Where Y'ak?
08-30-2010, 11:54 AM
I saw this home made copper kayak anchor in Florida Sportsman. This looks like an inexpensive anchor to make. Would be good for areas like the rock dam. It won't rust and can be stored easily. I'd suggest adding a small length of light chain. If you have a plumber and electrician friend, this can be even cheaper!
Here's the copy of the post from the FS forum:
Hello everyone! It's been a long time since I've posted here! Since my last several kayak fishing excursions have been a total bust, I thought I would share something some of you might find useful.
They say necessity is the mother of invention. In deep water I've used expensive kayak fluke type anchors (lost one when it hung on a rock bottom) and I've used 10 pound barbell plates (worked fine in no current, wind, or chop, but just slowed my rate of drift when any of those factors were present).
While beach shark fishing using homemade spider weights, I was amazed at the holding power of a little 6 ounce homemade weight. I routinely set my reel drags at 5 pounds while waiting for a shark pickup on my bait and those little weights can hold a LOT more tension than that!
So I incorporated the concept into a homemade kayak anchor. I've tested this anchor on sand, mud, and rock bottom and it works amazingly well! Yesterday a single anchor held a tandem and a single kayak lashed together with 3 people and gear in 10mph winds on a mud bottom with no problem!
Here's how to construct one. What is needed: 5 feet of 8 gauge copper wire, a 10 inch length of 3/4" OD copper pipe, a 3/4" copper end cap, an amount of lead sufficient to melt and fill the copper pipe (about 1.75 pounds)
Method: In the copper end cap, drill 4 holes of sufficient diameter to allow the 8 gauge wire to fit through. The holes should be in a square pattern near the outside circumference of the end cap. Slip the cap onto the pipe (no need to solder it in place). Cut the 5 foot length of wire so that you have a 2 foot length and a 3 foot length. Bend each length of wire into a U-shape with the U small enough to fit the inside diameter of the pipe. Insert the 2 foot length into diagonally opposite holes and slide the bottom of the U inside the pipe - about half way down. There should be at least 6 inches of wire legs protruding at the bottom. Do the same with the 3 foot length of wire, but leave about an inch of the U protruding at the top to provide an eye for attaching your anchor line. Again, there should be at least 6 inches of wire legs at the bottom. Bend the legs up alongside the pipe, fill a tin can about half way full of dry sand or dirt, and bury the closed end of the contraption into the sand such that the sand supports it upright and seals leakage from the leg holes in the cap. Fill to the top with molten lead. Allow to cool. Trim legs to equal length of around 5 or 6 inches. You'll wind up with something weighing about 1.75 pounds that looks like this:
You can fold up the legs for convenient transport in the bottom of your kayak.
This anchor will hold remarkably well on sand, mud, or rock bottom. If hung in rocks, a straight up pull will bend the wire flukes and allow you to free it. As with any anchor, the more rode in your line, the better the holding power. A longer shafted anchor will weigh more and hold even better. Or you can daisy chain two or more together in really severe conditions. They are inexpensive, easy to make, and effective when holding in water deeper than your stake out pole can handle! Hope some of you find this useful!
http://i566.photobucket.com/albums/ss101/cvholmes/Kayak/copperanchor1.jpg
http://i566.photobucket.com/albums/ss101/cvholmes/Kayak/copperanchor4.jpg
http://i566.photobucket.com/albums/ss101/cvholmes/Kayak/copperanchor2.jpg
Here's the copy of the post from the FS forum:
Hello everyone! It's been a long time since I've posted here! Since my last several kayak fishing excursions have been a total bust, I thought I would share something some of you might find useful.
They say necessity is the mother of invention. In deep water I've used expensive kayak fluke type anchors (lost one when it hung on a rock bottom) and I've used 10 pound barbell plates (worked fine in no current, wind, or chop, but just slowed my rate of drift when any of those factors were present).
While beach shark fishing using homemade spider weights, I was amazed at the holding power of a little 6 ounce homemade weight. I routinely set my reel drags at 5 pounds while waiting for a shark pickup on my bait and those little weights can hold a LOT more tension than that!
So I incorporated the concept into a homemade kayak anchor. I've tested this anchor on sand, mud, and rock bottom and it works amazingly well! Yesterday a single anchor held a tandem and a single kayak lashed together with 3 people and gear in 10mph winds on a mud bottom with no problem!
Here's how to construct one. What is needed: 5 feet of 8 gauge copper wire, a 10 inch length of 3/4" OD copper pipe, a 3/4" copper end cap, an amount of lead sufficient to melt and fill the copper pipe (about 1.75 pounds)
Method: In the copper end cap, drill 4 holes of sufficient diameter to allow the 8 gauge wire to fit through. The holes should be in a square pattern near the outside circumference of the end cap. Slip the cap onto the pipe (no need to solder it in place). Cut the 5 foot length of wire so that you have a 2 foot length and a 3 foot length. Bend each length of wire into a U-shape with the U small enough to fit the inside diameter of the pipe. Insert the 2 foot length into diagonally opposite holes and slide the bottom of the U inside the pipe - about half way down. There should be at least 6 inches of wire legs protruding at the bottom. Do the same with the 3 foot length of wire, but leave about an inch of the U protruding at the top to provide an eye for attaching your anchor line. Again, there should be at least 6 inches of wire legs at the bottom. Bend the legs up alongside the pipe, fill a tin can about half way full of dry sand or dirt, and bury the closed end of the contraption into the sand such that the sand supports it upright and seals leakage from the leg holes in the cap. Fill to the top with molten lead. Allow to cool. Trim legs to equal length of around 5 or 6 inches. You'll wind up with something weighing about 1.75 pounds that looks like this:
You can fold up the legs for convenient transport in the bottom of your kayak.
This anchor will hold remarkably well on sand, mud, or rock bottom. If hung in rocks, a straight up pull will bend the wire flukes and allow you to free it. As with any anchor, the more rode in your line, the better the holding power. A longer shafted anchor will weigh more and hold even better. Or you can daisy chain two or more together in really severe conditions. They are inexpensive, easy to make, and effective when holding in water deeper than your stake out pole can handle! Hope some of you find this useful!
http://i566.photobucket.com/albums/ss101/cvholmes/Kayak/copperanchor1.jpg
http://i566.photobucket.com/albums/ss101/cvholmes/Kayak/copperanchor4.jpg
http://i566.photobucket.com/albums/ss101/cvholmes/Kayak/copperanchor2.jpg