Whether planning a peaceful day of fishing, snorkeling, or just relaxing and enjoying the gentle waves, knowing how to anchor your inflatable boat properly is key to thoroughly enjoying your trip. Of course, many questions come to mind when wanting to anchor an inflatable boat, such as, what anchor? What rope? Size, weight, type, etc… But hey, no worries, you are in the right place. Here you’ll find a step-by-step guide and many tips and tricks to anchor your inflatable boat safely.

Choosing the Right Anchor

When anchoring your inflatable boat, it’s crucial that you pick the right anchor. The type of anchor you choose will largely depend on the body of water you’ll be boating in, the bottom conditions, and your boat’s weight. So to help you make the best decision, below are different types of anchors. 

Mushroom Anchor

Mushroom anchors are ideal for soft bottom conditions like silt and fine sand. They get their name from their mushroom-like shape, which allows them to easily burrow into soft terrain. These anchors are typically lightweight and easy to transport, making them an excellent choice for inflatable boats. However, know that mushroom anchors don’t perform well in rocky or weedy seabeds. 

Pros

• Lightweight, easy to handle, and store.
• Great for short anchorages.
• Excellent holding power in fine sand and silt bottoms.
• Ideal for small boats.

Cons

• Doesn’t hold in rough water or weather.
• Less effective than the other types of anchors.
• Not effective in rocky and weedy bottoms
• Not designed for big boats.

Grapnel Anchor

A grapnel anchor works well in various conditions, including rocks, coral, or weedy bottoms. It’s a compact anchor with multiple folding flukes that dig into different surfaces, providing a strong grip. Since grapnel anchors are relatively lightweight, they are easy to handle, making them ideal for small inflatable boats and short anchorages. Also, storing them is an absolute breeze due to their folding flukes.

Pros

• Compact, easy to store
• Lightweight, ideal for small boats.
• Excellent holding power in rocky or weedy bottoms.
• Perfect for small boats such as dinghies, jon boats, inflatable boats, canoes, and kayaks.

Cons

• Ineffective in soft muddy bottoms.
• Not suitable for long-term anchoring.
• Struggle to hold in strong currents or high winds.

Claw Anchor

Claw or Bruce anchors perform well in various bottom types but work best in weed, coral, and rocky bottoms. They struggle, though, in mud and soft sand bottoms. However, their unique three-pronged design offers good holding power, making them suitable for various boat sizes. 

Pros

• Excellent holding power in weed, coral, and rocky bottoms.
• Work well in varying conditions.
• Easy to set and retrieve

Cons

• Less effective in mud or soft sand bottoms.

Plow Anchor

Plow anchors, also known as plough anchors, work well in sand, gravel, coral, and rocks. But they don’t perform well in soft mud and clay bottoms. These anchors are shaped like a farmer’s plow and dig deeper into the seabed as tension increases. While they may be heavier and less compact than other anchors, their ability to reset makes them a reliable choice. 

Pros

• Strong holding power in sand, gravel, coral, and rocks.
• Reset themself easily when the tide and wind change.
• Easy to handle.
• Perform well in varying seabed conditions.

Cons

• Struggles in soft mud or clay bottoms.
• Not ideal for small boats.
• Quite bulky and heavy.

Fluke Anchor

Fluke anchors work great in sandy and soft muddy bottoms but may not perform well in weed, clay, rocky or grassy bottoms. Also known as Danforth anchors, they have two flat, pointed flukes that dig into the terrain, providing excellent holding power. Fluke anchors are lightweight, and their compact flat design makes them easy to handle and store.

Pros

• Provide high holding power in sandy or soft muddy bottoms.
• Lightweight and compact, easy to handle and store.
• Reset themselves if the boat shifts due to changing tides or wind direction.
• Suitable for small to medium-sized boats

Cons

• Not well-suited for rocky, grassy, clay, or weedy seabeds.
• Prone to dragging in high winds or strong currents.
• Prone to getting tangled in ropes, cables, or vegetation on the seabed.

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Steps to Anchor An Inflatable Boat

Look for an anchor based on the size and weight of your inflatable boat and the type of bottom you’ll be anchoring (sand, rocks, mud, etc.). Generally, most inflatable boats need very small anchors. So, the best is to keep it simple.

1. Choose The Appropriate Rope Length And Thickness 

When anchoring your inflatable boat, it’s important to have the right type and length of anchor line and chain. Choose an anchor rope such as nylon or polyester, as these are excellent materials.

The anchor line’s length should be around 5 to 7 times the water’s depth when anchoring. For example, if you are anchoring in water 10 feet deep, you would ideally have an anchor line 50 to 70 feet long. In bad weather conditions, you need more length. At least 10 times the water’s depth. 

The diameter of the rope is also something you may consider. You want it to be sturdy enough to hold well. The diameter of the rope should have 1/8″ per 9′ feet of your inflatable boat. So, for example:

• -Small boats (up to 20 feet or 6 meters): A diameter of 3/8 inch (9.5 mm) to 1/2 inch (12.7 mm) is usually sufficient.
• -Medium-sized boats (20 to 40 feet or 6 to 12 meters): A diameter of 1/2 inch (12.7 mm) to 5/8 inch (15.9 mm) is typically appropriate.
• -Large boats (over 40 feet or 12 meters): A diameter of 5/8 inch (15.9 mm) to 3/4 inch (19.1 mm) is commonly used.

