Believe it or not, many boat owners decide on which anchor to buy based on convenience and storage space. If the owner before you did this, that might be the reason your boat keeps slipping away when anchored.
Anchors come in a variety of shapes and sizes, just like the boats they anchor. Top considerations for choosing the right anchor for your pontoon boat include the weather you typically experience, the type of boat and size, and the bottom conditions for which the anchor is used. Below are a handful of tips to consider and our recommendations to help you make the best pontoon boat anchor choice. Before we get started, we wanted to thank you for stopping by our pontoon reviews website.
While here, you might also be interested in our informative posts about the best pontoon fenders , replacement boat seat brands , pontoon toilets , and boat covers.
We also explore items related to great lake activities such as inflatable paddle boards , inflatable pontoon boats , fishing float tubes , fish finders , lily pad water mats , and towable tubes.
While it makes a lot of sense to choose an anchor based on the weight of the boat, anchors are rated by their holding power, or the amount of pull force the anchor must withstand to hold the pontoon boat in place. Holding power is formulated based on environmental factors, like wind speed. Anchors that rely strictly on their weight—such as a space-saving, plastic-coated pound mushroom anchor—are only capable of generating more than twice their weight in holding power.
As another general rule, bigger is better when choosing anchor weight. You can also consider carrying two anchors of differing weights. A smaller, simple anchor, for example, is adequate for short anchorages in calm water when you will be keeping watch on the anchor. In fact, using two differing anchor styles is most beneficial with high-profile boats like pontoons.
Holding power and the weight of the anchor is only as good as its ability to penetrate the bottom. Most anchors can easily penetrate hard sand bottoms, for example, which offer consistent holding power. If muddier conditions, for example, the anchor must penetrate to reach a harder secondary bottom material. And lastly, the anchor weight is more important than design in delicate grassy bottoms. We may collect a small share of sales from the links on this page. These assumptions should work well for most pontoons in most boating conditions.
And it looks great on the boat. This is what an anchor is supposed to be!! Great price and anchor hook up every time. I purchased 10 feet of chain and have had no issues even in 4-foot waves. This is perfect for my boat. Being on the river with the tides going in and out it held it steady no issues. I have no regrets about this anchor it is good quality and I am very happy with the purchase.
I used this anchor all season on Lake Michigan for sea duck hunting. It performed very well. The Fortress Anchor holds our foot Chaparral like no other. Love it and love watching all our buddies drift away from the hot spots. Keep in mind, having 10 feet of chain and five times the water depth in nylon rope is key to success. If the water is 20 feet deep, you need feet of line out to the anchor. Several people complained about putting the anchor together.
However, I found it easy enough to do. This anchor looks terrific. I have not had the chance to use it yet, but I already love that it is so light. The anchor came with great instructions to help put it together. It also came with a quality control card, making sure all parts were in the box.
Fluke anchors provide sufficient holding power considering their small size. As designed, they fold flat and are easy to stow in storage compartments.
The anchor arm, or stock, buries itself after the pointed flukes dig into the bottom. For those reasons, fluke anchors are best in hard sand and mud. Loose mud or clay can foul the flukes and prevent bottom penetration. What grappling anchors lack in holding power they make up with size and design.
They are compact and fold up for storage in small spaces. Grappling anchors are commonly used on Jon boats, canoes, kayaks, and aluminum skiffs.
But what size anchor do you need for your specific pontoon boat? The size of anchor you need for your specific pontoon boat will depend on the holding power that is required. Anchor sizes are not chosen based on the size of the boat but on the holding power required. Holding power is affected by conditions such as wind, current and the type of bottom the anchor will be set in.
However, you can gauge the anchor size and anchor rode length you need using our tables. Pontoon boats are fairly versatile inland waterway vessels. They can be used for a multitude of activities from tubing to water skiing and fishing. A pontoon boat can go pretty fast and is also a joy to cruise on.
But sometimes you will want to set the anchor so your boat stays in one place. I have already covered the different types of anchors you need for specific bottoms and you will need to read that article before you make a final decision on the anchor you want for your pontoon boat, However, you will also need to decide on the size of anchor you need. While the type of anchor you choice will depend on the the marine environment you are boating in, it is the holding power of the anchor that determines what size of anchor you need.
It might seem counter-intuitive when you learn that the size and weight of your boat is not the main factor in determining the size of anchor your boat needs but, it is true nonetheless. Anchors are rated by their holding power power more than on their size and weight. A bigger anchor will not necessarily hold a boat better than a much smaller anchor for reasons I will cover later. Holding power is measured in lbs. So rather than looking at the size or weight of the anchor you look at its holding power to determine if it has enough to be beneficial for your pontoon boat.
The rule-of-thumb is that an anchor that has a holding power of 90 lbs can hold a 20 foot boat in up to 20 mph winds. When the boat length increases the holding power of the anchor must also be increased. So, for a 25 foot boot, in 20 mph winds, an anchor with lbs of holding power would be needed.
Look at how well the weight can be applied carefully and that it is even enough. Remember the size and the weight of your boat to select your anchor. You must look at the physical material being used on the anchor to get an idea of what might work well for you. In most cases, galvanized steel is used for the anchor. This adds enough weight to make it move into the water well enough.
This is also strong enough to handle weather conditions and deep water as it will not rust or corrode. This may be useful for saltwater conditions where untreated metal might be hard to utilize. Stainless steel is often used just as well.
This is a little different in that it offers a better shine and is typically lighter in weight, but it should also handle salt water and most other conditions well enough. Not all anchors for sale come with their own rope materials.
But the ones that do should be reviewed well. The rope or other material that your anchor is attached to should be sturdy and thick. Nylon and jute materials are often used in the construction of some ropes. Whatever the case is, the rope must be thick and have a strong weave that will not break apart or tear quickly. Not all of the best anchors for pontoon boat needs will come with ropes. But many of these models have their own holes that make it easier for you to secure the anchor onto something, which leads to the next point.
It should be enough to handle a thicker rope that will not wear out. Check the size of the hole versus any rope you want to add to it, so you can figure out what is right for you. Anchoring a pontoon boat is similar to the other types of lake boats or any other boat.
Steps should be:. Face and move towards the wind or current very slowly and then drop the anchor slowly and securely until the touching the bottom. Pull the anchor line to understand if the anchor is hooked properly.
The anchor should be dropped facing towards the wind or the current and the front of a pontoon boat is preferable. Now, the wind is always changing its direction and speed.
To avoid drifting I usually put another anchor at the aft side of the boat. This second anchor provides some extra security and peace. Having an under-deck anchor is getting popular in some places which is not a bad idea. But having only one anchor will not prevent from drifting when the wind hits. The marine-grade rope is capable of being fully submerged in the water without wearing out or coming apart as it moves deep into the water.
The rope should do well, but it should also move deep enough to where the anchor chain is placed. A good rope will be resistant, not too rigid, and should not be weak in water. These ropes are usually made of nylon, polyester, or high-quality fibers which does not absorb too much water. An anchor will more than likely get into sand or mud. The water floor should be soft enough to handle an anchor. Salt water should not hurt the rope, but you should at least look for something thicker and denser just to be safe.
The great thing about an anchor is that you can get it to go as far into the water as you want. But it might be hard for you to get the anchor to move into the water if you want to put it in a lower position. You should try to keep the anchor moving by a few feet per second to make it easier for the anchor to penetrate the water floor as you move it down.
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