Manson Supreme Rock Slot - Part 1

[skipmac]

Due to questions about the Rocna I am looking more closely at the Manson Supreme but have questions also about the Manson, specifically the Rock Slot.

There appear to be two issues with the Rock Slot. First can the design possibly cause the anchor to trip inadvertently if the boat shifts 180 degrees. Second, does the wide shank of the Rock Slot design fit on your boat, roller, etc?

So, Question 1.

Do you like the theory and design of the Rock Slot or not? Feel free to elaborate. Do you think it could cause the anchor to trip, do you think it will really help retrieve a stuck anchor, any other questions or concerns.

Question 2

Will the wide shank of the Manson fit your boat?

[s/v 'Faith']

It is a non-issue. There are two attachment points, no one seems to use the rock slot...

... all the extra steel does is add strength.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by s/v 'Faith'

There are two attachment points, no one seems to use the rock slot...

Interesting point. Is there anyone out there that actually connects to and uses the Rock Slot?

Originally Posted by s/v 'Faith'

... all the extra steel does is add strength.

Exactly, but I would prefer the extra steel consolidated in a narrower shank so it would fit my bow roller better.

Originally Posted by s/v 'Faith'

It is a non-issue.

Well it is a non-issue as far as strength, and avoiding the potential for tripping the anchor via the slot. But for some it is an issue in that the wide shank won't fit their boat.

[Cormorant]

The rock slot seems more suited to fishing boats, who might drop anchor in three or four places in a day. Cruisers tend to drop anchor once and stay overnight. If I were fishing over a possibly foul bottom for an hour or two, I would use the slot. For overnight -- never.

[Jim Cate]

We've been using a 60 lb MS for a few years now, quite happy with it. My use of the slot is to keep a big shackle in it, and when anchoring in dubious bottoms, attach a trip line to it. The chain is permanently attached to the other hole in the shank. No worries about fitting on our boat.

Cheers,

[Matt Johnson]

I have a 35lb Manson and have yet to use the rock slot. I would not feel safe using that for overnight, but for a quick lunch with an unknown bottom, it would get used. I have no issue with it fitting my bow roller.

[skipmac]

NOTE TO ALL:

This is a two part poll so you can vote twice, once for each question.

[Tripod]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

We've been using a 60 lb MS for a few years now, quite happy with it. My use of the slot is to keep a big shackle in it, and when anchoring in dubious bottoms, attach a trip line to it. The chain is permanently attached to the other hole in the shank. No worries about fitting on our boat.

Cheers,

+1 This is how I use the slot. Trip line only, never the rode. Fits our roller just fine.

[sailorboy1]

I asked the same question about the rock slot a little while ago. Got a lot of "you must be stupid" type of responses. While I haven't used the rock slot I don't think I would have a problem in the right conditions where I didn't expect to spin around and if the bottom was good for resetting in general. If you believe the design is a fast setter then you also should believe if it releases due to a swing around that it is going to reset again. Besides I'm going to have my anchor alarm set anyway. I do like the trip line idea!

Far as the Ronca vs Manson. I was all set to buy a Ronca but then just got turned off over the trash talk. So researched the MS and decided it was probably at least as good. And since I was getting the next size up it didn't matter anyway (the MS 60# was about the same price as the 40# Ronca so it just seemed a no brainer once I got past the market BS that we are all questioning now as being true).

[mrohr]

I have the ms ,fits well where old cqr did ,I do use the slot in iffy bottoms,but have reservations about it tripping inadvertently over night in a wind/tide shift so have considered lashing small stuff strong enough to turn anchor in any shift and yet break free if anchor fouls thus enabling me to try out the slot function.Maybe some of you can try out this idea and report back,it seems every time I experiment I get into trouble.

[MarcW]

We use a 15kg manson and used the rock slot all the time. Cruising around Aus for the last 9 months have had the chain jammed on the bottom more than once but not the Manson. We have yet to trip the anchor when on the slot we have even circled the anchor. We use 67m of 8mm chain with a snubber 5m long and use a minimum of 5:1 scope when anchoring.
Went to the slot after the first time we jammed the chain, dived and found sand on sand stone and 1m deep gutters.
That my 2 cents

[Auspicious]

"Won't buy a Manson" doesn't seem to be a choice ...

[olaf hart]

Have a Manson Supreme as primary anchor. Havn't used rock slot yet.
I emailed Manson to ask about trip line connection, they suggested using the rock slot for the shackle and taking the line through the roll bar , so it is permanently connected to the front of the slot.
I would use the rock slot in rock or coral, and set the GPS and depth anchor alarms to their most sensitive switch.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by Auspicious

"Won't buy a Manson" doesn't seem to be a choice ...

Well of course one can always make that choice. Just wasn't the bit of information I was trying to extract and, if I'm not mistaken, I do believe that topic has been briefly mentioned in another thread or ten.

However, since I started the thread I think rules allow me to follow the drift, so just for the heck of it, why not? Don't like Manson, already have an anchor you like better or other reason? Do please be brief as this really isn't intended to be another general anchor thread.

[skipmac]

Something that occurred to me when thinking about the posts that suggest not using the slot for the main rode but only to attached a trip line when needed.

This function could be accomplished better, cheaper and more efficiently by the traditional method of putting an eye on the back of the fluke or even attaching a line to the hoop. So, unless you really believe in attaching the main rode to the slot, once again the slot is not an improvement.