Pole Anchor Pins - Build your own & save...

[Badbagger]

I'd posted about the Stick-It Anchor pins and had a lot of great replies and did some reading. From what I've found, they're basically an 8' fiberglass pole and about $80 on average. I'd probably like two; one for the bow and second for the stern so I'd be looking at $160.

I figured there has to be a less costly way and there is.
Here's a DIY link to building and a material supplier: http://www.mgs4u.com/shallow-water-boat-anchors.htm

I can buy two 8' rods shipped to me for $60 and after a trip to Lowe's and another $8 to $10, I'm looking at about $70 for two.
The 8' rods are $16 each. Due to size, shipping can add up a little but this is still half the cost of buying two of the commercially available units.Shipping to our local area is $31 and change regardless if you ship 1 8' section or up to 70 pounds of them. Make a long story, if 3 or 4 members wanted to build these, the per unit cost drops substantially since you'd be looking at say $8 to $10 shipped each.

Just a money saving thought and I'm all about saving when I can...

[DEMON]

If you want to do it yourself, you can get a fiberglass rod locally thru Grainger.

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/wwg/se ... sst=subset

[kenfly]

I'm gonna hit up grainger this week and order one. The 3/4in 10ft is right at 30 bucks. We order from them all the time here at work, thanks for the info

[Badbagger]

I didn't even think of Grainger when I posted this so thanks!

[Rhettley]

I've been thinking about doing this myself. I also heard used or new golf flag poles worked great and some golf courses sold or gave away the old ones. The new one's cost too much at golf supply stores...
The site Badbagger posted about said he had tried the poles from Grainger and they left fiberglass splinters in his hands. Some kind of urethane coating should work to cover it though I'd think.

[lizbeth]

This guy used a Golf ball retriever from Walmart for $12.95 to build his.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KuHB6QgxE2I

[FishWithChris]

A couple threads on previous Push Pole / Anchor Pin style stuff:

http://www.bigbendfishing.net/phpBB3/vi ... =push+pole

http://www.bigbendfishing.net/phpBB3/vi ... anchor+pin

[Badbagger]

Thanks Nole.... got to have winter projects to keep the mind straight lmao.

[MarkM]

I'd like to make one or two.

[kikstand454]

Fwiw,
i made mine for my kayak outta pvc. Got some 3/4sch 40 and found some 1/2 dowels that fit inside. Put a tee on top. Chopped the bottom at a sharp angle and put a whole tube of epoxy/weld in the end for toughnes/ watertightness. Works perfect.
Total cost about 10bucks.

[Badbagger]

Great idea.... I'll get around to ordering a couple from the supplier in the posting I'd found. The thought of fiberglass splinters isn't overly appealing.

[kenfly]

Just FYI, just got my pole in today from grainger and low and behold I pick it up off the dock and first thing got a splinter in my thump, gonna try and coat it with a poly or paint it good, but think it should work ok

[FishWithChris]

have you thought of a vinyl wrap? cheap and should hold up well

[Badbagger]

or heat shrink tubing.... permanent and just need a heat gun....

[red_yakker]

I know not everyone has a metal lathe, but I made a pretty nice one for next to nothing about a year ago. I ordered a 3/4" aluminum shaft from Amazon (enough to make 4 or 5 points, and turned it down on the lathe to a nice point. I used a piece of 3/4" PVC with a 3/4" wooden dowel running the entire length inside the PVC. I drilled holes and used a combination of glue and counter-sunk machine screws to mount the point. Used a sander to sand down the PVC smooth up to the aluminum point. I used a Tee fitting and capped off the ends for a handle/foot. I originally made it for my kayak, but it holds my 15' Riverhawk just as well. The dowel makes the PVC just stiff enough without being too limber. Best part is that it floats! The aluminum is the only expensive part, I don't remember exactly how much. Im sure the PVC will eventually become brittle, but it'll be cheap and simple enough to put my old point on a new piece of PVC when that happens.