lunch hook recommendation

J

johnr

New member
Hello All,

I have an older 22' C-dory classic. It has no windlass or anchor locker. My current anchor and rode system is an overkill. A lot of chain and a bigger anchor than I need (I transferred it from a larger boat I had). It does, however, give me great amount of comfort when I set it for the night and/or when I plan on being off the boat while anchored, but it just about kills me to pull it back up by hand.

So, I'm looking to buy a lighter lunch anchor/rode system to set when I'm...well...having lunch on the boat, or waiting around while crabbing...that kind of thing. Something that will likely keep the boat in place but not something I would use if I was planning on being off the boat while anchored or overnight while asleep. Above all, something that will not kill me to pull back up.

I know that are many "well, it depends" kinds of things in play, but I'm just trying to get a ballpark idea about the minimum I could get away with, or some examples and experiences with what you all of have used for such things.

I'm a typical puget sound/salish sea boater/crabber/fisher anchoring typically in water 40 feet deep or less.

Thanks.
 
For a lunch hook where you are not leaving the boat, a 10lb Manson Supreme would work well. Bit of chain and rode, easy to pull up.

Martin.
 
For a lunch hook where reversing currents are not an issue, you can't beat the Fortress aluminum anchor. The FX7 noted above is about the right size with 10-15' of 1/4" chain.

It works well with most bottoms: mud and sand but not so good with a rocky bottom.

David
 
We have used the FX 7 and Guardian 6 for stern hooks, even bow hook when the Delta 14 drug at Powell--in the fine sand, they cannot be beat.

The Boss or 10lb Manson Supreme are excellent anchors--and I used the Boss 10 as the primary on my 22 But I would consider them a little on the awkward side for a lunch hook, where the Guardian or Fortress is a very compact and easy to store anchor.
 
Guardian 4 for my little boat. I can instantly turn it into a Guardian 14 (sort of) by sending a cannon ball down with it. Guardian is the cheaper version of the Fortress, but from what I could tell, a few minutes on the bench grinder and you can make a Guardian into a Fortress.

The ability to take them apart for storage is kind of strange. Like having a car all in parts because it then stores in a smaller garage. The "convenience" is not all that convenient.

One of the drawbacks of the Guardian (and Fortress) is the cross stock sticking out. Not only awkward to store, but the ends are kind of sharp. Put "crutch tips" on the ends and secure them with rescue tape. You will gouge up less gel coat.

Mark
 
If you do buy a Fortress/Guardian, make sure it's heavy enough to set. I had a small Fortress which gently swayed down through the water and didn't dig in, too light.

Marco, you do realize the Fortress is a aluminum version of the Danforth. The stock is an integral part of the design. That said, yes, the ends tend to hit things. I store a West Marine copy of a Danforth in the aft locker and it's a bear to remove. But, it was cheap and heavy enough for a lunch hook and a stern anchor coupled with 3/8" rode and a couple feet of chain.

Boris
 
We keep one or two Fortress anchors ready to go, and another couple broken down. For example at Lake Powell, we use them as stern anchors to the beach--one on each side. We store them under the dinette table on the 22, they lay flat, and store easily there. The broken down anchors only take a couple of minutes to put together.

If you are worried about gouging (never been a problem for us) just put a bit of heavy duct tape on the ends of the stock. That won't effect the performance.

The assembled Fortress (or Danforth) can be stored flat under the splash well on a 25, or they can be hung from a hanger one one of the several railings on the boat. As long as one is not moving, and the Fortress gets to the sea bed, and then slowly the boat pulls back, with adequate scope--they work very well. We use chain, but not excessively heavy. We have a FX 11 as a back up mud/sand bow anchor, with only 20 feet of chain for the bow, and a FX 7 and Guardian 6 for the stern anchors on the 25. Main Anchor is a 22# Delta.

Guardian vs Fortress--Yes the Fortress has the sharp edges on the flukes. The Guardian does not have the sharpened edges--and they make a better anchor. They both have forged or cast "T" sections in the inner part of the flukes, as the High Test Danforth has, which makes all of these superior to the folded sheet metal versions. The Fortress is anodized, the Guardian is not. The Fortress has the steeper angle for "Mud", (second hole in the shank) which the Guardian does not have: 32* for both anchors, additional 45* angle for the Fortress. Guardian one year warrantee, Fortress, lifetime parts replacement guarantee (if shank or fluke bent.) Both use the same alloy.
 
Yep, they are freakishly light versions of the Danforth. Although you are never supposed to throw an anchor, I have with my Guardian. I threw it out as a stern anchor to get a "preferred view" when I was swinging around on the primary anchor. Let it settle to the bottom and then coax it into the sand. All of this was a fair weather anchorage, of course.

Mark
 
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