# Easy homemade anchor



## Buddychrist

I had someone ask why I needed cement for my boat and here is the answer.

It is going to be a two part series since I didn't finish tonight.

Have you ever had an anchor get stuck under a log and you just can't dislodge it or you struggle to pull it up and have to pry the log loose? Then this is the weekend homemade anchor for you!!!

First thing you are going to need is a bleach bottle any will do.




Carefully using a knife or scissors cut the top off at the crease of the bottle.




Now you need to choose what you are going to use to tie the rope to. 




I decided on a trailer U bolt because it was sitting in my shop and easily available and it also makes a nice carrying handle!!! I didn't have an eye bolt large enough but those will work also.

Make sure you are using galvanized to prevent rust. Stainless is nice also and aluminum works too but galvanized is the easiest to access in these bolt styles.




After you decided your rope attachment now you need two large bolts with nuts. I had these sitting in my shop and they will work perfectly! 




Now hunt yourself either two small pieces of wood long enough to hold up your mount and if you decided on the eye bolt just slide a long bolt through it to hold it up.





Thats as far as I got to get tonight. I will finish this instructable tomorrow with mixing the concrete and after it dries completely how you install the bolts to hold the bottle to the concrete to prevent scratching your hull!

Maybe this Un-stickable anchor is sticky worthy? We shall see!


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## Buddychrist

Now onto part two!

Since you now have everything you need and the wood to hold up your rope attachment, now you need a propane torch and a screwdriver




Heat up the screwdriver head and slide it into the side of your bottle




Now heat up one of your two bolts and slide it through the hole you just made!




Remove the bolt and put the new Unheated bolt into the same holes. The reason being is the bolt will have melted plastic on it and still be hot so just for time constraint i used a new bolt instead of cleaning the old one.




Now mix up your concrete, make sure you get enough to fill the jug up to at least one inch from the rim.

Pour your concrete, drop in your U bolt or Eye bolt with the wood to hold it up and now all you need to do is let it set for 24-48 hours




After 24-48 hours slide the wood out of the anchor and voila you have a Un-stickable anchor that will last you for years of good use!

If the handle ever breaks off just pour concrete into the top. Remove the bolt, and slide your rope through the bolt hole. I hope you will enjoy this simple anchor as much as I do!

Thanks until next time for another redneck ingenuity!


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## Captain Ahab

Nice

When I was a kid we would just use a bleach bottle (or similar jug) and pour the concrete right into it and use the handle of the jug


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## Buddychrist

I was worried it would break the handle off, reckon I was wrong lol


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## PATRIOT2

Guess I'm a little more redneck than y'all . . . I don't carry the dead weight of an anchor around with me at all . . . just an empty fiberglass sand bag and since there are so many large rocks where I boat, I simply fill the bag when I have the need.


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## catmansteve

This thread has inspired me to try an idea I had for a lightweight, short-holding river anchor for swift current.

I'm thinking 3 pieces of 3/8 rebar, bent into "J" shapes and welded together to form a grappling hook of sorts, an eye welded to the end with a piece of heavy chain 2' or so long. Anyone ever tried it?


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## Buddychrist

PATRIOT2 said:


> Guess I'm a little more redneck than y'all . . . I don't carry the dead weight of an anchor around with me at all . . . just an empty fiberglass sand bag and since there are so many large rocks where I boat, I simply fill the bag when I have the need.



Hey man whatever works!

I've been using concrete anchors since I was 12. I like having the U Bolt handle, it makes it real easy to toss a good ways into bass territory and let the current pull my boat into the weeds with the motor lifted up of course. 

Then just get the anchor pulled in, grab the paddle an get back to open water!


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## Buddychrist

catmansteve said:


> This thread has inspired me to try an idea I had for a lightweight, short-holding river anchor for swift current.
> 
> I'm thinking 3 pieces of 3/8 rebar, bent into "J" shapes and welded together to form a grappling hook of sorts, an eye welded to the end with a piece of heavy chain 2' or so long. Anyone ever tried it?




I've got a monster grappling hook that I would let you have but I priced it ups shipping and it will cost you more to ship than it would to make it but I can make you all of the measurements to build the exact one

And yours won't be rusted! I tried hitting it with commercial grade rust converter but my can's nozzle is clogged so Ive gotta go hit my dad up for some more...


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## Buddychrist

I will measure it up tomorrow for you and post it! It's simple but it's just too big for what I'm needing


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## bigwave

The anchor you made is what we make to use for weight's when we are deep dropping for snowy groupers....the only difference is that we put cut up pieces of chain in the bucket before we add the concrete to add even more weight. When we fish in 1000' we need that weight just to get our rigs to the bottom....funny you guys use them for river anchors.


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## Buddychrist

I use it mainly for deep holes in lakes and it's a decent weight to help balance my boat out


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## Kit_B

My grandfather used to make them with ice cream pails, concrete & big eyebolts.


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## Buddychrist

Kit_B said:


> My grandfather used to make them with ice cream pails, concrete & big eyebolts.



I woulda used an eyebolt but I didn't have one big enough but the U bolt works just fine


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## Andy Taylor

I must be missing something. What is the purpose of putting the bolt thru the jug?

What is the weight of that concrete anchor?


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## Buddychrist

Andy Taylor said:


> I must be missing something. What is the purpose of putting the bolt thru the jug?
> 
> What is the weight of that concrete anchor?



That's to keep the plastic of the jug on the concrete. That keeps you from scratching the hell out of your boat.

I'll go check the weight and post it in a few minutes


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## Buddychrist

18.2 pounds on my hospital scale

More than enough for my 14' on the lake, im just needing it for wind not current.


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## nimmor

Kind of similar to the ones I used to make but I used a large coffee can.


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## Buddychrist

nimmor said:


> Kind of similar to the ones I used to make but I used a large coffee can.



Hey man if it ain't broke don't fix it! I am constantly picking my dads brain for old techniques he used at my age! It's a hell of a lot cheaper than buying a new anchor!


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