Anchor Rehash -- New Anchor – Vulcan

[Foggy]

Like clothes, an anchor does not make the man.
Best advice I've come down to and use myself is to pick an anchor style
that fits the area you plan to cruise. Then choose the weight from the Mfg
spec table according to your boat length and type. Go up in anchor weight
if you worry about not having a "storm anchor". Increase your chain length
to at least 2X your boat LOA. Make sure all connectors spec out about the
same strength. Shackles, etc should be bound and your anchor rode should
be 3 strand or 8 plait nylon of the proper diameter and in good shape.
Last, make sure your cleats and chocks lead fairly without undue chafe even
using chafe guards.
After that, have a rum and listen to the wind...

Aye.

[hardee]

Boris said:

[journey on]

Forgot the !@@#$ goats. I really hated those things, catching and milking. Glad when we had "Tanya" for barbeque.

Of course I was a teenager then, didn't really appreciate doing chores (AKA work.)

Boris

[hardee]

Yea Boris. I was a kid then too. Still think I moved more @#*!+ with a shovel than a plow. Probably not but the shovel seemed heavier than pulling the plow.

Still think I am going to consider a spade although my plow and chain have never drug, but then again, I have not (been) given the opportunity to try for that either.

Harvey
SleepyC

[mailbox101]

As a rule, I would avoid buying an anchor so expensive that I would hesitate to cut the line if I'm unable to retrieve it, and the weather's picking up.

[starcrafttom]

I like that last commit

[journey on]

I promise this is my last comment (on this topic.) I've thought about the various anchors I have used: CQR plow, Danforth, Bruce claw and Manson spade. How does an anchor work, what's the impact of different bottoms, various types of earth and where should one use each?

First, lets think how an anchor works.

What makes an anchor hold is the cross-sectional area perpendicular to the pull from the anchor rode. The best that can be done is a flat plate, completely buried in the sand. As it's pulled, it's trying to shear a block of earth or if the earth is viscous (mud) force it to flow around the plate. To make the plate or any anchor work one uses chain or a weight to make sure the rode is along the ground and as parallel to the anchor stock as possible.

To get it buried, the anchor body needs to have a way to dig into the ground and a flat plate doesn't do that. A plow is designed to emulate a plow and dig into the earth at the point and as the anchor body digs in the cross section of the body that's perpendicular to the pull increases until the anchor holds. A Danforth has 2 ea plates which are at an angle to the stock. Under the pull of the rode these 2 plates dig in and down, again until the cross section is deep enough to hold. A Bruce type is a claw, with 3 prongs radiating from a central body. Again the claw digs in and buries the central body, though there is no sharp point to start and guide the set.

Each of the above type of anchors has a substantial cross section and some method of getting that cross section to dig in. Now lets discuss the spade anchor. If I'm right, that's a Manson or some variant. My Manson has a sharp point which spreads out to a cross section of the edge of a flat plate. The anchor stock is at a slight angle to the flat plate to ensure that it digs in. If one is counting on trying to pull a large cross section through the earth, the Manson's cross section is parallel to the rode's pull and the anchor doesn't offer the same resistance as those mentioned above. There is no cross section to shear the earth, sand or especially mud. The cross section perpendicular to the rode's pull is indeed the edge of a spade.

If that's my conclusion, why do I have one? First, I needed an anchor to penetrate kelp. The Bruce type certainly doesn't do it. And the testimonials in the forum and others are glowing. So I bought one and it works well in kelp. It doesn't hold in mud as I found out when I used it in the PNW. And neither the Manson or the plow do well in soft sand. I've got caught out with both. After all, a real plow is designed to slide through and turn the earth and a spade is designed to slide into the earth.

Now anchoring in rocks and coral is something else. Sharp point and strength to hold. Nothing better than a CQR. The Manson is good and has a sliding stock which helps unstick the darn thing. However, these days, I'm not anchoring in rock or coral.

So when I'm up north in the PNW, I use a Bruce up front. But for all around use, my opinion is that the Danforth digs in and holds better over a wider range of conditions than any other type. And it's one of the least expensive.

Finally, how about all of those anchoring tests? Please notice they're all done in hard sand and all anchors stick really well in that medium. So don't quote them to me. Even the rebar type used by the shrimpers in Mexico would look good.

Boris

[hardee]

Boris. Good description of how they work, why and what they are doing.
You are right about the anchor tests. And about the general anchoring substrate in the PNW.

And as to spending so much on an anchor that you might not want to cut it and run when safety demands; that is why I don't have a stainless anchor.

Harvey
SleepyC

[journey on]

OK, I lie, the above post was a lie. It's not my last post.

The reason of this post is that BOAT-US posted the results of an anchor test done by Fortress in Chesapeake Bay (mud.) Here's the test: Chesapeake Anchoring tests. And here are the results: Anchor test results.

Not surprising, the Fortress, with the larger fluke setting came in first. I allow you to read the rest.

Boris

[msgchef]

All this talk about anchors and rodes had me drop anchor in the driveway to see what I had. Seaweed has yet to touch water in my ownership. I only have 10' chain and 100" 3x nylon. though I do not think we will be anchoring in the deeps I have read some of you have, but it has me wondering, am I due for an upgrade? The anchor is a 22lb Delta. Much of what I have read suggests at least a boat length of chain?

[hardee]

I would think that a boat length, at least, would be a minimum. The 22# Delta should be adequate. The substrate you are setting into will make some difference but if you can get that to set, it should hold.

Boris, thanks for posting those links.

Harvey
SleepyC

[hardee]

Here it is again, time to be thinking about boating, and it's SBS time and what is there out there I can't live without.

That's why I'm bringing this line back up.

I'm curious if there are any changes in thoughts since the last time we looked at this. Also, I would like to hear from some who have changed anchors since this was around. I have heard comments about "tired of looking through the arch". Also wondered how the newer anchors, (Vulcan, or Boss or others) are working coming out of the launchers.

My Delta Fastset 14# has worked OK except one time, and that was probably my fault for not doing a good stern line. It has held in some pretty stiff breeze and some fair current swings.

Just looking for some updates from the group.

Harvey
SleepyC

[thataway]

I now have over 70 days/ nights anchoring with the "Boss". It did begin to drag at Powell once, and I put a #7 Fortress at about a 40 degree angle to it off the bow, and the fortress held. I suspect that a larger Boss (I was using the smallest 10#), would have held. We had the Boss hold in over 50 knots one night.,

The disadvantage of the Boss is that it can hit the bow gel coat, if you are not careful bringing it up.

It seems to set well in mud. I am going to test it in some mud/sand / shell in the next few days, where we will be applying several hundred horsepower in forward gear to the anchor, so it will be interesting to see how it performs in relation to a 35# HT Danforth.

I have stopped carrying the Delta--and carry the Boss 10#, plus the 3 Guardian/Fortress anchors all in the 6 to 7 sized

[hardee]

Some of the drawbacks I see are:

the Boss: A very curved arm, allowing the point to get very close to the bow gel coat.

The Supreme: The Arch. How bothersome is it to have that up in the view field? AND does that bring up more bottom junk?

The Ultra: I love the action when turning 180 degrees. but Stailness and Shiney and $$$$

Harvey
SleepyC

[Aurelia]

Our little Rocna has the arch and until I read you comment about looking through the arch, I had never thought about it. I think we look largely to whichever side we are sitting and only drive from the center position when stretching our legs for a bit.

No complaints in 47 nights aboard (most of them anchored). I feel it set with my own foot or hand on the rode and it makes me feel even better each time.

Greg