Do you need an anchor for your boat?

Do you need an anchor for your boat?

Most veteran and experienced boat owners already now, or should know, the answer to this question.

Some may say that they don’t need an anchor because, they only troll or drift while fishing or they are only pulling people on wake boards or float tubes, or just cruising around all the time. Maybe the only time they are stopping is when they are tied up to the dock or beached on the shore.

Before you decide if you need an anchor for your boat, I want to tell you a story.

A few years back, I was coming back to the dock after fishing and out of the blue, my boat died. There I was by myself, floating down the river heading into a bunch of boats that were anchored up an I was on a collision course, not being able to get my boat started. I immediately deployed my anchor and stopped the boat from what was surely a collision course that could have ended up really bad.

I ended up getting the boat running again, enough to limp back to the dock and all ended well, except the mechanical problem that got fixed later back home.

I look at my anchor, not only as a device that lets me anchor fish where I want, but as an emergency brake for the boat and since everyone knows that a boat doesn’t have a brake, an anchor is the next best thing.

Interestingly enough, the US Coast Guard does NOT list an anchor as “Required Equipment” on a boat, it’s considered “Recommended Equipment”. We are required however, to have life jackets, flotation devices, sound devices, fire extinguishers, etc.

You could even argue that if you get into trouble and can’t stop your boat and you have an anchor, you may not have to use your flotation devices, sound device, etc.

This is definitely something to consider when you decide if you need an anchor for your boat!

In my opinion, an anchor is “Required Equipment” on a boat and no matter what type of boat you have, from a small inflatable to a monster sea going vessel, an anchor is a must, so if you don’t have one, you should put that on your list of things to get before your next trip out.

I hope this has been informative and makes sense when deciding if you need an anchor for your boat!

Don’t hesitate to leave a comment below if you have any input on the subject or you would like us to put together a video or blog on this or any other subject regarding anchoring.