Anchor types and General questions

[Fortress]

Does anyone here follow Distant Shores? In their trailer, here's a description:

Distant Shores is a sailing television series about the cruising life, with lots of tips for sailors planning to sail away plus destination information to help you make your cruising plans.

We have been filming Distant Shores for over 15 years, and know the fun and challenges of the cruising life. Destinations include the ICW trip south on the US east coast, the Bahamas, Caribbean, Mediterranean, Europe, transatlantic passagemaking, the French Canals and more.

They have a couple of segments on anchoring, here's one with Fortress that has 60,000+ views:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnQs6zoUE9o

[Tkeeth]

I saw that. I was pretty certain that boat wouldn't drag sitting in the mud....lol

[Fortress]

Originally Posted by Tkeeth

I saw that. I was pretty certain that boat wouldn't drag sitting in the mud....lol

[Blue Crab]

Someone let me know when Fortress buys a CQR.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Blue Crab

Someone let me know when Fortress buys a CQR.

Speaking of throwing anchors out and praying, the only anchor type which -- in my experience -- will almost always hold without setting, provided the bottom is reasonable, is the Fortress. That's another reason why Fortress is the only choice for a kedge anchor, because one -- important! -- function of a kedge is to emergency stop the boat when everything else has gone breasts-up.

This quality is also really useful if you're using it as a stern anchor for bows-to mooring, when you won't have the option of faffing around setting it.

I guess this is a note to the OP -- make sure and have a Fortress kedge on board, whatever other anchor you choose as a bower.

[thomm225]

Drop / Set!

No back down but then I never back down.....as of yet

It may be that when a fellow has been anchoring since adolescences he leaves out little details. Maybe it's because I let my gear dry out on deck that it hooks up so well..............

I'm not sure what to tell you but it is nice to have internet after a whole day without it!!

[Don C L]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

Speaking of throwing anchors out and praying, the only anchor type which -- in my experience -- will almost always hold without setting, provided the bottom is reasonable, is the Fortress. That's another reason why Fortress is the only choice for a kedge anchor, because one -- important! -- function of a kedge is to emergency stop the boat when everything else has gone breasts-up.

This quality is also really useful if you're using it as a stern anchor for bows-to mooring, when you won't have the option of faffing around setting it.

I guess this is a note to the OP -- make sure and have a Fortress kedge on board, whatever other anchor you choose as a bower.

Can I add a caveat to that? (since I think I am the last one still using Danforths regularly!) The Danforth/Fortress type will skip along the bottom and kind of "fly" if you are moving too fast and/or if you do not have a goodly amount of chain out to keep the shank down... and if you take tension on it before you have a decent scope out... If you feed out the rode fast enough though and then cleat it off after you have 4 or 5 or 6:1, hang on, because that thing will grab in a hurry! Sometimes I'll anchor engineless going downwind with the stern hook and once those flukes are diving into sand, they ain't gonna drag. Make sure the cleat is well backed up too!

[Blue Crab]

Originally Posted by thomm225

Drop / Set!

No back down but then I never back down.....as of yet

It may be that when a fellow has been anchoring since adolescences he leaves out little details. Maybe it's because I let my gear dry out on deck that it hooks up so well..............

I'm not sure what to tell you but it is nice to have internet after a whole day without it!!

Pride and a haughty spirit is bad juju brother.We all used CQRs til better gear came along. Rather than being on the leading edge, yer still sucking that hind teat.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by Blue Crab

Pride and a haughty spirit is bad juju brother.We all used CQRs til better gear came along. Rather than being on the leading edge, yer still sucking that hind teat.

I already raced for 15 years so now I'm not too worried about what position I finish in. Plus I believe in paying dues and learning in the process.

Mostly all I ever saw at our dock in Florida in the 90's were CQR's on the bows of the sailboats there. I always liked the look. Our apartment complex had a dock!!

This boat (and it's gear) was to be my education for my cruising boat (if I cruise) which is why I try and not spend too much on this one. And I have the backup Bruce.

Good point about the Juju though but hopefully it's understood by the Anchor Gods that this is for internet back and forth

The CQR skipped once on my normal test check yesterday after anchor drop so I gave it more time to dig in before the next test. Maybe an hour. I think it set the wrong way first time because I was still going pretty fast with the main up when I let it go so it had to reset.

There were storms all around last night from about 8 pm - 11pm. Lots of thunder and lightning but luckily it missed this location except for some strong winds. Forecast was 30-50 knot winds and hail. Glad it missed this area but what a light show .....lots of cloud to cloud lightning

I did prep (recheck) the Bruce though due to that one skip of the CQR

[estarzinger]

Originally Posted by thomm225

I was still going pretty fast with the main up when I let it go so it had to reset.

a lot of folks here forget that it used to be standard practice to sail on and off anchors, and thus to know how to set them under sail (not motor), and that it can be done perfectly well, and is perfectly good seamanship (when properly done).

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by estarzinger

a lot of folks here forget that it used to be standard practice to sail on and off anchors, and thus to know how to set them under sail (not motor), and that it can be done perfectly well, and is perfectly good seamanship (when properly done).

Absolutely right. I had been sailing for 15 years before I had a boat with any kind of motor. Back the mainsail and back down good until the anchor is well buried in the seabed.

The old-timey anchors -- danforth, fisherman -- were easier to set, with sharper and smaller flukes.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by estarzinger

a lot of folks here forget that it used to be standard practice to sail on and off anchors, and thus to know how to set them under sail (not motor), and that it can be done perfectly well, and is perfectly good seamanship (when properly done).

This is where my mind usually is when I sail..................how did they do it back in the day and how hard was it.

I'm thinking it was quite a hard life at times...

What a weekend. May at 37 N

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ku8iWRjqWQs

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Don C L

Can I add a caveat to that? (since I think I am the last one still using Danforths regularly!) The Danforth/Fortress type will skip along the bottom and kind of "fly" if you are moving too fast and/or if you do not have a goodly amount of chain out to keep the shank down... and if you take tension on it before you have a decent scope out... If you feed out the rode fast enough though and then cleat it off after you have 4 or 5 or 6:1, hang on, because that thing will grab in a hurry! Sometimes I'll anchor engineless going downwind with the stern hook and once those flukes are diving into sand, they ain't gonna drag. Make sure the cleat is well backed up too!

I used to use Danforths, too, and can confirm the you speaketh the truth.

[JPA Cate]

Don, we still have a trusty 20# Danforth HT. It is not our primary anchor, but it was on our 30 footer, and has made the changes to the new boat each time. We'd probably buy a Fortress if we were starting out, these days, but we already have the Danforth, and it still does what we ask of it. And if we went where Evans used to go, with the impenetrable bottoms, why, we might have a look at the Ray, too. A whole lot of what anchor is determined by the bottoms you'll encounter.



Ann

[Uncle Bob]

Originally Posted by JPA Cate

Don, we still have a trusty 20# Danforth HT. It is not our primary anchor, but it was on our 30 footer, and has made the changes to the new boat each time. We'd probably buy a Fortress if we were starting out, these days, but we already have the Danforth, and it still does what we ask of it. And if we went where Evans used to go, with the impenetrable bottoms, why, we might have a look at the Ray, too. A whole lot of what anchor is determined by the bottoms you'll encounter.



Ann

Why Ann, I never realised that you were a connoisseur of bottoms.