Help! Sandbar Anchor First Time And Need To Know What Kind Of Anchor To Get.

[dkorzun21]

Im looking to go to the sand bar this weekend and only have one anchor. Last time I went there this couple told me to leave because I didnt have a secound anchor and a chain. So We havent gone yet because they where kinda rude and pushed us away from the idea but any way where going no matter what this weekend and are going to buy another anchor.

The questions is what kind should I get? Are there sandbar anchors? How heavey should it be? I have a 20 ft boat. And what about this chain they where talkng about do I need to use a chain instead of a rope? And how long should it be

 

[Blue Crabber]

Re: Help! Sandbar Anchor First Time And Need To Know What Kind Of Anchor To Get.

The chain they are talking about is called "anchor rode" and goes between your and anchor and line. I have about 5' of it connected to my anchor and then the other end of the chain has the line connected to it. The idea is that by having the first few feet of it in chain, it won't get cut off by dragging across the bottom. (rocks, etc) Thus resulting in loss of the anchor and your secure hold. It would be a really good idea to get some.

The reason the other people thought that you shouldn't be there without a second anchor is probably because the boats were all anchored close together. Without a stern anchor your boat could swing around and hit someome elses, not a good situtation.

As far as a stern anchor goes. What is the situation in which you will be anchoring in? Sandy bottom? Lots of boat traffic or relatively calm? These help decide the best anchor to buy.

Make sure that you read some of the threads about using 2 anchors. You want to be very careful while doing this and keep a close eye on the boat and anchor setup in relation to the wind and waves.

Good luck and have fun!

 

[dkorzun21]

Re: Help! Sandbar Anchor First Time And Need To Know What Kind Of Anchor To Get.

The chain they are talking about is called "anchor rode" and goes between your and anchor and line. I have about 5' of it connected to my anchor and then the other end of the chain has the line connected to it. The idea is that by having the first few feet of it in chain, it won't get cut off by dragging across the bottom. (rocks, etc) Thus resulting in loss of the anchor and your secure hold. It would be a really good idea to get some.

The reason the other people thought that you shouldn't be there without a second anchor is probably because the boats were all anchored close together. Without a stern anchor your boat could swing around and hit someome elses, not a good situtation.

As far as a stern anchor goes. What is the situation in which you will be anchoring in? Sandy bottom? Lots of boat traffic or relatively calm? These help decide the best anchor to buy.

Make sure that you read some of the threads about using 2 anchors. You want to be very careful while doing this and keep a close eye on the boat and anchor setup in relation to the wind and waves.

Good luck and have fun!

Its a sandy bottom and boats park about 5 feet between each other give or take a couple feet. Its in a no wake zone but isnt far from the wavy part of the lake, Dont know how bad it really gets in there because I have only been there once. the one anchor I have is like a 10 or 15 foot i believe baldt anchor. Havent even used it yet but i know it doesnt have a chain on there. Should i get an anchor that screws into the sand?

 

[JoLin]

Re: Help! Sandbar Anchor First Time And Need To Know What Kind Of Anchor To Get.

Its a sandy bottom and boats park about 5 feet between each other give or take a couple feet. Its in a no wake zone but isnt far from the wavy part of the lake, Dont know how bad it really gets in there because I have only been there once. the one anchor I have is like a 10 or 15 foot i believe baldt anchor. Havent even used it yet but i know it doesnt have a chain on there. Should i get an anchor that screws into the sand?

That "5 feet between boats" is the reason you need a second anchor. You (and the other boaters) can't be worrying about your boat swinging from side to side on a single anchor point. It needs to be secured fore and aft.

The reason for chain is to provide the weight that holds the shank of the anchor parallel to the bottom, thus increasing the anchor's ability to "dig in" quickly with increased holding power. Google "anchoring a boat" and you'll find good explanations of ground tackle and how it works, along with things like the anchor type to use, depending on bottom composition. For sand, a Danforth-type anchor is generally recommended. Bottom line, you'll want to use what the majority of other boaters are using for that particular area

With all due respect to Blue Crabber, "anchor rode" can consist of both chain and rope, chain only, or rope only. It refers to the entire length of any and all of them together. If I have 6' of chain attached to 100' of rope, my anchor rode is 106' long.

 

[Blue Crabber]

Re: Help! Sandbar Anchor First Time And Need To Know What Kind Of Anchor To Get.

With all due respect to Blue Crabber, "anchor rode" can consist of both chain and rope, chain only, or rope only. It refers to the entire length of any and all of them together. If I have 6' of chain attached to 100' of rope, my anchor rode is 106' long.

JoLin - Thanks for the clarifaction of the "anchor rode" and its use. I was typing to fast and should have explained it better. You said exactly what I was trying to say and I forgot the bit about the chain helping to set the anchor. Again, thanks for clarifying, it is appreciated!

Good luck Dkorzun21 and have fun out there this weekend!