For those who anchor offshore

[minnmarker]

Just now, Michigan boarder said:

Or submerse a 5 gallon bucket filled with cement maybe?  With an eyebolt sticking out of the top?  That would seem more like putting an anchor in than putting trash in the lake.  Not that an oil-free engine block is a bad thing, but I'd just feel better with the bucket.

Good idea and would probably work fine if you buried it, but steel is denser and weighs much more under water than concrete.

Concrete 2.2 g/ml

Steel 7.8 g/ml

Basically, concrete under water "weighs" only about half what it does on shore while steel weighs about 90% of what it weighs on shore.  A small piece of steel is a better anchor, and easier to bury, than a big bucket of concrete.

Another way to look at it is that a 5 gallon pail of concrete weighs about 50 pounds under water while a 5 gallon pail of steel would weigh 570 pounds.  Of course, you would not need that much steel.

Old truck wheels (or other parts) are easy to find, and cheap, at wrecking yards.

[Cole2001]

The concrete bucket works well, used it many times. Because you're always going to be in the same location maybe use a few together. 

The one good things about having a man made lake full of stumps, you can just swim down and put a rope on a root.

[Michigan boarder]

12 minutes ago, minnmarker said:

Good idea and would probably work fine if you buried it, but steel is denser and weighs much more under water than concrete.

Concrete 2.2 g/ml

Steel 7.8 g/ml

Basically, concrete under water "weighs" only about half what it does on shore while steel weighs about 90% of what it weighs on shore.  A small piece of steel is a better anchor, and easier to bury, than a big bucket of concrete.

Another way to look at it is that a 5 gallon pail of concrete weighs about 50 pounds under water while a 5 gallon pail of steel would weigh 570 pounds.  Of course, you would not need that much steel.

Old truck wheels (or other parts) are easy to find, and cheap, at wrecking yards.

Wow, I never knew that!

[dalt1]

8 hours ago, Michigan boarder said:

Or submerse a 5 gallon bucket filled with cement maybe?  With an eyebolt sticking out of the top?  That would seem more like putting an anchor in than putting trash in the lake.  Not that an oil-free engine block is a bad thing, but I'd just feel better with the bucket.

I have a bucket full of concrete. weighs 80 lb. on land. Could get about 10 more lbs if it was level full. Use it on week long houseboat trip to attach my Anchor Buddy. Boat never drags it anywhere.

 

[strada1]

Truck brake drums work a treat to, link as many as you like, already have the holes for chain.

[Bill_AirJunky]

So your packing buckets of concrete & old brake drums around in your boat every day?

I've made dock anchors out of old car tires full of concrete. They probably weigh 200 or 300 lbs. But I'm sure not pack in it around with us all the time!

[NCVride]

10 hours ago, strada1 said:

Truck brake drums work a treat to, link as many as you like, already have the holes for chain.

This.  I work in the semi trailer industry.  If you can get 2-3 brake drums off a semi(go to a local semi shop and ask if you can have some) then you will be in business.  They weigh around 80-85lbs a piece.  3 chained together won't let you boat go anywhere.   As for if you should ancir

it, I'd do it although I'd have some sort of buoy out over my anchor and I wouldn't tie off to shore.  

[oldjeep]

Check with your local law enforcement, around here leaving a mooring in over night in public water  (without your boat attached)  would not be legal

[Cole2001]

10 hours ago, Bill_AirJunky said:

So your packing buckets of concrete & old brake drums around in your boat every day?

No. We leave it in the water. I never would have thought about it being legal or not. I guess in some places it's a little more strict. 

[oldjeep]

3 minutes ago, Cole2001 said:

No. We leave it in the water. I never would have thought about it being legal or not. I guess in some places it's a little more strict. 

Nav hazard, even with a buoy on it.  Falls under the same category as leaving in portable slalom courses overnight that are not permitted for semi permanent installation.

 

There are some pretty specific regulations on moorings even when it is off shoreline you are allowed to have a permanent mooring. 

[minnmarker]

Just now, oldjeep said:

Nav hazard, even with a buoy on it.

But not a nav hazard without a buoy on it.  Re read my earlier post.  We were never talking about a permanent buoy.  An anchor sunk into the bottom with maybe a locating floater 4 or more feet under the surface is not a navigational hazard if you don't have a surface buoy attached to it.  There's nothing to run into.  I looked at the MN and WI boating regulations and found nothing governing anchors.  All the talk was about navigational hazards.  Regarding WI we have a lot of people fish off/under our docks and a DNR officer actually used our bouy to stay in place while checking some fishing licenses. He said nothing about the buoy which is 30' off the end of the dock (we are in bit of a cove though).  Also, about 1/4 of the cabins on the lake have swim rafts with permanent anchors.  If there is some statute buried deep in WI law somewhere, it is not enforced.

@strada1 good idea with the brake drums.  No oil to clean out like with an engine.

[oldjeep]

1 minute ago, minnmarker said:

But not a nav hazard without a buoy on it.  Re read my earlier post.  We were never talking about a permanent buoy.  An anchor sunk into the bottom with maybe a locating floater 4 or more feet under the surface is not a navigational hazard if you don't have a surface buoy attached to it.  There's nothing to run into.  I looked at the MN and WI boating regulations and found nothing governing anchors.  All the talk was about navigational hazards.  Regarding WI we have a lot of people fish off/under our docks and a DNR officer actually used our bouy to stay in place while checking some fishing licenses. He said nothing about the buoy which is 30' off the end of the dock (we are in bit of a cove though).  Also, about 1/4 of the cabins on the lake have swim rafts with permanent anchors.  If there is some statute buried deep in WI law somewhere, it is not enforced.

@strada1 good idea with the brake drums.  No oil to clean out like with an engine.

The law on mooring buoys in WI is pretty easy to find and isn't very restrictive.  Mooring buoys within 150 feet of shore do not require a state permit if it doesn't affect public rights (fish and wildlife habitat, navigation, etc) or other riparian owners. (Which is subject to broad interpretation)

 

http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/Waterways/recreation/buoys.html

This is the part you need to watch for as additional dock, mooring restrictions are commonly written at a more local level.

Permits may also be needed for mooring buoys from your local municipality. Check local ordinances before placing a mooring buoy

Edited January 11, 2017 by oldjeep

[strada1]

16 hours ago, Bill_AirJunky said:

So your packing buckets of concrete & old brake drums around in your boat every day?

I've made dock anchors out of old car tires full of concrete. They probably weigh 200 or 300 lbs. But I'm sure not pack in it around with us all the time!

We stay at a private van park on a tidal river, it only gets dropped in once, if I lose it ill get some more brake drums.

27' deep at high tide, up to 7' water level variation twice a day and if the boat swings arse to the bank more than about 30' the stern is in 3' of seaweed so scope is real short.

I drop the bouy and have a rope to the bank for when we are not there.