Pontoon Boat Anchors

June 09, 2017

With today’s pontoon boats becoming larger and larger every year, having a dependable pontoon boat anchor that you can rely on is an important part of owning one of these boats.

large pontoon boat needs good anchor

Did you know when you bought your pontoon boat, you were actually buying a sailboat? (just kidding!)

See how quickly the 14 lb Hurricane Boat Anchor stops a 23' foot boat:

But sometimes, it can feel like you are sailing when you have a bimini top up and 10-20 people on board. These spacious boats can practically turn into sailboats due to the large surface area and the amount of wind they catch.

Unfortunately though, these massive pontoon boats are rarely equipped with the proper factory anchor to hold the boat, even in the slightest wind. Many times they have a deck mounted anchor winch, and a very heavy, but mediocre anchor (such as a river anchor, mushroom style anchor, or navy style anchor).

Although these winches are very convenient and can be remotely operated, they are a band-aid to the problem of holding the boat, rather than a solution. Typically, they are not able to reel in anchor chain, so your only choice is to use a 20-30 lb river anchor with no chain. (did we mention how easily your pontoon boat can become a sailboat?)

If you anchor your pontoon boat on a river or any body of water with current, then having a solid anchor to hold your boat in place is even more important, but do not expect that from a river anchor, mushroom anchor, or navy style anchor.

Those types of anchors are generally only good for holding lightweight aluminum fishing boats - not a 20-30 foot pontoon boat. River anchors, mushroom anchors, and navy style anchors rely only on their weight to hold the boat - not their design. But a new generation style anchor like the Hurricane Boat Anchor relies on its design, rather than its weight.

For example, a 20 lb navy style anchor would struggle to hold a 20 foot pontoon boat weighing approximately 6000 lbs in a 15-20 mph wind. But the 22 lb Hurricane Anchor will hold a 40 foot yacht weighing 25,000 lbs in a 30 mph wind.

Furthermore, if that same 22 lb Hurricane Anchor was exactly the same size but now made out of Titanium and it weighed only 2 lbs, it would work exactly the same as the 22 lb galvanized steel anchor because it’s relying on the design, not the weight.

The 14 lb Hurricane Anchor is our most popular choice for a pontoon boat anchor. Typically, since pontoon boats are lighter than the equivalent length fiberglass boat, the 14 lb Hurricane Anchor is great for boats up to 30 feet in length. 4-6 feet of anchor chain is also recommended.

Be sure to also view our information on How To Choose The Right Size Boat Anchor.

If you have any questions regarding sizing, please contact us.