Wasi/Bugel anchors still available?

[Kettlewell]

While looking for a piece of information I tried to find online information on Wasi/Buegel anchors, and they don't seem to be listed as available anywhere anymore--same with their powerball anchor connector. Does anyone know what the story is? I believe they were either the first, or one of the first, rollbar anchors on the market.

[Kettlewell]

Well, I subsequently found this website listing Bugel anchors here in the USA and other interesting stuff. Anybody dealt with them before? The reason I asked about the availability of Bugels is I couldn't find them on the German Wasi website.

[Hydra]

Look here (Swiss website): Bügelanker in Edelstahl

Or here (galvanized knockoff): Bracket Anchor, galvanized steel from 75,90 € - SVB

Alain

[Kettlewell]

Thanks Alain. That seems to be the same company that is marketing in the USA from a Virginia office. Prices are much better in Europe. For some reason the Swiss site doesn't list a 20 kg model, but comparing 24 kg models, US$879 vs. Euro 518 (about $675), that anchor is more than $200 more over here. By comparison, a 55 lb. (25 kg) Rocna is only about $560 street price here and a 60 lb (27 kg) Manson Supreme around $665.

[noelex 77]

The Bugel is generally credited as being the first of the modern anchors. Despite its very simple construction it works well. Not as good as the concave derivatives such as MS and Rocna, but better than a Delta ( which is still a reasonable anchor) and much better than the older generation CQR anchor.
It is a standard fit for Amels, which are a popular cruising boat in Europe so I have dived on the anchors many times. They generally set well.
My faith was somewhat dented almost a year ago when two Amel 55s started dragging next to me. The owners had gone for dinner. I went on board and let out some more scope and fortunately they both stopped dragging, but it should not of happened.
There are also some very cheap galvanised knock offs available here. Because of the anchors simple construction the copies seem to work quite well, but check the geometry and balance against the original before you buy.
For a cruiser on a very strict budget the Bugel copies give the most "bang for the buck" in the anchor world. I would not spend the money on an original, the similar anchors with a concave fluke provide better holding, particularly in softer substrates where the smaller area and lower resistance of a flat blade does not manage as well against the more modern anchors.

( I think this why the Amels dragged, it was quite soft mud in the anchorage. My own Rocna was buried with the shank about a foot under the mud under engine power alone, that indictes quite soft substrate. Unfortunately I did not dive on the Bugel anchor, but I saw the Amels anchor and the technique and scope was fine)

[Kettlewell]

I have no intention of buying one, just checking up on them. I like to keep track of the anchor market here in the USA, since I do a fair bit of writing about anchors and anchoring. The Bugel never really caught on over here, but you do see one occasionally--usually on a European boat visiting the Caribbean. I think they are a bit short of surface area for the typical soft mud or sand bottoms we mostly deal with.

[Hydra]

Originally Posted by Kettlewell

That seems to be the same company that is marketing in the USA from a Virginia office. Prices are much better in Europe.

On this page, SWI-TEC | boat Accessories | Bootszubehör für Segelboote | Accesorios barco if you select the British flag, you reach the European site with prices in € but if you select the US flag, you reach the US site with prices in US$.

Alain