Anchor tests

[thataway]

Center Islands, yes, I put the mud palms on all of my Fortress and Guardian anchors. They do help get the proper angle.

Joe, thanks for the photo of the FX 16 on the roller. I should have measusred my shank to see if it would fit on the Tom Cat--But It is not my primary anchor.

Alok, I usually put this type of anchor is a SS holder which puts the mud palms into a bracket on an aft railing. Great use of the fish boxes--I have only succeeded in using them to rust metal!

Eric, Thanks for the information on the CD 25. I may have a different roller--it didn't have the top roller. The Tom Cat (which I pictured did; it worked for a Bruce, but not the Delta Fast Set, and I have removed it. I believe that my CD 25 has a bail, like Joe's and it may have to be removed. I have a Delta 14 on that boat currently.

Boris, I normally have chain on all of my anchors. It should be done. The only piece I had handy was 25 feet of 1/4 Ht. It would have made pulling the anchor(and getting the mud all over the boat) an issue, so I left it off all of the anchors. It may well have helped both the Guardian and the Danforth. The time I usually use these two anchors is as a stern anchor when going to the beach--like locally or at Lake Powell. in these cases, I can set the flukes into the sand with my feet, like a spade. They hold very well doing this.


Thanks all for the comments. I'll have to repeat the tests using the Tom Cat (more power)--and a few feet of chain...

[IT-SEA-BIT-C]

that test was the best ! thanks man. john

[CW]

Interesting reading Bob. Here's a pic of an anchor I found and use as a backup to my big anchor. It is 22-24 lbs. 22" wide and vertical part is 26" long. It is fairly typical of anchors used here on the Columbia, though some have more tines. C.W.

[SEA3PO]

Wholly Cow !! That should hold a landing craft.... I can see why you found it... probably take two men just to lift it off the bottom... You would laugh at some of the junk I find that folks use as anchors....lots of concrete blocks... and old wheel rims with rebar arms... funny stuff..
some times it looks like a hardware store under water... in one big hole I pulled 20 anchors out.... what a tangle.
Now I only bother to pick up the nice ones... same with fishing lures... I have a cork board in our spare bath covered with strange lures... really funny what some folks think will catch fish...

Joel
SEA3PO

[journey on]

Speaking of anchors, I ran into the following, whilst ordering something for the boat: "Due to a supply problem, Bruce Anchors are presently not available in the United States." The one I got when I bought the boat is made in Brazil. Any opinions (oops, I guess that's a silly statement.)

Boris

[thataway]

The rebar "anchors" are often used in rocky or reef areas by fishing boats. They are pretty much sacrificial. I would not trust my boat on one overhight--and just where do you stow that?

I had heard that Bruce was no longer making small anchors-I found this on the internet "NOTE: Bruce anchors have been unavailable in the United States since late 2004. Bruce has been producing most of their anchors in a foundry in Brazil for the last several years. This relationship was terminated in 2004 when Bruce had plans to move the production to another foundry. There have been numerous complications with this plan and the situation still remains unresolved today. "

[journey on]

Good grief, Bob, you've made this thread a trip back into anchoring memories. We were anchored in a cove in Isla Del Espiritu Santo, off La Paz, Mexico. Beautiful day, and just as the sun set the off-shore wind came up. As usual. As you know, all Mexican shrimpers use rebar anchors. The shrimper anchored next to us drug (away from us) and reset that anchor every hour. Finally gave up and left. Our CQR held, but the charter boat with the same anchor drug. Scope issue, I guess. Anyway we never swam with the dolphins, but left the next morn for Mazatlan. After an overnighter, we picked the squid off the decks and went to Mazatlan Marina.

I'm getting the boat ready for Avalon, and after every frustrating task, I read what you wrote, and it helps. Keep going.

Thanks, Boris

[CW]

This is the one I use and it has never let me down. I haven't weighed it, but it must be 35 or more lbs. You can see where it goes, the whole unit pivots. I lift it with a buoy/puller. C.W.

[Dora~Jean]

Boris/Judy,

When are you going to Avalon? I'm going this weekend for the annual dive cleanup.

[captd]

eeny, meeny, minee, moe Which anchor will work today. Depends on the ground, the seas, and the weather. Use one, two or three at the same time. That is always the question. I have found one is no better or worse than the other depending on conditions.

32 lb Danforth ( Storm anchor ) far side, Fortress close left, Stainless grapple, Claw (Bruce) in fairlead.

captd

[matt_unique]

Thanks for the detailed analysis Bob. You remind me of the Professor from the Back to the Future movies when he says "please excuse the crudity of this model". Ha ha! That was a detailed, expert analysis of anchor holding properties.

[Best Day]

Hi Bob, thanks for the great info. I noticed you tested a 22 pound Delta and that Dora Jean uses the same anchor. I was wondering what size anchor you would recommend for a 23 Venture. I see Delta recommends the 14 pound anchor for 21-31 foot boats. That is the size I was planning on using unless it is too small in your opinion. I use 30 feet of chain and often can't use a lot of scope.

Thanks,
Bill

[james]

I have 15ft of 5/8 chain on my fX7, I have to say in 2 years I cannot remember a single occasion when it did not hold the first time.

I could not demand more from a anchor.

the fortress is VERY light, I would not expect it to hold much without some chain.


James

[Dora~Jean]

Best Day,

I have 28 ft of chain and 270 ft of 1/2" 3 strand rode (rule of thumb -- chain is length of boat, more is generally better but weight forward sometimes becomes an issue). I believe in one size up than recommended, I sleep MUCH better. But the 22 lb Delta would definitely be an overkill for your V23, I'd go next step down. If the 14 lb is the next lower, then that's the one (you'd be near the bottom end of the scale).

[journey on]

Captd,

I only see chain on the anchor in the anchor roller. Where do you keep the chain for the other anchors?

Boris