Welding 0.5" to 2" anchor project

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Just in the process of making a anchor for my jet boat and my plans call for welding a piece of 2" mild steel to another 2" piece then attaching some 1/2" flatbar to the 2" bar. Total anchor weight is 35lb and it's going to be holding my 3500lb jetboat in some current. I have a Lincoln 256 mig and right now only some 0.035 wire. Looking at the chart on the machine the 0.035 wire is pretty much good up to 3/8 without getting into 90-10 gas. I should be good to go with this setting 23v 450ipm iirc.?Thanks
Reply:Originally Posted by JeffygJust in the process of making a anchor for my jet boat and my plans call for welding a piece of 2" mild steel to another 2" piece then attaching some 1/2" flatbar to the 2" bar. Total anchor weight is 35lb and it's going to be holding my 3500lb jetboat in some current. I have a Lincoln 256 mig and right now only some 0.035 wire. Looking at the chart on the machine the 0.035 wire is pretty much good up to 3/8 without getting into 90-10 gas. I should be good to go with this setting 23v 450ipm iirc.?Thanks
Reply:You will be fine with .035 wire. I think I would turn the heat up a little. I know my mm252 will weld 1/2 with 035 wire. I think I usually run it about 25/26v and around 450 ipm. 1/2 should be welded with spray transfer. get it dialed in on some scrap first. If your worried about the anchor breaking because of the current, I think I might be more concern with getting my anchor back period. That is some serious material for a small boat anchor. Maybe a pic of the design. I think you would be fine with much smaller steel sizes though.
Reply:Originally Posted by sbchp355I think I might be more concern with getting my anchor back period. That is some serious material for a small boat anchor. Maybe a pic of the design. I think you would be fine with much smaller steel sizes though.
Reply:Originally Posted by DSWA lot of the 30-60' dive and fishing charter boats off New Jersey hook into wrecks using 1/2" or 5/8" rebar grapples. The grapples are strong enough to hold against basic currents, but you can open up the motor and bend the tines if you can't send a diver down to free the anchor due to bad conditions. Also they are cheap enough that if you break the line while trying to break it free, no big loss.Also a lot of these are designed with a loop top and bottom. The shackle attaching the line is hooked to the end with the tines. Then it's run up the shank and lashed to the other eye with light sisal line. To free the anchor, they power off the wreck. If the hook doesn't straighten or slip, the sisal snaps, and the  line then tries to pull the hook up tines down.