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Anchor Choice?

12K views 45 replies 16 participants last post by  labatt 
#1 ·
We are making our final choices on equipment for our new IP440. I doing the selection of our anchors the choice seems to be a moving target with the tests being done this year by both PS (3 tests) and Sail Mag plus reading everthing else I can get my hands on ... I am coming to the conclusion that new designs have changed the choices. At this point I am Here (size appropriiate) : Hydro-bubble - Primary, Spade - 2nd, Fortress (back up)
:confused:
This is such a change from when I started looking 2+ years ago. At that time it might have been: CRQ, Danforth, and Bruce.

I need your help.

Capt. Barb and 1st mate Terry
S/V Wind Whisperer-IP440-20
 
#28 ·
What is this, a thread that competing anchor companies can tout their wares? "Oh look, we've taken a CQR and filed an arrow point on it and put a ring on it and now we're something different and the best, and here's a bunch of charts that proves it" Give me a break!

I like cruisingdad's rock on a rope. In other words if it works for you, it Works. The FACT is, there's no perfect anchor for all conditions. What does work is an attentive skipper, the right (big enough) anchor for the conditions, and iron rode. You guys with the perfect anchor . . . .Just stay the hell away from me.
 
#29 ·
ian...while i am very tired of these anchor threads myself...everyone still has to pick the 2 anchors that will work "best" for them. How else does a newbie pick one except by listening to everyone tout their anchor as best and the experience the membership has had?? You and I both know that there are several anchors that will work for our boats and our cruising areas and others we would not consider. New cruisers end up with some terrible stuff on their bows sometimes...and end up dragging OUR rodes along with them!... so to the extent that this helps a few along the way...it is worthwhile if tiresome.
I don't think craig or alain go too far in touting their products and competing test results and interpertations especially since they also provide good advice about the general subject. We can't all be like Halekai and do our own test so it is interesting to see all the DIFFERENT results especially when they are done by independent organizations.
Besides....I have an idea for a new anchor...I've busy welding a Rocna, Spade and Manson into something that looks like a treble hook. So far it is superior to everything on the market but I can't get it up off the bottom once it is dug in. I think I need to add a CQR for a quick release! <g>
 
#30 ·
dawndreamer said:
I am seriously considering the Ronca as the primary anchor for my new boat. She is 15.21 m overall, 14.58 m on deck, 13.36 m waterline and she has a listed displacement of 14,900 kg. Am I correct in assuming that the 40 kg is the correct size?
You could get away with a 33, which is rated for a 16m boat up to 15 tonnes. Our sizing is conservative to start with, but your boat is at the upper end of that range, and actual weights always tend to be more than listed displacements. If you're leaning toward the 40 anyway, then why not go for the larger size.
 
#31 ·
camaraderie:
Thanks for your thoughtfulness! I was thankful for the information presented as it pointed me to older posts and tests and also this new information. An informed decision is a good decision. Or at least I hope so.

Wayne
 
#33 ·
anchors and chain

i always thought that it was the amount of chain dropped rather than anchor. i have a cqr which always held as long as i put 5x the chain out. i took off most of the chain cuz i was trying to lighten boat for racing, and yesterday the boat dragged for the first time after i dropped 2x the length for chain. wind was 25knots. i m guessing my problem was too little chain rather than anchor? i guess one can't race while maintaining sufficient chain? any thoughts? thanks
 
#34 ·
mrkeith said:
i always thought that it was the amount of chain dropped rather than anchor. i have a cqr which always held as long as i put 5x the chain out. i took off most of the chain cuz i was trying to lighten boat for racing, and yesterday the boat dragged for the first time after i dropped 2x the length for chain. wind was 25knots. i m guessing my problem was too little chain rather than anchor? i guess one can't race while maintaining sufficient chain? any thoughts? thanks
For racing, I actually have (because they force me to) an alluminum anchor inside, and absolutely no chain, just to make the rulers happy.

I almost made one out of wood, and it would be painted grey, but then if they inspected I would be in trouble....

The only thing is don't forget to install the real anchor when you go out cruising!!!:D The aluminum anchor almost floats!!!
 
#35 ·
Matt...thanks. If you want more reading, there are a lot of discussions also on the subject over at www.ssca.org bulletin board.
Keith...With my CQR's over the years, I've found that all chain is NOT the best rode. I find that about 50-100 ft. and then a nylon rode works best as all chain tends to pull the anchor out in heavy conditions when the chain is stretched bar tight. The longer nylon rode I find let's the gusts of wind stretch it without jerking on the chain so hard and it ends up staying set better. NOTE: I am not saying this works best with all anchors but it has made a difference in my experience with CQR's. With my Delta (primary) I use standard all chain with long snubbers and that seems to work so it may just be CQR's that benefit from this.

I think another subject which doesn't get much attention is HOW to anchor. Maybe some discussion should be held on how we all drop anchor and get our anchors to set and hold. My guess is that there is quite a bit of variance there as well depending on cruising grounds/anchor type and boat.
 
#37 ·
Cam - good luck on the RocSpaMan anchor :)

I guess if I had any other advice to give a newbie it would be to walk the docks, find a boat their size, and talk to the owner if he/she is experienced, how often they anchor out, and which anchors they prefer. Yacht and sailing clubs are good for that. The point being, different areas have different anchoring requirements, and as far as I know, there's no perfect all around anchor, but there are perfect anchors for some conditions. And, I'll tell ya, $600.00 for an anchor that won't meet the local conditions is a pretty expensive bow ornament. I tried to upload a picture but was unsuccessful of a chinese donut anchor used about 200 years ago. I found it on the bottom, obviously the anchor worked, the rode failed!
 
