Anchor suggestions needed for Flycraft Stealth

[Fly-Swatter]

OK, so I just ordered this raft. They recommend a steel coated 20# pyramid anchor that costs $150 + freight!

Too expensive.

The uncoated 20# lead anchor is half that, but leaves lead on the bottom of rivers.

Nope.

So, I'm looking for an appropriate river anchor to use on the Susky, Upper D, etc. that costs well under $100.

Can I use a 15# mushroom anchor?

Will fluke anchors get stuck too often?

Please point me in the right direction!

 

[larkmark]

I think a mushroom anchor would be fine. I anchor my 18 ft flat bottom in river with one.

 

[nymphingmaniac]

i have the same craft. i have a plastic-coated 15 mushroom style anchor. it works for me.

 

[nymphingmaniac]

btw, enjoy the boat, best investment I made
if you inflate/deflate each trip, definitely invest in an electric pump. I got the shark II and it works great.

 

[DaveS]

I have a 20# mushroom that’s pretty good most of the time. There are situations where you need to let out more rope it get it to hold, this can be problematic. I also have a smaller 15# for some lower gradient water which is nice when you have to carry stuff any distance.

But man there have been times I just could not park the boat and that can cost you some fish, and once, the anchor pulled loose and when it finally did catch, I had to cut the rope and leave it. - so now a carry a basketball net that in a pinch can be loaded with some river rock for a makeshift E-brake.

 

[poopdeck]

I’ve never anchored a raft but I’ve anchored plenty of boats in the river and have used every kind of anchor ever made and a few others. First understand, like most things, there is no universal one size fits all anchor.

Rocky River anchors have to get stuck on something to hold. The weight of an anchor is not holding you unless the water is next to still or the anchor is exceptionally heavy. The weight of a rocky river anchor only matters in getting the anchor to the bottom before it gets washed downriver past back of the boat. If the bottom is mud or silt any anchor will hold. If the river is rocky than you hope your anchor catches on the rocks. If it’s flat hard pan then every anchor will slide right across it unless the anchor is so heavy you pop a nut trying to retrieve it.

I’ve lost plenty of anchors in the river which is why I make my own. All of my anchors are breakaway type grapple anchors and weight right around 20lbs. It anchors a flat bottom 18’ boat with a 60” wide bottom. I frequently anchor in fast current but sometimes the anchor just won’t hold but I doubt one would take a raft out in these currents.

Mushrooms, pyramids, flukes, navy style anchors are all made to dig into mud or silt. Worthless on a moving rocky river unless they get wedged in some rocks or submerged trees. My vote is for a grapnel style or a richtor style anchor with a breakaway feature. The breakaway will allow you to back a stuck anchor out of a jam, sometimes. The richter has short rounded over spikes on it so I don’t know how that would go with a raft.

 

[pcray1231]

FWIW, I have a fairly large kayak. Not quite as large as that, but...

I use a drift chain I made myself. Heavy chain, stuck it in a bicycle tube, tied it off with a zip tie. I mounted a dog leash on the yak to deploy and pull in. It stops me dead in slow water, slows me down and keeps me pointed straight in smoother soft currents.

It goes without saying, DO NOT ANCHOR in faster water. lol. Learned that the hard way. Paddle to shore, get out and feesh.

 

[Fly-Swatter]

Thanks guys. I'm going with a coated 15# mushroom. I'd rather slide through faster water than take a risk.

Although, I do like Pat's DIY chain anchor idea (Winter project?).

 

[Solitariolupo]

I think your safe with the mushroom but to throw it out there. You could always make one. Big metal bar and cement.

 

[krayfish2]

Mike,

Standard mushrooms are cheaper, readily available and less painful to lose. With that said, they struggle to hook up on certain bottoms.

I think clacka makes a drift boat anchor that is hollow. You unscrew the plate and fill it with gravel, sand or shot. Make it whatever weight you'd like. Much cheaper to ship too.

You can make one with a coffee can, eyebolt (with fender washers), a few small chunks of rebar and a shovel of fast setting cement.

