has found a home in the garage. We have a lot of muck-type bottoms with logs, stumps, sticky goo, etc. And normally zero wind when we anchor. So just dropping something heavy straight to the bottom works very well (zero rode, no chain). And when beached, there is always a tree right there to drop the anchor around and keep you secure.

So, just something to consider ... a simple solution might work very well for you.

 

[Beachbummer]

Against the grain here..

20lbs Navy anchor, plus 6ft of chain at least.

Sets very well, and if it ever comes loose, it's sheer weight sets it again super quick.

It's cheap and fits well within any storage compartment.

http://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/marine-raider-20-lb-navy-anchor#repChildCatid=106112