How To Anchor A Kayak

Whether it be from adverse weather conditions that you weren’t expecting (because let’s face it – the weather report never gets it right)

or from choppy currents – it’s almost certain that a boat will be easily swept out to see in a matter of minutes – and that goes for your kayak, too.

The best way that you can secure your kayak and prevent it from floating away while you’re not using it is to simply anchor it in the same way that you would any boat,

but the only problem is that anchoring a kayak can be a little thicker than other types of boats – but this is where we come in to lend you a helping hand.

To make sure that you are able to anchor down your kayak with ease each and every time,

below we are going to be talking you through a variety of tips that will help you secure your kayak with an anchor – including helpful instructions on how to do it properly. Read on! 

Consider What Anchor You’ll Need

Before you even think about attempting to anchor your kayak, you are first going to need to make sure that you have familiarized yourself with the different types of anchors that are available to you to choose from.

As we’re sure you’re already well familiar with, kayaks are extremely lightweight and narrow in design, so you’re going to want to try and make sure that you are opting for an anchor that is going to be as lightweight as possible. 

If you don’t do this, then you might find that the anchor you use is far too heavy, and this could cause your kayak to become submerged under the water.

Not only that, but given the fact that kayaks are typically quite small in size (and in turn, short on storage space) it means that larger, heavier anchors are only going to take up space that could otherwise be used for something else. 

Alongside making sure that you are using an anchor that is lightweight and smaller in design than average, we also recommend that you think about what the waterbed is like.

If you are going to be anchoring your kayak in a body of water that has a sandy bed, then you are going to need to make sure that you are opting for an anchor that is compatible with sandy bottoms – such as a grapnel anchor.

On the other hand, however, if you are going to be anchoring your kayak in a body of water with a rocky bottom, you’re going to want to make sure that you are opting for a claw bruce style anchor.

Of course, along with the anchor, you will also need to make sure that you remember your rope! This brings us to our next point.

How To Anchor A Kayak

So, once you have chosen the perfect anchor for your kayak (as well as that rope), you will then be ready to begin anchoring your kayak! Read on for some simple instructions that will allow you to easily and correctly anchor your kayak:

• To begin anchoring your kayak, you are going to need to first take your rope and tie it around the deck of your kayak. Once you have done this and you’re confident that the anchor is correctly attached, go ahead and gently drop the rope overboard, so that the anchor can begin to travel down to the waterbed.
• Once you have done this, allow the line to continue being released after the anchor has hit the bottom. Allow the line to be released until there is almost twice as much line released as the depth of the water is (in height). Once the kayak feels stable and secure – tie the rope.
• Last but not least, all you are then going to need to do is simply tie the anchor completely by using a cleat. The cleat will help to keep the integrity of the line while also helping to keep the rope secured, so it’s worth making sure to remember this step in order to prevent your kayak from accidentally beginning to drift.

Wrapping Up

So, there we have it! You made it to the end of this article. After taking the time to read through this guide,

we’re hoping that you’re now much clearer about how to successfully anchor down your little kayak to make sure that it never floats away – and are now ready to go out and try it for yourself! Remember,

no matter how experienced you are on the water, anchoring a kayak can be one of the most tricky things you can do due to the lightweight materials and relatively narrow designs that kayaks tend to feature.

Due to this, we recommend that you consider spending some time practicing anchoring your kayak before you start to do it for real,

as this will help to ensure that you don’t make any mistakes while attempting to anchor your kayak. The last thing that you want to do is come back to a damaged kayak or worse – a kayak that has been swept out to sea! 

So long as you make sure to follow all of the guidance that we have shared with you above, you’re sure to find yourself successfully anchoring down your kayak in no time at all! But,

if you ever find yourself struggling to remember a step, or simply want to refresh your memory on how to correctly anchor a kayak without damaging it, then why don’t you bookmark this article?

That way, if you do find yourself wanting to jog your memory on kayak anchoring, you’ll know exactly what to do. Thank you for reading, and good luck anchoring your kayak!