Delta Anchor, Set in Sand, with Pictures

[forsailbyowner]

My one occurrance with dragging with my 44#delta and 100' of 3/8" chain was in "ploof" mud when winds were gusting to gale. the drag was so slow youd never have noticed it ,took two days to drag 50'.
Ive lived 90+% of the time at anchor in the last 7 yrs. With decent bottom Ive never had a problem.

[GMac]

Originally Posted by opuabernd

I like the Delta in 'hard' bottoms such as sand clay and even grass. However in any soft bottoms such as found around Opua, Russel and Te Puna Inlet (New Zealand) the Delta just won't set. We have tried everything long scope short scope, waiting a while before backing - just no good.

It probably has set and just isn't holding. Deltas and similar are known to be a tad average in real soft bottoms. In bottoms like that it's hard to go past a danforth pattern like a Fortress for example.

[swagman]

Odd how we all have different experiences and it would be great to find out why.

I've replaced a Bruce on a past boat with an equal sized Delta and found it super.

Also fitted an oversized Delta and oversized chain on last 46' Hanse and watched it happily bury itself completely in soft sand. Another time sat out a storm with gusts topping 64 knots in black mud without issues - apart from it taking an hour to get it out the day after.

Point is they obviously can bury themselves when they want to. I'd certainly buy one again.

Cheers
JOHN

[downunder]

Originally Posted by opuabernd

I like the Delta in 'hard' bottoms such as sand clay and even grass. However in any soft bottoms such as found around Opua, Russel and Te Puna Inlet (New Zealand) the Delta just won't set. We have tried everything long scope short scope, waiting a while before backing - just no good.

Quess thats why Manson (Supreme) and Rocna developed their anchors in NZ conditions.

[foggysail]

I had a sleepless night last night anchored in Vineyard Haven's Pond. I was in about 8 feet of water, bow about 5 feet with a tide about 2 feet (guessing on tide range but it is small). I had about 60 feet of 5/16 chain out and I did set the anchor using both engines powered up to 1500 RPM. My anchor is an 88# Delta, boat is 40' with a high wind load and displacement around 25K#.

I found in the middle of the night the anchor was slipping or more likely, plowing. Getting back to scope, 8 + 5 + 2 = 15 with 60 feet of chain amounts to a scope around 4. My situation was kind of ugly because I could not let out more scope. Right now I am on a mooring.

My guess is that I made a couple of mistakes. The first was not using a greater scope, next time I will reach out to as high as reasonably possible but last night, the situation would not allow a greater scope.

The second mistake was I believe not setting the anchor what I consider to be a better way.

So many folks who report on how they set their anchors frequently mention that the boat will set the anchor better by its normal swinging under wind and current load than if done under power.

The next time I anchor I intend to simulate that natural swinging by first setting the anchor using both engines in a straight pull. Next my plan is to use only one engine to pull on the anchor, that will cause the boat to swing and swing under a load. Next repeat but using the other engine.

Is this the best way?? I don't know! But I am going to try it. Maybe the Delta itself was a purchase mistake. Too early to throw everything out but if need be, I will.

Foggy

[Bash]

Originally Posted by foggysail

Maybe the Delta itself was a purchase mistake. Too early to throw everything out but if need be, I will.

You don't need to throw it out.

A Delta came with my boat, but had a tendency to plow no matter how well it had been set. So I traded it to a friend for a good bottle of wine.

Unfortunately, even though his boat was smaller than mine, the Delta tended to plow for him as well. So he traded it to another friend for a good bottle of wine.

[foggysail]

Originally Posted by Bash

You don't need to throw it out.

A Delta came with my boat, but had a tendency to plow no matter how well it had been set. So I traded it to a friend for a good bottle of wine.

Unfortunately, even though his boat was smaller than mine, the Delta tended to plow for him as well. So he traded it to another friend for a good bottle of wine.

GEEZ, THAT IS ENCOURAGING!!!

With MY current luck, the wine would probably be TWO BUCK CHUCK! I do not know the taste difference between expensive and bargain wine because I don't drink!

Foggy

[onestepcsy37]

i've used danforths, bruces, and cqr plows. never used a delta. last year i succumbed to all the hype and bought a manson.

we just got back from the bahamas and the manson is now my all time favorite anchor. absolutely dug in wherever we went. this is a 45 lb on 100' 3/8 " chain with a 37' 20000 lb cutter. cant say enough good about it.

[Bash]

Originally Posted by foggysail

GEEZ, THAT IS ENCOURAGING!!!

With MY current luck, the wine would probably be TWO BUCK CHUCK! I do not know the taste difference between expensive and bargain wine because I don't drink!

No worries. The more nights you spend on the hook with that Delta, the more likely you'll be to take up drinking.

[smurphny]

The most important factor in anchoring is having an anchor that is a size larger than the "recommendation" charts. In setting any of my anchor(s), I never power back. You need to feel the anchor set by hand. It's especially important if you are in a wind vs tide situation. I know it's difficult with an electric windlass but you need to feel the anchor chain lose slack (not foul), feel the amount of caternary in the line, and then feel the anchor bite. This cannot be done with a windlass. It's almost like hooking a fish! Once the anchor has a good hold you need to yank on it, again by hand, to make sure it's in well and to set it solidly. What you don't want to do is trench it through the bottom at the high speed of motoring back. It will, after setting, burrow itself deeper over time. On any boat less than say 60' you can handle the job by hand.

[foggysail]

Originally Posted by Bash

No worries. The more nights you spend on the hook with that Delta, the more likely you'll be to take up drinking.

After that BASH, I am still rolling on the floor

[motion30]

Originally Posted by Bash

You don't need to throw it out.

A Delta came with my boat, but had a tendency to plow no matter how well it had been set. So I traded it to a friend for a good bottle of wine.

Unfortunately, even though his boat was smaller than mine, the Delta tended to plow for him as well. So he traded it to another friend for a good bottle of wine.

How is the wine bottle holding your boat?

[Bash]

Originally Posted by motion30

How is the wine bottle holding your boat?

HOT TOPIC ALERT: You're dealing with a Californian here. We don't want an anchor thread erupting into a wine thread!!!

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by smurphny

The most important factor in anchoring is having an anchor that is a size larger than the "recommendation" charts. In setting any of my anchor(s), I never power back. You need to feel the anchor set by hand. It's especially important if you are in a wind vs tide situation. I know it's difficult with an electric windlass but you need to feel the anchor chain lose slack (not foul), feel the amount of caternary in the line, and then feel the anchor bite. This cannot be done with a windlass. It's almost like hooking a fish! Once the anchor has a good hold you need to yank on it, again by hand, to make sure it's in well and to set it solidly. What you don't want to do is trench it through the bottom at the high speed of motoring back. It will, after setting, burrow itself deeper over time. On any boat less than say 60' you can handle the job by hand.

I'm afraid that I find this advice to be egregiously wrong, at least for boats of medium or larger size. Handling chain under anchoring loads is a great way to loose fingers.

I usually append "YMMV" to my opinions, but in this case I can't.

Cheers,

Jim

[foggysail]

Yes, the above poster has it right. Further,I want to see anybody tell if the anchor is set by pulling on the rode by hand when he has 60+ feet of 5/16" chain out there connected to an 88# anchor.