11-20-2005, 06:41 PM
[black]Anchoring your pontoon is easy. There are several that I have used that have worked for me. I copied parts of a post here that I made for another BFT member some time ago to assist in the anchoring issue.
Yes, there is a "ratio" that is recommended in many situations for anchoring. That is ratio is refered to as the scope - for example: a scope of 3 to 1 means that you have 3 times the amount of anchor line employed as is the depth of the water. Or, if you are in 10 feet of water, you would have 30 feet of anchor line out. The stuff that you have between your anchor and your boat is called the rode - that includes the anchor line and the chain(if you use one - highly recommended for many types of anchors and in many kinds of situations).
However, depending on your situation, that being a pontoon boat and the probable application, you may not need all of that anchoring theory just to fish. Again, it depends upon where you will be anchoring. Rivers or moving water is much different than small lakes or stillwaters.
Here are some of the methods I have used:
On my pontoon boat:
1. 3 # folding grappling hook type. Attached is about 5 foot of chain and 100 foot of anchor line. This held against 20 + mph winds and 3 foot white caps on Utah lake while anchored in 8 foot of water - I had a scope of 9 to 1.
2. 1 # Navy type anchor. About 4 foot of light chain and 75 of anchor line. This one held against 15 mph winds and 2 foot waves at willard while in 9 foot of water and a scope of 8 to 1.
3. Empty heavy canvas bag - fill with rocks - weight depends on conditions(this anchor has to be heavier in the boat than the other anchors) - attached to 50 foot of light poly rope. This type of anchor can allow drift or drag in wind. If you rig the rode with a small chain(I used a 3 foot length off some snow tire chains) and increase the scope to over 8 to 1 it might even hold in some wind.
On my float tube:
4. A line counter trolling reel spooled with 25 # test line (for a pontoon boat I would recommend 50-80 #)and an onion filled with rocks(the bag was doubled for strength to hold the weight of the rocks and for abrasion). I used my fins to hold postition while fishing and assist the drag of the anchor that tended to move a little.
5. The line counter trolling reel with 25 # line tied to a tree on the bank of a river while fishing in an eddie, and a large boulder on the shore of a lake while drifting wind the wind and fishing the shoreline. When I got far enough or past the area I wanted to fish, I just reeled my self back to the starting point and did it again. I used my fins to maintain the correct orientation for casting.
Depending on a few variables like water and wind conditions, depth of water, and bottom structure your pontoon will not need anything greater than about a couple to three pounds of anchor. Of course this depends on if the water is moving or still.
You should attach a small length of chain between the anchor and the anchor line - it does several things - reduces chaff on the line, maintains the bite of the anchor by keeping the anchor line motion at a minimum, etc.
Your anchor line should be either poly or nylon(some like braided, others like twisted) and should be about 10 times longer than the average depth of the water where you would be likely to anchor. This length covers most situations. Realistically, for your application, you can get by with much less line.
Here's a few rules of thumb concerning anchoring:
1. ATTACH THE BITTER END FIRST - BEFORE ANYTHING ELSE !
2. Anchor from the bow of the boat and orient the bow of the boat facing into the wind and waves. You can anchor from the side, if the water is a lake and there is little or no wind.
3. Increasing the scope of the rode, increases the hold and stability, and decreases drift, drag, sway and chances of loosing the anchor.
4 Always have a sharp serrated knife(or other suitable cutting device) handy to cut yourself and your craft free in an emergency !!!
5. Always keep a PFD on your craft if you intend on anchoring anywhere.
OK, now let's be realistic with your application(fishing from a pontoon raft) in mind. You have almost no weight and your craft is quite manueverable. You are going to be busy fishing and don't want to deal with too much just to be stationary for a few minutes to fish.
A heavy bag with rocks and about 50 foot of rope would do adaquately for a lot of the fishing you would probably do. Or, if your pontoon comes with an anchor accessory, you can use that as well, as long as you remember that anchoring in moving water is different than in stillwaters. Also, unless you use 2 anchors, pivoting or swaying is inevitible - use your fins to maintain position and casting orientation.
Notes on types of anchors.
1. A bag of rocks - this can hold you if there is no wind - if the water is moving or there is wind you should expect some drift.
2. Mushroom anchors are slow to take hold and only work in some situations - they have to be burried in the mud before they work and there is a tendency to pivot around them unless there is adaquate chain on the rode - even then there will be some pivoting.
3. Grapeling hook type anchors. These can hold against any conditions but can also hang up - attach a release or recovery line before hand just in case. Rescueing an anchor from a pontoon boat would be very difficult at best and impossible from a float tube.
4. Navy type anchors are about the best kind, but, they are relatively heavy and require a chain. They hold in almost any situation.
5. Danforth types - I don't think they make them in the size you would be able to carry on your floating craft, and, the pointed teeth could be a little sharp. Danforths do make the best emergency anchors because of the relative light weight and excellent grabbing power of them when employed correctly.
