Anchor Rope Length

[ridgefire]

My son just bought a sled and will be fishing mainly the Skykomish and Snohomish rivers with it. It is a 17' boat. How much anchor rope do you think he needs? I read 7-9' per every foot of water depth but that seems like alot of rope. Thanks.

[bear]

I don’t generally fish any deeper than 10’.  Have never needed more than 30’ of rope.  Heavier anchor would need less rope.

[Bullkllr]

That suggested amount sounds about right for the big river. Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it. That said, on smaller water, if you need more than about 50 feet, you need a heavier/better anchor or you shouldn't be anchoring there. A lot of guys use their sleds on lakes, too.

[jeffro]

3L-1d is the standard rule.
More or less is based on conditions

[metlhead]

50', call it good.

[Alchase]

Generally if you use a chain and rope Rode, to keep the Anchor shank horizontal.  50 feet + 2 x depth for length of rope usually works.

Common examples of the minimum amount of chain using the 50 + 2d or 15 + 2d methods are:

    10 ft depth let out 70 ft (see how 4 times the depth (or even 5 ) would not be enough)
    20 ft depth let out 90 ft
    30 ft depth let out 110 ft
    40 ft depth let out 130 ft
    50 ft depth let out 150 ft

With an all rope Rode (no Chain) 50 ft + 4 x depth, usually works. If in strong wind or current the longer the better.
The objective is to keep the anchor shank horizontal. Not vertical.

For feet use 50ft + 4 times the depth

[Skillet]

A fathom of heavy chain attached to the anchor before the anchor line is worth double its weight in additional holding power.  This is, as alchase mentioned, because it helps keep the anchor stock parallel to the bottom.  Every engineered anchor (besides mushroom anchors, designed to burrow into mud bottoms) relies on a horizontal pull to be effective.  The more chain you have attached to the anchor, the more likely the pulling force applied to the anchor will be horizontal.

In your situation, depending on the type of anchor (I'm assuming a Columbia River anchor would be best), I'd look for a 20# anchor and attach at least 5 feet (more is better) of 3/8 BBB galvanized chain to it, then at least 75' of a good 3/8"-7/16" double braid like Samson Superstrong for the elasticity.  You definitely want some "spring" in your anchor rode.  If you can get 100' in the storage area, that's better.  It's far, far better to have more line in the boat and not need it than need it and not have it. 

 

[Karl Blanchard]

A fathom of heavy chain attached to the anchor before the anchor line is worth double its weight in additional holding power.  This is, as alchase mentioned, because it helps keep the anchor stock parallel to the bottom.  Every engineered anchor (besides mushroom anchors, designed to burrow into mud bottoms) relies on a horizontal pull to be effective.  The more chain you have attached to the anchor, the more likely the pulling force applied to the anchor will be horizontal.

In your situation, depending on the type of anchor (I'm assuming a Columbia River anchor would be best), I'd look for a 20# anchor and attach at least 5 feet (more is better) of 3/8 BBB galvanized chain to it, then at least 75' of a good 3/8"-7/16" double braid like Samson Superstrong for the elasticity.  You definitely want some "spring" in your anchor rode.  If you can get 100' in the storage area, that's better.  It's far, far better to have more line in the boat and not need it than need it and not have it. 

 

excuse me sir but ropes are for cowboys. On a F/V its called line! First ass chewing I received from my skipper back in my seining days was for calling line "rope" 

[Skillet]

A fathom of heavy chain attached to the anchor before the anchor line is worth double its weight in additional holding power.  This is, as alchase mentioned, because it helps keep the anchor stock parallel to the bottom.  Every engineered anchor (besides mushroom anchors, designed to burrow into mud bottoms) relies on a horizontal pull to be effective.  The more chain you have attached to the anchor, the more likely the pulling force applied to the anchor will be horizontal.

In your situation, depending on the type of anchor (I'm assuming a Columbia River anchor would be best), I'd look for a 20# anchor and attach at least 5 feet (more is better) of 3/8 BBB galvanized chain to it, then at least 75' of a good 3/8"-7/16" double braid like Samson Superstrong for the elasticity.  You definitely want some "spring" in your anchor rode.  If you can get 100' in the storage area, that's better.  It's far, far better to have more line in the boat and not need it than need it and not have it. 

 

excuse me sir but ropes are for cowboys. On a F/V its called line! First ass chewing I received from my skipper back in my seining days was for calling line "rope" 

Haha, please notice I called it "rode", not rope!  I would fire myself for calling my anchor line "rope." 

