Box Anchor

[Woodland Artisan]

Box anchors for an 18' pontoon boat. Thoughts?  Sources?

After my 8 day Table Rock kayak journey this Spring and staying on the pontoon boat at night, I came to the conclusion that the anchors I was using (fore and aft ~50lb iron bricks) just wasn't cutting it.  Granted, it was quite a windy week but the boat just wasn't staying anywhere close to 'still'.  It would drift a good 50 yards on some nights even in, what I thought were, quiet and protected coves.

[aarchdale@coresleep.com]

YOu need a good anchor that can dig in a bit, and then drag it and get it to hook then tie the back end of the boat off to a tree on the bank. We use to do this with my brothers 27' sailboat every weekend, hi anchor was only 20-25lbs. but you need a good bit of line on it so it has some scope and isnt going straight down

[snagged in outlet 3]

Needs a fluke anchor 

[tjm]

Scope.

Yours isn't  enough, and likely you need a chain added to your rode. Fore and aft fluke anchors on long rodes should hold any small craft like that. It's how ships are kept in place. If your rodes (anchor ropes) are less than ~5-7 times water depth away from boat , you aren't even anchored. The anchor holds best against a horizontal pull, vertical pull lifts and carries/drags  the anchor.

https://www.anchoring.com/blogs/anchoring/anchoring-your-boat-all-about-scope
https://www.boatus.com/expert-advice/expert-advice-archive/2019/january/how-to-calculate-anchor-scope
https://www.westmarine.com/WestAdvisor/How-To-Anchor-Securely#:~:text=Scope Scope is defined as a ratio of,power%2C and more scope is better than less.
https://captainsword.com/how-much-scope-to-lay-at-anchor/
https://www.nauticed.org/sailing-blog/anchoringhow-much-chain-and-rope/
http://cruising.coastalboating.net/Seamanship/Anchoring/Rode/Anchor_Rode.html#:~:text=the angle the rode addresses the anchor is,the anchor and deck hardware in light winds.

 

 

[Devan S.]

1 hour ago, tjm said:

Scope.

Yours isn't  enough, and likely you need a chain added to your rode. Fore and aft fluke anchors on long rodes should hold any small craft like that. It's how ships are kept in place. If your rodes (anchor ropes) are less than ~5-7 times water depth away from boat , you aren't even anchored. The anchor holds best against a horizontal pull, vertical pull lifts and carries/drags  the anchor.

https://www.anchoring.com/blogs/anchoring/anchoring-your-boat-all-about-scope
https://www.boatus.com/expert-advice/expert-advice-archive/2019/january/how-to-calculate-anchor-scope
https://www.westmarine.com/WestAdvisor/How-To-Anchor-Securely#:~:text=Scope Scope is defined as a ratio of,power%2C and more scope is better than less.
https://captainsword.com/how-much-scope-to-lay-at-anchor/
https://www.nauticed.org/sailing-blog/anchoringhow-much-chain-and-rope/
http://cruising.coastalboating.net/Seamanship/Anchoring/Rode/Anchor_Rode.html#:~:text=the angle the rode addresses the anchor is,the anchor and deck hardware in light winds.

 

 

This is the way....although I will add care must be reasonably taken on where you anchor. You want very little slope in the bottom...In a cove depending on bottom slope you can easily pull a very large anchor down hill on a short rope. 

I've always been a fan of tying off to a tree.

[snagged in outlet 3]

14 minutes ago, Devan S. said:

his is the way...

I got hooked on the show for a couple seasons but canceled the service between seasons because I didn’t watch anything else on it and they jacked up the price.  

[Woodland Artisan]

The rodes weren't a problem. I was using 15' of log chain between the rope and 50lb. weights.  The problem is using an actual anchor.  That wind just caught the big cross section of the pontoon and drug it all.  Not crazy about anchoring to a tree on the bank, either.

Does anyone have experience with a box anchor?  Know anybody that sells or makes them locally (SW MO)?  I'd rather not weld up a couple in this heat if I can avoid it.

[fishinwrench]

I've been boating my whole life, and IMO anchoring in more that 8' of water just doesn't work.....period.   I don't give a rats @$s what kind/type of anchor you have.   

So my advice is to avoid spending stupid money on "trick" anchors (let's face it, anchors have been around long enough that no NEW IMPROVED anchor truly exists),  so just look for 8'or less of water on flats.....and anchor there.....where the concept of anchoring with reasonable lengths of rope and chain actually works.  👍

[tjm]

You asked for thoughts. Scope is where I think the problem usually lies, when an anchor drags, rule of thumb says in ~20' of water, 7x20=140' at each anchor, as kinda the minimum. About 100 yards of rope between two hooks, more or less regardless the hook type, some bottoms might require more scope. Trees can shorten the scope on that end to what ever reaches a good depth.

Wrench's advice on water depth and flats is to the point. 8' of water cuts the length of scope to <50'.

But, a  there is a guy that will weld for you at Eldon.  https://www.facebook.com/boxanchors/

https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/slide-anchor-box-anchors

[Terrierman]

46 minutes ago, fishinwrench said:

I've been boating my whole life, and IMO anchoring in more that 8' of water just doesn't work.....period.   I don't give a rats @$s what kind/type of anchor you have.   

So my advice is to avoid spending stupid money on "trick" anchors (let's face it, anchors have been around long enough that no NEW IMPROVED anchor truly exists),  so just look for 8'or less of water on flats.....and anchor there.....where the concept of anchoring with reasonable lengths of rope and chain actually works.  👍

😄😂😵🤣😂