Photos of Anchors Setting

[malbert73]

I also think having a loose line for retreival could have been major contributor in fortress resetting failure. It could have kept flukes from flipping if anchor was inverted, right?


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[Don C L]

Originally Posted by malbert73

I also think having a loose line for retreival could have been major contributor in fortress resetting failure. It could have kept flukes from flipping if anchor was inverted, right?


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Yeah I can't figure out the reason for having that length of non-floating line. Serves no purpose and if it gets jammed in the flukes and the anchor gets inverted it won't set. I saw the the tracks of the Fortress before it set. Is it not the light weight of the Fortress that keeps it from gabbing sooner? I don't think I have that issue with my Danforths, if they CAN grab they will, pretty quick.

Also, I think the consensus here is that the Fortress is a very good anchor but perhaps not so reliable in a wind shift. But 2 set, Bahamian, would be golden. And would have saved Noelex's morning snooze.

[twohapence]

Years ago I chartered a Bavaria 37 and headed off from Turgutreis along the turkish coast towards Dalyan. The anchor looked like a knock off Bugel and led to some of the worst anchoring experiences I've ever had. Why anyone in their right minds would consider such a pathetic anchor was suitable for a 37 ft sailboat is beyond me.

Everywhere we went as soon as the wind picked up we'd sail backwards through the anchorage. Trying to set the anchor was a joke and in consequence we were restricted to using hotel moorings or laid lines stern to shore.

My size 11 deck shoes give some clue as to the dimensions of the anchor.

[Fortress]

Originally Posted by malbert73

I also think having a loose line for retreival could have been major contributor in fortress resetting failure. It could have kept flukes from flipping if anchor was inverted, right?


Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

Originally Posted by Don C L

Yeah I can't figure out the reason for having that length of non-floating line. Serves no purpose and if it gets jammed in the flukes and the anchor gets inverted it won't set. I saw the the tracks of the Fortress before it set. Is it not the light weight of the Fortress that keeps it from gabbing sooner? I don't think I have that issue with my Danforths, if they CAN grab they will, pretty quick.

Also, I think the consensus here is that the Fortress is a very good anchor but perhaps not so reliable in a wind shift. But 2 set, Bahamian, would be golden. And would have saved Noelex's morning snooze.

I don't see the line having any affect on the anchor performing as expected. If the line had been attached to a buoy then that would have had on upward pull on the anchor.

Please keep in mind that this 7 lb (3 kg) anchor is comparable in physical size to a 12-14 lb (5-6 kg) steel Danforth anchor, and obviously it is very much smaller and lighter than the other heavy steel anchors in this thread, particularly the 125 lb (57 kg) anchor that Noelex often shares images of in these clear, pristine waters and bottom conditions.

Additionally, I don't think that judging the overall performance of a brand or anchor type based on a diminutive size and operator error is reasonable.

[transmitterdan]

Originally Posted by Fortress

Additionally, I don't think that judging the overall performance of a brand or anchor type based on a diminutive size and operator error is reasonable.

This was going to be my comment as well. A relatively "tiny" anchor like this is not an anchor that should be an overnighter in a crowded anchorage no matter the size boat. I have used an FX-37 for a long time and it has always handled changes in wind just fine. In fact, after a lot of wind there have been many times the anchor did not want to break out. If my anchor is put together right and set for the correct angle it sets and holds. It handles wind shifts as well.

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by Fortress

This is clearly the case. I suspect that the small yacht owner set this 7lb (3kg) anchor using the "deploy and drink" method, where they dropped the anchor overboard, payed out the rode, then gave the anchor a gentle tug, and began consuming adult beverages.

This sort of anchoring practice must give you and all other anchor manufacturers severe heartburn! Inept sailors performing poorly and then and they or others slagging the anchor design... sheesh,it gives ME heartburn.

Dunno what you can do about it, other than posts like this one. Some would call it whining, but I understand from whence they come. Fortunately, the Fortress reputation seems to survive, and the popularity of the product, whether for primary or other anchoring use, supports your point of view.

And i don't even own one!

Jim

[Don C L]

Originally Posted by Fortress

I don't see the line having any affect on the anchor performing as expected. If the line had been attached to a buoy then that would have had on upward pull on the anchor.

Please keep in mind that this 7 lb (3 kg) anchor is comparable in physical size to a 12-14 lb (5-6 kg) steel Danforth anchor, and obviously it is very much smaller and lighter than the other heavy steel anchors in this thread, particularly the 125 lb (57 kg) anchor that Noelex often shares images of in these clear, pristine waters and bottom conditions.

Additionally, I don't think that judging the overall performance of a brand or anchor type based on a diminutive size and operator error is reasonable.

I may have sounded like I have a negative opinion of the Fortress, didn't mean to, I don't. I apologize for that. In fact though I have not used a Fortress yet it is one of the very few I'd be inclined to buy! I just am saddled with the belief that every anchor has some kind of Achilles heel and I meant, given what I have seen here and my own experience with Danforths, (which has been life-savingly positive) that I'd take 2 Fortresses set Bahamian (since that would eliminate the Fortress' only major potential weakness IMO) over just about anything else. Sure other anchors have shown here to shuffle and re-set well, I get it, and there MAY be little reason to believe they won't do that reliably every time. But I still find it hard to really trust ANY anchor to unset and re-set, unless I am doing it. But that is just me.

