Near-Shore Anchoring Using an “Anchor Buddy”

A great solution in tidal in waters

Article by Joel Bergen

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What is an Anchor Buddy?

Simply put, the Anchor Buddy can be thought of as an anchor rope that stretches. It allows you to anchor your boat about 35 feet offshore, in water deep enough to keep it safe from rocky beaches, boat wakes and wind. Its stretchiness allows you to pull the boat to shore (stretching the Anchor Buddy), where you can board, depart, or load and unload gear. When you’re finished, the Anchor Buddy retracts, automatically pulling your boat back out to deeper water.

The anchor buddy is constructed of 3/8-inch diameter surgical tubing surrounded by a woven-poly outer sleeve. The tubing stretches like a bungee cord while the outer sleeve limits how far the cord can stretch (to prevent breakage) and provides great strength when the Anchor Buddy is stretched to its maximum length.

Rigging the Anchor Buddy