11lbs/5kg bruce

[Windkiller]

Hi all
I know that Bruce's aren't the world's best anchor but I picked up a 11lbs/5kg one for pretty cheap and I was wondering if it'd be too much anchor for my 15' 950 lbs full keel pocket cruiser?
I won't be buying an expensive modern one anytime soon, I already have a couple Danforths 9lbs and 6 lbs (bower and kedge)so i was just looking for information regarding this anchor and if it's too big for my boat, it fits nicely in my roller but perhaps i don't want 11lbs hanging off my bow. I've read they hold okay if they're a bit overweight......sounds like my last girlfriend!! ( place groucho marx-esque cigar wagging here)..

[mgmhead]

If it's not a problem to you it should be fine. Follow this link for anchor sizing information.

Anchor weight guide

I've used a Bruce 33 on a 34 footer and have a 44 on my 38 footer. Works great in the Chesapeake muck.

[erps]

Back when we were a family of four on a 25' Tanzer, I had on board a small Danforth that was the recommended anchor for the size of our boat. I think it was between 8 and 14 pounds. We were always dragging it. I later got a good deal on 22 lb Danforth and we began to sleep well at night with that anchor. I concluded that a minimum sized anchor was required to dig through the eel grass and into the mud that was bigger than the anchor recommended for our small vessel. Once we started using big anchors, anchoring was no longer a stressful event. If I were doing it over again with a small boat, I would have on board an anchor that was the recommended size for a much larger boat. This is not to say that a small Bruce will not work for you. We got by with our little Danforth for a couple of years. It just wasn't relaxing.

[SloopJonB]

Originally Posted by Windkiller

Hi all
I know that Bruce's aren't the world's best anchor but I picked up a 11lbs/5kg one for pretty cheap and I was wondering if it'd be too much anchor for my 15' 950 lbs full keel pocket cruiser?
I won't be buying an expensive modern one anytime soon, I already have a couple Danforths 9lbs and 6 lbs (bower and kedge)so i was just looking for information regarding this anchor and if it's too big for my boat, it fits nicely in my roller but perhaps i don't want 11lbs hanging off my bow. I've read they hold okay if they're a bit overweight......sounds like my last girlfriend!! ( place groucho marx-esque cigar wagging here)..

There's no such thing as an anchor that's too big for a boat, only too big for the owners back.

That Bruce is LOTS for your little Danica. Just to give you an idea - the Bruce factory website (when they still made recreational anchors) listed a 10 Kilo as a working anchor and a 20 kilo as a storm anchor for my 24000 Lb Columbia 43. It seems unlikely to me that the factory would recommend anything but "plenty" of anchor - they have nothing to gain from lowballing it and everything to gain from overstating it - higher price and more certain efficacy. Bruces also have the rep of setting better or more certainly than almost any others, particularly quickly after they pop loose from veering or such.

When the Bruce first appeared locally, the distributor used a 2.5 kilo to anchor a Yamaha 33 - he'd swing it over his head like a cowboy roping a calf and throw it out rather than dropping it and backing away. Said it worked just fine in our sheltered local anchorages. On that scale, you could probably get by with one of the little toy models they used for displays. They were built the same as the big ones but weighed about 1/2 Lb.

[Windkiller]

I'd heard that they set fast but didn't hold great so a bigger one would be better..I found this on craigslist , I was told it was for a 16' to 23' boat
That would put me at the extreme lower end (yet again!)

[marianclaire]

Bruce staying set?? I used a Bruce type anchor for years and hundreds of nights on the hook. From the Chesapeake to the Keys. Allways set and only drug once and I believe that was not the anchors fault more likely operator error. Set it right and it stayed. Dan S/V Marian Claire 15kg on a 30' 10000# boat

[blt2ski]

Here in puget sound, I see way more bruce/claw style anchors than danforths. With that in mind, I have had no issues with a 7.5KG bruce, 15' of chain on a 30' 6500 lb boat.

The nice thing frankly about bruce/claw anchors, is they will generally speaking reset vs danforths usually do not from my experience.

Sounds like you are about half the wt of me, so a 5kg should be fine. If you are a bit questioned about it, double the chain length or use 15-20' for your boat, that helps hold the anchor some too. I'm going to up size one chain and double to 30-35' on my setup so if in some waves the chance of the anchor end getting literally pulled upwards is lessened.

The other to remember, is many will recommend two styles of anchor, so if one is not working, the other hopefully will. So having in your case, and mine, a bruce and danforth, you should be in good shape. I'm actually beginning to prefer bruces for mark bouy's vs the danforth's the club uses. less issues with setting in the mud/sand we have around here. especially if you go a bit long on the chain.

marty

[SloopJonB]

I have no first hand experience with the Bruce, only demo's, anecdotal and test data but I always felt an anchor that was specifically designed to hold oil rigs in place wouldn't have much trouble with holding power and reliability.

An interesting thing I've noticed in local waters is that the commercial fishing fleet has a VERY high incidence of Northill anchors. This is one I do have experience with and they work extremely well - not as good as a Bruce or spade type for storing on an anchor roller but the stock is at the crown and it folds or removes, which helps.

I've never had a problem setting one or had one drag on me which includes my first boat which came so equipped. They don't seem well known or commonly available but with the number I've seen around here, they must be available.

By the way, they were designed for flying boats which tells me they would handle veering very well.

[MedSailor]

Originally Posted by Windkiller

Hi all
I know that Bruce's aren't the world's best anchor...

Ackkkkk!!! Gasp!!! WHAT??? How dare you insult my religion!!! They ARE the best anchor in the world! All other anchors bow (pun intended) before them.

Seriously though, I think they're a great anchor in the real world. Only in max holding capacity do they seem to fare poorly in tests. There is more to an anchor than just that one statistic.

Originally Posted by Windkiller

...so i was just looking for information regarding this anchor and if it's too big for my boat...

Anchor weight is like ammunition in a war. There is only "enough and not enough" there is no such thing as too much. 11 lbs isn't going to ruin your boat's performance.

Medsailor

[Windkiller]

haha
You remind me of the Australian club on Monty Python(no offence to those Australians out there)
Rule # 1 Your name must be Bruce!! ( I think it was rule number 3 and 5 as well)

Thanks for the insight on Bruce's
I'll give it a go and if I need more anchor in dire conditions (which I hopefully won't encounter) I'll use the slightly over large Danforth i have as well

It's good to have religion, especially an anchor one, keeps one from aimless spiritual drifting!! and running aground on a moral lee shore!!!
Though that could be fun too...damn!