6. Old fashioned - you won't use one, so don't bother considering them.
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Yes, there is a "ratio" that is recommended in many situations for anchoring. That is ratio is refered to as the scope - for example: a scope of 3 to 1 means that you have 3 times the amount of anchor line employed as is the depth of the water. Or, if you are in 10 feet of water, you would have 30 feet of anchor line out. The stuff that you have between your anchor and your boat is called the rode - that includes the anchor line and the chain(if you use one - highly recommended for many types of anchors and in many kinds of situations).
However, depending on your situation, that being a pontoon boat and the probable application, you may not need all of that anchoring theory just to fish. Again, it depends upon where you will be anchoring. Rivers or moving water is much different than small lakes or stillwaters.
Here are some of the methods I have used:
On my pontoon boat:
1. 3 # folding grappling hook type. Attached is about 5 foot of chain and 100 foot of anchor line. This held against 20 + mph winds and 3 foot white caps on Utah lake while anchored in 8 foot of water - I had a scope of 9 to 1.
2. 1 # Navy type anchor. About 4 foot of light chain and 75 of anchor line. This one held against 15 mph winds and 2 foot waves at willard while in 9 foot of water and a scope of 8 to 1.
3. Empty heavy canvas bag - fill with rocks - weight depends on conditions(this anchor has to be heavier in the boat than the other anchors) - attached to 50 foot of light poly rope. This type of anchor can allow drift or drag in wind. If you rig the rode with a small chain(I used a 3 foot length off some snow tire chains) and increase the scope to over 8 to 1 it might even hold in some wind.
On my float tube:
4. A line counter trolling reel spooled with 25 # test line (for a pontoon boat I would recommend 50-80 #)and an onion filled with rocks(the bag was doubled for strength to hold the weight of the rocks and for abrasion). I used my fins to hold postition while fishing and assist the drag of the anchor that tended to move a little.
5. The line counter trolling reel with 25 # line tied to a tree on the bank of a river while fishing in an eddie, and a large boulder on the shore of a lake while drifting wind the wind and fishing the shoreline. When I got far enough or past the area I wanted to fish, I just reeled my self back to the starting point and did it again. I used my fins to maintain the correct orientation for casting.
Depending on a few variables like water and wind conditions, depth of water, and bottom structure your pontoon will not need anything greater than about a couple to three pounds of anchor. Of course this depends on if the water is moving or still.
You should attach a small length of chain between the anchor and the anchor line - it does several things - reduces chaff on the line, maintains the bite of the anchor by keeping the anchor line motion at a minimum, etc.
Your anchor line should be either poly or nylon(some like braided, others like twisted) and should be about 10 times longer than the average depth of the water where you would be likely to anchor. This length covers most situations. Realistically, for your application, you can get by with much less line.
Here's a few rules of thumb concerning anchoring:
1. ATTACH THE BITTER END FIRST - BEFORE ANYTHING ELSE !
2. Anchor from the bow of the boat and orient the bow of the boat facing into the wind and waves. You can anchor from the side, if the water is a lake and there is little or no wind.
3. Increasing the scope of the rode, increases the hold and stability, and decreases drift, drag, sway and chances of loosing the anchor.
4 Always have a sharp serrated knife(or other suitable cutting device) handy to cut yourself and your craft free in an emergency !!!
5. Always keep a PFD on your craft if you intend on anchoring anywhere.
OK, now let's be realistic with your application(fishing from a pontoon raft) in mind. You have almost no weight and your craft is quite manueverable. You are going to be busy fishing and don't want to deal with too much just to be stationary for a few minutes to fish.
A heavy bag with rocks and about 50 foot of rope would do adaquately for a lot of the fishing you would probably do. Or, if your pontoon comes with an anchor accessory, you can use that as well, as long as you remember that anchoring in moving water is different than in stillwaters. Also, unless you use 2 anchors, pivoting or swaying is inevitible - use your fins to maintain position and casting orientation.
Notes on types of anchors.
1. A bag of rocks - this can hold you if there is no wind - if the water is moving or there is wind you should expect some drift.
2. Mushroom anchors are slow to take hold and only work in some situations - they have to be burried in the mud before they work and there is a tendency to pivot around them unless there is adaquate chain on the rode - even then there will be some pivoting.
3. Grapeling hook type anchors. These can hold against any conditions but can also hang up - attach a release or recovery line before hand just in case. Rescueing an anchor from a pontoon boat would be very difficult at best and impossible from a float tube.
4. Navy type anchors are about the best kind, but, they are relatively heavy and require a chain. They hold in almost any situation.
5. Danforth types - I don't think they make them in the size you would be able to carry on your floating craft, and, the pointed teeth could be a little sharp. Danforths do make the best emergency anchors because of the relative light weight and excellent grabbing power of them when employed correctly.
6. Old fashioned - you won't use one, so don't bother considering them.
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