Suggestions for Purchasing Boat Anchors

October 26th, 2008 Posted in Boating

Boat anchors are one of the most important parts on a boat; it is like an emergency brake on a vehicle. They are lowered to keep the boat in a specific spot. This is especially helpful when you are in water that has a strong current because boat anchors will keep the boat from drifting with the current. Using boat anchors to secure your boat is quite easy; you just toss the anchor off the side of the boat. When doing this, try to get it a short distance from the boat’s side.

After giving it a good toss, gravity will take over and the anchor will drop to the bottom. When it reaches the bottom it will then embed itself slightly into the soft bottom and the weight of the anchor will keep the boat from going adrift. Dropping an anchor should only be done when you want to keep the boat in a specific area for long period of time. One note, always make sure you have cut the engines before you throw the anchor in. To do otherwise would cause the boats engine to over work which could either stall the engine or in a worst case scenario cause your engine to burn up.

Buying Boat Anchors

There are several companies with good reputations that you should consider when looking into boat anchors. If you are unsure about what you need for your boat, trying to locate the best anchor can become frustrating as there are many different aspects and specifications that you will need to know when you are looking to purchase your anchor.

When you are narrowing down your boat anchor choices there are several specifications that you will need to keep in mind. For example, you will need to know which anchor holds well in the bottoms that you will most frequent. Another thing to keep in mind is whether the anchor is easy to set and reset under all situations. Still more things you should also consider include knowing the gold holding power, the strong craftsmanship, does the anchor release from the bottom easily, and how easy is it to store on your boat?

Boat anchors also come in a variety of styles to choose from. There is the river anchor, which is typically more expensive but it is specifically designed for the heavy drift currents of the rivers. Another style is the mushroom anchor; this offers a large cap area that gives the anchor more area to hold more effectively in the weeds and the mud. This anchor has drain holes so that the mud and water will drain easily when you are retrieving the anchor.

One of the most well known designed anchors is the fluke anchor. This has two flukes that grip the bottom. The fluke anchor works best for bottoms that tend to be loose gravel or sandy. It holds in place by burying itself. Then there are the electric anchors. These anchors are attached to the bow of the boat and are operated hands-free.