The Bulwagga Anchor

[BigDreams]

I just became aware of a product by the name of Bulwagga Anchor which apparently hit the market about ten years ago and was praised by both Small Craft Advisor and Sail Magazine. The testing results showed good performance in weeds which was what it was designed to penetrate.

However, I can't find the company any longer. The designer, a self employed engineer and sailor, still operates a company, but I'm not sure if the anchor itself is still available aside from what may be on the shelf of retail outlets here & there.

Does anyone know if the anchor is still in production and in its original variations of size/weight?

[SunKing]

Bulwagga Anchors

[BigDreams]

Originally Posted by SunKing

Bulwagga Anchors

Hi Sun,

Thanks for the link. I had found that one, but they dont' have the smaller anchor for sale. I'm a small boat guy.

[s/v 'Faith']

Originally Posted by BigDreams

Hi Sun,

Thanks for the link. I had found that one, but they dont' have the smaller anchor for sale. I'm a small boat guy.

How small is your boat?

Description:

Bulwagga Anchor - 17 lbs. For boats 20' to 30' LOA*

[GordMay]

I suspect you’re S.O.L.

NOTICE (4/28/09):
Manufacturing of Bulwagga anchors is currently suspended.
We will stock Bulwagga anchors again when manufacturing resumes.
➥ Azure Marine - Bulwagga Home Page

The Bulwagga Anchor was invented by Peter Mele, and built by NoTeco, Inc., Crown Point, New York.
Their last known (to me) contact information was:
NoTECO, Inc.
1712 Erie St.
Utica, NY 13502
315-733-4600

P.O. Box 533, White Church Rd., Crown Point, NY 12928
888-674-4465
888-586-4732

Southeast Florida 954-962-4515

[BigDreams]

Gord,

I appreciate your search on my behalf.

All I was hearing from various retail outlets was that they didn't stock it.

[James S]

It does look like something that could be fabricated fairly easily.

[Beausoleil]

Somewhere there's a 17lb Bulwagga which I hope is getting some good use. It was stolen off our old boat back in 2006 on its mooring on Salem Harbor in Marblehead, MA!

That signifies to me that there was still a demand (at the time) for it! It was a great anchor, and set much faster than our similar sized Danforth.

[colemj]

If anyone is interested in a Bulwagga, Bacon's in Annapolis has a large one.
Mark

[eyschulman]

Big dreams if you are not rigidly set on one anchor why not consider a spade al. it is light and comes apart sets fast and not a dragger resets well if brakes loose and stores on a roller unlike bulwagga and by practical sailors tests almost as good. I have owned two both sail and power boats for many years they work well for me. when I sell a boat I take the spades with me. My first spade was bought before they were available in US had to deal with french speakers in Tunisia.

[Rob H.]

I've equipped both our boats with Bulwaggas, but I've had them for several years. I hope Peter gets them back into production as they really do a super job in any bottom we've tried them in. The trefoil design is a challenge to store, but ensures the anchors' set and ease of retrieval if fouled. We use a 9 pound on our Montgomery 17, which was the smallest and a 27 pound as the primary on our Alubat 30.

Rob H.

[Blue Crab]

Curious if any welders out there are interested in fabbing a copy of this? I guess the mfg can't complain if they are o.o.b. I have a 4500# 25' world cruiser. This looks like it would really work in coral/grassy bottoms in the keys. Thoughts welcome.

[Kettlewell]

I have a 45 lb. Bulwagga that I have used for about 6 years everywhere from New England down to Panama, and it does bite quickly, hold tenaciously, and works very well in weedy areas. It help our 38-foot boat in winds up to 56 knots, along with numerous more ordinary blows. In the 56 knotter we didn't have any room because of coral reefs all around so we were only on about 3.5:1 scope (all chain), and the holding ground was really hard. Out of eight boats in the anchorage only us and one smaller boat didn't drag, but both of us put out a second anchor for help. In any case, like any anchor, you have to get all of the dimensions just right or it won't work just right, plus the materials used are important too. I think the shank was a high tensile steel, for example. I personally am not a fan of the idea that you can copy a successful anchor design at your local welding shop.

[cchesley]

+1

I've never used my #45 Bulwagga as it is a backup to my, ahem, 55# Rocna. But the geometry absolutely forces it to dig in quickly and it has significant blade surface area. I especially like that even when reversing pull, it must reset again very quickly. Great design but a bit tough to stow/handle. (But I manage!)

Originally Posted by Kettlewell

I have a 45 lb. Bulwagga that I have used for about 6 years everywhere from New England down to Panama, and it does bite quickly, hold tenaciously, and works very well in weedy areas. It help our 38-foot boat in winds up to 56 knots, along with numerous more ordinary blows. In the 56 knotter we didn't have any room because of coral reefs all around so we were only on about 3.5:1 scope (all chain), and the holding ground was really hard. Out of eight boats in the anchorage only us and one smaller boat didn't drag, but both of us put out a second anchor for help. In any case, like any anchor, you have to get all of the dimensions just right or it won't work just right, plus the materials used are important too. I think the shank was a high tensile steel, for example. I personally am not a fan of the idea that you can copy a successful anchor design at your local welding shop.

[Kettlewell]

I especially like that even when reversing pull, it must reset again very quickly. Great design but a bit tough to stow/handle.

I don't believe I've ever dragged my Bulwagga, at least not for any significant distance, once it has dug in. I did foul it once in an anchorage that had a hard bottom and the anchor chain got wrapped around the anchor between the shaft and one of the flukes. It didn't drag but might have if the wind had been strong. That one extra blade left sticking up has the potential for fouling if the anchor doesn't get sufficiently buried, which only happens in particularly hard bottoms. I'm talking about the type of bottom where most anchors basically just sit on the surface with a tiny bit of the tip dug in. In those anchorages the Bulwagga has the advantage of quite sharp tips and two of them engaging the bottom. In typical sand or mud the Bulwagga buries until all but the upper edge of one fluke is visible.

As to stowage, it is a bear trap when off the anchor roller, but mine lives on the roller when not on the bottom. I do not like the Bulwagga as a secondary anchor because it is so hard to handle off the roller. A Fortress makes the ideal secondary anchor, IMHO.