Shallow Water Anchor

[Richard Boyett]

Recently purchased a 2015 Tracker 175. I've decided that I want a SWA for this boat. Thinking of something like a Power-Pole. My questions are: Is one brand better than the others. If yes, then why. What is a ballpark price for installation. Can I use just 1 or is 2 a lot better? Appreciate everyone's input.

 

[Chobeemauga]

I don't have SWAs. I have heard more than one person say one anchor is like no anchor. They said the boat would spin on the one anchor if any breeze at all. Two points of contact were needed to hold the boat in position.

I would be interested to hear others opinions as well.
Good luck

 

[cceguy]

When I inquired about installation costs at a boat show, the salesman wasn't sure but thought it would be around $500 to $800 for 1 pole, and a little less per pole for 2. If I did get power poles I would install them myself, but my boat seems to have easier access than most.
What Chobeemauga heard about needing 2 poles makes sense.
I really don't need power poles because I don't sit in one spot for a while, then move to another spot very often. Certainly not enough to justify the cost. My Minn Kota with spot-lock does just fine. If the wind is moving me around too much I just throw out an anchor. If I was fishing for money I might think different. But for me, power poles are just something else for me to break, have to work on, get my line tangled up with, etc.

 

[jerry shack]

I don't have SWAs. I have heard more than one person say one anchor is like no anchor. They said the boat would spin on the one anchor if any breeze at all. Two points of contact were needed to hold the boat in position.

I would be interested to hear others opinions as well.
Good luck

I had 1 power pole for about 3 years and had to get used to the set up to use it. What I mean is the wind will swing the boat into the wind so you have to put the boat into that position to make it work. But I fix all that and got another power pole, however in a real good wind the boat will still move some.

 

[92 Nitro 190dc Owner]

Agreed on 2 shallow water anchors. 1 anchor will act as a pivot point and the wind will cause the boat to swing around the pivot point/1 anchor.

 

[CincyGus]

Sound like you might be better off getting a spotlock trolling motor after price plus 2 installs costs. I'm like CCEGUY, one less thing to go wrong or break or get my line tangled on while fighting a rowdy bigger fish.