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Old 10-04-2023, 19:08   #1
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Fortress Anchor FX-85 Launch?

I have a monohull and an Excel Anchor on the bow as the prime anchor setup.
Question; as a spare and storm anchor, I have a Fortress Anchor FX-85 in its bag.
This anchor is cumbersome to launch and retrieve it. So far I have never had to use it, but I know the day will come.

Has anyone had experience on, How best to launch it and retrieve it without damaging the topsides of their boat?

Note, there is no room or extra bow roller on the bow.

Thanks in advance. Kryg.







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Old 10-04-2023, 19:23   #2
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Re: Fortress Anchor FX-85 Launch?

The times I have deployed mine I have done it from the dinghy. This is either as a stern anchor or a second off the bow.
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Old 11-04-2023, 02:53   #3
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Re: Fortress Anchor FX-85 Launch?

Same as above. Deploy from dinghy when needed as a kedge/secondary.
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Old 11-04-2023, 04:06   #4
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Re: Fortress Anchor FX-85 Launch?

An FX-85 will be a beast to retrieve from a dinghy. We will haul ours up to near the surface, then tie a loose loop around the chain, drop the loop down to the crown, and then with that and the chain you have good control of it.
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Old 11-04-2023, 04:11   #5
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Re: Fortress Anchor FX-85 Launch?

I have a similar setup and have also never actually used it. I consider it a rare use storm anchor, and my plan was to deploy it by dinghy. Retrieval would probably be trickier, especially after a big storm. I would probably use the big boat to retrieve it, or at least break it loose and then recover from dinghy. Possibly also use the spinnaker pole to retrieve from the big boat.
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Old 11-04-2023, 04:40   #6
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Re: Fortress Anchor FX-85 Launch?

Slight correction. I do deploy and retrieve from the dinghy but I have only the FX-37. The FX-85 would be a lot to manage from our 8’ RIB.
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Old 11-04-2023, 06:34   #7
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Re: Fortress Anchor FX-85 Launch?

When I deploy a stern (very, very rare) I first figure out how much line I'm going to need. Then add 1-1.5 x depth.

Then lower all of that into the dinghy.

Once it's in the dinghy, I continue paying out rode until the rode goes from the roller to the seabed, then back up to the dinghy.

Then I head out, paying out scope from the dinghy as I go out from the main boat.

When I'm at the end I toss the anchor, then set the anchor from the main boat. You typically will need to pull back at least 1-1.5 depth to retrieve the slack and set the anchor.

To retrieve.... pay out a ton of slack, then I hand over hand the anchor from the main boat out to the anchor, then haul by hand and lash the anchor to the boat hanging about 1-2 feet in the water. (No I don't bother trying to bring the anchor or any of the anchor rode into the dinghy) Then someone from the boat pulls that line and dinghy back in.
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Old 11-04-2023, 16:39   #8
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Re: Fortress Anchor FX-85 Launch?

Retrieving from a dinghy won’t be easy if it’s a soft bottom and there’s been some wind. We’ve used our FX-37 a few times to hold us stern-to a beach and even with just 20 knots of wind the anchor was fully buried in the sand (note, dry land; we could walk to the anchor). To retrieve the anchor we first tried lifting the rode straight up - no movement at all. We ended up digging for half an hour before we could lift the shank and rotate it out.

Place it from your dinghy but for retrieval you’ll probably have to lead the rode to a cleat or your anchor roller as you drift over top of it. Those are big flukes!
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