Many times while on a PWC you will come across a time when you wish to anchor your ski, whether you are stopped for lunch, are having engine trouble, or even parked at a friends house. These are the top PWC anchors available on the market today.
What is the best Jetski anchor to buy? The best jet ski anchor to buy is a folding 3.5-pound anchor. Not only will this work in most conditions, but it folds up very compact and will not damage your ski from bouncing around due to the waves. This can be used in sand, rocks, weeds, and most bottom conditions.
Why do you need to anchor your jet ski?
There are many situations you will anchor your ski. Let’s go through a typical day on the water and say you go on the water with a group of friends. The friends you are with have a pontoon boat and you tag along on your jet ski.
You may stop and beach your jet ski. The anchor will be used in the sand on the shore to keep your jet ski beached and ensure a large wave does not come up and suck it back out into the lake.
In the same situation, if the beach is rocky, you may want to anchor your ski in 5′ of water while you are on shore. An anchor will keep your ski from floating away.
Another reason would be if you want to leave your ski and ride on the boat with your friends. An anchor will allow you to leave your ski while you are enjoying your time on the boat.
Anchoring is useful if you keep your ski in the water overnight either at your house or at a friends, or even if you are at a restaurant and the dock parking is full or you want to park adjacent to the dock and throw your anchor away from the dock and tie off to keep your ski from hitting the dock.
Having an anchor can be very versatile and used in many situations. Let’s move on to the types of anchors you may come across while on your search.
Good features in a Jet Ski Anchor
Lightweight
A jet ski moves around a lot form the waves on a lake or ocean. Having a 20-pound anchor will destroy your storage compartment. A lightweight anchor is best to not destroy your ski and allow you to save storage space for other items.
Good Holding Power
Your anchor will need to hold the weight of your ski as well as any wind or current that it is fighting it. Make sure to purchase an anchor compatible with the conditions you will be riding in.
Buoy Float
Having a floating buoy on the end of the anchor rope will ensure you do not lose it in the lake provided the lake is not deeper than your rope is long.
Types of Anchors for Jet Ski’s
Jet ski Sandbag Anchor
A sandbag anchor is a very simple yet effective anchor system for any PWC. It takes up little to no space as it can be stored flat when not in use. The rope can be used for anchoring or mooring if need be. When full, a sandbag anchor can be about 50 pounds filled with either rock or sand so it can hold a ski in on a windy day. When finished simply dump out the rocks and sand, rinse it out in the water, fold up and you are off. These weigh virtually nothing as they are just a bag. The downside is that they only come with 12′ of rope, however, this rope could be replaced with paracord for a stronger, lightweight anchor rope. The other downside is if you are trying to anchor in the middle of a lake and don’t have access to rocks or sand, you would need to fill up the bag at the shore and bring out to where you want to anchor.
Pros
- Lightweight
- Good Holding Power at 50 pounds
- Takes up no space
- Easy to use
Cons
- Need to fill up with sand or rocks at the shore
Folding PWC Anchor
A folding Fluke style anchor is another alternative of an anchor for your jet ski. This style weighs 3.5 pounds and has a locking mechanism that can lock the claws in for travel or out for use. This anchor is good for rocky bottoms as well as has the ability to dig into the sand. Another benefit is you can use this while beaching your jet ski by digging the claws into the beach to hold your ski. To set the anchor you will need to throw it in the water and drive forward until you feel it hook up on something. This has the ability to anchor in the middle of a lake without going to shore and filling up an anchor bag with rocks or sand.
Pros
- Lightweight and easy to use
- No need to fill with weight media
Cons
- Need to set the anchor
- Weighs 3.5 pounds and can bang around in storage
Mushroom Anchor
Mushroom anchors are yet another style of anchor you can use for a PWC. This will be the largest anchor and heaviest you would carry in your storage compartment at 8 pounds. This model comes with 25′ of line which will be enough for anchoring in 15′ depths. A mushroom anchor is best for mud, silt, or weedy bottoms. Setting this anchor is similar to setting the folding anchor. At 8 pounds, this may give your PWC storage compartment a rough ride as it will be bouncing around.
Pros
- Works well in mud, silt, or weedy conditions
- No need to go to shore to fill medias
Cons
- Heavy
- Does not work well in rocky conditions
PWC Screw Anchor
Screw anchors will only work at the shore or in very shallow depths as you will need to manually screw it into the lake bottom. If you are looking for an anchor for shallow use or beaching, this will be your best bet. Our favorite anchor is 4′ in length and is folding for convenient storage in your PWC and is made of impact-resistant plastic. To use, simply put the anchor together, screw into the beach, and run a rope from your ski to the anchor and you are done.
Pros
- Great for beaching your ski
- Folds for minimal storage
Cons
- Only works in shallow water
Concrete Anchor
This anchor is only useful if you are mooring your ski. This is not used for riding daily and anchoring at a beach. You can make a concrete anchor with some concrete, a 5 gallon bucket, and an eye bolt. Simply fill the bucket with concrete and water, and insert an eye bolt. This may take weeks or even a month to harden before you can put it in the lake, but they work great and will hold your ski.
Pros
- Great holding power
Cons
- Not movable
- Takes time to make
What jet ski anchor should you buy?
When it comes to picking which anchor you would buy, it depends on the conditions you will be parking your ski. If I had to choose one waverunner anchor, it would be the folding style anchor as I believe it is the most versatile anchor. If you are in shallow water I would recommend the screw style anchor. If you are looking for the most lightweight and don’t mind filling it up with rocks or sand, then you need the bag style anchor. The mushroom anchor would be the last choice on my list unless I for sure had a muddy or silty lake bottom.
How to Anchor a Jet Ski
To anchor your jet ski or waverunner, simply drop your anchor, start driving away downwind from your anchor releasing some anchor line. When you have a good ratio that is not straight up and down drag the anchor until it sets. Next, tie your anchor off and you should be good to go. You may need to reset your anchor if the wind changes or water current moves.
How much rope do you need to anchor your jet ski?
Depending on the type of anchor, you will need varying amounts of rope. For most of the anchors above, they do not come with enough rope for proper anchoring conditions. For most shallow water anchoring on your PWC, this 75′ paracord reel will be perfect.
What to Avoid
Avoid anchoring your jet ski with the anchor rope straight up and down. This will not work. Also avoid anchoring your ski on very windy days as you may not have set the anchor properly. Also avoid leaving your ski anchored overnight unless you are sure that you have set the anchor properly. If leaving your ski unattended, consider a concrete anchor, sandbag, or screw in while beaching.
Do Jet Skis Have Anchors?
Yes, jet skis can have anchors to assist in keeping your jet ski on the beach, or in shallow or deep water. Typically anchors do not come with jet ski’s, but they can be found ad many different outlets for sale.
