Reef Anchoring

[Jeno]

Hi Guys
Have a new 30 ft boat and need a reef anchor.
Do you think the stock standard 1/2" pronged (Which is the largest avail) reef anchor is suitable.
Always found with smaller boats I have owned that the prong lenght is too long on the standard ones, but if you cut those prongs down then it is too light.
Have seen around some custom made stainless ones around on boats with shorter prongs and longer shafts.
What do you think ????

Thanks Stephen

[dfox]

Make your own! As far as stainless goes its a price thing, reef anchors can have a short life span if you rap a chain on the bottom or the shaft jams in a rock. I usually make a few at a time out of gal pipe and steel rods, put 5 prongs instead of 4 and on the spare anchors dont bend the prongs for easy storage.

[chuss]

Yep agreed. I've got 2 made from mild steel. My father welded them, both 5 prongers and they come out easy from the reef. Just make sure you weld them both real good. They scratch like buggery, but you can weld a new one for a few bucks every few years if you want.

[Jeno]

Thanks guys.
Short Prongs or long ??.
Long shaft or short ??.
Stephen

[chuss]

Depends how heavy you wanna go.
On my particular anchor, the prongs once bent should be smaller than the actual shaft.

But if you have a 30ft boat, I'm sure it doesn't matter how big the thing is. As long as the pick will straighten, you should have no probs.

[opimax]

short pongs & fill your shaft with lead.

[dnej]

Ever thought of just using a " tripped" plough anchor?

Here is how it works. Your tripped anchor has slid all the way into the reef you were trying to fish on. You go to pull it up but the anchor is stuck well and truely.
Well it is real easy to get it back.

You pull forward with the boat, just like you were using an anchor ball, in an arch. Once you are in front of the anchor, line the boat up straight on the rope and slowly apply engine revs.
The ties break and now you are pulling the anchor out by the crown and out it comes.
To reuse,it takes about 5 minutes to put a few new zip ties on and away you go.
Thanks to your “Tripped” Anchor you still have all that expensive tackle . A lot of charter boats use this system

David

[zulu]

I have used a Mooloolaba Reef anchor since going out on some of the larger charter boats. They are heavy at around 30 lb. but then 30 foot of boat is a lot of boat. It uses the same chain, wraps [I use cable ties] set up as the previous post.
Troy.

[Volvo]

:)Mooloolaba Pick gets my vote..
[smiley=2thumbsup.gif]

[dnej]

Where do you buy a MoolOOlaba Pick

[Volvo]

Boat Chandelries(spelt right??) in your local area shoud have them Will see if i have a name or Phone number still attatched to mine of manufacturer and upload..
Cheers

[dnej]

Volvo, chased up a few locally, no go
David

[finga64]

that tripped idea is brilliant [smiley=2thumbsup.gif]
Thanks fellas

[chuss]

dnej, that looks like the whole SARCA setup... ??? ??? :-X