Dinghy Anchor

[Seevee]

Shopping for a dinghy anchor and wondering what works best. The vast majority of use would be in mild weather, shallow water (less than 20 ft) and for the most part would remain close to the boat. Won't leave it unattended.



Nice for heading out to see fireworks, music or watching the sunset.



Used a plastic on for kayaking and worked really well, anyone use one for a dink?


Seems like the Grapnel style is popular... never used on, but they sure fold and store easy.



Would most likely use a small stretch of chain (5 to 10 feet).


Dinghy is 10.5 feet empty weight at 400#.


Thoughts?

 

[rslifkin]

It looks hilariously big sitting in my 12 ft dinghy, but my dinghy anchor is an 8 lb Danforth copy (Lewmar I think) with 6 feet of 3/16" chain and 150 feet of 3/8" line. The anchor is not a good Danforth copy by any means, but for a dinghy, it seems good enough. I would have gone for the lightest weight Fortress setup, but I happened to stumble across this kit on sale for something like $70, so I just went for it.

 

[Gdavid]

Small cheap danforth knockoff. For their weight and cost they are really tough to beat, their biggest weakness not reliably resetting but I can't think of many situations where that would be a concern on a dinghy. Cheapest solution is generally my preference but especially on something frequently left unattended and easy to carry off. A small fortress anchor would be nice but I would rather not worry about someone else grabbing it, my cheap galvanized fluke anchor is unlikely to be stolen.

 

[O C Diver]

It depends on what I'm doing. I have a small Fortress that came with the boat. I use it sometimes but most often it's my stern anchor on the trawler to stay out of the channel. Most of the time I use 30 pounds of diving weights on a strap. With the right scope, my dinghy isn't going anywhere in current or wind. It's also my drag weight for the trawler when waiting for a bridge or lock. With little wind or current, it keeps the boat from drifting, or slowly.



Ted

 

[jleonard]

I used a plastic coated mushroom anchor for many years. 8 lb I believe.
Works fine for what you described, and doesn't mark up the deck.
I think I had either 20 or 25 feet of 1/4 nylon line, no chain.
If I wanted to anchor it on a beach I would tie it to the dinghy painter so I could get the anchor high on the beach.

I also carried a small (2 lb) stainless Bruce in the big boat in case I needed a second for whatever reason. I may still have that one, if you're interested in it I'll look for it.

 

[koliver]

I have a small grapnel: https://www.wholesalemarine.com/gen3-marine-galvanized-folding-grapnel-anchor/ in the bow locker of my 12' RIB.

I use it when we go ashore and need to leave the dinghy for a few feet of tide change. It holds poorly, well enough that the dinghy stays where I put it, but I can still haul it ashore when we return, by simply dragging it through the small rocks or muck that the anchor is in. In the 10 years I have had this setup, it hasn't failed to hold the dinghy in place, or to drag when I haul on the shore line.
A better anchor, one that sets well, would mean swimming out and properly hauling the anchor.

 

[AlanT]

Shopping for a dinghy anchor and wondering what works best. The vast majority of use would be in mild weather, shallow water (less than 20 ft) and for the most part would remain close to the boat. Won't leave it unattended.



Nice for heading out to see fireworks, music or watching the sunset.



Used a plastic on for kayaking and worked really well, anyone use one for a dink?


Seems like the Grapnel style is popular... never used on, but they sure fold and store easy.



Would most likely use a small stretch of chain (5 to 10 feet).


Dinghy is 10.5 feet empty weight at 400#.


Thoughts?

For our 14' Rendova we use a small Danforth copy on rope, no chain, as the bow anchor which generally does not get wet. It is almost always hooked or wedged around a log or rock onshore. Stern anchor is a tiny Bruce/Claw copy on about 50' of shock cord. That keeps the boat in the water and off the beach.

