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Adventurebound · 11-05-2014, 00:00

Leaving the marina I had my auxillary outboard instantly fail. The 21 ft boat was rapidly drifting to a rock wall in the 20 kt winds common here. Raced to the bow and threw out the anchor which didn't hold for some time-about 6 feet from the wall. It was a danforth anchor which came with the boat. The type with spikes on a hinge. The bottoms here are sandy and lots of seaweed in places. Bought a brand new outboard and deciding on a better anchor. What size and type anchor would allow me to have sweet dreams at night?

robert sailor · 11-05-2014, 00:06

Geeeze not another anchor thread!! Go to search and you will be kept busy reading for the next year or two.

Adventurebound · 11-05-2014, 00:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by robert sailor

Geeeze not another anchor thread!! Go to search and you will be kept busy reading for the next year or two.

Can I save a year or two and just get an answer

JonJo · 11-05-2014, 00:44

Any of the more modern anchors will be satisfactory, Supreme, Excel, Kobra, Spade, Rocna, Fortress, SARCA. Sadly you will be restricted to Fortress, Supreme and Rocna. But you have a smaller yacht and your requirements, small size (or small in terms of how it can be stored) and possibly lightweight are not a common focus for the inhabitants here.

I'd suggest you look at the Supreme and Fortress. If you are likely to exclusively anchor in sand, mud or a seabed with thin weed then my choice would be a Fortress, packs flat (but I would store it assembled), lightweight and ideal in the seabeds mentioned. But your ground tackle requirement should not focus only on the anchor - for your needs I'd suggest a short length, 30', of 1/4 inch or 5/16th inch G30 chain and a decent length of nylon (anchor plait stores well) for the rode.

I would not discount the Danforth, its is a good anchor (it must be - its survived for 75 years) but there are many copies - some of which are, cheap nasty and, an insult to the real thing

Best wishes,

Jonathan

Adventurebound · 11-05-2014, 00:51

The boat has a big locker in the bow to store an anchor. Will check out those anchors and how my danforth compares to others. Almost lost the boat.

JonJo · 11-05-2014, 01:39

Sorry, I note you are based in Australia. Most people who post here are N Americans - My mistake, I simply overlooked your location.

Consequently very unlikely you were using a genuine Danforth, I suspect a cheap, nasty copy. I have never, ever, seen a genuine Danforth here in Australia, so forget that option.

Consider an alloy Excel, same recommendation on chain and nylon (anchor plait). If you are twitchy about alloy - go the steel route. You will get little, or no, support for this recommendation from N Americans - none of whom have seen or tried either (the steel or alloy).

Ask you local marine community for their suggestions.

Edit: On a more serious note, sweet dreams might depend on the company you keep - and having a decent anchor will better secure their loyalty.

Jonathan

**JPA Cate** · 11-05-2014, 01:45

Hey, Jonjo,

I have one right here. Twenty pounds, HT Danforth.....of some antiquity. You may see it, and pat it reverently, if you so choose.
......;-)

Ann

Adventurebound · 11-05-2014, 01:45

What is the difference between the cheap nasty danforth and the real thing? Just checked the weight of my anchor-3kg and for a 15 ft boat.
Thanx

JonJo · 11-05-2014, 01:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ann T. Cate

Hey, Jonjo,

I have one right here. Twenty pounds, HT Danforth.....of some antiquity. You may see it, and pat it reverently, if you so choose.
......;-)

Ann

I have seen them, oddly - only in Japan, Why they have distribution in Japan and not here - no idea.

Jonathan

Adventurebound · 11-05-2014, 01:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ann T. Cate

Hey, Jonjo,

I have one right here. Twenty pounds, HT Danforth.....of some antiquity. You may see it, and pat it reverently, if you so choose.
......;-)

Ann

I was looking for sweet dreams and now there is an anchor to pat reverently as well. Don't think I could end up that desperate for company

**Jim Cate** · 11-05-2014, 01:54

ADventureB, here's some perspective:

We have one of Australia's cheap and nasty Danforth type anchors, purchased from Whitworth's in a fit of desperation. It is attached to 6 metres of 5 mm chain and some nylon rode and allegedly weighs 2.5 Kg. Sound familar?

Difference is, we use it on our 3.5 metre RIB, and we seldom sleep on that vessel!

The big differences between genuine and knock-offs are: strength of materials, sharpness of flukes, control of the angle of the fluke when it engages the sea floor, quality of galvanizing, weight distribution and so on. It does really make a difference!

Cheers,

Jim

JonJo · 11-05-2014, 02:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adventurebound

What is the difference between the cheap nasty danforth and the real thing? Just checked the weight of my anchor-3kg and for a 15 ft boat.
Thanx

I too have a 3kg copy danforth, I use it for my 10' dinghy. Its cheap and nasty. But we set it by hand, we do not sleep in the dinghy, and I would not use a bigger version (even if you paid me - and I'm from Scotland).

I cannot comment on the difference between your copy danforth and the real thing. But a 3kg anchor looks lightweight? Copies are focussed at economy not quality.

If you want a decent nights sleep buy the real thing, not a copy. Its actually a good investment (if you spend a few nights at anchor).

Edit: Way back - in the recesses of my memory - we had a J24, but not Oz. We raced it and went week-ending and used a 20lb model genuine CQR (this was before anchor anxiety set in, so in the '80s) but factorially bigger then your 3kg danforth, copy. We still have it, its shore based - and its looking for a home (other than as a dust collector).

Jonathan

JonJo · 11-05-2014, 02:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

ADventureB, here's some perspective:

We have one of Australia's cheap and nasty Danforth type anchors, purchased from Whitworth's in a fit of desperation. It is attached to 6 metres of 5 mm chain and some nylon rode and allegedly weighs 2.5 Kg. Sound familar?

Difference is, we use it on our 3.5 metre RIB, and we seldom sleep on that vessel!

The big differences between genuine and knock-offs are: strength of materials, sharpness of flukes, control of the angle of the fluke when it engages the sea floor, quality of galvanizing, weight distribution and so on. It does really make a difference!

Cheers,

Jim

+1

We had thought of coming over (having completed Mother's Day on Friday night), and could have stroked the genuine article, but we became sidetracked (just north of you at Portugese): 1 trevally, one flounder (biggest we have ever caught), 1 leather jacket and 4 bream.

Jonathan