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How to Make a Chain Anchor

Using a chain anchor is an effective way to prevent breaking your boat anchor's line and losing the anchor. If you want to hold onto your anchor in rough terrain, then a chain anchor is the best option. Because a chain is heavy, often only the last 20 to 30 feet of an anchor's line is composed of chain, and the rest is rope. Using a chain for part of the line prevents the rope portion from dragging on a rocky bottom and keeps the line from being too heavy to lift. The chain must resist rust and corrosion from water. Galvanized steel is a good anchor chain material.

Things You'll Need

Galvanized steel chain
Steel-cutting tool (optional)
Anchor
Galvanized steel anchor shackles

Instructions

- 1
  Determine the length of galvanized steel chain you want to use. Factor in the depth of the water and how fast the water moves. The longer the chain, the more horizontal pull it has on the anchor. That results in less pressure on the anchor so it holds in place better. Cut the chain to the desired length if necessary.
- 2
  Attach an anchor to the chain using a galvanized steel anchor shackle. Pull the pin or bolt out of the shackle, and slide the chain onto the horseshoe-shaped piece of the shackle. Then push the pin or bolt back through the shackle, with the hole at the end of the anchor's shank between the shackle's holes.
- 3
  Attach the end of the chain opposite the anchor to your boat. An anchor that is heavy enough to use a chain is normally attached to a wench on the boat, but it is possible to attach the anchor chain directly to the boat with another anchor shackle. Using the same method you used to attach the chain to the anchor, use an anchor shackle to attach the chain to the boat̵7;s cleat.

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