Anchor DIY

[BigBeakie]

Good one

[groundtackle]

Quote from Mr B
"Went and visited Rex at Rocna, He lives ten kays away from me"

I'm sure Rex loves this too. HaHa
Chris

[Mr B]

Originally Posted by BigBeakie

You should like it, it's not a half bad knock off copy of a proven good anchor the SARCA from Anchor Right Pty Ltd. in Melbourne, Victoria.

Remarkably similar, don't you think? He even admits to going to the inventor to pick his brain for design details....my, my

One is convex, one is concave,
I went to see Rex to buy one, But figured I could make one a lot cheaper for myself,
Which I did,

[BigBeakie]

Originally Posted by Mr B

One is convex, one is concave,
I went to see Rex to buy one, But figured I could make one a lot cheaper for myself,
Which I did,

Right.... well I had a wee chat with Rex, and he tells it differently.

Did you know (I'm sure you did since you had an extensive chat with him and it's part of his discussion on why the anchor has the features it does) that Rex's first prototypes of the Super SARCA were concave? He abandoned concave flukes because when compared to testing with a convex prototype, the convex performed much better. Did he mention how many prototypes he tested and how extensive the testing was? That he invented a machine ( the TATS) to test the anchors objectively and get hard data on setting and holding in several different substrates?

So why did you go ahead and do a concave SARCA copy? I'm curious. Why do you think your changes will yield better performance than the SARCA which has been through Rex's testing?

[Mr B]

Originally Posted by BigBeakie

Right.... well I had a wee chat with Rex, and he tells it differently.

Did you know (I'm sure you did since you had an extensive chat with him and it's part of his discussion on why the anchor has the features it does) that Rex's first prototypes of the Super SARCA were concave? He abandoned concave flukes because when compared to testing with a convex prototype, the convex performed much better. Did he mention how many prototypes he tested and how extensive the testing was? That he invented a machine ( the TATS) to test the anchors objectively and get hard data on setting and holding in several different substrates?

So why did you go ahead and do a concave SARCA copy? I'm curious. Why do you think your changes will yield better performance than the SARCA which has been through Rex's testing?

If you go back to when I first started making my anchor, I did say it was a mixed copy of the three latest gen anchors,

I made it for me, No one else, Whether you like it or not,

[TassieBloke]

I have been checking in on this thread now and then, with amusement

I wanted to take a photo of the Sarca and post here for Boneparte-eu , but Mr. B beat me too it. On my row at the Marina, probably 80% of power boats for recreational fishing have the Sarca on the bow roller. The rest would be a Mason or similar.

Now there is one that on my row that looks very very similar to Bonaparte's anchor, and I'll try to photograph it and post it.

I personally think the slot in the shank is an absolute necessity, especially when the damn thing gets snagged and you end up bending the shank trying to free it.

[Uncle Bob]

Originally Posted by Uncle Bob

Sarca Excell's!! (pun intended)

Yes it was intended as a pun, however I've just returned from a long weekend on the water (Australia day) where I anchored in four metres of water, weed over sand, the anchor set first go and didn't move the entire time, winds to 35 knots sustained gusting to ?? Many others had much difficulty, even the pretty stainless european number on a large powerboat, along with the usual CQR's that dragged till they set.
Rex you got it right
Sarca's definitely Excell

[Mr B]

The bent one, put holes in my boat, Didnt hold,

Sarca's are definately good anchors,

[rickp435]

I was one of the guys who got a Sarca Excel (size 6) on a shipment into the UK in 2011. Its been our main anchor since then. We've been cruising for nearly 5 years now, spending the vast majority of the time at anchor in Europe, Caribbean, South America, South Pacific, including stopping at the notoriously difficult anchorage at Pitcairn and finally reached Australia. Very pleased with the Sarca Excel.


We've put the boat on a bit of a diet here, - much cruising clutter that we really don't need. I'm wondering if anyone is using the alloy sarca excel as a main anchor? Like most boats, I have a Fortress as a kedge due to the light weight - is it time to go alloy for the main?


(Its interesting seeing the number of Sarca anchors on boats here in Australia - makes sense of course, I feel like the 'in crowd' rather than the oddity in europe )

[BigBeakie]

I have the Excel alloy for a kedge, but the #7 steel Excel for main bower, for its extra toughness (bisalloy steel) and extra tip weight for penetration in difficult substates, weed, coral rubble, etc. Which you would know about now 👍

I'd keep the galv steel Excel as main, and put your chain on a diet. We're lucky here in Oz to be able to get G100 chain with Armogalv galvanising. You can go down at least one size on the chain, maybe 2 depending on your boat, and save much more weight than switching to alloy anchor, and without sacrificing any strength. Also means you can carry more chain for deeper anchorages.


Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[groundtackle]

This is an interesting thread...

Why has the market not embraced alloy anchors?

[TassieBloke]

So here is a photo of another type on my row at the Marina. If I see the guy one time, I'll ask him about it.

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by groundtackle

This is an interesting thread...

Why has the market not embraced alloy anchors?

In weight conscious environments they make sense. The lighter weight will have difficuly penetrating some weed covered bottoms, even though the new gen anchors have sharp tips. So for typical use a heavier steel new gen anchor is better.

[IslandHopper]

Originally Posted by TassieBloke

So here is a photo of another type on my row at the Marina. If I see the guy one time, I'll ask him about it.Attachment 184853Attachment 184856

Pretty sure that anchors from another Australian manufacturer called Lone Star Marine (LSM) there are a couple of boats with them at our marina in Bundaberg......

Anchors

[downunder]

Originally Posted by Uncle Bob

Yes it was intended as a pun, however I've just returned from a long weekend on the water (Australia day) where I anchored in four metres of water, weed over sand, the anchor set first go and didn't move the entire time, winds to 35 knots sustained gusting to ?? Many others had much difficulty, even the pretty stainless european number on a large powerboat, along with the usual CQR's that dragged till they set.
Rex you got it right
Sarca's definitely Excell

I have been living aboard now on a 11m (8 ton) Powercat cruising between the Gold Coast and as far north as Lizard Island mostly at anchor on a no 5 steel (22kg) Sarca Excel. Keep an alloy excel same physical size but fraction of the weight as backup.

Been through a few storms up to 50 knots and the anchor is yet to drag.