www.iFourWinns.com

My trips lately have taken me to many different types of lakes and many of which I don't know well. I have a couple questions for you seasoned veterns.

1. Need to buy a new anchor (other was lost). In Kansas with everytype of soil you can find. What do you recommend, keep in mind the H180 doesn't have a locker to I usually store under the bow seats but can relocate if necessary.

2. Many of the campsites that we use don't have docks close so you have the option of pulling the boat out of the water everytime you need to eat or trying to beach the boat on the shoreline. With a few exceptions I just refuse to beach the boat, with the water high way to many rocks are waiting to scratch the hell out of the boat. This weekend I saw two or three boats anchored just a few yards off the beach. It looked as though they had anchored there but had used something to keep the boat from going sideways, out to sea, or in to shore even though it was windy? I would love to find a way to park the boat off shore but not worry about it being thrown around? Any idea what they were using? I believe there were a couple of bouys marking their position??

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2008 Four Winns 224 Funship 5.0 GXI/DP Black w/ Tower
2007 GMC Crew Cab Short Bed / Bose Ed.
2007 Fourwinns H180 (SOLD)

"There are no stupid questions, only stupid people"

The Delta plow anchor is good in quite a wide range of anchoring conditions. But your best bet is to talk with other boaters where you'd be using it.

There's a bungee-type line you can get that lets you anchor the boat from the bow. A line then runs to the shore and is either tied somewhere or uses a screw-type anchor (like the kind you use for a dog in the yard). The spring pulls the boat back out once you're off it. To get back on you just pull the boat back to the shore. I've no idea how well these work, just read about them.

But more importantly, GO TAKE THE BOAT SAFETY COURSE. Anchoring and quite a lot of other important information is presented at them. It's well worth the effort.

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-Bill Kearney, 2005 348 Vista

Marc, I have outstanding results with the Chene anchor in the KS and MO lakes both. I tried a couple (including much more expensive ones) before settling on this one.

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

If its possible to beech, I'd recommend it. I installed a keel guard this spring, and use a dog tie down for keeping secure once on the beach... but that's why I specified a boat with a bow ladder.

With only an 18' boat, you would do well with any of the above anchors if you don't wish to beech. I would recommend 2. One fore, the other aft for alignment, and to prevent drifting.

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Walt B
"Debt-Charged"
Black '07 H210SS
6.2L Bravo One turning a 21P HIFive
Wakeboard Tower with Perfect Pass Stargazer version
Missouri River; Kansas City, Mo.

Just as wkearney99 mentioned there are a numer of "bungie" type anchors that work well for beaching. I had one for my previous boat but it was a jet-drive and only around 1800 lbs.
You drop anchor from your transom approx 40' from shore and then continue to the beach. When you get there you just let out your bowline and tie it off or use a sand auger. With a propped boat I am not to sure how you could do it without severing your bungie - I guess a ski-tow bridle would do it. Worked like a charm on the jet, but you need to be sure that you have the space to moore and I wouldn't use it if there was any significant wind.
Another cool thing is that if you use a beach auger you could actually tie off your bow line just under the water where your retrieval line is hidden so the more devious passers-by couldn't untie it or pull your boat in and make off with your stuff I guess.
Personally I only used it as a device to keep my rig off the beach - I never went anywhere I could not keep an eye on it.

http://www.waterskiworld.com/boataccess ... buddy.html

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2008 Four Winns 210 5.7 GI/SX
2007 GMC Sierra 2500 Crew
1966 Fed-Up Wife

Since a plow is not a great option for a 180, i'd spend the extra money and get a box anchor. It the best anchor I own, I like it better then a plow.

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I'm a little worried that your showing me some deviant toy you have for special occassions and not an anchor?? You disgust me..............any pics?

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2008 Four Winns 224 Funship 5.0 GXI/DP Black w/ Tower
2007 GMC Crew Cab Short Bed / Bose Ed.
2007 Fourwinns H180 (SOLD)

"There are no stupid questions, only stupid people"

I think I'll give this a try. Do you recommend getting some type of Buoy to mark the anchor line so others don't hit it? If so what kind would you recommend?

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2008 Four Winns 224 Funship 5.0 GXI/DP Black w/ Tower
2007 GMC Crew Cab Short Bed / Bose Ed.
2007 Fourwinns H180 (SOLD)

"There are no stupid questions, only stupid people"

Bouy? I didn't use one; not sure how I would unless I would have passed my bow line through one and let it float free. 40' or 50' really isn't that far. The boat should be enough of a deterrent to get too close - if you have someone passing between your boat and shore then you will probably have bigger issues than your line getting severed - like your kids getting rundown while they swim.
The stretchy in the anchor line kind of makes it funky to retrieve as well. Its not a perfect solution but I am pretty meticulous on my kit getting banged up so for me having it scrape along shore was out.

Even if you choose not to use a bouy you should get one of these anyway . . . .



http://www.buttbuoy.com/default.aspx

A ButtBouy, Funny as he!! - I have to get one . . . that and one of those box anchors Tx posted. Man, that guy has done some anchoring if he doesn't know what works best - well . . . . Incidentally, where did you get that shiny anchor Tx?

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2008 Four Winns 210 5.7 GI/SX
2007 GMC Sierra 2500 Crew
1966 Fed-Up Wife

I'm still concerned it's not an anchor. Looks like something the Romans used during their "free feeling" period.

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2008 Four Winns 224 Funship 5.0 GXI/DP Black w/ Tower
2007 GMC Crew Cab Short Bed / Bose Ed.
2007 Fourwinns H180 (SOLD)

"There are no stupid questions, only stupid people"

Marc, be aware that many of the lakes in KS and MO (and make no mistake, if you keep boating you'll end up being a MO boater) are littered with logs and rocks. It's easy to have to cut an anchor loose if it isn't very easy to retrieve. I'd avoid spending mega bucks on an anchor if possible.

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

Thanks Mike, found one of your Chene anchors at Cabellas ordering it today. Also going to buy the bungee cord (anchor buddy) but that connects to the boat so we won't lose that if anchor is cut.

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2008 Four Winns 224 Funship 5.0 GXI/DP Black w/ Tower
2007 GMC Crew Cab Short Bed / Bose Ed.
2007 Fourwinns H180 (SOLD)

"There are no stupid questions, only stupid people"

I think most folks would be thinking that the buoy is marking the anchor on the other end of the boat, not the space between the boat and the shore. Since you need to have at least 3:1 scope (preferably 5:1 or more) in order for your anchor to get a proper bite that means there's a lot of line stretched out at a shallow angle. The buoy floating above your anchor would, hopefully, given them a clue there's something to be avoided under it. Or that dropping another anchor nearby is a bad idea.

The butt buoy is funny. Not funny enough to get the admiral to laugh though. Ah well.

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-Bill Kearney, 2005 348 Vista

Just looking at that thing makes me want to chew off my leg to get free.

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2007 Horizon 200
4.3L GXi/ SX 225 HP

DITTO!

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H210SS 6.2
F150 Platinum