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Anchor/Docking Accessories

Lake Murray SC

Lake Murray SC

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As I get prepared for delivery of my boat in a few months, I needed some advice on a few questions. I order a 23' LSBA and wondered about the following:

1. What type and size anchor should I purchase?
2. What size and material docking line is recommended? Is the extra cost worth getting the prespliced?
3. Are the fender covers worth the expense?
4. Any suggestions relative to the line and related accessories for hanging the fenders?

Would appreciate any input!
 
Lake Murray SC said:
As I get prepared for delivery of my boat in a few months, I needed some advice on a few questions. I order a 23' LSBA and wondered about the following:

1. What type and size anchor should I purchase?
2. What size and material docking line is recommended? Is the extra cost worth getting the prespliced?
3. Are the fender covers worth the expense?
4. Any suggestions relative to the line and related accessories for hanging the fenders?

Would appreciate any input!
Click to expand...
1) Most on here gravitate towards either a box anchor or a fortress anchor. Lake bottom, and how disturbed the water gets, can impact style and anchor weight that is most optimal. However, those two anchor styles seem to be highly recommended by many on this forum. I honestly have a 20lb. starter fluke anchor that came with our boat. Luckily it works well in our shallow lake. That said, generally I have not heard good things about fluke anchors such as mine.

2) I honestly have generic docking line from our boat dealership. It has worked just fine, but my boat isn’t tied up in the water very often (lift the first two years, and sea legs now). I am sure there are expensive and high quality lines that are worthwhile in certain circumstances, but I truly think generic dock line is going to be fine unless on a wild and rough body of water.

3) No idea. Not sure I know what a fender “cover” is?

4) For the fender and fender clip recommendation question do a search (upper right hand corner of page). LOTS of discussions on these topics over time. 2 main finder clip recommendations (Taylor made or EZFender), and a few different fenders style recommendations. Many of the threads also have links so as to direct ordering online. Happy searching!
 
Anchor - as Viking stated it depends on many factors. Weight of the boat, bottom type, water depth, wind/current, etc. If you plan on being in shallow protected waters on a small lake then you could get away with most anchor types sub-8lbs. On the other extreme, if you are over-nighting in a deep sandy bottom with 20+kt winds then you'll want to consider a specific type of anchor, probably some chain and probably a second anchor at the stern to prevent drift. It really depends. Maybe a description of your typical anchoring situation and worst case scenario?
 
Fender covers are "bags" that encapsulate the fender, and nobody has them that I've ever seen. I guess they may protect the fender from UV deterioration, but it's not like a replacement is $100.
 
BigD said:
Fender covers are "bags" that encapsulate the fender, and nobody has them that I've ever seen. I guess they may protect the fender from UV deterioration, but it's not like a replacement is $100.
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Thanks BigD. I was envisioning something like this but really had no idea.
 
it is a very large lake with about 650 miles of shoreline. Depths can be 360’ at its deepest. Most of our time will be spent in coves and not necessarily in the big water. After reading many of your posts, I really need Vikingstaff, Big D, and or Potomacbassin’ to be the captain of my boat the first few trips. I am sure that would be the best way to learn.
 
Sounds like you may very well find yourself in a situation where a bigger/better anchor would be desired. In my case 80% of the time the danforth/fluke is fine, but the other 20% was absolutely frustrating so I purchased an upgrade.

You could slow roll it and just see if the dealer-provided anchor works for you. An additional length of chain and more scope can often times be all that is needed and you'll save a few hundred bucks. Or you can go big right out of the gate and bypass the whole trial-and-error phase.

I would advise the former and just have fun learning as you go. Understanding what doesn't work is just as important as what does!
 
We have good quality 3/8 inch braided dock lines. They are sufficient for tying your boat and also for hanging your fenders. I carry a 150 ft. spool of 3/8 inch double braided anchor rope. My anchor has a 2 to 1 ratio of anchor rope. If I anchor in 15 ft of water I let out at least 30 ft. of line and so on........ We were floating around in about 60 feet of water one day and my wife says .....Think we should throw out the anchor?!? I was like Hell no! Too much work to throw out 120 feet of line and more work to retrieve 120 feet of line!!!
 
BigKahuna said:
We have good quality 3/8 inch braided dock lines. They are sufficient for tying your boat and also for hanging your fenders. I carry a 150 ft. spool of 3/8 inch double braided anchor rope. My anchor has a 2 to 1 ratio of anchor rope. If I anchor in 15 ft of water I let out at least 30 ft. of line and so on........ We were floating around in about 60 feet of water one day and my wife says .....Think we should throw out the anchor?!? I was like Hell no! Too much work to throw out 120 feet of line and more work to retrieve 120 feet of line!!!
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Daril,
You need the MinnKota Deckhand!
Next best thing to sliced bread.
Sit at the helm, push the button .... ;)
 
SEMPERFI8387 said:
Daril,
You need the MinnKota Deckhand!
Next best thing to sliced bread.
Sit at the helm, push the button .... ;)
Click to expand...
How is that Digger anchor going to fit on the end of that?!? Pics!
 
