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The ground tackle you carry really depends on the conditions where you operate. If you never go into water much deeper that 4', and you're not in a situation where you could be blown into hazards if your motor quits, then a stick pin or nothing at all is probably all you need. If you venture into deeper water and an engine failure could result in disaster on the rocks, then best to have a good anchor, sufficient chain and adequate rode for the depth of water. 8 times the depth of water is the typical recommendation.

I once saw a 30' sailboat at anchor get dragged onto rocks after a nasty storm. Within 15 minutes, the biggest piece left would fit thru a basket ball hoop.
 
50' plus chain on the anchor with a spliced loop on the bitter end, plus 100' of 1/4" double-braid polyester with a clip on one end for miscellaneous unexpected stuff — extending anchor rode, towing, etc.

The 100' of poly takes up less than the volume of a shoebox and weighs maybe a pound and a half. I don't know — I just don't get running a boat — regardless of size and typical use — without a real anchor and a decent amount of good line on board.

If you lose power and the wind is pushing you into the surf, the rocks, bridge feet, or even a busy channel, a Power Pole probably isn't going to stop you. Neither is a dinky anchor with 25 feet of line. Not everywhere you operate a skiff — or at least not everywhere I operate mine — is shallower than 6'.

One night maybe 15 years ago, I was hoop-netting for lobster around the Mission Bay jetties in San Diego. I always kept the engine running, but it was an old Optimax and sometimes just spontaneously cut off. It would scare the shit out of you every time when it did that 50 miles offshore, but it almost always started right back up. This night, it didn't. For lobstering around kelp, rocks, and jetties, I always kept my anchor and rode ready to go in a milk crate loose on deck so I wouldn't have to dig for it if I needed it in a hurry. Sure enough, it saved my boat and probably at least some injuries. Got it down and set quick enough to stay off the rocks, fiddled around with main battery switch for a couple minutes, got the engine fired, and got back to pulling nets.

I guess the bottom line is I just don't see why you wouldn't have a decent anchor and 100' of line on any boat. I'm just as conscious of weight and space as the next guy, but an anchor doesn't seem optional.
Your advocating everybody should carry an anchor and at least 100’ of rope no matter what boat or where they fish yet your running 50 miles offshore with only one motor?

Lol
 
Not a great comparison.

Anchor and 100' of good 1/4" line = maybe $100 for an extra margin of safety with almost no downside (except the cost I guess)

Difference between a single-engine 21' CC and a twin-engine 23-25' CC of similar quality and age = who knows, but at least $10,000 or $20,000, which could easily make the difference between being able to afford a boat and not being able to.

Contrary to popular belief, there's nothing foolhardy about fishing offshore on a seaworthy boat with a single modern, well-maintained outboard and a bit of common sense and discretion.

Would I go 50+ off San Diego/Baja tuna fishing in a 21 with a single today? Probably not now that I have a family and a few more years on me. But I go bottom fishing and trolling a few times a year with my dad and son 35 to 60 out of Ponce in a 23' Action Craft with a single Yam 4-stroke. The weekend days it's safe to do it are few and far between, but I can tell you, it's not the possibility of losing the engine that keeps me from going the rest of the time.

It's also worth remembering that a lot of the stuff that leaves you without power offshore isn't limited to just one engine. Fuel tank/line issues, running out of fuel, hitting a log, wreck, etc., all kinds of electrical issues, steering problems, and so on and so on. I buy that in 1985 going way offshore with a single, carbed 2-stroke Johnson meant you were taking a significant risk of breaking down. But that's not the case anymore.

However, regardless of whether I did something risky 15 years ago or not, yes, I think it's hard to make a good argument against carrying an anchor and 100' of line on any boat, anywhere. Makes no difference to me if anybody else does or not, but I do.
 
50 feet and 10 feet of chain. I only use it for cobia fishing on deep flats or nearshore reefs. Considering I am almost never in water deeper than I could drop the powerpole in its just sort of for emergencies the majority of the time. The gulf is shallow even fairly far from shore.
 
