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Old 12-08-2009, 19:35   #1
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Kiwi Anchor Buddy

Has anyone used the Kiwi Anchor Buddy system on an all chain rode? Just curious if these things work as well as advertised. Thanks.
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Old 13-08-2009, 13:16   #2
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I've used kellets before, but it's just not purpose made. They're nice when I have to "short scope", but I don't think that they would actually increase maximum holding power. On all chain, they shoud be quite heavy (at least 75 to 100 lbs for our boat) to do any good.
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Old 13-08-2009, 14:30   #3
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They work but it is good to get one at least 30 pounds per 30ft boat. Hang them half way down the scope. Does not to have to be very fancy - a bundle of chain does the same job. Plenty of info on the web.
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Old 13-08-2009, 14:36   #4
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Originally Posted by barnakiel View Post
They work but it is good to get one at least 30 pounds per 30ft boat. Hang them half way down the scope. Does not to have to be very fancy - a bundle of chain does the same job. Plenty of info on the web.
I'd go heavier (probably 50lbs) but we use a bundle of chain too. I've seen (but not used) shackles that have extensions on the loop so they slide easier.
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Old 14-08-2009, 05:08   #5
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I personally consider « kellets » as a « gadget »...

Yes they work perfectly with no or low wind – keeping the chain horizontal and improving the holding... but who cares about holding with 10 knots of wind??

If the wind builds up and when you will need more holding, the weight of the kellet is not enough to enough increase the holding.

Keep your money to buy a good modern anchor and you will never use more the complicated techniques such as « kellets » or « tandem set » anchors...


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Old 14-08-2009, 13:09   #6
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I am certainly not an expert, but my experience has shown me that using all chain with a good nylon snubber and a good anchor (for me it is the manson supreme) you will stay put. However, I have only anchored in winds up to 50 knots, over that I am unsure and have no experience.
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Old 14-08-2009, 14:12   #7
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Kellets make a lot of sense and I keep one ready rigged in the forward locker. I've used it twice - once where the wind didn't actually kick up as much as predicted, so it didn't do anything. The second time, the wind did kick up as predicted. The kellet helped to keep the catenary of the chain deeper -- I believe this helps the anchor keep a more optimal pull angle on the bottom. It also seemed to dampen the motion and provide a bit more shock absorption when the wind/waves kicked up. Mine is real simple and comes from Charles Kantner's recommendations -- a bag of dive weights, around 30 lbs or so. That's just where we store them, so they do double-duty.

I priced one of the Anchor Buddys and found them to be outrageously priced for what they are. A bag of dive weights and a shackle does the trick.

For hurricane holding, Kantner described a time when he made a really heavy one out of concrete blocks and then used 3 anchors set at 120 degrees from each other all tied back to the kellet, which was then brought up to the bow of his cat. Worked for him.

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Old 14-08-2009, 14:47   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Intentional Drifter View Post
Kellets make a lot of sense
Hi ID,

Kellets make a lot of sense

- yes but for which purpose – a) increasing the holding? B) To dampen the boat motion – c) to reduce the swinging area (Yes, it can be used for those three purposes!)

2° - for each purpose, what should be the location of the kellet (yes again, it has to be at a different locations)

Quote:
I've used it twice...

3° - do you think that using a kellet twice is a sufficient experience to talk about it?

4° - How did you check that the kellet helped to keep the catenary of the chain deeper?? What was the force of the wind?

5° 30 lbs is about the weight of 6 meters of 10 mm chain – what would have been the difference in pulling angle if you have put 6 meters more of chain?


