New gen anchor "jerking" when set?

[Cthoops]

When I read an anchoring thread, it's almost inevitable that one or more people will comment that they feel a "jerk" when their new gen anchor sets - you can't miss it, I have to hold on, etc.

We are not yet full-time cruisers and are relatively new to anchoring (less than a dozen times so far), but we use a Rocna on our Bristol 29.9 (and our previous Bristol 24) and not once have we felt a "jerk." We are as close to stopped as we can get when we drop the anchor and we let the wind drift us back while slowly paying out the rode before eventually backing down with the engine. The anchor has always been deeply buried.

I'm definitely not trying to start yet another anchoring argument. I'm simply curious as to why we don't feel a "jerk" with our Rocna when so many other people have commented on one. Does it have to do with the fact that we're always anchoring in mud or sand? The size or weight of the boat? The size of the anchor? The way people anchor?

[sailormed]

No jerk because you are "floating" down at winddriftspeed to tighten your chain. The others use the engine to backup on their anchor and have more speed when the tightened chain suddenly stops them in their movement. Thats all there is.

[travellerw]

Hhmm I think you may be misunderstanding what they mean by "jerk"...

We do the exact same procedure (as you) on our boat and its unmistakable when the anchor sets. It usually happens before we even back down. Due to windage, we never fall straight back off the anchor. Our boat usually twists to port while we are paying out chain. Once we stop paying the chain, the chain will go taunt and our bows will swing back to point at the anchor. That is the "jerk" we describe.

If we have payed out the chain fast enough and the wind is high (read, we screwed up), then it can be quite violent. If we feed the chain slowly to just keep up with the wind, then we barely notice the "jerk"!

[Cotemar]

If you have your snubber on you will not fell the anchor jerk tight.

[Benz]

For there to be a noticeable jerk, you have to be moving pretty fast, and the boat must be somewhat heavy. A small, light boat with a stretchy nylon rode will be hard pressed to feel anything, I'd guess. And, of course, being in water softens all the shocks--it's not like being in car and stopping abruptly against a wall at 2 MPH. I use all chain rode, and sometimes, when sailing in, drop the hook while moving pretty fast, since steerage must be maintained. As the chain roars out of the hawse and I realize with regret that I was going faster than I should, I try and "brake" by surging--engage the clutch of the manual windlass momentarily then let it go as the chain grows taut. Three or four surges, and I can stop my ten-ton boat right where I can say that I meant to. There's a squishy stop, but never enough to throw a teacup off the table.
Ben
zartmancruising.com

[Steve Bedford]

All good reasons for the "jerk action" when the anchor sets. Usually determined by the speed of backing down. Drift back and the boat settles into a stop (if the anchor is firmly set) and no jerk. Power back and if the anchor is firmly set, you get the jerk action.

Many of the users of our anchor (especially those in power boats with large engines) share their experiences of "feeling the jerk" upon settling. Fine to know the anchor is firmly set. However, I always caution folks if using a windlass, protect it. In order to "experience the jerk" in settling the anchor, one has to secure the chain (understand it is very difficult to feel a jerk if a nylon rode is deployed). We do not recommend and I am confident that the windlass manufacturers do not recommend having the windlass take the sudden jerk force. We always recommend securing the chain in some other manner than just with the windlass.

Steve

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by Steve Bedford

............ We always recommend securing the chain in some other manner than just with the windlass.

And for anyone who has ever read the windlass instructions, they recommend the same thing. Both when anchoring and when underway.

[a64pilot]

I'm bad about letting out pretty much all of the rode at once and letting the boat drift back, usually with the main still up and backwinded, a CQR would just slowly bring me to a stop as it drug, the Rocna digs in fast and there is no drag to a stop. Once that rascal hooks and jerks the bow around I feel as long as the weather is good, I'm set.
I usually anchor in what most people would consider remote anchorages as in nobody else there, so often I'll sail in and not have the engine running and I want to use the boats inertia to "set" the anchor, hence the jerk.
It's not violent or anything, but its not the smooth drag to a stop like the CQR was.
A Danforth will jerk too, and I assume so will a Fortress?
Now mud is different, you drop into pudding and there is no jerk

Your not feeling the jerk, cause the inertia isn't there and if your using the engine to set the anchor, it doesn't need to be either

[boatman61]

I usually let out around 20metres then jam the chain to get the chain straightened and the anchor just starting to bite as the bow starts coming into the wind.. then letting out another 10 before holding fast.. this amount is of course subject to depth.. shallower waters my first 'lock' is after 10-15 metres of chain.

