Dinghy Anchor Recommendations

ToddS

.
Sep 11, 2017
248
Beneteau 373 Cape Cod
I sail with my wife and a couple of teen/pre-teens aboard, and the crew are VERY fond of visiting beaches by dinghy... both at our home port, and nearly everywhere we visit (Cape Cod area). I have a 10ish foot RIB, which is perfect for ferrying beachgoers, and often anchor the empty dinghy off the protected beaches we visit, rather than dragging the RIB up on shore. I've been using a 5lb "Navy" anchor (basically a danforth-style anchor without the sharp, pointy parts that like to chafe or puncture inflatables. In sand, and mud this anchor works quite well, and it's very modest size makes is super easy to deploy, and works fine holding an empty dinghy in even a decent breeze. The folding nature of the navy (or any danforth) style anchor means it sits flat on the bottom of the dinghy when aboard the RIB. Basically I love everything about the anchor except that it is 30+ years old, and corrosion is finally starting to get the best of it (galvanized steel). At 30, it doesn't owe me anything. Searching the interwebs, I can only seem to find "painted" small navy anchors... which to me means they will almost immediately scratch, peel, and rust. Anyone know of a small (5-8lbs) anchor that works well in sand, won't corrode too quickly, and preferably isn't pointy/pinchy? Most seem to use either grappling hook styles (probably not as good as flukes in sand) or mushrooms (probably needs to he heavier)... Should I just get a painted one (cast iron) and accept the fact that it'll rust, and stain my RIB.... I kind of hate buying anything for a boat that's nearly guaranteed to get rusty...
 
Jun 14, 2010
2,081
Robertson & Caine 2017 Leopard 40 CT
I use a 5-pound Danforth style galvanized anchor for the dinghy, and about 75 feet of 3/8" nylon line. I have a mesh plastic laundry basket for the rode that stays in the open position and the anchor stows inside on top of the rode. If I'm careful to stow the rode hand over hand (using last-out-first-in order) the rode is always ready to deploy quickly without any tangles or knots. The basket isolates the anchor to protect bare feet and dinghy tubes from injury.
 
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Jul 27, 2011
4,988
Bavaria 38E Alamitos Bay
Yours is called a stockless ship anchor. I saw some on eBay. Google 5-lb stockless ship anchor and you may find one.
KG
 
Dec 2, 2003
751
Hunter 260 winnipeg, Manitoba
If it’s still in decent shape, how about getting it re galvanized? Likely a single pin to remove the shank.
 
Oct 19, 2017
7,732
O'Day 19 Littleton, NH
Why don't you like the folding grapnels? They are compact, cheap, easy to deploy for a dinghy and readily availible. I used one on my Hobie 18 and it worked very well in 30 knots of wind to keep me off a bridge once.

-Will (Dragonfly)
Also good for scaling the occasional castle wall.
 
Oct 26, 2008
6,041
Catalina 320 Barnegat, NJ
Why don't you like the folding grapnels? They are compact, cheap, easy to deploy for a dinghy and readily availible. I used one on my Hobie 18 and it worked very well in 30 knots of wind to keep me off a bridge once.

-Will (Dragonfly)
Also good for scaling the occasional castle wall.
Nice choice! That looks like the most compact. I'd be looking for something that is least likely to step on or hurt when bare feet inevitably come into contact in the close confines of a dinghy!
 
May 25, 2012
4,333
john alden caravelle 42 sturgeon bay, wis
as kids we would take a coffee can and after placing a big eye bolt with washers and nuts , fill it with cement. worked get, but prolly not up to your standards. :)
 

capta

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Jun 4, 2009
4,766
Pearson 530 Admiralty Bay, Bequia SVG
Why don't you like the folding grapnels? They are compact, cheap, easy to deploy for a dinghy and readily availible. I used one on my Hobie 18 and it worked very well in 30 knots of wind to keep me off a bridge once.

-Will (Dragonfly)
Also good for scaling the occasional castle wall.
Those anchors do not work well in sand. We gave ours away. We now use a small (5 or 6#) Danforth with about 60' of yellow polypro, no chain. Works perfectly well at a dock, snorkeling or at a beach, either ashore or in the water to hold it off the sand. Never had it pull free unintentionally.
 
