Armageddon anchor

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

Amazing the image from Fortress - THX for sharing!!!

b.

Given the weight, storability and holding power I don't think you can beat a Fortress as a backup storm anchor.
We have a fx37 in the bow locker and use a fx16 as a stern anchor.
Primary anchor is a 77lb steel Spade

[Snowpetrel]

This is my father with their fx55 for their 45 foot gaff ketch (45000lbs) and my son with his fx11. The fx55 is a big anchor, yet it is still easily lifted. A family of anchorholics!

[Panope]

Snow, You've got to tie a rope between that kid and and his anchor. Then get a camera rolling.......

Steve

[Snowpetrel]

Ha, dont think he will have much luck dragging the fx 11. Maybe my toy 15lb plow will be a fair match for his stubbornness.

[Snowpetrel]

Just for a datum my 27kg manson supreme would have less surface area than my fortress fx23. In an amageddion storm both would be out, on two separate rodes, the 45 deg angle on the fx23 would be great if its soft mud, near doubling its holding power.

Despite the trend for one big anchor over two smaller ones, I still think there are some big plusses two having two or three anchors out on separate rodes, as long as the anchors are appropriately sized.

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[kmacdonald]

Just be sure to set the anchor off the stern with the use of a bridle.

[Snowpetrel]

^^ Thats the Jordon (of series drogue fame) method. It makes a lot of sense from a reducing yawing point of view. Though on most modern boats the open wide sterns would be a liability in strong winds.

I remember sitting in Commonwealth Bay with 80+ knots of katabatic. Even though the fetch was only 150 meters we had 2 foot waves with spray being blown all over the boat and freezing. If we were stern to it it would have been impossible to open the companionway hatch.

Ideal technique for a centre cockpit doublender!

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[kmacdonald]

^^Yep, it will eliminate yawing for most sloops. Chafe is your worst enemy in storm or hurricane force winds. I know it goes against conventional thinking but it is the correct method. I always anchor from the stern so it is now my "normal" method.

[RaymondR]

I had one of the monster Fortress style anchors and found two problems with it: the anchor line or chain would foul on the prongs and it was a devil to stow because of them. I modified it by extending the tripping plates out to the edges of the flukes and joined all three with end plates and installed a removable hinge pin so that it could be stowed in two pieces. Solved both problems.

[GILow]

Originally Posted by Snowpetrel

^^ Thats the Jordon (of series drogue fame) method. It makes a lot of sense from a reducing yawing point of view. Though on most modern boats the open wide sterns would be a liability in strong winds.

.....

Ideal technique for a centre cockpit doublender!

Noted. Thank you. :^)


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[thinwater]

Originally Posted by RaymondR

One of the devices used on offshore oil rigs to increase the holding power of anchors was a number of metal plates with short channels to keep them at right angles to the chain which slipped over the chain and were retained by pins. A lot of them could be stored in a small space and they were easier to handle than multiple anchors.

Completely nonfunctional in a wind shift. They use multiple rodes.

[Snowpetrel]

Originally Posted by GILow

Noted. Thank you. :^)

A perfect stern for mooring by the stern, or running with a series drogue, they are such solid boats!

Here is jordans writeup of the technique and and interesting account of a vessel that tried it in a cyclone with mixed results.

http://www.jordanseriesdrogue.com/D_14.htm

[kmacdonald]

^^Great link Snow. I hope everyone reads it. Could save a few boats but then again old myths are hard to shake.

[Simi 60]

First time in a marina for a while while I do some work on the new to me boat and I am shocked at what seem to be seriously small anchors on weighty boats.
Do to the size of mine (60ft and 65tonne) I am on a row with the big boys all of them costing considerably more (10 to 30 x more) than my boat.
Many of the 60 to 70fters here seem to have shiny unused Spade X s/s anchors in the 77lb size.
In comparison I have my new galv Manson Supreme in the 150lb size that has obviously been used as it has all sorts of bits attached to it that have been dredged up from the depths.
I haven't even had to use it in a blow yet but have been very impressed at the large amounts of bottom that come up with it on every set even on seriously short scope on a "lunch" set. (Anchor touches bottom, give it a bit more, probably 2:1 at best, no reverse)

I am actually freaking out a bit about not being able to get it back when I do get some wind even though I have the largest Maxwell horizontal windlass available a HWC3500

[GILow]

Originally Posted by Snowpetrel

A perfect stern for mooring by the stern, or running with a series drogue, they are such solid boats!

Here is jordans writeup of the technique and and interesting account of a vessel that tried it in a cyclone with mixed results.

Jordan Series Drogue - Mooring and Anchoring

SP, that was a good read, thank you.


On other things, that photo you posted serves to emphasise one of my minor concerns about our boat. Hindsight is a lovely Swanson (for sale too, has been for at least five years to the best of my knowledge.) and UNLIKE our boat, she has a lovely clear topside. Very much as she came from the yard. Our boat is horribly cluttered at the stern, and I suspect the extra windage there may make stern anchoring less successful for us. I plan to test the scenario as soon as the right conditions arise, but right now I am still trying to come to grips with our Marsh Stockless anchor which is proving a LOT more difficult to set than the Sarca.

Matt