Anchormate?

[Mark42]

After doing a lot of research on anchor rollers and bow pulpits and the like, I came across Anchormate. I was looking at the stainless steel model that can handle an anchor up to 18 lbs, which is much more than will need to anchor my 16' cuddy.

The objective is to be able to deploy and retrieve a bow mounted anchor quick and easy.

Anchormate got some good customer reviews and I was wondering who here uses it and what you think.

 

[wildmaninal]

Re: Anchormate?

I use an anchormate on my bass boat, works good but if you mount it straight up (like in the picture) the rope will try to slip undur the spool, and is a pain to get undone at times. So you got to try and guide the rope as you crank the handle. Maybe these newer anchormates have that problem solved.

I also gave my brother 2 anchormates to put on his bass boat, they also get used pretty regular. I just happened to have them laying around from after stripping some older boats. I think they are worth the while. One thing that may help cure the rope from pinning under the spool problem would be to mount a pulley about mid height of the spool, I think that would help hold the rope up where it wouldn't go under the spool.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Anchormate?

Mark, i have not used one in years, but we did have on back in the 70's. worked great, but used a mushroom anchor, that came up and locked into place, other anchors would not fit into the housing. also some do not hold a lot of line. i think ours was 25 feet and the line was small.

 

[Mark42]

Re: Anchormate?

They claim 150 ft of 3/16" line, kind of light weight, so I'll guess about 75" of 3/8". The newer model has a bow roller that will work with a danforth style anchor. But I don't know where I would mount the reel. Would have to be somewhere convenient to reach, and not inside the boat because I don't want the water dripping off it, and it should be outside where it can be hosed. But outside it would not be very attractive.

The winch part struck me as a good way to store the line, but maybe just looping it around a couple of cleates on the deck would work just as well.

I still plan on installing a small bow pulpit or bow roller that will hold a danforth anchor. Just not sure of how to deal with 5' of chain and 100 ft of 3/8" line. The Anchormate winch seemes like a neat option for storing the line. But a couple of cleats 2' apart will hold a lot of line for a whole lot less $$$.

 

[CATransplant]

Re: Anchormate?

I fish alone from the rear seat of a 12' aluminum boat. I couldn't live without my Anchormate. It's the original design, and I use it with a 10 lb mushroom anchor. The winch is mounted on the side of the middle seat, where I can reach it easily.

It's really, really important to route the anchor line for the least amount of friction, using the accessory guides and pulleys, or it's tough to crank the anchor up.

I use the anchor constantly, instead of using a trolling motor to hold positions on the edges of structure like weeds or timber. 5 seconds to drop the mushroom and 5 seconds to winch it back up.

Probably won't work for everyone, but it lets me stick tight to a spot, then cast in all directions to find the fish. Works on the river, too.

 

[ziggy]

Re: Anchormate?

it looks like a good idea to me short of what to do with the line. myself. i'm not gonna screw a spindle for the line and pulleys onto the deck of my boat. to each his own though...

in the 60's, when i was growing up. granddads wood fishing boats had something similar to these anchormates. though, like td said. they were for mushroom type anchors + there was no reel. ya just pulled in the line, slipped it under a cam that locked it in place and ya were done.... they did work good though...

i'm pretty much in the same boat as you too. it's difficult to deploy my anchor. but i just can't bring myself to surface mounting on a speedboat.....

i have a 100' of 3/8 line + 6' of chain + a spare 50' on hand..... that's a lot of line to store, somewhere. let alone the light, obnoxious shaped fortress anchor.... for me. deploying my anchor is most difficult so i usually just don't.... like you though, if i could find a good answer i'd be up for it... good luck...

 

[Mark42]

Re: Anchormate?

it looks like a good idea to me short of what to do with the line. myself. i'm not gonna screw a spindle for the line and pulleys onto the deck of my boat. to each his own though...

in the 60's, when i was growing up. granddads wood fishing boats had something similar to these anchormates. though, like td said. they were for mushroom type anchors + there was no reel. ya just pulled in the line, slipped it under a cam that locked it in place and ya were done.... they did work good though...

i'm pretty much in the same boat as you too. it's difficult to deploy my anchor. but i just can't bring myself to surface mounting on a speedboat.....

i have a 100' of 3/8 line + 6' of chain + a spare 50' on hand..... that's a lot of line to store, somewhere. let alone the light, obnoxious shaped fortress anchor.... for me. deploying my anchor is most difficult so i usually just don't.... like you though, if i could find a good answer i'd be up for it... good luck...

Have been kicking around ideas that would look better than a spool bolted to the deck. A pair of rail fittings with 6" or so of stainless steel rail mounted 18" to 24" apart would make a nice fixture to hold the line.

The anchor and chain can be pulled tight in the anchor roller with this tensioner so it doesn't bounce around in the rough stuff.

That tensioner is not cheap, about $60.

Should work. Might look OK, but you still have to manually play out the line and pull it in.

 

[marquette]

Re: Anchormate?

i must be the odd man out. they have been on 3 of my boats when i bought them and have taken them off all 3. they are way to slow for me to crank up, when the anchor sticks in the bottom muck i usually had to get up and bounce the anchor to get it loose so i was already out of my seat and the rope never fed on the pulley straight. they must work for a lot of people because they are mounted on a lot of boats but i find them more of a hassle than they are worth.