Lake Murray SC said:
As I get prepared for delivery of my boat in a few months, I needed some advice on a few questions. I order a 23' LSBA and wondered about the following:

1. What type and size anchor should I purchase?
2. What size and material docking line is recommended? Is the extra cost worth getting the prespliced?
3. Are the fender covers worth the expense?
4. Any suggestions relative to the line and related accessories for hanging the fenders?

Would appreciate any input!
Click to expand...
I tried the fender covers , they only lasted one season .The sun ruined them . Pic is from my previous Bennington
Fender Hanger ,I use EZ Fender

EzFender Boat Fender Mounting Brackets

EzFender bumper hangers, the easiest way to hang your bumpers
www.ezfender.com

1616757466306.png
 
Lake Murray SC said:
it is a very large lake with about 650 miles of shoreline. Depths can be 360’ at its deepest. Most of our time will be spent in coves and not necessarily in the big water.
Click to expand...
Full pool is 360' above sea level , but the lake is nowhere near that deep. You can find some spots 200' deep if you are directly over the "river" on the Lexington side near the dam.

Anchor effectiveness is largely dependent on the makeup of the lake bottom. We have mud. You will be well served with a generic knock off of a Fluke anchor like this Seachoice Deluxe Anchor . The one I linked is for 25 to 30 foot boats and I recommend that length for a 22 to 25 foot pontoon.

Since you say most of your anchoring will be near shore, I recommend 50' of rode (a fancy name for anchor rope). That anchor and rope length are what I use 95% of the time and we tie up with others in 15' to 25' of water nearly every weekend. No one here tries to anchor out in the middle in 100' or more of water. If you want to hang out in the middle, you just drift.

Be sure to get about 6' of chain to go between your rope and the anchor. I'm not positive, but I think the chain weighs down the arm it attaches to which helps it to set in the lake bottom. I know I didn't used to have any chain and I had difficulty getting the hook to set sometimes.

You can get turnkey kits with the anchor, shackles, chain and rode. That would be a good way to go but I didn't take the time to search one up meeting my recommendations for you online.

Now, there is a technique to anchoring. Idle about 50' upwind of your desired destination. Make sure the anchor rode is attached to your boat (if you boat long enough, someday you will regret skipping this step), drop or toss the anchor in the water (if you toss, make sure the rope doesn't tangle with the anchor in the air), put the boat in reverse and move slowly backwards until the anchor hooks. The boat will stop. You can tell by watching a reference point on shore. If it doesn't hook, you need to try again.

I have fender covers on my fenders as a consideration for my fiberglass boat friends. I've tied up to boats with paint jobs that cost more than my boat and fender covers protect their paint.

I do have a small box anchor with 100' of rode for extreme conditions, but I usually use it about once a season.
 
I agree with Potomacbassin, wait and see what the dealer throws in. When I got my 24’ Bennington, the dealer threw in a flute anchor and line, 3/8” x15’ braided dock lines, life jackets, fenders, etc.

I used the anchor once and put it in the garage. For Lake Norman, I like a 15# mud anchor (mushroom). That is what I have used in my 25+ years on Lake Norman. That and 5’ of coated anchor chain and 100’ of 3/8” rope. I also have a 10# on board to tie the back off if it wants to twist in the wind.

As far as lines, I have used 3 strand dock lines, but like the braided lines for the colors. I have always used 1/2” x 15 or 20’. 3/8” is good enough for less than 25’ boat in calm waters. I just like 1/2”.

Fender covers . . . Save your money and buy a color coordinating fender. Don’t worry about them going bad. You will lose them way before they need replaced.
 
BigKahuna said:
How is that Digger anchor going to fit on the end of that?!? Pics!
Click to expand...

If you can see it, the long arm on our existing anchor goes up through the Minn Kota arm bracket.


C26FDF71-F48E-4289-B961-E8AC6F67487C.jpeg
 
BigKahuna said:
Okay now I know why you want to paint the gold part black!
Click to expand...

Actually might let it as is. It came today and looks pretty nice. Reading though, it uses more rode, not less. It’s a 5-1 or 6-1 if rough conditions. I don’t mind though as I always let out a ton of rode with my other anchor as it didn’t have a good bite. This thing should dig in nicely.
 
SEMPERFI8387 said:
Actually might let it as is. It came today and looks pretty nice. Reading though, it uses more rode, not less. It’s a 5-1 or 6-1 if rough conditions. I don’t mind though as I always let out a ton of rode with my other anchor as it didn’t have a good bite. This thing should dig in nicely.
Click to expand...
I have always used just 2-1. I swear back in the day that was the recommendation. We usually anchor in quiet No Wake zone coves. If I'm in 20 feet of water there's no way I'm putting out 100 ft. of line. Ha! Looking back I probably have thrown out more line on rough days. But I always have my stern anchor out to prevent swing if other boats are anchored close by. If it's too windy or rough we'll put the boat away.
 
I agree that the Deck Hand 40 is the way to go. Bow or stern location is choice you’ll have to weigh out for yourself. I have mine on the stern to keep it out of my way. E8BD77EB-C0C3-4372-872C-325C3776EE9A.jpeg
 
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