Anchor types and General questions

[Chuck Hawley]

I've done a fair bit of anchor testing over the last 30 years, and a fair amount of sailing where I've depended on an anchor for my safety. Here are some thoughts:

1. I think all cruising boats need an anchor that is of the "scoop" genre, with a single concave fluke and an unhinged shank. I don't think it makes a ton of difference, but I have had good results with the Spade, Rocna, and Manson Supreme.
2. A second anchor should be a pivoting-fluke anchor like the Danforth Hi-Tensile or Fortress. Primarily useful in hard sand, but also among the highest holding power anchors in mud.
3. A variety of anchor rodes work fine, but the key is having both elasticity (either due to stretch or weight) and a long angle of pull on the anchor's shank.
4. While a smaller anchor may allow you to eat better, a larger anchor will allow you to sleep better.

I currently have a Manson Boss anchor forward, and a Fortress FX-23 as a backup, and I am "supremely" happy with their performance.

Chuck Hawley

[roverhi]

There are genuine CQR's and there are copies. The copies including one by Mantus don't perform and/or are as strong as the original. The real CQR was built by Simpson Lawrence which is now part of Lewmar. If you go with a CQR be sure it has either company's names cast into the anchor shank.

People love to malign the CQR but it is a decent anchor. Doesn't dig in as quickly as the 'new gen' anchors but works. One issue with the CQR is a lot of people seem to have under sized them. Remember a 40' trimaran cruising with a 25# CQR with a bent shank that dragged anchor constantly. Also see people replacing a 35# CQR with a 45# 'New Gen' and are amazed that the larger anchor holds better. If I was to buy a used CQR would go up one size from SL/Lewmar reccomendations. Anchored 24/7/365 on a 45# CQR with 3/8" chain on a 20,000# boat with at least one instance of 50mph winds with never a problem.

FWIW, pulled up my Mantus Supreme that had been holding well in mud/clay with 25k wind gusts and it came up as ball of mud. There is no way that anchor would have reset if it had pulled out. An anchor with a cleaner design without a roll bar would be better at shedding the mud.

If you are buying a new anchor, one of the 'New Gen' anchors would be my only choice. If you are looking for a cheap back up or just want a cheap anchor, a CQR is a decent option.

[wrwakefield]

Displacement is a factor we sometimes forget to include when sizing anchors...

For example, my vessel is the same length as yours, but weighs in at 22+ tons cruising weight. Therefore we have a 45KG [99lb] galvanized S180 Spade as best bower. [See Anchor book at Attainable Adventure Cruising for details why...]

In your case, the S160 [77lb] would likely be a good choice [if you are looking for a storm anchor for everyday use as we were.]

The anchor it replaced is now secondary bower. It is an 80lb SuperMax. [A very good anchor not often discussed, but perhaps worth adding to your list.]

As a side note, I wouldn't buy any anchor not fully guaranteed and supported by the manufacturer... That includes the aluminum Spade models... [No warranty on the shank-
which is what you are up against with your inherited anchor...]

If you are interested there are more details and links on my detailed blog posts on this topic.

Best wishes sorting what is best for your needs.

Cheers! Bill

[hsi88]

FWIW, pulled up my Mantus Supreme that had been holding well in mud/clay with 25k wind gusts and it came up as ball of mud. There is no way that anchor would have reset if it had pulled out. An anchor with a cleaner design without a roll bar would be better at shedding the mud.

Don't think there is a Mantus Supreme. Manson Supreme, but not Mantus. They are similar, but not the same.

[wrwakefield]

The Manson Supreme is currently on close-out at Defender in case that is of interest...

Cheers! Bill

[Monepit]

Originally Posted by hsi88

What about a Rocna (Mantis) look alike?

https://www.amazon.com/MarineNow-Gal...XY/?th=1&psc=1

Pretty much everything

[moseriw]

keep ln mind:
< 10 tons 30 lbs
10 tons 30-35ft 40 lbs
15 tons 35-40ft 60 lbs
20 tons 40-50ft 80 lbs

the 80 lbs Vulcan is around 1300 USD

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by roverhi

FWIW, pulled up my Mantus Supreme that had been holding well in mud/clay with 25k wind gusts and it came up as ball of mud. There is no way that anchor would have reset if it had pulled out.

