anchor weight and style

Trying to decide how heavy an anchor to buy for my Rapid Robert.  i realize that it will depend on the river, the flow and the weigh of the boat, but wondering about a general rule and one that will work in most instances. I was thinking about a 35 lbs, but wondering if that is too heavy for most rivers. 

Also, if one style tends to work better then another.

Thanks for all your help. This site has been a wealth of information.

Warren

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Permalink Reply by Jonathan Clarke on March 9, 2015 at 5:04pm

I use a 30lb. pyramidal lead anchor on my 14' Tatman and its always held except in water so fast a person shouldn't anchor anyway (Long story that turned out well).  That said, I think the cylindrical steel models with the lugs might be superior and they don't shed lead.

Permalink Reply by Rick Newman on March 9, 2015 at 5:56pm

Warren, a popular style anchor on the Yakima river is a long chain gathered up in loops by a link so it's only about 18" from top to bottom. They weigh 40 plus pounds. Link size is often 7/16". The positive aspect of this style is it does hold pretty well, however the questions is what does a dragging chain do to the insect life on the bottom of the river. For those that aren't familiar with the Yakima River it is dam controlled and serves as a "canal" to deliver water from the Cascades to the agricultural area in central Washington. So during the summer the flows are rather high and fast and the many guides that host anglers on the river need to often stop in these more rapid flows.

Rick N

Permalink Reply by Warren Gibbs on March 9, 2015 at 6:29pm

I decided to go with a 35 lb pyramid style anchor from a welder in Montana  who encases the lead in steel so we aren't leaving lead in the rivers. Seems like a good idea. However it feels really heavy and I worry that it will be difficult to pull up and maybe it's overkill except when the Yakima is high.

Permalink Reply by tungsten on March 9, 2015 at 7:13pm

Boy 35 is a bit of a pig, if your anchor system is smooth with no resistance,  it,,, well,,, will still be a pig.

Having a selection is handy for different conditions so maybe a 20 is in order.Or a power anchor system.

Permalink Reply by David Jensen on March 9, 2015 at 8:10pm

I use 30# on Oregon rivers.  Often overkill, but also needed enough to haul the damn thing around.

Permalink Reply by Jim Hill on March 9, 2015 at 9:52pm

I have found that 3 sided pyramid styles are far superior to the more standard 4 sided. The weight is up to you. For me personally, 30 is plenty. To avoid tearing up the river bed I just anchor up a few feet further off the current

Permalink Reply by Warren Gibbs on March 10, 2015 at 5:43pm

I've decided to go with a 25 lb anchor and worry about it not holding later.  Thanks for the feedback

Permalink Reply by Phillip Westendorf on March 10, 2015 at 5:47pm

Warren,

I have a chain link anchor (see Rick's description herein) it's homemade from 3/8" link chain on a 4" dia. ring and its weight is 28 lbs.  I have used it on a couple of 15-16 ft boats including my drifter.  It holds well enough on the rivers here in Michigan which get up to 2000 cfm.  Length of line let out has an impact on the ability to hold in faster water.  

Dorf

Permalink Reply by craig curtis on March 10, 2015 at 8:10pm

I have an old rapid Robert with a 25 lb pyramid which was rubber coated, like bed liner material. I was starting to show its age so I recoated it at work with a plastisol material. seems to grip the bottom better but not wearing as well. Plus it doesn't slide around in the back of my truck. I'm trying to find a three side 35 for faster flows, and will probably double the line to make it easier to lift.

Permalink Reply by AJ DeRosa on March 10, 2015 at 8:53pm
Anchor weight and style are very dependent on the type of fishing you do. As a trout fisherman in Wyoming I run a light 25# square anchor. It holds my boat just fine when I get out to wade fish. Will hold in shallow light curr nt as well. If your fishing style demands anchoring in deeper, heavier flows for steelhead or salmon then a heavier, more aggressive anchor is needed.
Some things to consider. Lead anchors leave lead on the rocks, not good. They can be covered in steel to make them more environmentally friendly. Dragging any type of anchor is tough on river bottoms. Give the bugs a brake and use your anchor responsibly. Anchor so heavy that you want to use a mechanical advantage create three more problems, twice as much line, twice as much time to retrieve and they deliver a loop the the bottom of the river. A stuck anchor in fast water will sink your boat. Anchor safely.

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