My brand new Anchor, Home made,

[Scout 30]

I think it's awesome! Next gen anchors in stainless are crazy expensive. I'm not really a fan of the slot but you're not the first to do that so it's certainly accepted by the market. I think your next step is to send it to Panope for one of his anchor tests on video. Let's see how it really performs!

[Cadence]

Mr B,

Nice job. My initial question would have been about tide change and set. I'll take your word it works although I can't see the geometry of it. It appears retrieval would be easy.

The insurance concern was BS in MHO.

[noelex 77]

Originally Posted by Mr B

Its not a Manson Etc, So I dont care what they think,

Fair enough.

Originally Posted by Mr B

This slot is designed to pull out and reset on every tide change, If it stays buried there, thats even better,

An anchor "pulling out" and resetting on every significant direction change is very, very poor (current alone is not usually enough force to rotate an anchor). Not even your Danforth (which you correctly note is poor at coping with a change in direction of pull) will do this.

I have yet to see my Mantus or Rocna ever pull out and reset in over 2,000 nights at anchor. That does not mean that this impossible, but to rotate reliably the anchor should normally remain buried and engaged with the seabed. There is no doubt in my mind that the use of a rock slot impairs this ability.

If the anchor breaks out, often (but not always) it will reset and the skipper is unaware of the problem, but a moving anchor has more difficulty getting the initial bite and there is always a risk even with a small movement along the seabed that the anchor will encounter some debris or move to an area of substrate that is less suitable (such as thick weed).

To design an anchor that is expected to respond to a change in direction of pull by breaking out and (hopefully) resetting is not sensible in my view.

Sorry to be so blunt, but it would be a shame to see that lovely new bottom of your repaired boat damaged by another dragging anchor.

The only advantage of the rock slot is in the rare instance when the anchor gets caught on debris. Even in these situations, in my view the rock slot often is of little help. Rather than risking your boat by anchoring overnight using the rock slot, I am sure you could fabricate a second anchor to act as spare to reduce these possible concerns.

Anyway, it looks like a fundementally good design to my eyes. Let us know how it performs.

[rwidman]

My insurance company did not ask what brand of anchor I have or even about my skill and experience in anchoring a boat. There's nothing in the policy either.


I would not worry about the insurance company denying a claim because the owner made his own anchor. That's BS.


That said, I wouldn't go to the trouble of trying to make my own anchor even if I had the skills and equipment to do so. It's too easy to just pick out an anchor at West Marine and put it on my credit card.

[UNCIVILIZED]

FWIW Panope removed the slot from his Manson in one of his videos. And he also made numerous mod's to the anchor in the same clip, trying various things to improve it's setting in a few types of conditions where it's performance was weak. The mod's were both made & tested via what he saw in the video camera footage of the anchor digging in, or trying to, real world like. So it'd be easy enough to do something similar with this one. Though it would of course maim the galvanizing.

[lordgeoff]

Hope you are not planning to anchor near me......

[powsmias]

Originally Posted by Mr B

Dont be misled by the Home made tag I put on it,

Yes it was made in my garage at my home, = Home made,
I do have an Engineering workshop in my garage,

Yes it will be covered by insurance,, I doubt if they would even query it after seeing the piccys,
Snapped chain, Highly unlikely,
Ripping a cleat or two out of the boat, Not likely, as in very bad weather, I would apply extra fixings to lessen the strain on the cleats from the anchor chain,,
If they want Engineers certificate, Tests, Approvals,
Certification, Etc Etc, I can write it up on the spot for them, In my own name,

And they will accept them, With out question,

Engineering Blacksmith by Trade, 5 years,
Fully Qualified Practising Mechanical Engineer, 5 years,
Boilermaker/Certified DLI Welder, 40 Years,
And fifty years experience,
Do you think I have enough Qualifications,

I did many years ago, Forge a new D shackle for the Dockyards as they lost the last one that was made,

How can you lose an Eight Ton, D shackle, It was the one that held the anchor on a big ship,
8 feet long and 3 feet wide, hahahahahaha

Yep, Its home made, Hahahaha and very cheap,

nice work mister and after seeing the way you cut the slot in the shank it may lead others to follow

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by lordgeoff

Hope you are not planning to anchor near me......

He may throw you a line when you drag?

[hsi88]

I'm going to put my money on the Manson and Rocna anchor companies as to what works versus general opinion. Both companies sell anchors with slotted shanks. They describe in their literature that when anchoring in rocky reefs, it could be the difference between retrieving the anchor or leaving it to the fishes. They also have a single attachment hole for use in soft sand or mud. Would be easy enough for him to add this. Overall, it might not be pretty, but seems lots better than the older anchors still sitting on people's bows. These are the boats I wouldn't want to be parked beside. I'd bet on his new generation look alike versus an old claw or plow anchor any day!

[Panope]

Nice Prototype, Mr. B.

Structurally, it looks to be plenty strong. Especially given the oversize (for your boat) nature of the beast.

However, I believe it is premature to state that the design is finished/successful without a LOT of experience using the anchor.

I agree with Noelex's opinion that it is better for the anchor to remain engaged during wind/current reversals. That an anchor reliably resets not change this.

Ideally, I would like to see:

1 - An anchor that has high tendency to rotate and not disengage from the sea-bed.

2 - An anchor that re-sets reliably in case it does release.

3 - Beefy scantlings/strong material (you've got that covered, Mr B).

4 - Easy re-galvanizing.

5 - Looks good on boat (subjective, probably more important than most people are willing to admit).

On edit: 6 - Develop high holding power (how did I forget!).

In-case anyone missed it, here is my 'Rock Slot" test. It features the Super Sarca and Manson Supreme prior to its reassignment surgery.

Steve

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iq77ULZCy3E&t=7s

[Group9]

Every anchor on the market today was probably a homemade anchor at the beginning.

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by Mr B

This slot is designed to pull out and reset on every tide change, If it stays buried there, thats even better,
It is not being pulled up vertically, That is only to get the shackle to move to the back of the slot, Then the chain is let go and pulled out of the mud or whatever its in, by pulling it backwards,

Its not a Manson Etc, So I dont care what they think,

Your concept with the slot is flawed. Someday while you're attempting to extract your vessel off a sandbank, the lightbulb above your head will illuminate.

Until then, good luck... you did not save any money. IMHO

[Suijin]

Just to be clear, I didn't call the OP a "glorified welder"; he offered up a list of credentials in response to someone questioning his knowledge and they did not appear to answer that, but of course I'm half a world away and know nothing about those credentials.

What does give me further pause however is the statement that it won't need any modification and was designed perfectly as is. That strikes me as significant hubris, to say the least.

I certainly commend you for your initiative and skills and agree with Noelex that there's a ton of successful anchors out there that were prototyped in a garage.

But the proof of its effectiveness won't come from your CV or dragging in behind your truck or claim that it is not a prototype. It will come out on the water. I certainly hope it bears out your confidence in it.

[Miz Pea]

The thought and design that you put into your anchor is mind-blowing, using just scrap metal from your yard. Your final anchor is incredible. Even the first prototype photo was amazing.

The internet is loaded with "experts" like the ones who have criticized you. Not a one of them has ever accomplished what you have done. Thank you so much for sharing your thought processes and all the photos. Yours is a remarkable accomplishment and because of that, I think you will enjoy dropping anchor more than any of us ever will.

[Cadence]

Just a question? How many times has anyone seen a tide change cause the boat to go directly over the anchor? Maybe with a slack tide and no wind.