Help me whittle down my anchors

[sailingunity]

I have 4 anchors on board and I'd like to whittle this down to 2. The vessel is a 47' ketch, 32000 lbs dry and is 47 years old... and I get the feeling every owner "upgraded" and kept the previous anchor as a spare. This is what I have:

Primary bow: 33 kg Rocna
Spare (stored in bow locker): 20 kg Bruce - needs regalvanizing
Spare (stored in a bracket on the stern): 43 lb Danforth
Spare (stored in lazarette): CQR 75 lb - needs regalvanizing (likely the original anchor to the boat)


Pretty obvious I'll keep the Rocna, though I have contemplated replacing this with a Viking which rated high in SV Panope's tests. For a secondary anchor I think I would only need something that could be used for stern or tandem anchoring but I don't know the history of these anchors well enough to know which one is best.

[team karst]

Following this thread, since I too want to know about how to deal with secondary anchors.
ie: how does one actually deploy a 50 lb + anchor manually. And with chain, out the back?? or even a Bahamian Moor config with only one pulpit space. I suppose I'm saying, the lightweight Vikings may have a place here.

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by team karst

Following this thread, since I too want to know about how to deal with secondary anchors.
ie: how does one actually deploy a 50 lb + anchor manually. And with chain, out the back?? or even a Bahamian Moor config with only one pulpit space. I suppose I'm saying, the lightweight Vikings may have a place here.

Deployment is easy!!

It’s the retrieval that sucks off the back of the boat.

When I’m ready to haul my stern anchor I lead the rhode to the bow, ease out the bow anchor while pulling in the stern. It sucks so we don’t anchor with two anchors unless it’s absolutely required.

[JPA Cate]

I'd keep the Danforth. In desperation, it could be hauled forward to use in addition to the Rocna, and the large fluke area will help stop dragging, even in soupy bottoms. They work fine as stern anchors, and kedges. If your boat's stern allows it, it can be kept out in the elements, ready to deploy. You might want to add a stern roller for it, and s/s chafe strips, so that it will not damage the timber. Such rollers need to be quite sturdy. It will only want about 50 ft. of chain, the rest of the rode can be rope which can be flaked down in a milk crate or similar "corral". You'd move them separately, the anchor and combined rode, when you need them forward. Give yourself enough time to mouse the shackle. I think one of the reasons people use the Fortresses nowadays is because they provide fluke area without the weight; hence easier to handle. Nonetheless, our #20 lb. HT Danforth's large fluke area has helped us stay put in storm force winds, when our Manson Supreme couldn't hold us by itself.

Ann

[Mike OReilly]

Given that I carry four anchors, I don't think you have too many. In fact, my compliment mirrors your to the 3/4 mark. I have a Rocna (25kg) a Bruce (20kg), a large Danforth (not sure the weight, but big) and an overly-large Fortress (FX-37).

Given this, I ditch your CQR but replace it with a large, collapsible anchor.

[sailingunity]

Ann,

I like the idea of having a Fortress for the weight savings... not so much because 43 lbs is too heavy for the boat, but because a a 21 lb anchor would be a heck of a lot easier to handle.

Since stern anchoring is so rare I had thought about ditching the Bruce and keeping the Danforth in the bow locker. In my mind I'd rather have it easily accessible if I'm dragging and need to chunk it off the front than at the stern.

[sailingunity]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Given that I carry four anchors, I don't think you have too many. In fact, my compliment mirrors your to the 3/4 mark. I have a Rocna (25kg) a Bruce (20kg), a large Danforth (not sure the weight, but big) and an overly-large Fortress (FX-37).

Given this, I ditch your CQR but replace it with a large, collapsible anchor.

I'm not as worried about the weight of 4 anchors as I am about the storage space. The CQR takes up a large portion of my lazarette that I'd like to use for other things (a collapsible anchor would certainly help in this department). From what I've heard, CQR is a pretty old design and while some people still use and swear by them, are out-classed by new gen anchors.

