Anchor Can't Grab?

[DOGFISH]

Chain yes. However, you do not need high strength G4 chain. These better grades of chain are for verified strength or certified size for use on larger boats and in a windlas. A bag of cheap anchor chain, which is designed for what you want will work. You are simply using the weight of the chain to keep the flukes of the anchor down into the bottom. Without the chain the motion of the kayak, as it raises and lowers, works the anchor free. If you are near the West Marine store in Annapolis near Eastport there is also some chain that is on clearance for $1.77 a foot. That may also be an option. However, in any event, a bag of chain for anchors is fine, where ever you buy it. It will be less expensive than the proof or high strength chain. You may not even need quarter inch chain with a kayak.

I have a 1.5lb, a 3lb and a 5lb anchor. Now that I have it, and when I take an anchor, I mostly use the 5, but the 3 works fine. I use the 1.5 on the upper Potomac, without chain. It simply snags the rocks. Before the 1.5, I used a 10oz inline trolling weight on the upper Potomac. It would simply get caught up in the rocks. To free it I would simply move forward past the snagged rock. To each his own.

[kayak456]

While fishing yesterday at Hog Point I tried to hold my position with my 2 1/2 lbs anchor (see pic). It just wouldn't grab. I kept drifting and dragging. My drift was about 1-2 mph. The other anchored boats seem to hold fine.

My luck to be in a sandy area? Is there a better yak anchor?

i got a 30 dollar anchor from bass pro.its 8 pounds, and red,it colappses 2.itsholds me in up to 30 ft.i dont usaully go deeper than 30 ft for bottom fishing buti do go much deeper for trollin

[J.A. Veil]

I have never used an anchor on a kayak before. I am planning a trip to Ocean City this week and decided that an anchor may be prudent. Rather than buying a new anchor, I looked around the basement and garden shed to see what spare parts could be used to accomplish an anchoring function -- I am a frugal but creative angler and paddler.

I found an old 10-lb head from a sledgehammer. I took a 10" piece of metal, ran it through the hole in the hammer head and added bolts to either end. The metal piece can slide back and forth. It and the bolts will dig in somewhat to the bottom.

I took it with me this afternoon on the Severn to test it out. I first stopped in about 16' depth in the main stem of the river. The wind was blowing briskly and the 1-ft waves were moving right along. The anchor held me firmly in place. Later, in a sheltered cove where I was fishing, I set the anchor out in a shallow spot to keep me from drifting. In that setting, the anchor was overkill, but it did work.

I also thought about taking a mesh bag such as used for citrus fruit in the winter and filling it with stones. I don't know if that would work or not. Anyway, if you are a gear freak, go ahead and buy the real deal. If you want function, without the amenities, try and make something out of spare materials laying around your house.

[DOGFISH]

Wow, that should hold like a sledge hammer.

When I was a kid, we would use half a cinder block or a coffee can filled with cement.

[AtlantaKing]

Lowes carries some small diameter stainless steel chain that I used for my anchor. IIRC, it was around $3 or so per foot and matches my 3lb grapple anchor nicely. Just be sure to pick up a small shackle (near the chain at Lowes) to hook it up to the bottom of the anchor, and use a zip tie or some mono to tie it at the top.

[surfdog]

wow 10lbs that will hold you in any current. i used to use a 7lbs damper weight but that was way overkill even in the fast current in the broadkill river and rosevelt inlet over in delaware, hard to pull from the muck on soft bottoms too. dont like chain on the kayak too noisy

[Rockchaser]

Chain will do the job but don't forget about the scope of the line. For boats the scope of the line should be 7 X the depth of water. 20' feet of water would be 140' of anchor line out. I know that is over kill for a kayak but something to think about. The more angle of the line the more your anchor can dig into the bottom.

I normally get away with 2 X water depth on my yak. 3 X water depth in heavier current.

[tufnik]

Scope?!?! I better add more line.

[ronaultmtd]

I usually carry 75 feet of line on my 3 pound anchor- 25 feet on my drogue chute- haven't had any issues with anchor not holding- I made a small wreck anchor out of aluminum rod and a half pound of lead- that is a miniature copy of the old rebar anchors we made to fish wrecks offshore- figure the aluminum will bend if I pull on it hard enough to free it from the obstructions- With the light weight and low drag of a kayak small anchors should be plenty-

[tufnik]

Isn't aluminum a brittle metal? The frequent bending would break it. Got a pic of it?

[ronaultmtd]

You anneal aluminum by heating it up and let it air cool to make it more malleable- I will take pictures- at work on my I-pad right now- expect another long day of meetings. When I do get home it usually is dark, so give me a few days to get the pictures and posting...most times the wreck anchor comes loose pretty easily and the tines don't bend much. It doesn't take much resistance to hold a kayak unless the current is ripping...

[surfdog]

u can use #2 awg wire from HD, 3 pieces about 3" strapped together with rope in between. when stuck on rock or what ever the wire will straiten out and u can retrieve it, works well for yaks too light for boats then i would use rebar

[tufnik]

What weight and how do you attach it to the copper wire?

[surfdog]

its not a heavy anchor. more of a rock and quick retrieve wreck anchor. bend the copper wire about 12" on one end put the anchor rode in the middle of the 3 pieces with a knot in the end and with heavy duty ty wraps clamp it in the middle of the 3 tines. up the 2' sections. this is madw to straiten out when u need to get it back or move just bend the tines back