What kind of anchor for pontoon boat

This anchor is accompanied by metal parts like shackles and chains. Its responsibilities include mooring and forbidding pontoon boats and other water vessels from drifting away as current and wind can make them do so. Anchors have been with mariners since the earliest time. Rock is utilized to make this tool during the Bronze Age and its development and enhancement are applied as time passed by. The anchor that you use for your pontoon boat is the thing that counters movement, shaking, and drifting.

These happenings may occur due to strong wind conditions. By having a reliable anchor, your pontoon boat will stay in the spot where you dock it. Aside from security, the mooring task is no sweat.

These areas are where pontoon boats usually have their journeys. This type of anchor clings to a muddy surface area with some vegetation that is present in the mentioned bodies of water. A foot or two feet is the depth that it can penetrate. The box form of this anchor type creates friction when it deals with mud.

It results in excellent holding power. Grass and other vegetation may be a struggle for a mushroom anchor but not for the box type. The latter has pointed flukes so it can pass through the roots of underwater vegetation. It can also hold on to rocks or crevices so your pontoon will stay in place. It may be hard for some when you free the anchor. Do it by pulling your boat forward. Nevertheless, the real struggle of this tool is on sandy surfaces. This anchor works by digging into the bottom and it will get a hold of gravel and sand.

A pound of this anchor is enough for a foot pontoon boat over calm water. When getting a fluke anchor, size is something that you have to consider. A light one is suitable for muddy water floors. You may need to increase a size higher for this anchor to dig efficiently into the sand. Flukes are sharp so you have to make sure the surface of the vessel is protected.

To make anchoring smooth on rocky bottoms , you need a grapnel anchor. The typical one has four arms to be able to grip the different sizes of the rocks. Using it correctly starts with dropping the anchor and letting it backup or drift so the arms have the chance to catch the rocks.

After you set the anchor, the most secure hold on the rocky surface is laid down. Two grapnel anchors are necessary for instances of strong wind and current. They are also called digger anchors. With the perpendicular flukes, they are good at digging the bottom part. They are similar to fluke anchors and the only difference is that the latter is open to angle adjustments.

This type of anchor is great at surfaces with mud, vegetation, and sand. It can hold the vessel in a steady position even in a fast current, strong wind, and harsh weather. It will not leave its post for sure.

Anchoring will be manageable. Other perks of getting a pontoon boat anchor are as follows:. Proper handling should be practiced so learn anchoring first before committing to it.

It can expose you to danger as accidents may occur. Since there are different types of anchors, you have to know the parts and usage as well.

Knowing the pontoon boat anchor system will let you know the right details and steps of anchoring. The weight on the anchor depends on the size of your boat. For average ones, it should be around 15 pounds to 20 pounds. The heaviest is the anchor box type. More weight on the anchor means more work for you. The next thing you have to check is the holding power or it is the quantity of the pull force that an anchor can deal with.

If it has sufficient power, the pontoon boat or other craft stays in place. But then, this ability can be distracted by the wind. It can get along with the wind speed of 20 mph. You ought to know that a mushroom anchor made of plastic and weighs 10 pounds only needs a holding power twice their weight.

Anchors designed for pontoon boats come in different forms so as the materials. Aluminum or aluminum-magnesium alloy, galvanized steel, stain steel, and vinyl-coated steel are the common materials used for durability.

Aluminum and stainless steel are pricey materials and they are both highly resistant to corrosion. On the other hand, galvanized steel is balanced between price and corrosion resistance. It may not be attractive as the others but it serves its purpose well.

Most pontoon boat anchors are formed out of galvanized steel and coated with a polymer like epoxy and vinyl. Keep in mind that corrosion may occur when it has contact with saltwater.

These are parts that are responsible for making the pontoon boat stable. It can go through sandy and swampy surfaces while it refrains your pontoon boat from moving. Anchor flukes are very important in an exquisite mooring. This eyelet or hole should be large enough for accommodating big rope support.

It should be able to take in the thickness of the rope that you prefer. Pontoon boat anchors fundamentally need care and maintenance. Here are the things that you need to do:. Anchoring and mooring a pontoon boat are not different from the way you do them with other watercraft. You have to start looking for the right anchor for your pontoon boat. Then you have to place your pontoon boat in an area where it will be stationed. Choose an ideal place for mooring and consider some factors.

Approach the place slowly. Move towards the wind or water current gradually before you drop the anchor so it will reach the bottom. Proceed to the bow of the boat to lower the anchor.

Continue expanding the anchor line until it is 5 or 7 times the water depth from where you are standing. Once you release the ideal length of the rope, you can tie it to a cleat and not on the handrail. Just let your anchor go in the direction where the water flows as it will stop after a short moment. Your engine should be moved reversely so you can pull the anchor line to ensure it is correctly secure on the water floor. When gradually dropping the anchor, make sure that it faces towards the wind, the current, and the front side of the pontoon boat.

You should know that there will be disturbance from the wind. It happens with the speed and direction where the anchor is going. To prevent your boat from drifting away, it will be smart to place another anchor on the rearward section. Having an additional anchor will give more security and peace of mind.

Some people use under deck mooring which solidifies further the hold of just a single anchor. The boat will not let go even with strong winds. You may add one anchor opposite to the location of the under deck mooring.

You may place the anchor either at the rear or front of your boat. It will all depend on the wind and current. You know all the necessary steps in the correct installation of a pontoon boat anchor. You would typically need two anchors for your pontoon boat. When you go seriously on the mooring, you need 3 feet to 4 feet of chain. It can be hefty enough to connect to the anchor. A short anchor chain is acceptable for fishing and a momentary stop.

Keep in mind that the purpose of the chain is to be a shock absorber. It is also a tool that allows the anchor to tip over and start its job. Its other function is keeping the waves from pulling the pontoon boat.

This manner allows the anchor to let go and pull loose. It is a set up that lessens the resistance to water and wind. The grapnel anchor has at least 4 large arms which reach out to grab a firm hold of rock below. In my home state of Idaho, 3 people in two separate incidents have died in the last 6 years while trying to anchor a boat. In one of the cases, a man got his leg tied around the anchor line and then tossed in the anchor—pulling him to the bottom and drowning him.

In the other case, a family was on a small craft and threw out the anchor line which was too short. The Tampa Bay Times reports that 2 NFL football players and a college football player died when improperly anchoring their boat. The anchor was stuck on the bottom feet below and was unretrievable. Having lost an anchor the previous weekend that was unretrievable, the group fought hard to retrieve.

They decided to tie the anchor to the stern of the boat, which is unsafe as it is not as sturdy or a platform as the bow. They then proceeded to gun the motor in hopes of pulling the anchor free, but anyone with knowledge of this type of anchor knows that this would only drive the anchor further into the ground. Even with life jackets, three of the men died of hypothermia and were lost at sea. One survived. Anchoring is not an inherently dangerous activity, but incidents such as these prove that there is always need for caution when boating.

Be careful out there. Thank you so much for this useful information. We purchased our first boat, a pontoon this year… I am looking for an anchor but got a little concerned of the dangers after reading your review. I will take extra precautions when we get out on the lake and using the anchor. I will prob purchase the fluke anchor. You must be logged in to post a comment. This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible.

Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful. Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings. If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences.

This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again. July 31, Read More. May 07, April 13, Menu 0. Sign in 0 Home Shop Galvanized Anchors. Holding Power Choosing the right size Anchor. Sizing Storage. Contact Us Returns.