I am looking at getting one of these for my supra, but I won't necessarily have a bow line running to shore when I use it (it seems like that is how it is intended to be used). Can I just use the anchor buddy in place of a normal anchor line assuming the water is not too deep?

You can use it without anchoring to shore. It will stretch up to 50 feet and move with the current.

You can, but why would you want to do that? Wouldn't you just make the location of your boat less predictable?

David, I was thinking just what you said. <BR>Mike

I just bought an anchor buddy for the river that I often go to in the summer. I am curious though, how do you pull these things up when you're ready to go? Won't they just keep stretching until you've pulled in 50ft?

I am not a fan at all of the anchor buddy. If you can pull your boat to shore too board it, then wind and waves can put it on shore also. Why not just use a regular cheap anchor line? <BR> <BR>As to pulling an anchor buddy up, all you do is keep pulling, until it comes off the bottom into the boat. No big deal.

Anchor buddys are great. We use them off the back of the houseboat. Just drop the anchor buddy 50- 60 feet from the back of the houseboat and back up. I have a 30 foot line I attach to the houseboat. It works well. I have never had the waves or wind move my boat more than a few feet. I will say that I have only used a hardline in the river. I only use the achor buddy on the lake.

Actually id be more concerned with wind and waves without the anchor buddy. If it gets windy just move your boat farther out from the beach. It would take ALOT of wind to move your boat into shore and hold it there with the anchor buddy and id think with that kinda wind any other anchor would have a real good chance to come loose?

I'm a huge fan of the Anchor Buddy. In fact, the way I board my boat would be impossible without it. Mine has withstood some pretty extreme winds, but I won't deny that there are probably some winds that could make its use a little dangerous. I've just never encountered winds like that and, if I did, I'd probably be pulling anchor and heading home.

I've used one for 10 years without any problems. If the boat can hit the shore you need to drop anchor farther out.

We use the anchor buddy in a more permanant anchor system where we ride. Drop a bucket of concrete or barbell weights with the anchor buddy attached as well as a regular line with a bouy on it. You also need bouy at the top of the anchor buddy line. When you don't have the boat hooked up you attach the floating end of the anchor buddy to the bouy so it is all together. When it is time to anchor up, hook the anchor buddy to the nose of the boat and back to shore where you attach another line from the back of the boat to the shore and pull yourself in and step off the platform into ankle deep water. Let go and the boat pulls itself back out to the big bouy. <BR> <BR>Anchor buddy will eventually break and need to be replaced if left in the water for months at a time, but there is no better system. Rollers from countless wakeboard boats going by or wind has never been able to move the boat more than a couple of feet. In the second pic the water is extemely low, it works better when the water is up. <BR> <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/431442.jpg" alt="Upload"> <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/431443.jpg" alt="Upload">

Or you could use a fixed line or chain from the anchor to the buoy. That way your Anchor Buddy doesn't get thrashed from sitting in the water 24/7. Then hook the anchor buddy from the buoy to the boat. Loop it through a couple of times if you need the Anchor Buddy line to be shorter.

^^^ Hey that's a good idea. <IMG SRC="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/happy.gif" ALT=":-)" BORDER=0>

I've also had great luck with the anchor buddy.<img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/happy.gif" border=0>

You do have to be careful with the anchor buddy. I had my boat tied out as far as it would go with the bow facing directly into the wind. Went out on another boat and came back mid afternoon to find it pushed almost all the way to the shoreline by the wind, chop, and rollers that were hitting. The rudder was hitting, but luckily no damage. I use it all the time camping but wouldn't recommend it as a long term use. Dave had a great idea! <BR> <BR>Shawn

Keep in mind that you should use it with the proper scope just like a rope. 7 to 1 (rode length to depth) ratio should be used even in good conditions if you want your anchor to hold. <BR> <BR>It's not a bad idea to have a rope backing up your anchor buddy if your leaving it unattended.

Walt is correct. I have a rope several feet shorter than the anchor buddy when it's fully stretched out hooked to each end of the anchor buddy. This way the rope won't allow the bungie to fully stretch out and second, you use the rope instead of the bungie to retrieve the anchor. Use rope that sinks though.

Ahh that is brilliant. Sparky good work. I've used the things and they are great, if you have potential for wind just drop your anchor further off shore. <BR> <BR>Shawn, did you make sure you had a good bite before you bounced? I know if you don't get enough angle on any anchor when the line goes slack it can allow the anchor to come loose.

How many of you are using chain like you are supposed too? The only anchor I know that claims they do not need chain, is the Box Anchor. For the rest of them, the chain weights almost as much the anchor. <BR> <BR>In the Delta, wind and waves are common, especially around Lost Isle. My boat has never hit anything while on the anchor buddy, but it has come close had we not been paying attention. After that I resumed using a regular anchor line and simply swimming to shore. There are other times and other peoples boats where I have seen them perform exactly as they are supposed to, and let the boat come too close to shore in the wind. <BR> <BR>Here is my anchor...or at least the one I would like to have in my front yard. If only I could figure a way to get it on a boat, then onto a trailer, and back off again. I can not even pick up the chain for it under the water. <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/431676.jpg" alt="Upload"> <BR>Here is one of my friends with it <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/431677.jpg" alt="Upload">

Trust me Peter, my anchor needs no chain!

Is it BIGGER than mine? <BR> <BR>Sparky, what do you use for an anchor and what size is it? <BR> <BR>The purpose of the chain is to keep the anchor flat on the bottom so the flutes dig in. The chain also adds additional weight for more holding power. Without the chain, and even with a high scope ratio the anchor can or will shift upwards some. There are times, that is the difference between hooking up or not. <BR> <BR>Even with a professional captain that anchors upwards of 4 times per day, I have seen them struggle to get a boat anchored on Ball Buster in Monterey Bay. Actually they couldn't do it! We wound up diving another site.

I guess I should of elaborated. Mine is home made. I really only use it at the lake where conditions don't get too crazy. It's made out of concrete, probably about sixty or seventy pounds worth, and is covered with foam and vinyl so it's boat friendly, other than the shear weight.<img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/wink.gif" border=0> <BR> <BR>(Message edited by wake upppp on April 04, 2007)

Our mooring system consists of a 4 foot long tie out spike that we got at Tractor Supply for about $9. It's screwed all the way into the sand/clay/mud and then we connected a piece of chain that runs to the surface buoy. We have the anchor buddy doubled around and connected at the top and I can just barely pull it into shore using all of my strength. At the most it has stretched maybe 3 feet without someone pulling. It is a heck of a workout getting it in, but I am very confident that it won;t overstretch. We get those crazy 50-60 mph gusts up here (northern Minnesota/ North Dakota) and it hasn't caused any problems so far. Will be using the same setup again this year once the stupid ice comes off!