Anchor choice?

[Mr. PapaGeorgio]

We are waiting for spring, we have a 20' Bennington ordered! I am looking to install a TRAC Pontooon 35 Anchor Winch, which calls for a river or mushroom anchor. My question is, is there an advantage to the river anchor? With our bowrider, I have lost two mushroom anchors on the bottom, one to a submerged tree, the other I think to rocks. The lake we will be on has been flooded since the 1920's, with average depths of 20-30 feet. I don't think there will be a tree problem unless we are along the shore. Any and all opinions would be appreciated, Thanks!

 

[fhhuber]

Mushroom anchor is considered one of the easiest to get free from the bottom... I think your issue is more a lack of knowing how to free a stuck anchor.

Reel up the slack as you SLOWLY drive the boat up over the anchor and past it. It will generally pop free.

If you get a Danforth anchor and don't use this technique you can pull the bow of the boat under water or break the anchor line long before it releases in MUD with no rocks, trees or other debris.

as for trees in the water after 20 years... There will be trees down there for over 100 years.

 

[alldodge]

No matter what anchor you get they all can get hung. Afterwards you need to be able to apply enough power to break them free before the line breaks.

As for the type of anchor it depends on what is the bottom made of.

 

[fhhuber]

Its not just power... Its applying the power in the right direction.

I've seen a 16 ft john boat pull his bow under with a 10 lb mushroom.
Told him to let out some slack, let the boat drift a bit, then just drive over the anchor. Popped right out.

When it takes more than that and you are not be able to see the right direction to pull such as the anchor line tangled in an underwater tree can mean you just have to give up and cut it loose... or get a diver.

 

[Silver Eagle]

Just make sure you have two anchors ,one for the front and one for the rear ,Then you don't have to worry about swing around . or hitting some one else's boat.

 

[MinUph]

Just make sure you have two anchors ,one for the front and one for the rear ,Then you don't have to worry about swing around . or hitting some one else's boat.

Only if others close by run 2. If not you will be the only one hanging steady the others will be swinging.

 

[Mr. PapaGeorgio]

Thanks for the replies. I'll go with a 28 lb. mushroom. Thanks for the advice, too. Will carry a second anchor on board in case it is needed. And yes, we tried different directions and drifting to free the anchors.

 

[jiju1943]

Its not just power... Its applying the power in the right direction.

I've seen a 16 ft john boat pull his bow under with a 10 lb mushroom.
Told him to let out some slack, let the boat drift a bit, then just drive over the anchor. Popped right out.

When it takes more than that and you are not be able to see the right direction to pull such as the anchor line tangled in an underwater tree can mean you just have to give up and cut it loose... or get a diver.

Here on the Tennessee River I have lost a couple of anchors due to the bottom is mostly rock. Once a regular anchor gets hung, here, most times it is a goner. I just made an anchor where the chain is connected to the very bottom of the anchor, then the chain is connected to the top of the anchor with one of the plastic zip ties. Leave slack in the chain so all the pull is on the zip tie. If the anchor gets hung, just pull and break the zip tie. That will allow the anchor to be pulled from the bottom and it will pull right out. I would suggest a 50 or 60 pound test zip tie. I tried two 40 pound test zip ties and that was all I could do to break them when the anchor hung two days ago.

 

[Reel Kahuna]

I just made an anchor where the chain is connected to the very bottom of the anchor, then the chain is connected to the top of the anchor with one of the plastic zip ties. Leave slack in the chain so all the pull is on the zip tie. If the anchor gets hung, just pull and break the zip tie. That will allow the anchor to be pulled from the bottom and it will pull right out. I would suggest a 50 or 60 pound test zip tie. I tried two 40 pound test zip ties and that was all I could do to break them when the anchor hung two days ago.

That's exactly how the "Rocker" anchor is built and used on the Columbia River Gorge in Oregon.

 

[jiju1943]

That's exactly how the "Rocker" anchor is built and used on the Columbia River Gorge in Oregon.

The anchor I made has bendable tangs bent in a J shape, if the anchor still hangs after the zip tie breaks, the tangs will bend with a little more pressure. The one you have could still hang, with the bottom being rock and such here on the Tennessee River.