Lets see your anchor systems

Lets see your set-ups!

I use my boat in the salt and want to build an anchor roller system that wont rust, isn't a piece of crap and doesn't cost $100. I'd like to use a piece of aluminum "U" shaped channel, about 18" long, build a pully into the front and a rope jam cleat in the back. I figure it would mount straight out the front where the handle is bolted.
Question is what about my handle? I use it for launching purposes and also for securing the safety chain. I'd like to see some options and get some ideas.

Here's my bow, needs some love!

I am thinking of doing something like that as well - was leaning towards using SS as the aluminum is to soft for an anchor (has to hold the entire weight of the boat)

Instead of a pulley I was just going to go with a "U" shaped SS bar to a mount with a cleat

I got a pulley from a sailboat place then ran my anchor line right through the bow of the boat. Works slick and I can run the anchor line from my seat in the stearn. Don't know that it'd work on a V though?

At the end of the day I swing the anchor back into the boat for the trailer ride home.

Harken is the company making the pulley if anyone else is looking for one.

On a different boat I had an anchor pulley that mounted on top of the bow, but if you tipped the boat over it would get packed with mud.

I put this system on the STERN of a former boat. I wanted to be able to fish while facing forward. Haven't done it to my 160W Lowe as of yet. Thinks more about a "stick it' type system for the shallow water in the bays here. rich

richg99 said:

I put this system on the STERN of a former boat. I wanted to be able to fish while facing forward. Haven't done it to my 160W Lowe as of yet. Thinks more about a "stick it' type system for the shallow water in the bays here. rich

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Your new boat demans a powerpole or minnkota talon. Just sayin...

Re PP or Talon....Well, I have this issue with spending more for the attachments on a boat than what I spent for most of the boat. The ratio isn't really that close, but ...you get my point.

I'll probably do a DIY stick-it style for now. Oh... I can afford it, I am just cheap/frugal.

Rich

I'm usually in some pretty shallow water, and the deepest I ever get into is around 20'-25' at the most. I'm cheap (thrifty ) and handling the anchor and line by hand provides some exercise, plus I don't want to drill any more holes than necessary in the boat.

Yea, I have two big similar anchors up front in the bow anchor locker. I don't know when I would ever use them ( I like to drift and fish a lot) but they are there for an emergency.

Rich

richg99 said:

I put this system on the STERN of a former boat. I wanted to be able to fish while facing forward. Haven't done it to my 160W Lowe as of yet. Thinks more about a "stick it' type system for the shallow water in the bays here. rich

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You do release a stern anchor is a safety hazard. I am not saying don't do it as I have done it but beware that a boat can be pulled underior swamped with a stern anchor. Your experience may vary depending on the local water you fish. But in current and waves be careful. Boat courses will teach you not to do this.

Your cautionary warning is well spoken. In this particular fishing area, the depth runs from one to three feet max. The boat is normally parked way up into a South Texas saltwater flat with no other traffic. But...thanks for adding that warning. Rich

richg99 said:

Your cautionary warning is well spoken. In this particular fishing area, the depth runs from one to three feet max. The boat is normally parked way up into a South Texas saltwater flat with no other traffic. But...thanks for adding that warning. Rich

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Hey great. It is a neat system you have. Lifting and deploying the anchor from the bow can be a pain when you just need to move a few feet or so when fishing.

Captain Ahab said:

was leaning towards using SS as the aluminum is to soft for an anchor (has to hold the entire weight of the boat)

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I would think aluminum would be plenty strong for a 12lb anchor, if I went thick enough. SS would be nice but more expensive and harder to work with.

Thanks for all the great ideas people, keep them coming!

I was thinking of making something like this...

mtnwkr...that looks great. No reason it won't work. A couple of things to think about...

#1 be certain you have a REAL cleat.... in addition to your "quick release" ...so that, when running or towing the boat, you can be certain that the anchor won't let go inadvertently. Running full blast across a bay is no time to have the anchor accidentally deploy.

#2. You may have to experiment with some mechanism to keep the anchor from crashing back into your boat when you hit waves. The systems that I have seen all seem to draw the anchor right up into the anchor chock to keep that from happening.

the items posted below all have a metal "loop" into which one would draw the anchor all of the way up. I suspect that is the mechanisim to keep the anchor from slamming around when you hit some bigger waves.

regards, Rich

https://www.google.com/products/catalog?hl=en&sugexp=llsfp&pq=anchor+bow+chock&xhr=t&q=anchor+winch&cp=11&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&um=1&ie=UTF-8&cid=17505674562029288363&sa=X&ei=3mWYTeWAI-XI0QGPzfX5Cw&sqi=2&ved=0CFYQ8wIwBg#

https://www.google.com/products/catalog?hl=en&sugexp=llsfp&pq=anchor+bow+chock&xhr=t&q=anchor+winch&cp=11&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&um=1&ie=UTF-8&cid=5922171176027456717&sa=X&ei=bWWYTZP8Nc3AgQeNu8zRCA&sqi=2&ved=0CFsQ8wIwBQ#

Below is my shallow water anchor system I put on my boat for approx. $30.00 after pricing basically the same system for over $150.00 and up to $200.00. I used two large threaded eye bolts that a piece of electrical pipe would fit into. Bolted these to the transom and sealed with clear silicone sealant. Use an 8' pole for the anchor. REPEAT, this is a shallow water type anchor.

Rusty...I think I've seen that one on this site before. Thanks for reminding me. I really could use something similar. Great for the TX flats. Where do you fish?

Rich

I fish in Cedar Bayou, it separates Harris County and Chambers County here in Baytown and runs out to the bays. it's about 10 minutes to the boat ramp from my house. When I put in, if I turn left at the ramp, I fish up the bayou towards fresh water, or if I turn right at the boat ramp I can fish the saltwater in Trinity, Tabbs, Burnett, and LaPorte/Sylvan Beach bays and also around the Fred Hartman Bridge. To the left in freshwater are catfish and bass, to the right will be red fish, flounder and speckled trout. On windy days I go back up the bayou and calm days can go out towards the bays.
I just finished converting my little side console over to a center console, will post pics later in remod./rebuild. Been working for the past 4 weeks or so on the remod.
P.S. did not mean to hijack this post, just answering a question, thanx, Doyle

Doyle, is that the launch on the East side of the Fred Hartmann bridge? If so, I'd like to learn more about that area.

RG

That's it, Bayland Marina, go out and get in the channel and turn right and go under the big bridge to Burnett Bay by the way of the ship channel , or turn left at the ship channel and go to the LaPorte side at Sylvan Beach. Go to Google maps and key in Baytown, Texas and you can see all the ship channel, Trinity and Tabbs Bay also. Lots of places to fish.

Doyle, thanks.. I have launched there a couple of time in the past. Never did more than run a few hundred yards East, up the river. I didn't catch anything...but...I am used to that. regards, Rich

rusty.hook said:

Below is my shallow water anchor system I put on my boat for approx. $30.00 after pricing basically the same system for over $150.00 and up to $200.00. I used two large threaded eye bolts that a piece of electrical pipe would fit into. Bolted these to the transom and sealed with clear silicone sealant. Use an 8' pole for the anchor. REPEAT, this is a shallow water type anchor.

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That's a great idea, way cheaper than a power pole.