Also I don't like the aesthetics of the Danforth hanging on the back of the boat and the requisite barrel for chain.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by sailingunity

I'm not as worried about the weight of 4 anchors as I am about the storage space. The CQR takes up a large portion of my lazarette that I'd like to use for other things (a collapsible anchor would certainly help in this department). From what I've heard, CQR is a pretty old design and while some people still use and swear by them, are out-classed by new gen anchors.

Also I don't like the aesthetics of the Danforth hanging on the back of the boat and the requisite barrel for chain.

Yeah... this is what I like about the Fortress. It breaks down to a very small package for easy stowage. I chose the FX-37 as being the largest anchor I could easily manage myself. Yet it still stows in a very small space.

I spent over a decade using CQR anchors. They definitely work, but they're just not as good as newer designs.

[Orion Jim]

I’d sell them all and go with a Spade S120. A Fortress FX 55 would be a nice addition for mud or loose sand. Perhaps keep your Rocna as a lunch hook.

[hpeer]

This is like arguing religion.

44’ center cockpit steel cutter, 40,000#

Where I ended up.
Primary is a 125# Mantus
Secondary in bow is a 66# Spade
Third is a #37 Fortress on the stern arch.

The Fortress is light enough to be rowed out but also a damn hood mud anchor.
The Spade is a good all around anchor, less good in mud but better in rocky bottoms.
The Mantus is an good all around and big enough to solve most problems just by being there.

If I har to have only 2 it would be the big Mantus and the Fortress, because the Fortress is so light.

[Jammer]

Originally Posted by sailingunity

This is what I have:

Primary bow: 33 kg Rocna
Spare (stored in bow locker): 20 kg Bruce - needs regalvanizing
Spare (stored in a bracket on the stern): 43 lb Danforth
Spare (stored in lazarette): CQR 75 lb - needs regalvanizing (likely the original anchor to the boat)

None of these are fantastic.


33 kg Rocna, will work but there are better alternatives particularly in soft mud. This has been shown in Panope's tests and corroborated by reports from people cruising who have used them daily. Look at Mantus, Spade, Sarca, Excel


20 kg Bruce, too small for your boat, sell it to someone who wants it

43 lb Danforth, too heavy to use as a kedge, replace it with a Fortress that is sized for the boat, probably 21 pounds. Set it up with a shorter section 5/16" high test chain to keep the weight down. Chain with longer links that is not windlass-compatible will be somewhat lighter. Use 8 plait or 12 plait nylon rope for ease of storage, it hockles less than 3 plait

CQR, there are alternatives that are smaller, lighter, better at resetting, and easier to disassemble for storage. Most cruisers go for years without using a third anchor beyond the bower and the kedge, consider whether a third anchor is a good use of money, weight, and space given your plans. If you do have a third anchor a smaller/lighter high performance anchor that disassembles for storage, eg. Mantus, may serve your needs best.

[sailingunity]

Originally Posted by Jammer

None of these are fantastic.


33 kg Rocna, will work but there are better alternatives particularly in soft mud. This has been shown in Panope's tests and corroborated by reports from people cruising who have used them daily. Look at Mantus, Spade, Sarca, Excel

I haven't been super happy with the Rocna either which is why I was considering replacement with a Viking (ranked high on Panope's tests for performance, got dinged mostly for self launching power) I like the Excel too, but is several hundred dollars more than the Viking.

[dfelsent]

Originally Posted by Orion Jim

I’d sell them all and go with a Spade S120. A Fortress FX 55 would be a nice addition for mud or loose sand. Perhaps keep your Rocna as a lunch hook.

I’d go a couple of sizes up on the spade if it fits.

[SV_Sweet_Ruca]

We went from 3 anchors to 2.

1 oversized rocna. 1 fortress.

We have only once used the fortress as a stern anchor in 10000 miles, and that was just for practice and "fun."

[Mike OReilly]

If I had my anchor wish granted today I'd go with an upsized Excel as my bower, probably a similar sized Mantus as my backup. I might keep the Bruce as my stern/Oh-shyte! anchor, and also keep the Fortress.