[noelex 77]

This is only one case, but I can only photograph the anchors I see underwater and report what I find.

In my judgement, even a small sailboat such as this with an appropriately sized anchor, in a reasonable substrate, with good scope, and without any exceptional circumstances such as debris, should not drag in little more than 20 knots with a wind shift of 180°.

This is especially true when I am downwind .

[noelex 77]

This small stainless steel Bruce copy was dropped by a powerboat in 5m @ 5:1. This particular model in quite popular in the Med and looks better made than most of the copies.

The skipper managed to drop near the edge of some weed/rock and the anchor has wedged itself under this facing backwards.

They have once again used one of the self righting "banana" swivels. The one was attached with an undersized twist shackle. The shackle was a bit mangled. I think at some stage it had become jammed on the shank, as I suspect was occurring to the Delta in post #2512.

[Fortress]

Originally Posted by transmitterdan

This was going to be my comment as well. A relatively "tiny" anchor like this is not an anchor that should be an overnighter in a crowded anchorage no matter the size boat. I have used an FX-37 for a long time and it has always handled changes in wind just fine. In fact, after a lot of wind there have been many times the anchor did not want to break out. If my anchor is put together right and set for the correct angle it sets and holds. It handles wind shifts as well.

Transmitterdan, I fully agree and your experience is shared by the vast majority of Fortress owners with whom I have had direct contact during the past 19+ years. In the rare few cases where I have heard that the Fortress has not properly handled tidal or wind shifts, it has always, without exception, involved an anchor model that was undersized for the boat, wind, or bottom conditions.

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

This sort of anchoring practice must give you and all other anchor manufacturers severe heartburn! Inept sailors performing poorly and then and they or others slagging the anchor design... sheesh,it gives ME heartburn.
Jim

Jim, it does, and quite fortunately I have found that the more inexperienced the boater, the less adventurous they are with anchoring and so accidents due to their lack of knowledge are extremely rare.

As a manufacturer you also have tell a boater that your anchor is not going to work with how they are trying to use it, which can be very disappointing to them. An example would be when they are trying to set our 4 lb (2 kg) FX-7 anchor model in an offshore current and in 100 feet of water with 3 feet of chain and 125 feet of rope. Sorry, that would take a miracle!

Originally Posted by Don C L

But I still find it hard to really trust ANY anchor to unset and re-set, unless I am doing it. But that is just me.

Don, absolutely. Once you compress the sediment of a sea bottom against the fluke of an anchor, which can occur during normal use (and is likely to occur during high winds), then if the anchor breaks free for any reason, that sediment has to be cleared away before it is able to re-engage the sea bottom and develop holding power once again.

That is why our late founder, who was a lifelong and very adventurous boater, always recommended setting two anchors if a tidal or wind shift was expected.

[noelex 77]

Originally Posted by Fortress

In the rare few cases where I have heard that the Fortress has not properly handled tidal or wind shifts, it has always, without exception, involved an anchor model that was undersized for the boat, wind, or bottom conditions.

Brian, it is good to get your feedback in cases like this, but to clarify, the Fortress anchor was not too small for this boat.

It was a 30 foot yacht (a J-92). Fortress recommend the FX-11 as suitable for a boat between 28 and 32 feet, so the FX-11 is bang in the middle.

The J92 is also quite a light boat (5500 lbs) compared to many 30 foot yachts that might be used for cruising.

[Fortress]

While we recommend the FX-11 for boats up to 32-ft, we also state in our literature that if a tide or wind shift is expected to set two anchors, and this sailor clearly did not even set this one anchor correctly, as you stated in your initial message:

Originally Posted by noelex 77

"Unfortunately, they did not set the anchor directly down wind and so the anchor was forced to rotate about 40° to the prevailing wind direction shortly after it was set. You can see it has developed a high list, although it was not set with much force to begin with."

[Sos]

Would just like to thank everyone for all the great information on this thread and to allow me to sleep well whilst at anchor .
Have just picked up our new (to us) 37' catamaran and the first thing we fitted was a 44lb Mantus anchor!
Slept so much better than when using our old CQR on our previous cat.

[builder dan]

Originally Posted by noelex 77

Brian, it is good to get your feedback in cases like this, but to clarify, the Fortress anchor was not too small for this boat.

It was a 30 foot yacht (a J-92). Fortress recommend the FX-11 as suitable for a boat between 28 and 32 feet, so the FX-11 is bang in the middle.

The J92 is also quite a light boat (5500 lbs) compared to many 30 foot yachts that might be used for cruising.

I have found that light displacment boats can and do sail at anchor putting a lot of sideways strain on anchors,whereas a heavier boat just sits like a duck so probably puts less strain on the anchor.My old quarter tonner used to tear my old cqr out of the bottom quite frequently,untill I changed to a oversized manson supreme.My father had a very light 32 foot tri and she needed a very good anchor to stay put in any wind he ended up using a forty pound danforth.

[kas_1611]

It's not just light displacement boats that dance on anchor. Our 40ft modern cruiser weighs 8.5tonnes dry, 9.5 fully laden and displaces 11tonnes. Not exactly "light" but she wanders around like a "Glasgow Drunk" on the anchor.

Normally this isn't a big problem but you can guarantee any strong gusts will always come just as she's beam on. Short of rigging up a riding sail I have not been able to minimise her roamings.

But with a 33kg Vulcan and several meters of G70 8mm down I don't really worry

Keiron