Fortress anchor?

[saltypat]

Hi,
I just took an old danforth off an Endeavour 33. Its cross bar is rusted on the ends, and I don;t know if that matters. I was at the boat store and looked at a Fortress- it's significantly lighter, and I am impressed by its test claims. The FX- 16 is for boats 33-38 feet, and I am thinking of getting one. Fortress also makes a gaurdian model, cheaper, and it makes a model for 27 -33 feet.......

I boat in the Cheaspeake, so I am thinking this anchor would be fine. I am thinking of buying the smaller gaurdian model as a backup.

I need someone to agree with the advertising that an anhcor need not be heavy to be effective!

Also, how much chain? I would like to get away with a small amount.

Thanks, SaltyPat

[sailortjk1]

Don't tell Craig. LOL, I hope you have a sence of humor today Craig.

Seriously, you might want to look into some of the newer designs.
You will find EXTENSIVE threads on this subject if you do a quick search.

I had a Fortress on our last boat, thats about all I can tell you. I used it seldom. Its now my back up anchor.

[jonlgauthier]

Like any other anchor, the Fortress and the Guardian are great for certain conditions. They happen to be good in medium or soft mud, and soft sandy bottoms. Grassy, rocky, hard mud/clay - not worth much. Since your cruising grounds are the Chesapeake, I'd go with the Guardian, or the West Marine danforth-style anchor. Both are significantly cheaper than the Fortress, and in the same conditions can work well or better - as much or more holding power.

With any of these, be carefull with how much chain you use. In soft mud, too much chain will actually cause the shank to sink into the mud, keeping it at roughly the same angle as the flukes - so it may not set properly at all. I think if you read the pamphlet that comes with a Fortress or Guardian, when they say 6, 12 or 15 feet of chain - don't go for the old "well, more should be better" mentality. But if you never anchor in muddy bottoms, you may never see that problem.

Caveat Emptor...

[saltypat]

Jon,

Thanks for the advice.

Much appreciated, SaltyPat

[HerbDB]

I respectfully disagree with the other posters. The fortress is great for the Chesapeake. You can adjust the set angle of the flukes, it holds great in our muddy bottoms. It is also guaranteed for life. If you bang it into a dock and bend something, they will replace the part. Well worth the extra money.

[camaraderie]

Pat..
I will ditto Herb. The Fortress is an excellent choice for the Chesapeake. The Guardian mentioned above is MADE by Fortress and does not have the anodized finish (more likely to rust) and does not have the adjustable 45 degree fluke angle which makes it set better in mud. The Danforth is simply heavier and you need a significantly bigger one to provide the same holding as a Fortress.
As an all around anchor for many different bottoms and current conditions, I would prefer a different anchor. But for the Chesapeake if the goal is excellent holding power in mud and sand bottoms with little current, while maintaining light weight...Fortress is an EXCELLENT choice.

[sailingdog]

However, in areas with reversing tidal currents, the fluke anchors tend to break out and not reset. The Fortress is a bit worse at not resetting than the Danforths due to being lighter with larger fluke surface area... so it tends to kite more easily.

But for areas with little current or non-reversing currents and mud or sand bottoms... it is a pretty good choice. Another point in its favor is the fact that you can disassemble it for stowing.

[saltypat]

Thanks for all the input- saltypat

[Rickm505]

There's no shame in buying a Fortress, it's one of the best anchors for sand. I live in Florida and have three of them on board.

[max-on]

Originally Posted by jonlgauthier

With any of these, be carefull with how much chain you use. In soft mud, too much chain will actually cause the shank to sink into the mud, keeping it at roughly the same angle as the flukes - so it may not set properly at all. I think if you read the pamphlet that comes with a Fortress or Guardian, when they say 6, 12 or 15 feet of chain - don't go for the old "well, more should be better" mentality. But if you never anchor in muddy bottoms, you may never see that problem.

Caveat Emptor...

Can you use too-much chain? I have 50 ft on our fortress.