anchors

[maxcontax]

RE: setting a Danforth:

My luck setting a fluke-style anchor has been less than satisfactory, and I don''t think I can blame the bottom all the time. This is likely why I have a Bruce in the chainlocker right now--it is pretty good at setting altho it may not hold as well as a Danforth or Fortress once set.

Perhaps it is my technique: I drop anchor, count off the markings on my rode to get scope, then reverse slowly until I see tension, then reverse hard until it sets.

Is there a better way? They get rave reviews in the anchor-test websites--once they bite.

[RichH]

Yup there is:
Drop the anchor only to the actual depth of the water, slowly back down while letting the flukes begin to drag on the bottom to insure that the flukes are flat to the bottom and not fouled in the rode, etc. Continue back until about 10:1 (or more) scope is laid out, jerk the rode by hand to begin the flukes to burrow, back down with power to finish burrying the flukes, Pull in the rode to about 7:1 scope, drink beer, go to sleep.

[bista]

I have a 35 lb CQR with 75'' of chain and 125'' of road for my 36'' boat. I have had a lot of trouble getting it to set in sand. What am I doing wrong? Backing down too fast? Once it''s set all is well.

[Dana125]

Maxcontax:

I''ve used a Danforth exclusively over the years on my Westerly 25 without a windlass It weights in at about 6,000 to 7,000 pounds when cruising. I sail on a huge inland with plenty of wind and prarie thunderstorms, primarily sandy & muddy bottom (occasional clay). The primary anchor is a Danforth 13S, six feet of vinyl covered chain (I''d use 20 feet or more in coastal conditions) and 300'' of 5/8 double braided nylon (definite overkill).

I have great success setting this anchor on the first try. Here''s how I do it, most of the time single handed.

I move to the bow while the boat drifts to a stop into the wind (coastal---I''d come into the tide if any, the wind if not). When the boat stops and begins to fall away, I EASE the Danforth to the bottom BY HAND to keep it from fouling. As the boat drifts back, I let out line by hand so I can FEEL the anchor, keeping a bit of tension on the line to keep the anchor positioned properly. When the scope gets to 3:1 or so, I grip the line so that the anchor begins to drag along the bottom, waiting to feel the flukes begin to bite in. When the flukes do bite in, I tug just a bit to make sure they''re starting to hold, but not enough to break the anchor out (it''s on too short a scope at this point.) When I''m satisfied the anchor is beging to hold, I let out more line while continuing to drift back to the 5:1 range or so, and then give it a good hard tug to make sure the flukes are biting. Then I let out the line to the desired scope. If the wind is too gentle, I''ll back down with motor to finish the set. If the wind is blowing well, it''ll take care of finishing the set. If in doubt, back down with the motor.

I''m a firm believer in being able to feel the anchor through the line. It''s kinda like fishing. Knowing when the bite is happening will come with experience. If you''re boat is large enough to need a Danforth that is heavier than you can easily manage without a windlass, consider investing in Fortress anchor. It''s a great anchor. I''ve used ''em, and I like ''em.

[MaryBeth]

I have to disagree. The newer aluminum anchors are very light weight (albeit more expensive), and provide much more holding power. And with very little chain, and the correct amount of rode, the anchor can hold in just about any circumstance. Sorry to disagree, but all-chain rode should be a thing of the past that interferes with today''s cruisers.

MaryBeth

[maxcontax]

Thank you all for what appears to be a concensus on how to set a fluke anchor: gently, carefully, and by hand.

I did set my Fortress FX-11 to try it out last weekend but it was hardly put to the test--I let the boat drift back Hove-to, caught well in clay bottom, but hardly test conditions.

BTW I replaced the two nuts on the assembly with wingnuts and lockwashers--the anchor dismantles and re-assembles with no tools in a jiffy, stores anywhere. I have also replaced the nuts on my little Danforth for disassembly too. the screw and nut is not in a ''working'' place so should not fall apart.

Looking forward to the practice this summer.

[maxcontax]

Soft-bottom performance:

Just spent 11 days sailing and 10 nights at anchor using my new Bruce 7.5 kg in weedy soft clay bottoms 8 nights and silty sand for 2 more. With 4:1 to 6:1 scope it set immediately with no dragging. Wind conditions acting on my Catalina 22, with poptop up, were often 12-18 knots but one night was 26 steady to 34 in gusts with shifts to 120 degrees by morning. Measured with a handheld Kestrel anemometer.

After the worst night, I retreived anchor and it had a mudline 2/3 the way up the shaft--the anchor was headed for China.
I pulled up a weedball 5'' diameter and alot of soft clay on the three teeth.

The locals, every one carrying a Danforth, were quite impressed--dragging in weedbeds was a fact of life for them--they''d never seen a Bruce.
The Bruce did very well --probably because it is oversized, well designed and was set with reasonable scope--into soft clay and weeds. FYI

[windship]

---SHOULD---not fall apart!??? Anchoring is not nessarally meant to be easy...but it IS suppossed to be as fail safe as possible.
And...
MaryBeth,
Just because an anchor is a little lighter in weight doesn''t mean it''s holding power is increased.

Dennis

[maxcontax]

Poor choice of words. The replacement parts are SS with locknut washers tightened by wrench and pliers, not by fingers. Having the anchor end up in pieces was on my mind when I did this, believe me. I have every belief the modification does not change the strength of the inherent design and I did email Fortress and received an reply on this as well. The benefit is stowage on a smaller boat. The bruce remains as the primary.

[GordMay]

Simpson-Lawrence makes the "DELTA" as well as the "CQR". THEY think the "Delta" is a better anchor. I agree - and it''s certainly better value (read ''cheaper'').
Bigger is ALWAYS better; and "FORTRESS" anchors allow you to carry & handle much bigger sizes.
I''ve always carried 4 anchors (C&C29 @ 8500#0 including; Delta 35#, Fortress FX23, Bruce 33#,
and Fortress FX18. After "looking" (and if need be, hand setting) the anchors; we''ve NEVER dragged (9 winters in the Bahamas).
Good luck!