How to Anchor in a River?

So you want to Anchor in a River, but don’t know where to start?

The first thing you will need to understand when you want to Anchor in a River, is that if done incorrectly it is very dangerous and could result in damage to your or someone else’s boat up to and even death, so safety is the most important thing to keep in mind when learning to Anchor in a River and always wear a life jacket. Your boat can sink in seconds and you won’t have time to grab your life jacket and put it on.

It is recommended that to learn how to Anchor in a River, that you start out practicing in a lake first or a part of the river that has a very slow current. These conditions are more forgiving about mistakes you will make while learning and you will make mistakes.

Ok, enough on the safety aspect, now on to what you will need. Below is the most common items need to get you going, but is not all inclusive.

Anchor

Anchor Nest

Rope

Knife (to cut the rope in case of emergency)

Chain

Buoy Ball

Anchor Puller

Cleat

For more detailed description on each item, see our post on River Anchoring

The size of anchor to Anchor in a River will depend on what type and boat size you have, as well as the bottom condition on the river. Make sure you get the proper anchor for your boat before you learn how to Anchor in a River.

As far as how much rope to let out to Anchor in a River, the general rule is 7 times the depth of the River. For example, if you are in 10 feet of water, you would want to have 70 feet of Anchor Rope.

You can find several videos on how to Anchor in a River on YouTube, by searching, but here is a link to one here if you haven’t already watched it, How to Anchor in a River.

Remember, practice in mild conditions, away from other boats until you are comfortable with idea of how to Anchor in a River.