[Benz]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

I'm bad about letting out pretty much all of the rode at once and letting the boat drift back, usually with the main still up and backwinded, a CQR would just slowly bring me to a stop as it drug, the Rocna digs in fast and there is no drag to a stop. Once that rascal hooks and jerks the bow around I feel as long as the weather is good, I'm set.
I usually anchor in what most people would consider remote anchorages as in nobody else there, so often I'll sail in and not have the engine running and I want to use the boats inertia to "set" the anchor, hence the jerk.
It's not violent or anything, but its not the smooth drag to a stop like the CQR was.
A Danforth will jerk too, and I assume so will a Fortress?
Now mud is different, you drop into pudding and there is no jerk

In my experience, a fortress will not set if not allowed to land and settle for a moment. I tried to dive on a Fortress while the boat's owner was backing down before it had a chance to hit the bottom, and it was skipping over the sand faster than I could swim. Come to think of it, the only anchor that guy didn't manage to drag was a Spade. That became, and remains, my favorite anchor.
Ben
Zartmancruising.com

[Shrew]

@ Cthoops

Are you using an all chain rode, or are using using a mix of chain and nylon line? I have used both the Rocna and the Manson supreme for several years. When I anchor, i come to basically a complete stop, then drop the anchor, then either allow the wind to blow me back (if strong enough) or slowly bump in and out of reverse. I'm essentially only backing up as fast as the line is being paid out. Once I'm at around 7-1, I cleat off and allow backward momentum to continue picking up any slack. Once all the slack is picked up, i'll back down to set the anchor. If calm, I'll then pull in to around 5-1.

The combination of the gradual process and nylon rode picks up any hit. I would bet those folks talking bout feeling the jerk are either using all chain rode and/or backing down very quickly.

[Cotemar]

Originally Posted by Benz

In my experience, a Fortress will not set if not allowed to land and settle for a moment.

Very important point.
The Fortress is such a light weight anchor. If you do not have a bit of heavy chain on it or it has not had time to settle on the bottom it will FLY like a bird.

The Fortress will fly like a kite in swift water also, so be careful in strong currents.

You have to back down very slowly on a Fortress anchor to allow it time to settle into the seabed and bit down.

We have a Fortress anchor on-board and love it, but it has its place. For us its a great storm anchor that we launch from the dinghy to be used for a pull in one direction only.

[S/V Alchemy]

Originally Posted by sailormed

No jerk because you are "floating" down at winddriftspeed to tighten your chain. The others use the engine to backup on their anchor and have more speed when the tightened chain suddenly stops them in their movement. Thats all there is.

Well, it's not mentioned, but the use of a bridle or a snubber also mitigates that "jerk".

[S/V Alchemy]

Originally Posted by Cotemar

Very important point.
The Fortress is such a light weight anchor. If you do not have a bit of heavy chain on it or it has not had time to settle on the bottom it will FLY like a bird.

The Fortress will fly like a kite in swift water also, so be careful in strong currents.

You have to back down very slowly on a Fortress anchor to allow it time to settle into the seabed and bit down.

We have a Fortress anchor on-board and love it, but it has its place. For us its a great storm anchor that we launch from the dinghy to be used for a pull in one direction only.

We use it as a "lunch hook" also and it works as advertised. However, your point is one we share: we have a five-metre chain leader spliced to a 5/8" rode and this is on a FX-37. We are careful to set the anchor with deliberation and find it goes down in sand or mixed bottoms well. I think the chain reduces the skip, because I've used all rope on an FX-21 on a smaller boat and it wasn't as compliant a set.

[redhead]

I had the same question on a previous boat. I was a new sailor and didn't get any nuances. I went to the bow and as we drifted back I was told to put my foot lightly on the rode. When the anchor set I immediately felt it through the rode and I didn't have to learn it again. When motoring back I look hard at the bow and you can see a slight dipping of the bow when it sets.

I offer this because you said you had anchored with it less than 20 times and I know these tips helped me. Good luck.