Bruce or CQR

[newhaul]

Originally Posted by opusnz

Maybe give some people some credit. I am not a newby. My CQR would normally set right away but once in awhile it would drag and drag. I remember in Tonga once in fairly hard coral sand it would just lay on it's side and dig a furrow across the bottom. Eventually it would grab and you would think it was dug in but chances are when you dove down and had a look it was just hooked on a small piece of coral. In those conditions, (or in others like grass) a sharp new generation anchor that can cut in and dig in deep is much better, more reliable and more forgiving.

A CQR is by no means the worst anchor but if you watch SV Panope's videos linked by myself and others, the difference is obvious.

I really wish everyone would stop saying Newby . It does really irritate me when they say it meaning they are new to something and make mistakes .

I am a real Newby. I have been on boats pleasure and commercial power and sail as owner or crew for 50+ years . The only ocean I have not been in summer or winter is the Atlantic.

My primary anchor for my 29 is a 35 pound CQR. I don't drag . I also have a box anchor 2 different size Danforth anchors a 20 pound Bruce claw.

They don't all work good in all conditions but I have never drug with Danforth or CQR.
Or the Navy anchor on the big boys. But that was pure due to weight .

[AndyEss]

Originally Posted by newhaul

I really wish everyone would stop saying Newby . It does really irritate me when they say it meaning they are new to something and make mistakes .

I am a real Newby. I have been on boats pleasure and commercial power and sail as owner or crew for 50+ years . The only ocean I have not been in summer or winter is the Atlantic.

My primary anchor for my 29 is a 35 pound CQR. I don't drag . I also have a box anchor 2 different size Danforth anchors a 20 pound Bruce claw.

They don't all work good in all conditions but I have never drug with Danforth or CQR.
Or the Navy anchor on the big boys. But that was pure due to weight .

Ditto on the big boys.
I worked in the offshore oilfields in the early 1980’s on converted supply boats used for offshore geotechnical drilling. These were 50m (165 ft) North Sea capable vessels. We set two anchors off the bow, and two off the stern to hold us in place while we lowered as much as a thousand foot of drill pipe to get our core samples for oil platform foundation design.
We set anchors that weighed 5000+ lbs, with steel cable 1-3/4” diameter for our rodes - which were often 1500 ft long.
Those big mofo anchors never dragged - except when we were drilling in about 400 ft of water off the mouth of the Mississippi River.
The softest mud bottom possible. We needed special instrumentation even to find “bottom” as water turbidity only gradually changed into weight (and shear) bearing soil

[thomm225]

Well my CQR works fine here, so I'll stay with it for the time being.

It is worn though which is a concern so my plan is to anchor in nice protected spots out of the waves since regardless of what anchor I have I don't sleep well when 2'-3' waves are hitting the boat all night especially when it rotates during time change and I'm beam too

Not only that I can't safely light up my propane hotplate to make coffee in the am and even if I did there would be no relaxing wakeup in those conditions

This old video shows a nice spot ......that is until the wind swings around to S or worse yet SW and cranks up a bit

On this day/night though, the wind stayed ESE which was quite nice.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBwFOdJemV4

[thomm225]

So one of my favorite places to sail to is also one of the worst places to anchor because the winds and tides can really conspire against you.

Luckily for me I had a CQR that came with my boat because as a beginner cruiser I have been stuck in here with heavy onshore winds bringing in ocean waves and no place to go.

Lots of hours listening to the anchor rode move across the deck as waves are slamming into the boat all night

Then after surviving that you have to sail out into that wind to get home sometimes in very shallow water then have to deal with the ships that are anchored and those that suddenly come from behind the anchored ships at 11-14 knots.

Had the PO had the wrong size anchor the boat would probably have been on the beach in 2012.

[malbert73]

Ok- I’ll make it simple- neither!

But, my experience with a 33lb genuine Bruce on my prior boat, a Luders 33, was that it always set- but slow dragged in soft Chesapeake mud.
Switched to a 35 lb Mantus and the difference was astounding. Never looked back. You shouldn’t settle for “good enough” either.


Incidentally current boat came with Rocna which didn’t always set or reset well. Switched to Mantus and problem solved

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by malbert73

Ok- I’ll make it simple- neither!

But, my experience with a 33lb genuine Bruce on my prior boat, a Luders 33, was that it always set- but slow dragged in soft Chesapeake mud.
Switched to a 35 lb Mantus and the difference was astounding. Never looked back. You shouldn’t settle for “good enough” either.


Incidentally current boat came with Rocna which didn’t always set or reset well. Switched to Mantus and problem solved

Point is the CQR does fine here so I'll continue to use it until I plan to leave or pickup a new gen anchor or newer CQR if I see a good deal.

In 10 years, the CQR has failed twice and both times there were strange waves and the boat was in the wrong position.

Luckily both times I had room to reposition the boat even though it was around 3 am and very dark.. Had I been 50-70 yards off the beach with strong onshore winds like many times before, the boat and I would have been on the beach.

[boatpoker]

A gang of CQR's doing what they were designed to do

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by boatpoker

A gang of CQR's doing what they were designed to do

Actually a plow blade is only half a CQR which is why the CQR works so well.

I did a lot of plowing in my day. We were planting 1,000 acres back then and I did a lot of plowing both with a 7 bottom plow and 5 bottom.

It was a pretty neat job for a 17 year old with a diesel tractor. Ford for the 5 bottom plow and a big Oliver with dual rear wheels for the seven bottom plow and hydraulics to lower the plows.

I was always amazed at that age to see old rusty plow blades suddenly shine like a new car's bumper after a few rounds in the field.

Using a hammer and chisel to replace that lower section of the plow was a PITA though. The dirt would sheer off the bolt and nut at a 45 degree angle and you had to get them off the hard way

Now days through they have some pretty awesome equipment for plowing.....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRkBnX55BwE

[newhaul]

I wonder how many posters on this thread that are expressing a negative opinion of the CQR. Have actually used one for any period of time .

[goboatingnow]

I was taught proper ploughing at 9 years of age

[goboatingnow]

Oh and I dumped my CQR. it’s being lying at bottom of the garden for years.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by newhaul

I wonder how many posters on this thread that are expressing a negative opinion of the CQR. Have actually used one for any period of time .

Or.. how many have used either.. Ever.. ��
Designer Label bragging rights seem not to be exclusive to the clothing/fashion industry only..
Is that Gucci.???
Is there anything else..!!!???

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Or.. how many have used either.. Ever.. ��
Designer Label bragging rights seem not to be exclusive to the clothing/fashion industry only..
Is that Gucci.???
Is there anything else..!!!???

I had a CQR for several years. In my experience they always lie on their side and never dig in.

I clearly have “ designer dragging rights “.

[Mike OReilly]

Can't believe this thread is still going...

I used Genuine CQR anchors over two boats for over a decade. They work fine. The new-gen anchor I went to simply works better, in almost every way.

The best thing about anchoring with a CQR is it forces you to develop good technique. The bad thing about the newer anchors, is you can get away with sloppy technique and still have it work most of the time.

[smj]

Originally Posted by newhaul

I wonder how many posters on this thread that are expressing a negative opinion of the CQR. Have actually used one for any period of time .

I have and never again. There’s a reason the marine consignment stores are full of CQR anchors, the CQR burial ground.