Rocna Doesn't Fit...Do I Go with Ultra or Delta?

[GMac]

No we don't publish our results for 3 main reasons. One is we are usually only after one or 2 aspects rather than the whole package so this can screw the numbers sometimes making them a bit useless unless you know exactly what we were looking for. And 2, it's a small country which is the home of 2 anchor outfits who are basically at war with each other and I'm not using the word 'war' lightly. We say something one doesn't like and the bitching reaches elevated levels at light speed. We just don't need the grief when all we are doing is trying to get our customers into the best place they can be while weeding out the marketing to find the real truth.

And 3 is all tests are flawed in some manner so we just don't want to add to the fast growing pile of dodgy and mis-information the interweb is collecting. We often have people come is swearing black and blue a XX anchor is best because...... and then they peel out a line off some website, usually a manufacturers one. That's called marketing people, of course theirs is the latest and greatest. It's hard case when we reply "so did you like XX's website?". "Err... how did you know we were looking at that?" is the usual reply. Each anchor does have certain catch phrases attached to it, it's not hard to know where they have been.

The Ultra set faster and held bigger loads than the Delta. Average was approx 28% higher in firm sand with some broken shell and a few very small stones, a common bottom type around here. From previous tests in other bottoms and a bit of extrapolation of numbers from those we don't have a problem saying the Ultra will out hold a Delta in most bottom types, if not all. Setting was fast and easily in line with the other new designs, that being usually within it's own length she was heading down into the seabed very well.

Ultra V's Supreme and Rocna (which we regard as having pretty much equal performance due to them being basically the same anyway). Slight edge to the Sup and Roc but not that large. As the Ultra does have some lead in it so kg (or 'lb' for those using the old school measurement system ) for kg the Sup and Roc have a little more surface area which does increase the holding loads.

I'd fit a Ultra to my boat tomorrow based on both performance and looks, they are great lookers ...... but as long as I didn't have to pay for it

But then I'd also fit a Rocna, Supreme, Raya or Spade. I do currently have 2 of those 5 aboard.

We firmly believe that when you are trying to compare a Spade to a Raya to a Supreme to a Rocna to a Ultra, it's the same as trying to compare a Ferrari to a Maserati to a Lambo sort of a thing. All are bloody good and the differences just aren't there as much as many seem to think they are.

[Pa La O La]

An important thing to remember in all this is the person deploying the anchor. It isn’t just the type of bottom it is being let down onto. I have seen everything from an eight pound Hooker with three feet of maybe 3/8” chain and 3/8” rode being tossed of the bow of a 27 foot sloop the day before Hurricane Ivan up in Shalimar FL. (This was 50 ft. off our dock). As he drifted back on the anchor and readied to leave the boat I told him I intended to set him adrift before he could reach the shore. He did leave and moved out of shouting range and yes he did lose the boat under and into the bridge on the lee shore. The point being even the best anchor without enough care in deploying will make little difference. I have had people complain that their anchor won’t hold and come to find out they don’t have any chain because they didn’t want to scratch the gel coat. Or they want an anchor to fit the under the cockpit seats so it will be out of site. Never mind that at that size it wouldn’t even make a minimal lunch hook. What are you going to use it for and where? I really enjoy honest input from people who have used a product and how it was set up, someone without a dog in the hunt. At work I don’t make a commission I just like to match folks up with what they need. I know what works for me but that doesn’t make it a one size fits all. Honest information so a person can weigh out the pros and cons. The killer is when they ask why it costs so much. Sometimes all I can think of is “Because they can?”
Gary

[Hiracer]

Thanks GMAC.