Dinghy anchor for muddy river

[mncruiser]

I know anchors are a touchy subject, heh.

Anyway, just finishing outfitting a Highfield CL310 (10’ long) with a 20hp Mercury.

We boat on the Mississippi up in Minnesota. I’ll be using the dink to explore, take the little kids fishing while mom sleeps in on the big boat, just general messing around.

Depths where I’d need to anchor are probably 20 feet max. The Mississippi and St. Croix are muddy and sandy generally.

Anyone have a good anchor idea? Seems like the choices are many. Folding mushroom type? Mini danforth?

As always, thank you for your thoughts!

 

[BDofMSP]

I boated those rivers for years before moving to Lake Superior. On my 29' I had many bad experiences with danforths but never dragged with my Manson Supreme. The real issue is current, pure and simple.

Manson is overkill for the dink but I'd get something that digs in easy. I'd skip the mushroom. Or just tie to shore.

 

[HopCar]

I’ve used both a folding grapnel of about 5 pounds and a little 2 pound Claw. Both worked ok for me. I put maybe 3 feet of 3/16 chain and 50 feet of 3/8 rope on them. The grapnel was easier to stow on a small inflatable.

Of course both of these anchors were the wrong kind, too small and I didn’t have enough chain.

 

[psneeld]

I vote with Parks on the folding grapnel. If it doesn't hold, go up to the claw.


I went the other was as someone gave me a claw, but it was way too much for my use in my 10' inflatable.

 

[diver dave]

Mud and sand under the dink you want blade area. I use a danforth. The grapnel has value with coral/rock, which you didn't mention. My dink buddy boat had the folding grapnel in the islands; we all thought them to be pretty useless in soft stuff, but they store nicely.

 

[Rain Dog]

Fortress Commando might work well, but it is fairly large for a dinghy.

 

[psneeld]

Mud is a wide generic term from soupy to sticky. Everything holds great in "average" sand.


Dinks usually don't need much holding unless you leave/have them out in moderate to severe conditions...at which point I would leave one anchored anyway and if caught in a squall, well don't cause being anchored in a funk in a chip is no place to be.

The pictured grapnel isn't a true one as the folding blades do have much better holding than a grapnel with just bar flukes designed to pull out of wrecks or rocks


Sure a bigger harder to stow anchor may be needed...just depends on how one does things.

 

[DavidM]

I agree. In the mud you need blade area and the grapnel just doesn’t have it. A Danforth type or a Fortress with 10’ of chain and 100’ of 3/8 nylon will work well in those conditions.

David

 

[drillguy]

I switched to a mantus dinghy anchor and it works well. Mine is not the collapsible one. It stores easily in the bow locker, along with a bunch of other stuff, of our 9.5’ highfield.

 

[diver dave]

But Captain, I am only making engineers salary! 199$

 

[drillguy]

But Captain, I am only making engineers salary! 199$

Not the stainless one!, no roll bar either, about $50 bucks, still a little pricey, but in the grand scheme of things....

 

[Star0210]

But Captain, I am only making engineers salary! 199$

Hey that’s what I have. Just came in two days ago. Haven’t tried it yet.

 

[Mako]

I would avoid any anchor with a sharpened tip. You don’t need much for a 200lb inflatable+engine. Just an ordinary danforth copy but make it 15-20 lbs. that should hold in a full on gale. I had a 22lb with 3’ of 3/8” and then polypropylene line. Held perfectly always on a 2000lb boat.

 

[drillguy]

A quick look on line and I can’t find the 2.5# mantus I have. They must have discontinued it. Looks like they are stainless, collapsible and have roll bars and are part of a kit. I suppose it will store easier if collapsible.

 

[Nomad Willy]

In what kind bottom does one usually anchor ..... MUD.
So the only real reason you want a special anchor is;
1. Good chance of loosing it.
a. Because of all the garbage from man and nature you’re much more likely to loose an
Anchor in a river. Avoid Danforth types as they snag on things.
b. And avoid using an expensive anchor because you have a high chance of loosing it.
c. Low holding power is fine .... don’t need much.

Cheap and low holding = Claw .. used and not a Bruce. Lewmar, no name ect ...
And if you’re worried about loosing that have two on hand.
I just gave away an 18lb Danforth. Use a Dan if cheap enough. For that matter the only high priority of a river anchor is that it’s cheap ... disposable.

 

[mncruiser]

Thanks all for the replies. The Mantus looks cool, but may be overkill.

Realistic anchoring for me for the next few years will be fishing with a 6 and 7 year old, means anchored in likely a safer location for short amounts of time....based on their attention span.

Also kind of want something more than oats to stop me from drifting somewhere I don’t want to drift in the river if there is a problem. May try the cheap collapsing grapple to start.

Thanks again!

 

[kchace]

I like this type for the dinghy. It's galvanized, has decent holding power, can be pulled out backwards and is inexpensive.

 

[Nomad Willy]

I agree w kchace. There are numerous old tripping Danforth types and here is another one.
Also I see very small Navy type anchors on the cheap that are cast iron. Here's a pic of a full sized Navy anchor.

 

[diver dave]

we were way overdue for another anchor thread.

 

[kchace]

we were way overdue for another anchor thread.

 

[HopCar]

we were way overdue for another anchor thread.

We’re off to a good start! So far the most expensive anchor suggested for this 10 foot dinghy is a $199 Mantus. The heaviest so far is a 20 pound Danforth type.

Can anybody top those?

 

[diver dave]

We’re off to a good start! So far the most expensive anchor suggested for this 10 foot dinghy is a $199 Mantus. The heaviest so far is a 20 pound Danforth type.

Can anybody top those?

Due in no small part to this forum, I'm sure there are a number of CQR35's out there that may be available dirt cheap. Those will hold the dingy.
But Darn; they didn't make the stainless ones under 60 lbs. Oh well....

 

[Mako]

We’re off to a good start! So far the most expensive anchor suggested for this 10 foot dinghy is a $199 Mantus. The heaviest so far is a 20 pound Danforth type.

Can anybody top those?

Everyone's a wise-guy

 

[psneeld]

And some are wise boaters....

And some are both...

 

[Capn Craig]

The guy is river fishing in a ten foot rubber duck after all. Tie to a tree limb or do the Redneck thing and use an eight inch concrete block Has holes too for attaching a rope. For slightly easier lifting weight use a cinder block. CHEAP.