Using a Paddle Board Anchor

It’s great to be out gliding the water on your paddle board, but sometimes you just want to kick back and hang out right where you are. So in order to sit back and enjoy your surroundings without drifting to and fro, you’ll need a proper paddle board anchor.

What’s the purpose of using a paddle board anchor? An anchor for a paddle board is used much like an anchor for a boat. An anchor allows you to remain stationary on your paddle board without floating away. There are many times when you will want to be able to do activities with your paddle board without moving across the water, so an anchor will allow you to do that.

What is an anchor made of and the overall design? 

You may find different options of anchors to use for SUP.

I’ve seen some that are made out of large sand bags.

The thing I don’t like about this option is the potential for the bag to tear on something whether it’s on a rock or just getting caught on something during transport.

It also has the potential to drag on the water bottom.

Another anchor type that I’ve seen looks like a corkscrew.

This option has limited use because you aren’t going to be able to screw it down if you are in deeper water.

The main way that this option would be effective would be to just secure your board on the shoreline.

The last common option available has four prongs on the anchor, which looks similar in design to a four prong fish hook.

This is the option that I would recommend.

I like this because it serves all purposes that you would get from the other options.

The prongs can dig in to help secure better on different water bottom terrains.

These are a couple that I highly recommend:

AIRHEAD SUP ANCHOR KIT 22.99

BEST SUP ANCHOR 29.99

What should my anchor be made of?

• • Galvanized steel to prevent rust

• • Steel Clips for quality connection

• Marine Rope made of Nylon for strength, protected from molds and rot

How heavy does my anchor need to be?

You are going to want to make sure that your anchor is heavy enough to keep the board and weight on the board from going anywhere.

The more weight you are carrying on your board the heavier the anchor needs to be.

Also, you may want to take in consideration the shape of the anchor depending on the surface bottom.

If you are boarding over a rockier area, you’re going to want an anchor that has some hooks to latch into the rocks.

A typical rule of thumb is a half-pound anchor for 100 pounds of weight.

So, typically a 3-10 pound anchor should be sufficient to anchor a paddle board.

Carrying an extra 10 pound anchor with you doesn’t have much effect on your ability to paddle your board.

How do I use an anchor?

It’s really quite simple to use your anchor. Most anchors are wound up around a long rope that extends to a certain depth.

It is beneficial to know the approximate water depth of where you will want to anchor, so you can have a good rope length for what you want to accomplish.

If you have a rope length around 20-30 feet that should be sufficient.

The end of the rope that isn’t connected to the anchor will have a clip that you can clip to the back of your board.

You then just make sure the hooks are out on your anchor and toss it out in the water.

If you continue to drift, re-position the anchor.

Why do I need an anchor?

Getting an anchor is going to allow you to do so much more with SUP.

A SUP can be utilized in so many ways other than just standing on it and paddling around.

So getting an anchor is going to optimize your overall SUP experience.

Here are some of the things that having an anchor can allow you to do on your paddle board.

1. 1. Yoga-There is a big craze for Yoga activities with SUP. Again, being on the water just brings a natural tranquility that pairs well with Yoga. Yoga provides another great fitness element to paddle boarding. It’s going to make it a lot easier to maintain those poses if you have a somewhat stable board without drifting all over the place.

1. 1. Fishing – One of the best things about being out on a lake is fishing. Being on a paddle board can give you some of the same experiences you can get from small boating, fishing being one of them. Take advantage of anchoring up and throwing a few lines out to see what you can catch.

1. 1. Napping – There is something about the water that just brings a calming effect. It can be very relaxing to just layout on your SUP and maybe catch a little shut eye. If you roll around in your sleep, you may want to avoid this activity.

1. 1. Reading Hey why not kick back, relax, and catch a good book out on the water.

1. 1. Photography – Being out in nature provides opportunities for so many great photos. If your board is moving all over it’s going to be tough to capture those winning shots.

1. 1. Birdwatching– I’ve seen so much wildlife around the shorelines of various lakes. The best is spotting birds like bald eagles. Just hanging out on your SUP and observing the nature around you can make for an excellent experience.

1. 1. Meditating – Similar to the yoga experience, but just taking some time to practice some deep breathing and wellness can enhance your SUP hobby.

1. 1. Stargazing– Laying out on your SUP at night and just looking up at the stars sounds awesome.

1. Swimming – Who doesn’t want to take a quick dip when they are out paddling along the water. A SUP provides a great platform from diving into the water to cool down.

As we’ve learned, an anchor is going to open up so many possibilities for your paddle board passion. I would consider an anchor one of those must have accessories for your SUP that you should go out and get today.

Please comment below on anything you found helpful in this article.