My pontoon spend way too much time hanging in my basement. It needs to experience some river water, with that in mind I recently made me an anchor, the pontoon has a pulley at the rear of the frame. I was thinking of adding another pulley on the foot rest and adding sometype of rope holding device near the seat. What to ya’ll do?
Mine has this rope cleat right next to the seat. A pulley at the reasr of the pontoon and one to the right of the rear one and the rope runs down the frame to this cleet.
http://www.outcastboats.com/outcast/products/accessories.aspx?cat=16&id=313
Before purchasing my NuCanoe, I used and still have a Hobie Cat 75. On the tube frame on the back at the center I installed a pulley and ran the anchor rope through another alum. tube which I attached with alum. rivets, under the frame and it came out to the right side of my seat and there I had one of the anchor rope holders that only consists of 2 spring loaded paddles that you just push the rope into and they would open and than close against the rope which held it very well. When you needed to let out more rope or bring up the anchor, all you had to do was pull the rope from between the 2 spring loaded paddles and it was free. I ran the rope from the back up to my seat through the alum. tube so that there would not be any anchor rope hanging down to catch on submerged tree limbs or weeds in the water.
Uhhhhhhhh… Point of order… As a licensed US Coast Guard Master for a very long time I need to say “rope” is what you make “lines” from. You need a device to lock you anchor line.
I stand correct, all this time I thought a line was what I used to use when I met a pretty girl. The older I get the more I realize I don’t know.
Uncle Jesse,
I’m trying to outfit my toon too. I’m going to try using a retractable dog leash for the anchor rope. I don’t think it’ll pull the anchor up, but I’m hopeing it’ll keep the line (I read your post hap. :)) out of the way. I think I’m going to use zip ties to hold the leash on board but I’m not sure what I should put my anchor in yet when it is up? I’m thinking maybe a milk crate tied to the cargo rack on back?
I’ll be down on Lake Eufala at Florence Marina at the end of this month. I’ll let you know how it works.
hNt
HNT,
I have looked at the retractable leashes my self, I have a 10 lb. anchor which I believe is required to hold a toon in place on the Hooch, and do not belileve it will lift it. I am going to take a little from a couple of guys. Either the rope ratchet or the cleat that does not require tying the rope are options, the ratch can be attached to the front foot rest I think by the hook that comes with it or wire ties. I am going to modify Warren’s aluminum tubing idea wth PVC conduit or pipe. I figure I can store excess line in the toon pocket. Probably want to get a rubber ball and run the line through it in case of slick hands so everything doesn’t go in the river.
Have fun on Eufala, with all this rain there may be an excessive amount of water. Crappie may be in the picnic tables. Fishing around boat slips is usually promising at most lake. Be sure to take your PFD, if it’s inflatable state will only count it if it is worn.
Be careful how you attach your rope/line. You always want to be able to release the anchor if it gets hung up while you are in te ecurrent. I have seen a few guys knot the end of their rope on boats and pontoons, get the anchor hung in a current, then they are wrestling the boat or pontoon trying to cut the rope. It will swamp a boat. Not so mucha pontoon, but it will sure cause a broken rod or you to get very wet.
And many people have drowned here doing exactly as you describe. A good friend had a breakdown on a big river and started drifting downstream, bow first. He dropped his anchor with poly line and the motor caught on the floating poly, turning the boat sideways.
Big river flipped the 22’ boat instantly. They were lucky to survive.
I personally knew several that were not so lucky.
art
Good thought, had not come to my mine. I have heard of guys cutting ropes under dams when generators started without warning.
Look up cleats under West Marine or other marine supply sources. Thry have many styles of jam and clam cleats.
Some with block built in so you are always pulling in a way most efficeint to your body plus they release with a simple motion.
Harken makes some very nice cleats but they are proud of them price-wise.
When I raced boats we called the mainsheet block the Family Jewels!
Here’s a link to several different types:
http://www.westmarine.com/1/2/home-sailboat-cleats-stoppers-cam-and-clam-cleats
Uncle,
I made a 10 pound anchor too, just hopeing to get to try the Hooch one day. 
I don’t think the dog leash will actually pull the anchor up, I figure I’ll have to do that by hand, but I thought it would store the rope out of the way. (sorry hap, line out of the way:))Which will keep a big clumsy feller like me from getting into a mess.
hNt
PS, I never go out without a PFD. I may be a crazy old hillbilly, but I ain’t dumb. …well at least not that dumb.
I made a 30lb anchor out of chain looped and tied together with a bolt. It get hung up less often than a real anchor and holds well.
If possible, run a pulley off the foot peg or frame. This way, you can get a better pull on the line (I would have said rope).
NEVER put a knot in the end of the line.
Also see :
Outlaw review
… as there is a section on the anchor pulley modifications I made to my 'toon.
Keep a river knife close at hand!
Clearly, my solution is not suitable for larger boats, but for my kayak I clamp the anchor line to the gunwale with a squeeze type hand clamp. It’s never failed me, and if I need to get loose fast a quick backhand will knock it clear in a split second. Sometimes, a split second is about all the time you have and a knife, no matter how sharp, isn’t going to be out and done in time.
Thinking of some of the holes on the stretch of the Hooch I am most likely to use the toon on I’m thinking about 25 - 30 ft. of 3/8 line through the mfgr. installed pulley into 1" pvc tubing to a pulley on the left foot rest to a cleat on the left side of the frame just forward of the seat. I may add a short piece of 1/4 in. cord with a piece of flexible rubber tubing at the end at a 90 deg. angle and a plastic ball or bottle with a 1/2 eye bolt on the line between the anchor and the first pulley so if I have to release the line the ball or bottle would float the end of it and let someone recover it.
I just thought up the bottle idea, your opinion appreciated.