Any role for a Fisherman style anchor?

[sanibel sailor]

Bristol 35.5, currently planning for Cuba/NW Caribbean in 6-8 months. Maybe thru the Canal and further afield eventually.

My anchor armory includes a 45 lb Mantus bow anchor, 25 lb Mantus stern anchor, a FX-23 Fortress back-up and a Fortress FX-55 storm anchor. I also have an old folding stock fisherman anchor, weighs about 37 lbs, sitting in the garage. It is certainly out of fashion, but I was thinking it might have some value as it is completely different from my others. Pain to stow, not sure if it will even fit in the cockpit locker.

Thoughts?

[stillbuilding]

Good in rock or coral if you have to anchor in these. Not often I guess.
I would stow it in the bilge.


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forums lily hhrn

[JPA Cate]

Sometimes the old fisherman is the only thing that will hold without fouling in rock. You certainly have a wonder stable of anchors, mate. Check the charts for your destinations, and see if you'll have to contend with a bunch of rocky anchorages. If not, that 37 pounds could be a supply of your favorite "x".

Ann

[Training Wheels]

Good rock pick. Also, good lawn ornament or mailbox!

[mrohr]

hey weed or kelp also

[HopCar]

Good grief, you've got four good anchors already. Why waste the space on another anchor you'll never use? I'm not saying it's a bad anchor, just that you don't need it.

[BrianGJS]

Our Cruisers 405 came with a 50lb plow anchor that would not hold the boat. I had a 60lb ss anchor fashioned after a 27lb one we have used for years on our C&C 34. The 60lb is doing the job and getting through the heavy weed in the 1000 Islands.
Once I figure out how to include a picture, this will make more sense.

[S/V Alchemy]

Originally Posted by stillbuilding

Good in rock or coral if you have to anchor in these. Not often I guess.
I would stow it in the bilge.


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forums lily hhrn

^^^This. If you're anchoring where the ground is a field of boulders, it will work where others won't, aside from maybe the Fortress, but that will get bent if only the tip is jammed between the rock.

[seasick]

That fisherman is a great anchor and cheap insurance. I recommend keeping it. Great coral pic. Many cruisers just lash them in chalks on the bow but getting the weight lower would be ideal. You may find many situations especially in the Pacific where the fisherman will be the only good option.

[tinkrman69]

fisherman is good for thick weedy bottom and rocky bottom if you swing completely around and it dislodges it will reset right away. altho you can swing quite a bit on them. It won't get clogged by weeds like others. My last one went with the last boat....too small for this one, looking for another 22 kg or so. I keep it lashed to the pulpit as a second anchor. great lunch hook, drop it payout a little rode walk away. I also keep a poly. trip line and float handy for ease of retrieving.

[Bulawayo]

In my opinion its a very useful anchor - and ifs it a Luke its also an expensive piece of gear. I'ld rather have that in place of the FX23. it would be worth checking its heritage.

Originally Posted by sanibel sailor

Bristol 35.5, currently planning for Cuba/NW Caribbean in 6-8 months. Maybe thru the Canal and further afield eventually.

My anchor armory includes a 45 lb Mantus bow anchor, 25 lb Mantus stern anchor, a FX-23 Fortress back-up and a Fortress FX-55 storm anchor. I also have an old folding stock fisherman anchor, weighs about 37 lbs, sitting in the garage. It is certainly out of fashion, but I was thinking it might have some value as it is completely different from my others. Pain to stow, not sure if it will even fit in the cockpit locker.

Thoughts?

[wrwakefield]

Originally Posted by sanibel sailor

Bristol 35.5, currently planning for Cuba/NW Caribbean in 6-8 months. Maybe thru the Canal and further afield eventually.

My anchor armory includes a 45 lb Mantus bow anchor, 25 lb Mantus stern anchor, a FX-23 Fortress back-up and a Fortress FX-55 storm anchor. I also have an old folding stock fisherman anchor, weighs about 37 lbs, sitting in the garage. It is certainly out of fashion, but I was thinking it might have some value as it is completely different from my others. Pain to stow, not sure if it will even fit in the cockpit locker.

Thoughts?

Sanibel,

It sounds like you have a good inventory of anchors for the areas you mentioned.

I used my fisherman anchor a lot in coral during my tour of the S. Pacific in the late 80s, early 90s. But back then the CQR was still one of the cruising anchors of choice... [different times, different vessel...]

Our current boat came with a lightly used 100lb Luke disassembled and securely stowed in a custom cradle in a shallow bilge area against the hull. We will keep it based upon past experiences anchoring in pure rock [and coral...]

Our focus the last few decades has been dealing with deeper water anchoring in higher latitudes, so you needs may be different from ours.

If you want to compare ground tackle inventories and use cases for reference, here is ours.

Best wishes on your adventure.

Cheers!

Bill

[Xlantic]

Also they look salty AND some dogs like to lie on them.
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...1&d=1461001340

[daveontheway]

I would love one because we sail on the west coast of Scotland and anchoring on kelp seaweed is problematic with cqr type anchors. The fisherman cuts right through it until it bites.

[Jim Cate]

Do remember that when set, the fisherman has one fluke sticking up from the bottom. If there is a wind or tidal current shift, all too often the rode will foul on that fluke and then jerk it out. In such cases, the anchor will usually be dragged along sideways or backwards, and will not reset.

But yes, they are one of the best designs for penetrating weed. Rocks?? Really, it is bad practice to anchor in rock at all, for one has no real idea how the anchor has set. It is possible to jam irretrievably or to be hooked such that a small change in the angle of pull will free it completely. I understand that in some areas, rocky bottoms are the only choice... sounds like a risky business to me with any type o anchor!

Jim