Anchor rode is the combination of line and chain attached to an anchor.

[Karl Blanchard]

You right. I got so excited about flipping you crap I didn't read close enough 

[Skillet]

You right. I got so excited about flipping you crap I didn't read close enough 

Man, I gotta be on my A-game here!   

[Magnum_Willys]

Like stated 4 x depth is good.  Rule is 3 times min.  5 times max.

[bear]

I’ve got a LeeLock anchor system that can use different styles of anchors. On smaller rivers I just use the “can” with an anchor that fits and like I said 40’ of rope.  I can put a Columbia river anchor style on it as well if I’m gonna fish the Fraser or the Columbia.  Then you may want more rope and possibly a section of chain. 

[Stein]

There are rules and there is what will work.  The rules are generally set up for sailboats or other large boats anchoring unattended overnight that want 100% reliability in any sea, any wind condition, any bottom composition - the conditions virtually no coastal or river fisherman will face.  If it's blowing 40 with a 10' swell, we hopefully stay home.

If I anchored on a regular basis, I would be looking at one of the newer synthetics like amsteel blue, you can get incredibly strong rope that is thin.  The 1/4" has a 7,400 pound breaking strength.  1/8" is something like 2500 lbs so you could store a bunch in a small space.  600' would get me anchored comfortably in any place I can take my boat.

Generally, I substitute chain for extra scope and use an anchor ball.  When you do that, your boat is horizontal from the ball which is safer than steep angles and the chain/anchor type helps make sure it doesn't drag.

In my very limited experience, the anchor type, chain and bottom conditions are more important considerations than length (assuming reasonable lengths).

Some people will say you need 5, 6, 7, even 8 or 9 times the depth.  Those are generally sailboat guys or rules that anchor in 20-40' of water with big boats overnight.  I can't think of anyone or any boat I've been on that anchor deep that have a half mile of line up front.

100' with a good anchor and some chain would be plenty for what you want.  50' might work in those rivers but you aren't saving much money and sometimes you want to let out more just to change where you are fishing. 

The other problem with letting out too much line is you swing around more and if you are anchoring around other boats it can be problematic.

[Hillbilly Zen]

7:1 scope on your rode with chain off the anchor is a good idea on any boat bigger than a canoe or a rowboat.  If you have some kind of emergency in nasty weather in ten feet of water and cant control your boat because your anchor wont hold when you need it to, that ten feet is gonna seem real deep and cold.  Stocking a boat with what you can get away with for a day of fishing in perfect conditions is a good way to die on a boat.  To me fishin’ from a boat is always boating first and then fishing second.  Congrats on the sled! 

[metlhead]

Good grief Charlie Brown! Set the guy up for failure with all this anchor rope math. It's a sled in a river. No chains. No scope. Get 50' of 3/4" easy grab, tie on the anchor, move out smartly and never look back. Make another setup for deep water, Columbia river, hurricanes, or Russian invade.

[ridgefire]

Thanks guys. Seems like 50' should be plenty for the rivers around here.

[bear]

Thanks guys. Seems like 50' should be plenty for the rivers around here.

Yep

[7mmfan]

Good grief Charlie Brown! Set the guy up for failure with all this anchor rope math. It's a sled in a river. No chains. No scope. Get 50' of 3/4" easy grab, tie on the anchor, move out smartly and never look back. Make another setup for deep water, Columbia river, hurricanes, or Russian invade.

  

[Magnum_Willys]

Good grief Charlie Brown! Set the guy up for failure with all this anchor rope math. It's a sled in a river. No chains. No scope. Get 50' of 3/4" easy grab, tie on the anchor, move out smartly and never look back. Make another setup for deep water, Columbia river, hurricanes, or Russian invade.

Don’t use this below Bonneville or you will be swimming…….  50 ft rope in ft water with tide or current could pull you under. 

[metlhead]

Fairly certain that is what I just said. Also believe the Skykomish is a bit far from the lower Columbia for any length of rope to reach😀

[spin05]

Coast guard says 7:1 ratio .  Everything ive read says 3:1 is fine.  I got 300Ft for the Columbia river. Just in case i end of in a 70ft hole

[ASHQUACK]

Lots of good info given here so far.
I have a 20' supervee and on my Columbia anchor I have 300' I do anchor is as deep as 70' with a strong current and have only popped off a few times. On my river/rock/can  anchor I have 100' and in really strong current it sometimes isn't enough, but those places just aren't meant to be anchored in. The only other thing I will add is do not tie a knot in the end of the anchor line.