Kayak Anchor

[yoyo]

Well i finally pulled my finger out today and got around to getting a small 2.5kg folding anchor for the Hobie.

Will couple it with a D-Shackle to some 6mm anchor line....

My question is, for the purposes of anchoring a small kayak, should i bother with a length of chain ? Maybe just for anti-abrasion purposes ?

thanks for your input

YY

[Keen-as-fisho]

I didn't bother with any chain on mine, works well.

[bootyinblue]

Here is mine and works well too.

The chain in an anchor is designed to work as a shock absorber. As the pressure comes on the chain raises ofd the sea bed creating resistance and pulling back. Hence the reason why anchors work best when horizontal.

[Feral]

No chain, also tie the rope to the bottom of the anchor, and zip tie the rope to the normal mount point. Allows you to break the zip tie by heaving on the rope and pull the anchor out if it gets stuck.

[tomca]

Just make sure the shackle goes onto the pointy end of the anchor. Tie the anchor rope to the other end with a bit of twine/solder/ziptie/whatever. When it gets snagged on the bottom, a decent tug will break the connection and can retrieve your anchor. While Booty's setup works, you will end up donating it to the reef at Wello, or roots and stumps in the bottom of a dam.

[noname]

a bit late now but when i had my jet ski i got hold of a very small sand anchor, yep smaller than what your thinkin, but the good bit was it was plastic coated so it wouldn't scratch the gel coat on the ski which i thought was a great idea at the time.

[yoyo]

Ahh excellent, thanks guys....

also, my Prof at Uni who would claim to have more hours at sea than on land, used to tell me that it is the chain (weight) that anchors the vessel, not the anchor itself - merely serves to hold the chain in place............ right or wrong, he was 'always right' if you know what i mean ! ;-)

[yoyo]

that would be good rob, if i had the choice i would have gone for a plastic coated one...

[bootyinblue]

Yep agree with the cable tie set up and would use it if kayaking somewhere with snags, but I mainly use the yak on the sandy flats down at Jacobs Well area.

I have cable ties on my boat anchor though, as use it out on reefs and has been proven on more than one occasion

[tacklebox]

Tomca, how heavy is your anchor?

[tomca]

its the little 1lb folding one from BCF. Thats a standard bit of pool noodle for scale.

If I am fishing a sandy area, I use a milk bottle with some sand in it, as the grapple is useless in sand. Mud is OK

[tacklebox]

Thanks Tom. That's what I thought it was. I've been eyeing those off but wasn't sure if they'd do the job.

[yoyo]

i think the one i got is slightly heavier than that, but it was the smallest one they had there? 20 bucks i think it was... 1.5kg ?

[werewolf]

You guys are all too pro! Whats wrong with the old house brick?

[Feral]

I have a 2.5kg plate from my weight bench. Not that I take it out, but its sitting there with rope and float on ready to go! Never used it, so I dont know how well it would work.

[aidanwebb]

how many metres of line comes with those anchors?

[yoyo]

the small ones generally no rope, buy it seperately.

there are some of the mid to larger size boat anchors that come with rope and chain prerigged...

[bigtez]

This is my setup. Just hook the clip on the anchor trolley, open the bag and pull th anchor and rope out and throw it overboard, it sorts itself out. There is a pocket on the bag for spare cable ties.

This one has about 10m of VB cord as i only use it in shallow water, I have a sea-anchor for out in the bay and a spare anchor that i might rig up the same with more rope for deeper water if I ever need it.

[werewolf]

how are the floats attached, are the on the end or free running? What is the purpose? Ie so you can until and leave your anchor there while you paddle off?

[bigtez]

If you get onto a big fish the float allows you to disconnect from the anchor and let it tow you before it pulls you over. The white rope holder acts as a float for me (untested as yet) and is free running.