:rolleyes: These are two very, very different things.
Both are “safety devices.” An anchor and rope to hold your position if your motor dies and a second to limp you home if one dies offshore.

Different strokes for different folks. I know there is nowhere in the bay system that I fish where I would need to anchor if something should happen. I also know I will not go anywhere offshore with out a way to get back in should a motor decide to take a shit.

If somebody feels it necessary to carry 100’ of 1/2” rope and a 12lbs anchor to fish 8’ of water...by all means, be my guest. Like wise if they feel comfortable running 50+ miles offshore on the hopes their motor stays running.
 
No anchor, rope or chain. 8' power pole, 8' stick it pin, 24' push pole or anchor mode on my iPilot. I have considered getting the Guardian anchor package from Fortress Anchors but I just don't fish water deeper than my power pole can hold or I'm using the iPilot to hold us.
 
Boats with twin engines have twice the chance one engine will fail (plus the chance a system failure of some kind will kill both engines). If a twin engine boat can't plane on one engine, 50 miles offshore, there's not much difference between calling Sea Tow or limping in on the remaining engine. Further, running at hull speed or below for extended periods with a motor propped for running on plane is an invitation for the second motor to crap out as well.

There are plenty of arguments pro and con for going offshore with a single engine.
 
Not to mention 90% of non commercial (and even most commercial) trans Atlantic/Pacific crossings are done on 1 engine boats, or boats with no engines at all for that matter.
ALMOST ALL commercial tuna boats have single engines and they fish 150miles from shore.
 
I got 100' and cut it down to 75' for the bow anchor and 25' for the stern anchor. I also carry 4' of rode, but only use it when we are snorkeling or diving the near shore reefs.

Also, it all comes in handy when your trying to control your boat out at the local sandbar or beach "hang out area". You can get your boat right where you want it, set it up anyway you want and it will stay there (if you know how to anchor). I always get a chuckle out of the people who head to the sand bar with no anchors and wind up getting into arguments that usually wind up in a fight or a call to FWC because their boat smashed into someone else because their power poles or stake out poles would not hold the boat in position. Makes for good entertainment and videos for youtube though. Almost as good as the boat ramp.
 
I use 40’ on the anchor and another 60’ just in case. 40 seems to be the magic number for 99% of when I need to anchor and it’s easy to handle. Never hurts to have some extra line in the boat as well. You never know when you or someone else will need it.
 
Discussion starter · #36 ·
Thanks for the replies guys. Looks like my original plan will work just fine. In my jon boat I’ve been using 5’ of paracord with a 2 lb kayak anchor most of the time. I like to fish the really skinny stuff but hoping this next boat will open up some more opportunities.
 
When I'm on the reef, I carry 300' of 3/8" braided nylon with 6' of chain a 5lb wreck anchor; break-away style using zip-ties. Also carry an anchor ball to get the thing up. I store it all in a milk crate in the large bow hatch.

If I'm not heading to the reef, I may carry nothing or fishing heavy current in rivers or creeks, a mushroom anchor with 100' only because what I have is 100ft, but never let out more than 30'. This stores in the anchor locker.

These are uses when I can't use the power pole and the trolling motor is not working well enough.

Of course, this is a 21' flats boat not a microskiff.
 
In the late 70's and early 80's I ran a 23' Sea Ox center console with a single Johnson 175. My normal fishing location was 67 miles offshore. Twice I chased yellowfin well into the stream, putting me around 100 miles offshore. I navigated with a chart, parallel rules, dividers, a compass, and a watch. I maintained the engine and boat assiduously, studied the weather, and never had a problem. A month ago I got a 23' May-Craft Cape Classic with full transom, bracket, and 200 Suzuki. The hull came from the same mold as my old Sea Ox, so I know what it will do, and with the full transom it will be more capable of handling rough sea conditions, if I get caught in that. I intend to fish 30-40 miles off on a regular basis and will take the boat to the stream with good weather conditions, best case scenario is with a Bermuda high. There are big, sporty fish out there looking to eat a fly.
 
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