 

[Seevee]

I used a plastic coated mushroom anchor for many years. 8 lb I believe.
Works fine for what you described, and doesn't mark up the deck.
I think I had either 20 or 25 feet of 1/4 nylon line, no chain.
If I wanted to anchor it on a beach I would tie it to the dinghy painter so I could get the anchor high on the beach.

I also carried a small (2 lb) stainless Bruce in the big boat in case I needed a second for whatever reason. I may still have that one, if you're interested in it I'll look for it.

Jay,


Appreciate that, but the distance wouldn't make it worth it. Thx. However, would like to get back up there just to say hi, and buy you a beer.


Thinking of the grapnel type, folds up small, so easy to store.... suspect it would work, but no experience with it.

 

[angus99]

I like these collapsible 5lb. grapnels for the dinghy, especially if there’s any waves or surf involved.

Ted’s diving weights idea for holding position around bridges, etc. is brilliant.

 

[psneeld]

A grapnel is great for RIBs....Ribs are generally so light, they react more to wind than waves and have little inertia tugging on the grapnel.


As long as they aren't on solid rock, and catch even a bit, even a small one holds my 3.10 Rib. Can't say in really bad stuff, as I never been out in it or left the dink in it.

 

[jleonard]

Jay,


Thinking of the grapnel type, folds up small, so easy to store.... suspect it would work, but no experience with it.

Several of my boating friends use the folding grapnel. They work fine.

 

[RickyD]

Ok, don't get mad at me, this is just my experience and opinions. Grapnels suck, they don't have any holding power even at 5lbs. Danforths suck, awkward to store and hard to set in some situations. Mushrooms suck, they don't hold at all. Check out the 2lb Mantus. Works great on my 800lb Caribe. Sets great, stores easily, lightweight, great holding power to weight ratio. I didn't believe it would hold as well as the sales video shows but it really does. I ended up buying two as I have two dinghies.

 

[Mischief Managed]

We tried a folding grapnel and did not care for it. We have a 2.2 lb Lewmar claw (Bruce clone) with 4 feet of 3/16" chain and it works remarkably well with our 10'6" RIB. It was very inexpensive and stores easily. It has held 5 rafted RIBs in 10 feet of water with a sand bottom without dragging when we go out as a group from our marina to watch fireworks from an eighth to a quarter mile off the beach, even in 2 foot swells.

 

[angus99]

Awesome! We managed to find a whole new category of anchors to obsess over.

 

[jimdavi]

+1 for small Bruce clone. Works great.

 

[Nomad Willy]

I wouldn’t employ a light anchor for a small boat like a dinghy. The small boat can carry an anchor (design) that would be a heavy anchor on a trawler.

I’d be thinking of a good Claw, a Dreadnought or even a small Navy anchor. Heavy anchors tend to excel in unknown bottoms. A very common anchor on ships that travel the world. They don’t have the holding power but who needs it for a dinghy? What you need is for the anchor to set and hold a low windage dinghy. And if you need to haul the dink up the beach the anchor and short chain can easily be carried by hand. Like your sm OB if you have one. But it seems the trawler boating style exhibited on this forum only would haul up a beach on extremely rare occasions.

One last thought is that a heavy anchor in a dinghy could (to a degree) offset a common situation whereas there’s one person in the boat. A little ballast at one end could be golden.

 

[N4061]

What about a small Sail Boat

The timing of this subject is perfect as we think about outfitting our next boat (15' day sailor) with an anchor. Displacement is about 1,000lbs so little heavier than most RIB boats but I would think something similar to what has been mentioned may work. I like the idea of plastic or rubber coated mushroom style with rope so not to ding up the boats interior when stowed but will that hold in mostly a muddy bottom?

Our planned use will be limited to taking a break from sailing in the bay and having lunch and or emergency when the wind blows the wrong direction, the electric motor battery is dead and its time to call for a tow.

John T
15' Sandpiper

 

[BruceK]

Awesome! We managed to find a whole new category of anchors to obsess over.