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Oct 19, 2017
7,732
O'Day 19 Littleton, NH
Those anchors do not work well in sand.
Yes and no. Pound for pound, you are probably right. However, for beach combing, any anchor will work, and a little chain, a couple of extra pounds a dozen extra feet of rode and it should work fine for a dinghy.
It was a 3lb grapnel I used on my hobie and 6 feet of chain on 150' of rode held me fine while snorkeling the reef in Key West and it was blowing 15 knots that day.

-Will (Dragonfly)
 

DArcy

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Feb 11, 2017
1,690
Islander Freeport 36 Ottawa
A Lewmar Claw is a real anchor, for a folding grapnel price. Far more hold on a wider variety of bottoms.
https://www.practical-sailor.com/is...hors-Big-Anchor-Tech-Scaled-Down_11881-1.html
That Practical Sailor article really likes the Mantus "During testing, the dinghy felt as though it were nailed to the bottom." Maybe you could make a chock for the pointy bit to keep it safe while in the dinghy.
I have also seen these used quite often for dinghy anchors https://www.westmarine.com/buy/west-marine--slip-ring-fluke-anchors--P013946983?recordNum=3
 
Oct 22, 2014
20,989
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
Mantus now makes a dinghy anchor. They are cute small versions of the bower you use on your boat. They have a nifty bag for storage. Your wife will find I’d very stylish.
It is kind of like those little dogs women now a Days carry in their purses..

But it is functional.

Your “navy anchor” is pretty much a good weight. The mushroom or even a claw will work depending on the type of bottom you deploy the anchor on to.
 

TomY

Alden Forum Moderator
Jun 22, 2004
2,758
Alden 38' Challenger yawl Rockport Harbor
We've used a tiny Danforth forever. For our coastal sailing, we really don't 'anchor' with it. When it starts to rust, I slop some metal paint on.

It's more of insurance that we'll get back to the boat after a hike or whatever.

Our 10'+ tides have a remarkable ability to drift a dinghy off in no time. We pull it up on the beach or rocks, usually to a safe point for our estimated hike. Then an easily accessed anchor and line that can simply be run up the beach, and 'stuck' into the sane or wedged in rocks. People get stranded all the time on our islands and coast. A little anchor could save your life.
 
May 20, 2016
3,014
Catalina 36 MK1 94 Everett, WA
Count me in the camp that wants a Mantus for my RIB.

Currently I have a cheap folding grapnel, that I hand set on the beach. I would never trust it in open water.
 

tjar

.
Aug 8, 2011
166
Hunter Legend 35.5 Tacoma, WA
I have a small knockoff fluke anchor that works well. But with a 12' tidal range, I like to put out a mushroom anchor with a clothesline retrieval system. Both ends of the line are attached to the bow and looped through the anchor. I throw out the anchor as I approach the beach and feed out both lines. After unloading, I use the clothesline to haul the dinghy back out to the anchor, safely off the beach and away from the rocks. When ready to leave, I just pull on the other line to haul the dinghy back to me.
 
Jul 27, 2011
4,988
Bavaria 38E Alamitos Bay
Lewmar Claw. Cheap and no points. Available in smaller sizes.
I traded my “inherited” Danforth, I think it was 9 lb, for the 2.2 lb Lewmar claw for my 9.5 ft aluminum RIB. No chain; w/
1/8” nylon 3-strand rode. Deployed it the other day in good wind. Set fast, like a champ. Small package for my “anchor locker” built into the dink. Quick to pull out and put away. it’s all you need, IMHO.
 
Oct 22, 2014
20,989
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
During our Belize trip we took the dink to a patch of coral to snorkel. @LeslieTroyer jumped out and took the provided grappling hook out about 15 feet and found a spot of sand. Planted it in the sand and off we went to discover the things on the island's fringe reef.
When we returned the hook was still in the sand and the dinghy was safely floating in the same place.

Worked way better than the fancy Delta polished Stainless Steel anchor with 200 feet of chain on the Catamaran.