# a shanty anchor idea



## hardwaterfan (Apr 6, 2004)

Thanks for all the responses to the shanty anchor thread from a few weeks ago.....this is what i have come up with. Feel free to copy or use any part of this set up for yourself!

BUT: Ive never seen or used a shanty anchor. I dont know if the rope, knots, hardware, aluminum tube, etc., or whole set up will work. Use at your own risk.

This is a pic of the anchor itself. It wraps up neatly and is feather light. Its 16" long.


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## hardwaterfan (Apr 6, 2004)

This is a view of the anchor mounts, looking at the back of the sled from above. As you can see i used the two original holes that my seat was mounted to. Also you can see that Ive replaced one seat fastener. The bolts were cut down and ground smooth so as not to snag up on the tarp which lays in this area.


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## hardwaterfan (Apr 6, 2004)

eye bolts from below. 

This set up consists of the following: (all 1/4" size)

2 eye bolts (remember to grind down so you dont snag the tarp)
2 nuts
4 oversize (1") washers so as to distribute the load over more area
2 nylon lock nuts (on top, inside the sled)


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## hardwaterfan (Apr 6, 2004)

anchor in place. hard to see but i tied 2 clips onto the end of the rope so that they can clip onto the eye bolts.

make sure to grind down all burrs and sharp edges from the 16" long aluminum tube. I used 16" because my auger cuts an 8" hole.

The rope (3/8" dia.) at the tube is 7.5" apart. That gives 4" of tube under the ice on 2 sides.

the rope will also keep the anchor fairly centered in the hole.


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## hardwaterfan (Apr 6, 2004)

having two holes in the anchor does one other very important thing. as you can see in the pic, you can manipulate the anchor to tilt on its side by holding just one of the ropes, meaning that the anchor can be placed and retreived without having to put your hand in the ice hole. Also of course the aluminum will sink for placement. (i hope  )

the aluminum wont rust, is light, and is 1" in diameter.


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## hardwaterfan (Apr 6, 2004)

this is the knot that i used to tie the clips to the rope.

i used about 15' of polypropylene rope and melted the ends with a torch so as to prevent fraying.

the blue tape on the anchor was only to keep it centered.

I imagine if i ever wanted to i could add another rope to get the angular effect, drilling two holes.

As long as the shanty doesnt blow away with or without me in it, Ill be satisfied.


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## papaperch (Apr 12, 2004)

Looks absolutely brilliant to me. Hope you wont mind my imitating your setup. I assume ( i hate that word ) that much by your detailed explanation. Also thanks to the member who came up with water cooler idea for minnows instead of bucket. How can anyone ( unless your a fish ) not love this site ? By the way what model Clam do you have ?


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## hardwaterfan (Apr 6, 2004)

lol.....thanks papa....feel free to copy some or all, or improvise, whatever you need.

just bear in mind, it hasnt been put to the test yet. i hope it works out.

its one of the new 2005 clam fish trap pros. (one-man)

ive read some horror stories about people going for a ride across the ice, or watching their shanty getting blown across the ice. i dont want to experience that. the worst thing i ever personally saw was some poor guys sled getting blown away at mosquito.....and the winds were straight out of the south! and we were by the cemetary so his sled probably ended up by the causeway. he ran after it for about a thousand feet or so.

i like to hole-hop outside of the shanty. dont want to lose my gear.


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## JIG (Nov 2, 2004)

Looks Like U Could Us It To Pull A Sled As Well. I Use Two Eye Hooks In Front Of My Sled.im Going To Try To Get One Of Those Hand Drills To Set A Couple Pins. Always Helps To Drill Another Hole For A Rope Incase Of A Break Through. I Call It My Life Line.


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## chaunc (Apr 11, 2004)

I made an anchor very similar to the one you've got. Made it last year. Mine is made of wood, with a bolt and small piece of chain thru it. I tied a piece of rope to the chain and tied it to my ultralite shanty. Works great holding it in place but when i'm ready to leave, i have to chip my anchor from the hole. The wood freezes to the bottom of the ice and the metal chain freezes in the hole. I bought a metal scoop thats 20 inches long and has a chipper end on the handle. Made it quite a bit easier to get my anchor loose. If you have a spud bar, take it with you. With that metal freezing to the ice, you'll need it.


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## hardwaterfan (Apr 6, 2004)

good point. maybe some rubber or wood knobs on each end of the bar would prevent a difficult freeze up. or teflon. thanks for pointing that out, you probably saved me some headaches.


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## tpet96 (Apr 6, 2004)

Looks good!  As for the shanty blowing across the lake.....I was stuck for 45min one time waiting for Mishio and Johnstown John to arrive to help me out. LOL. Imagine digging your ice cleats in and holding on for dear life when the wind picks up to 35MPH. NOT FUN.


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## hardwaterfan (Apr 6, 2004)

i did some experimenting in the freezer, and i think wrapping the anchor where it contacts the ice in teflon tape is going to work. not sure, but gonna give it a shot.

the ice adhesion to bare metal was suprisingly strong. the ice broke off in chunks adhered to the metal. which had to be pushed off with some force!

there was extremely less adhesion to the teflon coated metal. the metal popped out with no ice stuck to it.

one push with the ice scooper should do it, if it still gets stuck. i hope.

good fishing!


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## Parrothead Jim (Apr 7, 2004)

Hey HWF, real nice looking anchor. I had a shanty get away on me once and its not fun. If you have problems with your tube tilting when you lower or retrive it just put a few feet of smaller diameter rope through the inside of the tube and tie it off at one end. You will be able to lower the tube straight down the middle of the anchor hole and when you leave all you have to do is give some slack to the anchor line the tube will drop lower in the hole and you will be able to pull your tube straight out without getting your hands wet. Just a thought, in case you have problems......JIM


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## hardwaterfan (Apr 6, 2004)

thank you for the advice, thats a good idea!


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## hardwaterfan (Apr 6, 2004)

i did indeed end up wrapping the aluminum anchor with teflon tape (where it contacts the ice) before the start of last ice season. 

its sort of tricky but if youve worked with teflon tape before you can do it.

there were 2 times when i REALLY needed the anchor and it performed well.

the teflon tape was succesful in preventing practically any bond whatsoever to the ice. 

i was able to retreive the anchor without ever reaching into the water.

i was pleased.


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