I have a Manson Supreme and can say it rips huge amounts of stuff out of the bottom. The only 2 times in 7 years it hasn't set right off the bat was when I didn't wash out that ball of sand/mud/grass out of it before dropping it.

Yet in the past 3 months I'm been in at least 3 gales with gusts greater than 40 where I was anchored pretty exposed and where the wind shifted more than 90 degrees (once over 180 degrees where boats around me got their rodes wrapped around their keels) and the damn anchor has never pulled out and not reset.

I admit it can happen, I just haven't seen it thank God!

[Blue Crab]

The fact that the Mantus breaks down is a huge plus, imo. A no-brainer for a storm anchor.

[Snowpetrel]

Watch all of SV Panopes videos on youtube, or here in the thread Videos of anchors setting. That will give you a very good understanding of the tradeoffs. There is also the Sarca Excel to consider.

The Manson Supreme is a very good anchor for the price, and arguably the most robust of all, at least from impact damage point of view.

[hpeer]

Where and how do you Sail?

If you are a Chesapeake day tripper then Danforth, unless you have no windlass then Fortress. Maine cruiser? Mantus.

[thomm225]

The 20 lb CQR that came with my $2,000.00 sailboat has yet to let me down in onshore winds near 30 knots. (ocean/bay waves)

This anchor is old and worn but works well

It works so much better than the ones on the boats I bought when I was 17 years old.

[knockabout]

CQR if you are going to use it regularly not park it in the marina and talk about it / you can buy knock off CQR's from Newcastle Australia that are balanced properly made from good steel at 1/4 the price of boutique anchor brands that seem to be breaking all the time / most of the signal chatter is about how good the warranty is the manufacturer gives them parts every time it breaks / if it breaks once in the wrong place you have lost your boat and maybe your life / what good is warranty? the knock off claw anchors are also very good you need to try them in controlled conditions for comparison / the GBR is littered with broken aluminium anchor parts and lengths of chain connected to danforths / if you are happy with what you have replace it

[IslandHopper]

Originally Posted by moseriw

ad CQR: please keep in mind that the CQR was introduced thru the, Royal Navy in the 17th century during the Brit./NL war. They used it as a drag to slowly MOVE down River Themse.

So it was never intended to use this devices as anchors!

I would really appreciate a reference to the above....

My understanding is.....

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G._I._Taylor

Aspects of Taylor's life often found expression in his work. His over-riding interest in the movement of air and water, and by extension his studies of the movement of unicellular marine creatures and of weather, were related to his lifelong love of sailing. In the 1930s he invented the 'CQR' anchor, which was both stronger and more manageable than any in use, and which was used for all sorts of small craft including seaplanes.[

Old Generation Anchors: What’s really the problem?

Developed in the early 1930's by British mathematician Geoffrey Ingram Taylor, the CQR is an articulating plow, distinguishing it from the improved fixed-shank variant of 60 years later (i.e. the Delta).

A Brief History of the (Pleasure) Boat Anchor

The next big innovation was the Coastal Quick Release anchor (CQR, also known as Clyde Quick Release) which was introduced in the 1930s by Sir Geoffrey Ingram Taylor.

Have still got my old 60lb CQR that came with the current boat, although it now resides in the back of my truck, I now have a selection of Manson, Spade and Fortress. The CQR was great in it's day as there wasn't much else around, and it's all I used in the early days, but the selection of New Gen anchors beat it in most situations imo......having said that, the CQR has saved my bacon on more than one occasion

[hpeer]

Where I spent my money was on an over sized Mantus. I think the extra large roll bar helps with the Rocna weed jam problem. At the time Mantus was significantly less than a Manson or Rocna. And much less than a Spade.

My 2¢.