2. Add a Chain To Your Anchor Line

The reason for using a chain is that it helps lay the anchor down horizontally, allowing it to grip the bottom better. Additionally, it prevents the anchor line from rubbing against rocks or debris, which could damage the rope.

As a rule, the chain length should equal your inflatable boat length to be effective. The ideal would be to have about 1′ of chain for every 1′ of inflatable boat.

So if your boat is 15ft long, the chain must be 15′. But you can definitely get away with a chain of 10′. If you don’t have enough space in your anchor locker to store the anchor line set, you can use a five-gallon bucket.

However, if you plan on anchoring your boat for a longer period of time or in severe weather conditions, you’ll need about 1′ of chain for every 6′ of rope to get an ideal angle between the rope and the seabed.

Once you get the suitable length, secure the chain to the anchor and the rope. Many anchor lines include a loop at the extremity. If yours doesn’t have any, consider getting a plastic or stainless steel thimble and a pair of anchor shackles to secure the whole set.

3. Connecting the Anchor to Your Inflatable Boat

To attach the anchor to your inflatable boat, locate a strong and secure attachment point, such as a designated ring on the aft of your inflatable boat. It’s important to use a reliable knot, like a bowline, to fasten the anchor line to the ring. This type of knot ensures a strong connection that’s easy to untie when you’re ready to retrieve the anchor.

4 Adding a Float and Landmarks

Adding a float to your anchor line can make it easier for you to track your inflatable boat’s location and simplify retrieving the anchor when it’s time to go. Attach the float to the anchor line near the boat using a snap hook or carabiner. The float should be brightly colored and visually distinct.

When you want to anchor your boat, it’s helpful to choose some landmarks onshore to track your boat’s position. Observe specific trees, rocks, or other features that line up with your anchor point. Monitoring these landmarks can help you determine if your anchor is holding or if your boat is drifting due to wind or current.

5 Determine the Anchoring Spot

After you add a float to your anchor line, look for a suitable location to anchor your boat. Before you drop anchor, you should consider factors like water depth, current, wind direction, and any potential hazards or obstructions. But if you use a fish finder or a chart plotter app, it will help you find a sweet spot.

6 Stop The Boat And Drop Anchor

Once you have chosen your spot, slow down your boat and ensure it’s stationary. 

Then, hold the anchor carefully over the side of the boat and slowly lower the anchor in the water while ensuring it doesn’t tangle or snag on anything. 

Next, gradually let out more line to acquire the proper scope and allow some slack in the anchor line. When you feel the anchor becomes light, it’s a sign it has reached the bottom.

Don’t hesitate to use more line in rough weather or low tide. However, if you aren’t sure, use your common sense, and if you think you need more line, then let out more. 

Ride the boat backward slightly while pulling the line/chain, and let the anchor bite properly the seabed.

Once you are satisfied, stop the boat completely.

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Steps To Retrieve The Anchor

• To retrieve the anchor, place your boat over the anchor and pull it straight up. This should free it up.
• If your anchor gets stuck, try to turn your inflatable boat around in a wide circle, and while you do this, keep the line pulled tight.
• Once the anchor is freed up, you can then stop the boat and retrieve the anchor.
• If you still can’t free it up after following the steps above, put a buoy so you or someone else can spot the place and retrieve it later.

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Alternative Anchoring Solutions

Although it’s always safer to have an anchor on board, if, for some reason, you don’t need or don’t want to use one, there are some good alternative anchoring solutions like those stated below:

• Drift Socks: These are parachute-like devices that slow down the boat’s drift when deployed, helping to maintain its position in the water.
• Sand Anchors: With a sand anchor, you can use a bag filled with sand or rocks as a temporary anchor, though it may not offer the same holding power as a traditional anchor.
• Shoreline Anchoring: If you are in an area with limited water depth or near a beach, you can tie your boat to a secure point on shore, such as a tree or a rock.

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Tips

Determining a place to anchor your inflatable boat can be challenging if you aren’t familiar with the area or navigation. However, to ease the process, you can use an electronic chart.

This little digital chart shows you exactly where you are and what’s in the water. For small inflatable boats, it’s recommended to use a waterproof chart plotter. You can also download a chart plotter app on your phone if you want.

However, whatever you use, ensure the app is up to date as it constantly makes changes. 

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Final Words!

That’s pretty it; with this step-by-step guide, you should be able to anchor your inflatable boat like a pro! But, of course, with practice, you’ll get better at it, and it will become easier over time.

As funny as it sounds, an anchor is not required by the US Coast Guard, no matter the boat’s length. So it’s really up to you if you want to hold one.

However, it’s always good to carry an anchor, as it gives you peace of mind when you want to stop the boat and enjoy all sorts of activities.

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