Anchors are expensive. Add an $80 swivel and you'll go swimming like I did to retrieve it. LoL

 

[poopdeck]

I’m not arguing or belaboring a point but when I anchor I want the anchor to get stuck. I don’t want it to slide which is why even a cheap anchor, like a mushroom, isn’t worth any money. You can’t be afraid of getting the anchor stuck when that’s the one and only job of an anchor. It’s the retrieval of the anchor that should be the concern.

If you get a break away feature the chance of losing an anchor goes way way down and you can get an anchor that holds. An anchor that slips and slides is a dangerous anchor. The use of a chain is dangerous and was primarily used to slow a drift not to anchor. frankly it is a practice that most people stopped doing years ago because of its dangerous nature.

I’m not sure how they work but I see a nice folding grapple style for kayaks that has the breakaway feature. They are cheap but may be a little small and light for a raft.

Funny about swimming for an anchor. I’ve never done that but I paint mine bright yellow so I can go back and find them when the water levels drop. Problem is others can find them as well.

 

[krayfish2]

Agreeing with the previous post, I'm not big on the anchor thing. Don't like that idea at all.

 

[Fly-Swatter]

Good thoughts and suggestions.

I ordered one of these: River Anchor

I thought it might split the difference between an mushroom and fluke anchor.

Andy, thanks for the mental image of you swimming for gear. int:

I've done the same, but it was more embarrassing. About 15 years ago I was putting a small boat in at Lackawanna SP around 4:30 AM. In my sleep-deprived haze I tied didn't tie the bow line down well. After I parked my truck and trailer, my boat was 50 yards out in the lake. After a quick look left and right to be certain no one was looking, I dove in and swam for it. Before anyone asks: No, I did not fish after that. I was happy I lived very close to the lake. It was a short, wet ride home.

 

[krayfish2]

A bottom with small cobble or bedrock will be trouble getting that anchor to hook up. Here's the one I was referring to.

https://www.driftboatparts.com/product-p/envanc.htm

 

[DaveS]

FS I have that same anchor now on my Scadden, but in a larger size. 25# I think. It’s adequate most of the time, but last year it was no match for the MO at 11K CFS.

 

[larkmark]

I have something like that River Anchor in the post above. It is 18 bs. It holds our 18 ft jon boat in most situations in the Susquehanna. I have a mushroom anchor on a small personal fishing pontoon and that holds usually too. Again, I never anchor in heavy current because it can be dangerous. I would not want to haul around some giant heavy anchor in an inflatable boat. At times it just is not safe to anchor. I saw someone flip a small fishing pontoon when anchoring in heavy current. You really need to take some time and think things through when using any kind of boats.

 

[pcray1231]

Although, I do like Pat's DIY chain anchor idea (Winter project?).

The yak was designed with the drag chain system in mind, has a slot for it to sit, deploys through a hole near the rear. Google Jackson Coosa drag chain. Directions right on their website. No need for winter project. 1 night, including the supply trip.

Again, it'll only stop ya dead in very slow water. But slows you way down and keeps the nose pointed straight downstream in moderate currents. JUST MAKE ABSOLUTELY SURE YOU BRING IT UP BEFORE GETTING TO THE RIFFLE.

 

[larkmark]

One thing you always want to have a way of quickly disconnecting an anchor if you fish around a tailrace or any place where you can have quickly rising water.

 

[Fly-Swatter]

Safety first!

We used my old 10# mushroom anchor with my buddy's Saturn raft on the Upper West Branch from the sewer plant to West Branch Angler yesterday. The flow was not very strong at 720 CFS. The raft is the same length as the one I'm getting, but a little narrower.

The anchor held very well with little rope out.

Based on this limited info, I think the 15# river anchor will hold well enough. As previously and well stated, the key is being prudent in where and when I deploy the anchor.

Thanks all for your wisdom.

 

[poopdeck]

I have 3 anchors. One for early spring, one for summer lows and one for anytime not covered by the first two. Pulling up the early spring anchor gets old quick. You will soon enough have more then one as well to cover the different conditions. Good luck and anchor smart in a raft.