Anchor Question

[idahoguy]

Hello:

Have a 22 foot welded aluminum boat. What type of anchor would you suggest for the Snake River around Lewiston? Also what is a good rule of thumb for how much anchor line is needed? Thanks in advance.

[Poi Dog]

I'm not sure about types of anchors for rivers, but a pretty standard rule of thumb for anchoring is a scope of 5:1, although many of the manufacturers recommend 7:1 if there are strong tides or currents. Of course this may not always be practical, and it varies alot depending on the substrate you are anchoring in. I keep a 300' anchor rode on my boat with about 20' 3/8 chain, but I often anchor in locations with strong tidal fluctuations, and if I'm sleeping in the boat, I want to know I won't pull anchor when the tides shift (obviously not a problem on the Snake, but strong currents can be). You'll want to check, but many of the river anchoring systems use a buoy between the anchor and the boat to reduce absorb line shock and to compensate for sudden fluctuations in depth and current due to spill from the dams. Wish I could be more help, but I tend to be more of a salt water boater.

[Mo Money]

North river has a complete anchoring system that Im sure would work for you.Im not sure what it costs though.I mostly anchor to islands down here so we nose in and throw out a stern anchor(250 ft) then tie to a tree on shore.Always leave plenty of swing room ,make sure and use some chain (helps keep the anchor shaft down so it digs in)and like all else practice makes perfect.Watching people anchor can be just as amusing as watching the launch ramp.Just takes a little practice.Like prevoius post I say 7 ft of anchor rope for every foot of water,I use even more as we have strong currents but you have to have lots of room if your putting out a couple hundred feet.

[idahoguy]

Hey Guys:

Thanks for the info, gonna stop by Riverview Marina and see what the guys around here are using. I'll post what I find out. Thanks again.