#38 ·
mrkeith said:
i always thought that it was the amount of chain dropped rather than anchor. i have a cqr which always held as long as i put 5x the chain out. i took off most of the chain cuz i was trying to lighten boat for racing, and yesterday the boat dragged for the first time after i dropped 2x the length for chain. wind was 25knots. i m guessing my problem was too little chain rather than anchor? i guess one can't race while maintaining sufficient chain? any thoughts? thanks
My guess would be that you have most likely not been setting your anchor and the chain and "cynder block effect" have been holding you. Anchors MUST be set and should hold your boat in reverse at full throttle period. Full reverse throttle with a sail boat aux engine is barely 25 knots of wind in terms of force. I run approx 40 feet of 3/8 chain to a 5/8 rode with my anchor and it holds perfectly fine. You really MUST set an anchor by either backwinding the sails or backing down using the motor. Using the cynderblock and all chain technique is fine in benign conditions but not with winds over 15 knots. I have watched literally thousands of anchorings over the years where there was NO setting of the anchor. If this is what you are doing don't feel so bad this is a common theme among boaters. Though not a good theme!
 
#39 ·
Craig..

Craig Smith said:
Now hold on. I don't like quoting prices as they tend to get out-of-date, but here's an exception. Suncoast Marine's pricing (in Vancouver) for Rocna converted to USD vs Hamilton Marine's pricing for Supreme:

Code:
[B]Kg    lbs    Rocna Canada    Supreme Hamilton[/B]
4.0    8.8    $196    
6.0    13.2    $235    
6.8    15.0            $190
10.0    22.0    $312    
11.3    25.0            $280
15.0    33.1    $383    
15.9    35.0            $398
20.0    44.1    $512    
20.4    45.0            $510
25.0    55.1    $619    
27.2    60.0            $678
33.0    72.8    $725
And Hamilton don't seem to go any higher with sizes so I've stopped the comparison there.
All net prices.

"Double" seems unfair.

Ref. the testing, and construction issues.

Don't bother, the Spade is better. I'm not saying the Delta is perfect, but it's pretty good. Not to be dismissed as "just another plow" along with the CQR etc.
Perhaps the prices for the BC Canada distributor have gone down and Hamilton's up but I still paid about half for my Manson when I bought it. Hamilton offers discounts, to good customers, well beyond their catalog prices and I happen to be considered a good customer with a Hamilton Harine account. Lots of folks in my area have Hamilton Marine accounts. Now I know this is a little unfair being that I get a discount but the reality is that I'm a boat owner and bought my Manson for about half the delivered price of the Rocna. The big clincher here is that you did not quote freight from Canada or the fact they told me that with customs and ground shipping it could take a month or more to get it.

If in fact the price for a Rocna and a Manson (to the end user) is only $42.00 more on the 25lb. size than I will buy one but we need a dealer here in the North East! The shipping charges from BC are outrageous.

Craig I'm not trying to slam you here. I support the general design and have no doubt the Rocna is better built and that it performs better. I would just like to be able to buy one at close to the price of a Manson Supreme without massive shipping charges.
 
#40 ·
For what it is worth...here's the regular price West charges for the steel Spade:
Anchor-Shade Steel 33 Only $449.99 USD Anchor-Spade Steel 44
Only $624.99 USD Anchor-Spade Steel 66 Only $939.99 USD

And here's the Deltas:

88lb $655.
55lb $450.00
44lb, $350.00
35lb $265.00
22lb $195.99
14lb $139.99
 
#42 ·
halekai36 said:
My guess would be that you have most likely not been setting your anchor and the chain and "cynder block effect" have been holding you. Anchors MUST be set and should hold your boat in reverse at full throttle period. Full reverse throttle with a sail boat aux engine is barely 25 knots of wind in terms of force. I run approx 40 feet of 3/8 chain to a 5/8 rode with my anchor and it holds perfectly fine. You really MUST set an anchor by either backwinding the sails or backing down using the motor. Using the cynderblock and all chain technique is fine in benign conditions but not with winds over 15 knots. I have watched literally thousands of anchorings over the years where there was NO setting of the anchor. If this is what you are doing don't feel so bad this is a common theme among boaters. Though not a good theme!
yep, you are right, no offense taken!
thanks for the good point
 
#43 ·
Thanks for the great response Halekai36. Its great getting such fantastic feedback on the Manson Supreme.
We dont try and use these forums as a personal sales/marketing tool and hence, dont push our own products on them.
Appreciate the comments and try not to take on too much of what us anchor makers say.....we are all biased. Listen to those who use the products.
 
#44 ·
We have had great success with inexpensive grappling hooks - we wait until it's quite late and then pull up behind a big heavy gold plated yacht with a profuse array of deployed ground tackle - toss our grappling hook so that it hooks around their stern lifelines - tie it off on our bow cleat and go to bed. In the morning we apologise profusely while we're slipping the line off our bow cleat and sailing off.

In the past we used to lose a couple of anchors a year, average $175.00 - so this is actually cheaper as the hooks only cost about $10.00 each, and we are usually anchored for no more than 20 nights total in a season.
 
#46 ·
Sailormann -

We usually do something slightly different. We drag our grappling hook across the bottom until we catch the ground tackle of one of the gold plated yachts. Then, when we leave, we accidentally pull up their stainless steel anchor (thinking it's ours). A few weeks later, when all of a sudden we realize that we have an extra anchor on board, we put it on eBay on use the money to repaint our bottom or get more cool boat stuff.
 
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