Cheap anchor for tubes and pontoons

To save space and weight, I use a strong mason line,pink 150 lb strength spool with a small carabiner on the end. I carry about 3-4 large freezer ziplock bags in the pocket. If I need to anchor in a fast stream or windy conditions, I cut a small hole in the top corner of the ziplock bag attach the carabiner and fill the bag with either sand,gravel,or even some big rocks. If it gets stuck to deep, The bag will rip and I don't lose a 20$ anchor, and don't have to carry the weight back to shore. They are pretty tough though, and haven't got one stuck yet. Yeah I know plastic is bad for the environment, if lost though. Just be careful and try to retrieve it if you can.

I save onion bags from the store.
I put rocks in them, after doubling with two bags.

Use a whip lash and loop and it's ready to go. Tie on to your main line with a looped connection and you're golden
The rubber mesh found on landing nets would be good, too.

Lovin' the the onion bag idea.

Yup that should right simple and easy way to make an anchor, just have to find the rocks when you get to the water.

jeffcpr wrote:Yup that should right simple and easy way to make an anchor, just have to find the rocks when you get to the water.

There is no rule that says you MUST discard the rocks each time.
I can see it if you are portaging to get to the water. But you can also keep your rock anchor in with your regular kit, just as you would a manufactured version.

I just have a 5 lb plate tied to a cord. Tucks in next to me, nicely. Rarely use it.

fisheromen wrote:I just have a 5 lb plate tied to a cord.  Tucks in next to me, nicely.  Rarely use it.

I have a couple of old barn sash weights I thought about using.

That onion bag idea is pretty cool. I actually have some landscape rocks sitting at the house doing nothing.

I have about a hundred boulders that I dug up out of my yard that anyone can claim for FREE!
Shipping not included.
But seriously I get the idea of keeping your bag 'o rocks. I noticed that L A beaches don't have many if any at all.
Where I come from, Carlsbad, the beach is littered with rocks.
Side note.. In today's world of environmentalism I would be surprised if you didn't get arrested for taking a rock from somewhere.

dlobo wrote:
Side note.. In today's world of environmentalism I would be surprised if you didn't get arrested for taking a rock from somewhere.

Hostage environmentalism over a few rocks?

We have a saying here in SC for that:

"F*** em and/or don't get caught."  

Very fond memories of a short stint SC when I was about 9 yrs old Bobber. A pier by the ocean with my father. One of the most beautiful areas because the forest met the ocean.
I still have, 40 years later, shells collected from the shore and lots of fishing memories.

dlobo wrote:Very fond memories of a short stint SC when I was about 9 yrs old Bobber. A pier by the ocean with my father. One of the most beautiful areas because the forest met the ocean.
I still have, 40 years later, shells collected from the shore and lots of fishing memories.

Thank you. I love this state, even as I was raised in CA.

Sorry I got all redneck - but the idea that enviro-tyrants could hold us hostage over a couple of rocks... Well, that just cooks my grits!   

I S**t you not. It really is like that here now. They protect even the effing rocks.
I envy you for living in a free place where you can spit on a tree and not have someone screaming at you.

dlobo wrote:I S**t you not. It really is like that here now. They protect even the effing rocks.
I envy you for living in a free place where you can spit on a tree and not have someone screaming at you.

Well, I cannot imagine being despotic over rocks.
It isn't perfect here, but You wouldn't see much of that stuff .

Yet.

Wyu wrote: I actually have some landscape rocks sitting at the house doing nothing.

Kinda like teenagers? lol

I don't know if it qualifies as cheap but I read about a guy using chain, insulated by bicycle inner tube, for an anchor.  Says it holds him in place and doesn't get hung up either.  

A couple of 2.5' sections of 3/8" chain from HD would weigh about 6.5lbs. I haven't taken my toon out yet so I'm not sure if that would be heavy enough to deal with the currents in Newport.  Would hate for it to just drag bottom and ruin the habitat.

chipmcd wrote:I don't know if it qualifies as cheap but I read about a guy using chain, insulated by bicycle inner tube, for an anchor.  Says it holds him in place and doesn't get hung up either.  

A couple of 2.5' sections of 3/8" chain from HD would weigh about 6.5lbs. I haven't taken my toon out yet so I'm not sure if that would be heavy enough to deal with the currents in Newport.  Would hate for it to just drag bottom and ruin the habitat.

Most of the drag chain set set ups I've seen use larger links.

Now granted, those are for big river kayaks which have a bit more displacement than a tube. And as the name implies, they are designed to be dragged along the bottom in rivers.

But there is no reason why you couldn't use the same idea. You could gang together two or three lengths of 3/8's link sections until you got it where you wanted. Keep things assembled loosely and it would be flexible and make for easy stowing in a tube or toon's kit.

(An improvement I've seen is to cut 1/4 of a tennis ball off, and thread the anchor line through an "x" slit cut opposite the cut, open end if the ball. This then becomes a flexible, rounded lead on the chain anchor, to help it ride over obstructions.)

chipmcd wrote: Would hate for it to just drag bottom and ruin the habitat.

Not much by way of habitat at the bottom of most harbors. I have heard that dragging something and stirring up the bottom actually attracts some fish; halibut, for example.

fisheromen wrote:

chipmcd wrote: Would hate for it to just drag bottom and ruin the habitat.

Not much by way of habitat at the bottom of most harbors.  I have heard that dragging something and stirring up the bottom actually attracts some fish; halibut, for example.

In fly fishing, that's called the San Juan Shuffle.  But I was thinking of the eel grass.  Probably not too close but just want to make sure I'm not destroying anything that can help me catch fish next time.

chipmcd wrote:I don't know if it qualifies as cheap but I read about a guy using chain, insulated by bicycle inner tube, for an anchor.  Says it holds him in place and doesn't get hung up either.  

