The anchor is one of the most important elements of the boat's equipment. Often, lovers of fishing and water sports use a load that is simply suitable in size and weight instead of it, but this option is inconvenient and too unreliable. Therefore, it is more advisable to make a homemade anchor, taking into account the size of the boat and the material of its hull.
There are a large number of the most diverse models of anchors, from the simplest to those requiring metalworking machines for the manufacture. When choosing a specific version of the anchor, it is necessary to proceed from the size of the boat, the material of its hull, typical depths in the navigation area and the speed of the current.
The simplest anchor for an inflatable boat
For an inflatable boat, an anchor from an old pan with a diameter of about 30 cm has proven itself well. A hole is drilled in the center of the pan for a threaded spindle, at the other end of the spindle an eyelet is made for an anchor rope. First, a nut is screwed onto the thread, then a flat round lead weight weighing about 1 kg is put on. Next, put on a frying pan and clamp it through the washer with another nut. Such an anchor has no sharp elements, which excludes the possibility of damage to the inflatable balloons. At the same time, he holds the boat very well. This anchor can be upgraded by cutting out three or four sectors from the pan. The edges of the resulting paws are neatly rounded.
The anchor in the form of a pyramid, cast from lead, also showed itself well. At the base of the pyramid is a wire loop for the anchor rope. With a pyramid rib length of 10 cm, the anchor will have a weight of about 3.5 kg. Such an anchor holds the inflatable boat well even in a fairly strong current.
Welded anchor
The simplest type of welded anchor is a cat anchor with four legs. It can be welded from reinforcement, triangular plates are welded onto the legs of the anchor - they ensure reliable retention of the anchor in the ground. Without such plates, the anchor will be difficult to hold on soft soils. It is recommended to secure the load on the spindle at the anchor eye.
The anchor may have only two legs, but in this case, a metal pin (rod) is welded to the eyelet, perpendicular to the plane of the legs. It ensures the correct position of the anchor at the bottom - without it, the legs simply slide flat on the bottom, not providing the necessary grip. Anchors of this design are called Admiralty.
Yacht anchor
For a yacht, homemade welded anchors are usually not used, it just looks undignified. It is best to use a factory anchor - for example, Matrosov's anchor, which holds the yacht very well. Such an anchor can be homemade; detailed recommendations for its manufacture can be found on the net.
Kurbatov's anchor also showed itself well. Unlike the Matrosov anchor, it has one wide leg and a forked spindle. A properly made anchor of this type looks good and does its job well. For reliability, the load should be secured on the spindle.
The ploughshare anchor has also become widespread. Its design is very simple, you can make such an anchor yourself. It will fit both a yacht and any solid hull boat. If the anchor share is made of sheet steel, it is recommended to weigh it down with a lead plate.