Now we need just some exhaustive SV Panope/Steve testing for initial grab, reversal, scope, drop technique, etc! A whole new world has opened up.

 

[High Wire]

We use a 2# danforth clone that works where we use it most- beaches. Plus 3 ft of 1/4” chain. Those stupid folding grapnel anchors snap off the flukes like they’re made of cardboard.

 

[psneeld]

Man, tough crowd on dingy anchors.

I get wanting something substantial for a big, jet RIB or whaler....but a lightweight dink in mild conditions usually not left unattended?

 

[Wayfarer]

I liked my Mantus enough to buy a junior copy for the dink. I haven't used it yet, but I'm looking forward to giving it a go.

 

[Benthic2]

Now we need just some exhaustive SV Panope/Steve testing for initial grab, reversal, scope, drop technique, etc! A whole new world has opened up.

like this ?

 

[Benthic2]

I have no affiliation or experience with Cooper Anchors, but they look really interesting. They are made of reinforced nylon so they are light weight and easy on the boat. They seem to be marketed towards Jetskis but I would think a dinghy weights less than most Jetskis and is rarely left alone in high winds. If I was looking for a small boat anchor...I'd put them on my list.

Steve the anchor guru definitely prefers the Mantus dinghy anchor and says it held his full size boat in 10+knot winds. It disassembles so it stores easy and comes in a durable bag.

 

[psneeld]

I am amazed that several anchors that in the video showed " no holding power at all" but do actually work for many people at least enough that they keep them and use them for years.

It may be that they are extreme fair weather anchors, but that's when they get used the most.

 

[OldDan1943]

I'd worry more about someone stealing the dingy and motor or maybe just the motor.

 

[Mischief Managed]

like this ?

So funny, I was all set to buy a Mantus dinghy anchor last year when I bought and rigged a brand new dinghy, but despite the fact that the Mantus represented just 1.6% of the cost of the dinghy, and I can easily afford one, I could not get past the fact that the Lewmar claw was only 10 bucks and having used one for 14 years as a stern anchor at sandbars on my last boat, I knew it would work perfectly adequately. This video explains my decision perfectly. That said, I still love that mini Mantus, it's just so expensive...

 

[RickyD]

The discussion on holding power and small boats of course depends on your local waters. I agree that it is not very important in very protected areas. For me, where I use my dinghy anchor the most, is to hold me off the beach where the surge and waves keep urging me ashore. My 12 foot Caribe with 40 horse tug hard on the anchor line and want to pull my anchor out. Holding power is important. I also have aboard one of those slotted danforth style anchors that I walk up the beach for a bow anchor using the Mantus off the stern.

 

[psneeld]

All anchors are only any good if they set. Some set easily, some not so.

I don't ever use a Danforth on my trawler as a primary anchor because I don't trust it to hook in an emergency.

However, I have a Fortress for storm and backup because I can insure it sets which I have plenty of time for when using it in that way.

If I had a dink that had the size and weight with a 40hp engine and anchored near surf, I wouldn't use a grapnel either....I would want a quick set, high holding power for sure.

 

[Benthic2]

The discussion on holding power and small boats of course depends on your local waters. I agree that it is not very important in very protected areas. For me, where I use my dinghy anchor the most, is to hold me off the beach where the surge and waves keep urging me ashore. My 12 foot Caribe with 40 horse tug hard on the anchor line and want to pull my anchor out. Holding power is important. I also have aboard one of those slotted danforth style anchors that I walk up the beach for a bow anchor using the Mantus off the stern.

Wouldn't you want your bow pointed seaward and the stern towards the beach ?

 

[O C Diver]

like this ?

Always interesting watching Steve's videos. Just out of curiosity, does anyone feel they need a dinghy anchor that can hold against 6 HP? I'm guessing a cinder block with the scope he was using would hold an average dinghy in 40 MPH winds.

Hmmm, maybe I need to vinyl coat a cinder block for a dinghy anchor. I'm sure that squared off end would pile up sand in no time.

Ted