Oversized Anchor

[barnakiel]

Try to mount it where the old one was - hard to say beforehand, sometimes they fit, sometimes a small re-build will serve. If not, rebuild.

Have a look at what the extreme cruising designs have (Dashew, Ovni, Valliant) and build your own - do not forget the bolt to stop the rode from jumping out from the grove. Surprisingly, it may.

b.

[goincruisin]

Hello Jackie

It is aways interesting to see what the response is to an anchoring question. Always a reason for a lively discussion.

Regarding your initial question on a big anchor. Yes, you should always over-spec your ground tackle. If you consider the value and importance of your boat (not to mention your life), this is one thing one should never skimp on - and many people unfortunately do.

The advice you have been given by many of the posts is very good indeed. Having done considerable research and having co-written "the book" (Happy Hooking - the Art of Anchoring) with my wife, my advice would concur with my predecessors, and perhaps go a step or two further:

Go out and buy one (or better two) of the new generation anchors. Use any older type anchor (CQR, Delta, Fisherman, Bruce, etc) as a lawn ornament, or at best as a dinghy mooring - this is what we relegated our 80# CQR to. Our Luke and second Fisherman are on our lawn and we use the Delta for our small launch when going to a local island for a picnic.

We have two spade type anchors on board: a Rocna and it has served us very well; we also have an Ultra, which is very similar and works equally well. They set very fast and hold very well in most types of bottom. If you buy an Manson, please do not use the long rock slot, as this could render the anchor useless in a 180 degree turn. We have not used a Spade, but have heard it performs just like the Rocna would trust it as well. For mud, we do also have a Fortress on board, which has held our boat firmly in a storm with 180 degree wind shifts.

The only caveat we would have with these new anchors, is that you realistically need a strong windlas and preferably a washdown pump, as they do dig deep, are hard to extricate from the bottom, and also bring up loads of muck, hard clay or whatever they have dug into (No complaint here). Though we do not recommend this, these anchors also allow you to use less scope if needed.

we have 'converted' two very different boats to using these anchors and have had no problems with the bow rollers. The anchors fit very nicely in each case.

Regarding using multiple anchors to hold your boat: your (primary) anchor should be strong enough ot hold your boat in almost any condition. failing this, we would favour a tandem rig.

I hope this helps in your decision making.

Happy Hooking!

[Meck]

Hey ya all, a question about the delta anchors.. Has any one considered the possibility of welding a half circle on the Delta to make it flip and dig in like the Rocna?

Meck

[goincruisin]

Originally Posted by Meck

Hey ya all, a question about the delta anchors.. Has any one considered the possibility of welding a half circle on the Delta to make it flip and dig in like the Rocna?

Meck

Hi Meck

We have a Delta and do like it. So I am not sure why you would want to add a roll bar. The Delta digs into sand very nicely given the right amount of initial scope (about 3:1 paid out slowly). Also, the roll bar is the one thing that some people do (rightly or wrongly) criticize about the Rocna (and Manson and Buegel). They claim it impedes the anchor from digging deep and that it can catch rocks. Neither of which we have seen in 4 years of regular use in all sorts of bottoms.

In addition, the Delta is a plow anchor, and just like the CQR it is designed to plow through the bottom. As Nat Herreschofft is purported to have said: "The plow was one of mankind's greatest inventions, and then some idiot went and used it as an anchor."

Happy Hooking

[Cheechako]

Re: welding the hoop on a Delta: Yea, I wondered about that myself! I love the Delta, it digs in immediately and holds well in a steady wind....is resonably priced...but in a wind shift it will invariably pull out and not reset. If you already have one, might be worth a shot!That's the one advantage the CQR seems to have over the Delta, it will handle the shift a little better due to the pivoting shank I guess...

[Highlander40]

OH just don't go there! The delta has a narrower angle between the flukes. That's why the holding power is lower than the Spade type. By now everyone should know enough to throw away CQRs the delta is a good anchor. the Spade is just better.

[Cheechako]

Never had a problem with the Delta until the wind shifted, even with the windage of my Catamaran...44lb Delta, 42 ft Cat.... on the other hand, you're right... why compromise on sleep! (if you're convinced it's better that is....) If surface area is the ultimate consideration, then you've gotta have a Danforth....

[Highlander40]

Oh now you are really trying to stir something up. Yes a danforth is the king in straight line holding per pound of anchor weight. Untill the wind / curent shifts, the thing pops out and never re-sets.

[Cheechako]

you got it!

[noelex 77]

I think I could have sold my over sized Rocna last night for twice what I paid for it. A thunderstorm arrived about 10 pm. There was only about 30K wind (estimated because there was so much lightening I had all my electrics off), but the wind switched 180 degrees 4 times. Numerous boats dragged. I must have seen about 20 collisions, including 3 boats tangelled together 50m behind us. About 20 boats were milling aroud tring to reanchor.
If you are considering long distance crusing the anchor that worked in the thick mud at home may not work well in the hard sand and weed found in many parts of the world. Get an oversized new generation anchor. It will be the best saftey equipment you will use.

[noelex 77]

I watched my Rocna reset today. I anchored yesterday with the prevailing NW wind. I dived on the anchor and it was well buried. Last night the strongest wind were from the S and the anchor had rotated around. I went for a dive today and the NW wind picked up while I was in water and I was able to observe the anchor slowly rotating around. It remained burried and simply pivoted around the fluke whout moving. It never unset or rolled more than 10 degees from vertical. The shank finished about 140 degees from where it started, witout moving the fluke, and was more burried than when it started.
Next time I will have to obseve another anchor type and see if they can perform as well, or if they are pulled out and need to reset in the new direction.

[Highlander40]

Amen, can I get a Praise the Lord?
If every body could see that, and learn from it, we could all sleep better without the mindless idiots dragging into our boats.

[DRSandbo]

Great thread, just ordered a 73lb Rocna and will be putting my 35 and 45 CQR's in reserve.

[lorenzo b]

My anchor: "Stay, anchor, stay". Good anchor.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by DRSandbo

Great thread, just ordered a 73lb Rocna and will be putting my 35 and 45 CQR's in reserve.

I can't imagine you have anchored your 49' boat with a 45lb CQR!! You are going to sleep much better ;-) I would advise you to sell both CQR's and buy a bigger reserve anchor, a Fortress FX-85 may be (can be disassembled)

ciao!
Nick.