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Old 14-08-2009, 14:48   #9
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Haven't tried the Anchor Buddy but all the kiwis we have spoken too love it. We couldn't afford one when we were in Australia so we made an improvised one from a design we found in the Cruising Helmsman Magazine. (Great mag by the way) Anyway it used a plastic coated weight like the type you put on the end of weight lifting bars. You know the big round one with the hole in the middle. You need the plastic coating to protect it. you then run a chain through that hole and lock it off with a shackle. Then create another loop that can be opened and then locked onto the same shackle. Then add your rode onto this whole thing somewhere that works for you. You then anchor as per normal with the right amount of scope for the area eg:5:1. You then loop the opening loop over the anchor chain and secure it. Then with the rode you slowly lower the weight down the anchor chain until you feel it hit the bottom. You then bring it back up off the ground by about one meter or so and tie it off. In the Whitsundays with extremely limited anchoring area and Multis and Monos and Fizz boats all sailing about at different speeds and in different directions you NEED to reduce your swing whilse maintaining your security. We loved this little 'anchor friend' and found it worked extremely well. We never moved once it was on and we never dragged at all. We also reduced our swing area to a really little circle making it less stressful all round. However nothing makes up for nighttime vigilance and checking regularly. Hope this helps.
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Old 15-08-2009, 04:45   #10
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Makes sense...when I hook my snubber onto the chain, I let a bunch of chain out behind it, this must be doing essentially the same thing. The weight of the chain hanging is producing a simialar effect. The kweg would add extra security on top of that. You would use less chain using just the skeg, maybe something I will try... I have a 30,000 pound deep keeled sailboat, how much weight would you recommend? I guess if it gets too heavy it would be hard to handle on a bucking deck.
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Old 15-08-2009, 07:06   #11
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A useful experiment:

Tie a 100 foot line to a tree behind your house, connect the free end to a spring scale; and, haul on the handle of the spring scale until the line is straight and record the load indicated on the spring scale.

Then, attach a 10 lb lead weight to the middle of the line and repeat the foregoing procedure--if you can.

Kellets work if one is prepared to deal with the weight--1# per foot of yacht.
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Old 15-08-2009, 07:17   #12
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record the load indicated on the spring scale.
In both cases, using the catenary mathematic formula, the necessary force to have the line straight is INFINITE

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Old 15-08-2009, 07:27   #13
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Joao,
Chill my friend.
It reads like you have a greater desire to sell new anchors that to even listen to those who have given of their personal experiences with these devices. Just be thankful, and relax.
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Old 15-08-2009, 07:55   #14
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- yes but for which purpose – a) increasing the holding? B) To dampen the boat motion – c) to reduce the swinging area (Yes, it can be used for those three purposes!)

Yes, for all three. It was a crowded anchorage with high winds anticipated.

2° - for each purpose, what should be the location of the kellet (yes again, it has to be at a different locations)

I put the kellet at about 1/2 of the distance between the bow roller and anchor (a Rocna 33kg). I have no idea if this is optimal, just what made sense to me at the time.

Quote:
I've used it twice...

3° - do you think that using a kellet twice is a sufficient experience to talk about it?

The question was asking about any experience. In two years of continuous cruising with many anchorages, I only felt the need to use it twice and one of those turned out to be a non-event. Obviously, at least during these particular two years, not a high frequency event.

4° - How did you check that the kellet helped to keep the catenary of the chain deeper?? What was the force of the wind?

Simply by observing how often the chain was pulling the bridles out to a lesser angle. No doubt in my mind, at all, that the kellet helped to keep the catenary greater, which means that the direction of force on the anchor would be closer to horizontal, and that is desired.

Wind speed that night was steady 30 to 35, with gusts to 45.

5° 30 lbs is about the weight of 6 meters of 10 mm chain – what would have been the difference in pulling angle if you have put 6 meters more of chain?

Likely so, and I had already let out as much chain as I felt I reasonably could, in a crowded anchorage, without freaking my neighbors. Lot of people didn't sleep much that night and 3 boats did drag. We didn't budge.

Kanter discusses his anchoring techniques, including the use of a kellet, here:
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Old 15-08-2009, 08:24   #15
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Interesting information, I will look into it further, may be worth a try. Would this repace a snubber, if not where would you put the snubber in relation to the keg.
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