I don't recall if moine is 3/8 or 1/2. However it is very easy to pull up, or should I say easy on the hands. I too have 3' of chain, it is good in the rocks, I have rubbed my anchor rope on rocks enough to lose an anchor. I also have 100' of anchor rope even though I have never anchore din more than 30' of water. However I keep anchor and rope in boat, with technology these days and Spot Lock on my trolling motor, it has been several years since I have actually used an anchor. I have used Spot Lock in the river and held my 20' boat all day long.
I don't use anything special for the rope. 3/8 most commonly. 1/2 is overkill, but easy on the hands.
Do yourself a favor - buy a decent anchor plus a 2 or 3 foot section of chain plus a shock absorber to attach the rope to the boat and you will be amazed how much better your anchor will hold. The shock absorber helps the anchor hold and reduces the beating your body takes while achored in rough water.
I like the 5/8 double braided for anchors, like was said, easy on the hands!! and durable... I tried a section of chain for a few times, didn't notice any improvement and it was something I had never done before, so I removed the chain... Richter anchors, if that makes a difference
Ok the "chain for an anchor rope" story. We were in Canada in the spring fishing for walleyes. We had located a good group of them in an outlet river from the lake we were on. The water was very high that year and the current where we were was very strong. We anchored the bow facing the current forward that had rope on the anchor and it wasn't enough to hold us in our spot so we anchored the rear anchor as well which was a much heavier anchor that was held on by chain and was also chained to a rear metal handle in the boat. It was time to leave so we fired up the motor and then I pulled the front anchor. (stupid thing to do). That boat then completely flipped around in the current so fast because we were still anchored in the rear with the chain anchor. All hell broke loose right now because the chain anchor must have caught a boulder and we couldn't pull it up as it was stuck. We were in a 14' aluminum boat and the current just sucked the back end down and water was pouring in. Everyone moved to the front to get the weight off the back end and that barely made a difference and we were taking on water fast. We had nothing that would cut a chain and then the motor quit. Maybe the lord was looking down thinking I better help these guys but we were about to get sunk when for some reason the rear anchor let loose from whatever it was stuck on and away we went downstream. We got the motor started again and got the hell out of there. Never use chain on a anchor.
The 5/8 will make your anchor seem half the weight that you have now, way easier on the hands.
3 or 4 feet of chain makes any anchor much more effective. The heavy rope does not stretch at all....I’ve towed with it.
I still carry 100’ of the 5/8, 3’ of chain, and an 18# Richter on the deck, but only use it a few times a year. Getting tired of tripping over it, spoiled by Spot-lock.
I imagine a chain flying thru the air after a nylon rope, stretched like a rubber band, snaps it back towards the boat. That said, I do have chain for my bow anchor tied on with 1/4 inch braided black nylon spooled on an Anchor Mate crank-up. Chain makes a fluke anchor work a lot better. Last summer I hooked up a rear anchor with 3/8 inch braid and found it works well but I still might go up to 5/8 inch rope from Fleet like someone previously mentioned. Working an anchor out with a heavier hand line would definitely be easier. I still have a black twisted nylon 1/2 inch rope that always did the job. It cost less, weighed little even when wet, and dried out quickly.
Another thought. You have a nice rig maybe you should invest with a Minnkota power anchor with a quick release bracket. That way you can swap out your trolling motor with the anchor as needed. You’ll thank me! For a stern anchor use the below post’s advice. CARPIO