A couple of 2.5' sections of 3/8" chain from HD would weigh about 6.5lbs. I haven't taken my toon out yet so I'm not sure if that would be heavy enough to deal with the currents in Newport.  Would hate for it to just drag bottom and ruin the habitat.

Dear chip,

The drag chain idea is a good one.  18" of 3/8" chain is sufficient to use as a drag chain for a 16 to 18' boat on a river as a means to straighten a drift and keep the boat moving downstream at a steady pace in a relatively straight line.  

As an anchor designed to hold a boat still against current it wasn't enough weight for a large tin boat but that 18" of 3/8" chain would probably do a great job of holding a float tube still in a lake.  You can use the inner tube or you can just wrap the doubled section of chain in a few wraps of duct tape to quiet the thing from clanking along the bottom.

You won't have to actually buy the chain either if you know a good sized contractor who uses the stuff to bind equipment to his trailers for transport. If you ask nice they will usually give you a few sections of busted chain just for the asking.

Regards,

Tim Murphy  

fisheromen wrote:

chipmcd wrote: Would hate for it to just drag bottom and ruin the habitat.

Not much by way of habitat at the bottom of most harbors.  I have heard that dragging something and stirring up the bottom actually attracts some fish; halibut, for example.

I've heard the same about stirring up the benthic sediments.

I think the admonition against disturbing the bottom comes from enviro-controllists. They believe that all human activity around anything remotely "natural" is shameful, and ultimately leads to our well-deserved destruction. Your comments suggest they are successfully selling that message.

It seems we've morphed our attitudes. Instead of protecting and managing certain rare, pristine or threatened habitats for the benefit of all, we're replacing our enjoyment of the outdoors with worry... because we might do something they don't approve of.

Tim Murphy wrote:

chipmcd wrote:I don't know if it qualifies as cheap but I read about a guy using chain, insulated by bicycle inner tube, for an anchor.  Says it holds him in place and doesn't get hung up either.  

A couple of 2.5' sections of 3/8" chain from HD would weigh about 6.5lbs. I haven't taken my toon out yet so I'm not sure if that would be heavy enough to deal with the currents in Newport.  Would hate for it to just drag bottom and ruin the habitat.

Dear chip,

The drag chain idea is a good one.  18" of 3/8" chain is sufficient to use as a drag chain for a 16 to 18' boat on a river as a means to straighten a drift and keep the boat moving downstream at a steady pace in a relatively straight line.  

As an anchor designed to hold a boat still against current it wasn't enough weight for a large tin boat but that 18" of 3/8" chain would probably do a great job of holding a float tube still in a lake.  You can use the inner tube or you can just wrap the doubled section of chain in a few wraps of duct tape to quiet the thing from clanking along the bottom.

You won't have to actually buy the chain either if you know a good sized contractor who uses the stuff to bind equipment to his trailers for transport.  If you ask nice they will usually give you a few sections of busted chain just for the asking.

Regards,

Tim Murphy  

good info - thanks

Dear Board,

Just so everyone is on the same page regarding chain anchors here is what I am referring to when I say, 3/8" chain.  Quint referred to it as "No S**t 3/8"s chain" when he was telling stories about Sharkin' in "Jaws" a long, long time ago.

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It's the industry standard for binding down loads on flatbed, step deck, and lowboy equipment trailers.  That's why I suggest you ask a local contractor if he has any busted chain laying around.  It breaks and wears out over time, but it still is worth having some for use as an anchor.  It's a lot easier to work with in short busted sections than it would be for the average homeowner and float tuber to have the means to cut through a big piece of chain and shorten it.

Regards,

Tim Murphy   

Tim Murphy wrote:Dear Board,

Just so everyone is on the same page regarding chain anchors here is what I am referring to when I say, 3/8" chain.  Quint referred to it as "No S**t 3/8"s chain" when he was telling stories about Sharkin' in "Jaws" a long, long time ago.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

It's the industry standard for binding down loads on flatbed, step deck, and lowboy equipment trailers.  That's why I suggest you ask a local contractor if he has any busted chain laying around.  It breaks and wears out over time, but it still is worth having some for use as an anchor.  It's a lot easier to work with in short busted sections than it would be for the average homeowner and float tuber to have the means to cut through a big piece of chain and shorten it.

Regards,

Tim Murphy   

Thanks, again.
I'm sold.

I did this for my anchor that I use where reservoirs were made by just building a dam and flooding the forest complete with all rocks, bushes and trees . You know the kind ,,, they feed on those pretty and also expensive retractable grappling hook or small sand type anchors . I went to our local scrap yard and found some #2 American Wire gauge copper 600 volt underground wire and bought 5 feet for about $1.25 and proceeded to make me a 4 prong style anchor . I cut one piece about 4 inches longer than the other and bent it like you were making a 2 prong "Frog Hook" complete with the eyelet . That done I ran the shorter section through the eye formed in the longer section and bent both sides down straight in line with the other 2 Tines . I used a couple of wraps of black tape just below the eyelet and another wrap about 8 inches above the cut ends of the tines . I then bent the tines by hand making nice round bends to my liking . I then applied Shoe Goo rubber cement between the tines being held together with the black tape and hung it overnight to dry . If this anchor ( so far ) gets hung up I can pull on it a couple of times and straighten out the tines and simply reform the hooks when I recover the anchor . It weighs maybe a pound and a half and works fine . For muddy bottoms I lash on a rock with some surveyors twine if it gets a bit windy . Has survived hookups in the rocks ( so far ) but rocks are rocks and there is always that chance to get wedged in a crack and lose the anchor .