When a Spade Is Not A Spade

[hardee]

Anybody that belongs to BoatUS gets their magazine. For me it is one of my favorite pieces of mail each month. Since I like to spend time at anchor, the new issue of BoatUS magazine (June July 2021), struck special interest when the headline article and cover photo feature a “Summer Anchoring Guide”. BTW, it is a really great photo. So I went straight to the feature article on page 78 and started reading. Great diagrams, with pertinent information: Where, How, Etiquette, Weighing and then “Which anchor is right for you” on page 88. And then the surprise, ah hem, (top left corner on p-89). There it is, the beloved CQR, a “Plow” in their description:

[gstraub]

I read that article as well. I wasn't too upset as we still use a CQR on our sailboat. However, I agree that a spade is not necessarily a spade and to lump them all in together was inappropriate and really glossing over a deep subject.

I've been becoming unhappy with the BoatUS magazine. I too used to wait for it to come. However, the last few issues have all had abnormalities. There was one where there was a clear error on something (can't remember what it was). I wrote them and one of the editors wrote me back telling me I was wrong, when the actual article contradicted what he was saying. Then there was the article on remote monitoring of the vessel where they left off the lease expensive solution that really does a good job. My friend wrote to them because they left off two well regarded wind apps out of their article.

I'm not sure what is going on, but I'm now getting wary of anything I read in there.

[Knipet]

[ssobol]

[Peter & Judy]

As a former professional photographer and writer who has been published in a number of magazines in the past, I know too well the relationship between the editorial content and the advertising. To begin with you have to realize that magazines are just vessels used to sell advertising, and put articles in between the ads so that you look at the ads. Most of the profits in a magazine comes from advertising and not from sales of the actual magazine. Have you ever had a subscription to a travel magazine and wonder why the same destinations are featured over and over again. Look at the ads, if Mexico buys ads it is on the condition that a certain number of articles about Mexico are featured every year. Look at the 'Buyers Guide' issues and you will see the items listed as the best, have ads that go along with them. I receive Canadian Yachting and find it frustrating that there are so many articles reviewing 50 foot yachts, that I could only dream about owning, instead of boats that I might be able to afford. Also, most magazines are now published by publishing houses that have a large number of magazines that they publish. Ads are often sold for a number of titles and sometime don't really match the audience of the magazine. Same goes for editorial staff, many editors move around within publishing houses and are not really qualified to edit the publication that are in charge of, because they don't really know the subject, which might explain the anchor article. Magazines are a frustrating business to work for and most pay very poorly at least for the freelancer.

[thataway]

For years the CQR (genuine)-Imitations do not work as well, was used as the primary anchor on cruising boaters. Ironically the photo of a sailboat anchored off Avalon during a Santana was the primary advertising photograph. The boat belonged to a friend of mine and was riding to a WW II 40# Danforth anchor.

I used the CQR (70# and 60# as primary anchor on my large cruising sailboats. There was always a similarly sized Danforth also on a bow roller, and a large fisherman (best for weeds and grass)

The Navy type of anchor is first generation. The Plow and Danforth is second. The Delta is a modification of the Plow type. The 3rd generation anchors are the Ronca, spade, Manson, etc. They all hold better in most conditions than the old CQR. Again I emphasize that the genuine is very important. Danforth High Tensile is also a very good anchor--and far better than imitation sheet metal replicas.

There are also the "Scoop" such as the Bruce (developed for North Sea oil rigs) and the Super Max, which is some what similar--this class does not have sharp points as the Ronca, Spade, Manson Supreme do. The Super Max is one of the best anchors, but is difficult to stow, and often not included in tests.

Most anchor tests are slanted toward the anchor which is being advertised or sold. Practical sailor has done a number of tests which are excellent. Also more recently there are videos of real life conditions where the anchor is photographed as it "bites" into the sea bed.

I use a Delta, because that is what the boat came with on my C Dory 25. If I was to buy a new anchor, I would choose one of the Ronca, Mantus, Manson types. I always have a good sized Danforth type (Fortress FX 11 in the case of the C Dory 25) was a back up for mud. The Fortress has two positions: 32* which is optimal for sand, as designed by Robert Danforth in the 1930''s. There is a 45* setting for mud, which increased the bury of the anchor.

[hardee]

I probably should have titled this thread "When a Plow is Not a Plow". That would have been more accurate to the intended meaning.

My focus is on the opposite physical functions of "Plow vs Spade" and their mis - categorization.

Harvey
SleepyC