Anchor Keep / Sell Advice - What Would You Do ?

[Pau Hana Daz]

Thanks for the responses.

Reading here and over at SSCA Forum has convinced me to keep the Fortress. I am going to try and sell off the 35 pound CQR (it looks like it has hardly been used) and will buy the Rocna 25 as planned (25 is it's weight in kg - in pounds it's a 55). I'm thinking that for now I'll hang onto the Bruce and see how things go.

Forgot to mention before that I also have a small danforth as a snack hook (too small to be a full-on lunch anchor).

Now to find that Rocna and one of those nifty Fortress bags, then a buyer for the CQR...

[cfarrar]

Daz,

Good plan. I doubt you ever use the Bruce.

[LakeSuperior]

You may want to do some research on the Rocna size and anchor size in general. The consensus seems to be to go to the larger side of the sizing chart. In the case of Rocna the 33 is in that direction and for your Island Packet it would be a better choice IMO.

[Bash]

I think the Rocna 25 is plenty of anchor for a 22,000 lb boat. Think of it this way, if the previous owners held it with a 44 lb Bruce, a 55 lb Rocna is going to work all the better.

But I second the notion that you'll never use the Bruce again, once you've set the Rocna once.

[foggysail]

OK, HERE GOES--MY ANCHOR IS BETTER THAN YOURS, MY ANCHOR WAS FIELD TESTED TO HOLD THE QUEEN MARY..........

Now seriously, I have anchoring experience here in Massachusetts & Rhode Island where I have enjoyed many nights on both a Bruce 33 and later I upgraded it to a 44#. That was for use on my 30' Hunter. It used to be VERY reliable. BUT NOT TODAY!!!!!!!!!!

Our anchorages have seen ell grass proliferate all over the places. Sure, the Bruce seems to set but it does not!!! No way would I consider my boat safely held on anchor if I could not put full engine power on it .... in my sailboat that was a 15HP Kubota. Of course, not full power in my power boat. I used 5/8" 3 strand nylon shackled to thirty feet of 3/8HT chain with a swivel/shackle attaching the rode to the anchor.

What happens is a HUGE DIVOT weighing well over 50-75#s of bottom gets attached to the anchor. The anchor just rips out the bottom rather than hold. I also tried out my 44 Bruce in my 40 Silverton. It held very well in sand........I could see the bottom, but again when I dropped it in ell grass, the same old problems happened. OH ... and just try lifting that pig out of the water by hand!!!

It is your boat. People who are not familiar with our anchorages will say "the Bruce is a great anchor" and it probably is, I depended on them for years. But conditions have changed.

I now use an 88# Delta and 5/16HT chain with no problems. If you keep your Bruce and use it around here, BE CAREFUL!!! Make absolutely certain that it isn't going rip a chunk of the bottom out. Enough said, its your boat.

Foggy

[PamlicoTraveler]

Just got an FX23 Fortress.. At some point we may need a stern anchor and it will be perfect for that. In addition, it can be used as a backup or a 2nd anchor. With the weight, and the fact that it can be disassembled, it makes a lot of sense to have it around.

I don't think they mount very well on a bow roller, so it wouldn't work for me as a primary anchor.

[markpierce]

Use the Rocna as a lunch hook. Keep the other anchors, but if I was to dump one I'd get rid of the CQR unless you frequent bottoms it particularly favors.

[colemj]

A 55# lunch hook?

[jkleins]

I had almost the same setup on my boat when I bought it. I kept the Bruce and Fortress and bought a Rocna. Sold the CQR's. I cruised with a Bruce and loved it but even here in the Chesapeake I was less then impressed with the CQR.

Jim

[Ram]

Sell the Bruce and CQR.
Go Ronca .Manson Sup & the like

[markpierce]

Originally Posted by colemj

A 55# lunch hook?

Ooops. I was thinking in terms of pounds rather than kilograms.

[GordMay]

I'd keep the Fortress, and upsize the Rocna to, at least, 33#.

[Auspicious]

I was so happy with my Rocna 25 (55# on a 22000# boat) that I purchased another for my secondary. YMMV but I put my money where my mouth is. *grin*

[foggysail]

Originally Posted by GordMay

I'd keep the Fortress, and upsize the Rocna to, at least, 33#.

Now I don't disagree with Gordie, just a comment. For the cost of a 33 Rocna, you can purchase a 55# Delta. Rocna is a fine anchor but pound/pound a 33 cannot compare to a 55 and size does matter even in anchoring.

Foggy

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by Cotemar

Rocna 25 for primary
CQR for secondary
Fortress for emergency backup with 40 feet of chain and 150' of rode in a bucket.
Great to use out of a dingy (Storm anchor)

Sell the Bruce

Mark

I'll second this suggestion.