My new anchor, tested,

[Mr B]

Coming home up Western Port bay in High winds and a fast out going tide, My Drive shaft snapped the bolts as I was passing the Hastings ship terminal,
No motor,
As the wind was blowing sideways very strongly, I put up half the Genoa and got 7 knots dragging the drive leg,
I did say it was windy,
I lifted the drive leg and then sailed the boat north to the entrance of the Yaringa Marina,
I let go the Genoa to kill the wind and speed,It was flapping in the breeze, Dangerously as the D shackles were snapping every where,
I tried to grab the mooring ball there as I went past, But missed,
I dropped the 25 Lb Danforth anchor, But it was dragging,
It did swing the boat around facing south again,
I then pulled the Genoa out a bit as it was driving the boat south,
The Danforth caught and stopped me getting to the mooring ball,
I cant steer and get the mooring ball at the same time,
So I gave that up,
I will just sit here on anchor in 8 feet of water, I put the Genoa away,
The danforth is dragging again, The wind is very strong and blowing the boat backwards,
Im heading straight for a Piling,
I then dropped my new anchor, The one I made, 38 Kgs, The boat stopped instantly,
20 feet from the piling, That would have made a mess of my boat, Smacked straight into the drive leg,
Yaringa Marina would not come out and get me as the wind was too high for their boats,
So I got the Volunteer search and rescue team out to tow me in, Thankfully,

Its the third time I have used the big anchor in anger, Twice in Western port bay and once in Port Phillip Bay,
First time was a diesel fuel blockage in the filters, In 34 feet of water,

I dropped the big one in Port Phillip bay off Rye in 10 feet of water, as I was very tired and in high winds after coming thru the RIP at 3 am,
I just didnt trust the Danforth as I was sleeping, Its dragged too often,
All in high winds,
My new anchor grabs and sets as soon as I drop it, Instantly,
For me it has proven itself beyond question,
I did extend it 4 inches to fit the bow roller better, and to be able to lock it down while travelling with a removable bolt,

I dont care what any one thinks about it,
Its saved me 3 times so far, In very strong currents and high winds,


Cheers, Brian,

[conachair]

Originally Posted by Mr B

.... ,
I let go the Genoa to kill the wind and speed,It was flapping in the breeze, Dangerously as the D shackles were snapping every where,
....
,

Making some dyneema soft shackles would be a very good idea now the anchor's done...

[Jim Cate]

Brian, perhaps you now see the wisdom of my earlier suggestion that you simply use the big anchor as your normal ground tackle, and avoid exposing yourself and your boat to the inferior abilities of the Danforth style anchor. How many times must it fail you before you relegate it to a role as a spare or stern or kedge anchor?

Jim

[Mr B]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Brian, perhaps you now see the wisdom of my earlier suggestion that you simply use the big anchor as your normal ground tackle, and avoid exposing yourself and your boat to the inferior abilities of the Danforth style anchor. How many times must it fail you before you relegate it to a role as a spare or stern or kedge anchor?

Jim

Next couple of months, I will be parked right beside your boat, Jim,
It will be good to meet you face to face,
I just missed you when you were parked in Eden,

[tarian]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Brian, perhaps you now see the wisdom of my earlier suggestion that you simply use the big anchor as your normal ground tackle, and avoid exposing yourself and your boat to the inferior abilities of the Danforth style anchor. How many times must it fail you before you relegate it to a role as a spare or stern or kedge anchor?

Jim

Yup you would think once bitten you do something different to correct the issue ,
But that is an ungly anchor , but if it works it works , once should test it in normal anchoring and different seabeds and in varying wind conditions to give it a good test , rather than chucking it overboard and hoping for the best not really giving you a proper understanding of your anchor

Sorry just re read 38kg on a 34 ft boat its no wonder you stopped

[Gaia]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Brian, perhaps you now see the wisdom of my earlier suggestion that you simply use the big anchor as your normal ground tackle, and avoid exposing yourself and your boat to the inferior abilities of the Danforth style anchor. How many times must it fail you before you relegate it to a role as a spare or stern or kedge anchor?

Jim

My thoughts exactly as I read this 'harrowing' tale Jim. It is a bit like using too small a parachute with a bigger one available. Why would one do that? Perhaps the 'new' anchor is too heavy for the gear available? Danforths are simply inferior to the new designs of which the one that held for Brian is reminiscent of.

Jim

[tkeithlu]

Talk about having more than one bad day...Sorry to hear about it.

But, I've learned something, and I thank you for sharing your experience. I grew up on Dansforths and sand. I think I'll go unshackle mine, install my OMG plow, and have a regular plow and a very big plow ready to go.

[Montanan]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Brian, perhaps you now see the wisdom of my earlier suggestion that you simply use the big anchor as your normal ground tackle, and avoid exposing yourself and your boat to the inferior abilities of the Danforth style anchor. How many times must it fail you before you relegate it to a role as a spare or stern or kedge anchor?

Jim

Ditto that. Exactly what I was thinking when reading the OP.

Suggest you build a second similar anchor so as to have appropriate redundancy and then dump the Danforth in the trash or give it to someone with a much smaller boat for which it may provide adequate holding power under non-adverse conditions; never a reason to keep inferior / inadequate ground tackle or repeat having failures of such.

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by conachair

Making some dyneema soft shackles would be a very good idea now the anchor's done...

Yes, or simply bowline the sheets directly to the sail. Certainly, get rid of the D shackles!

[daletournier]

Originally Posted by 44'cruisingcat

Yes, or simply bowline the sheets directly to the sail. Certainly, get rid of the D shackles!

Yes, why complicate things, simple ,effective and a bowline won't split your skull.

[coastalexplorer]

Note to Mr. B. regarding your 'new anchor'



It looks like you designed and built that your self. Or commissioned a fabrication shop to construct to your plan?


I assume that the concept of the slotted shank is to allow the shackle to slide toward the heavy end for easier removal ?


Is there a reason why you did not make this slotted bar/shank longer and extend past the current attachment point, thus further towards the roll-over- ring? With this concept the roll-over- ring support/tie rod would be welded to the top end of the slotted bar/shank.


I imagine this would provide even greater effect for removal if it gets stuck under a rock on the seabed.

[KP44]

I would expect a 38 kilogram (84 pounds) block of concrete to hold better than a 25 pound Danforth (that was never set) in some conditions.

It's great to have faith in your home-made anchor.

This illustrates that we should never use a small anchor. Always deploy your big anchor on its heavy rode.

[KP44]

Originally Posted by tkeithlu

Talk about having more than one bad day...Sorry to hear about it.

But, I've learned something, and I thank you for sharing your experience. I grew up on Dansforths and sand. I think I'll go unshackle mine, install my OMG plow, and have a regular plow and a very big plow ready to go.

Use your "very big" plow. Your windlass is pulling chain rode at 1 pound per foot. The windlass will hardly feel the difference between a 40 pound anchor and an 80 pound anchor. (As examples.) But your boat will be more secure with the heavy anchor. Never use a "lunch hook" or a small anchor unless it is for the dingy.

[Fore and Aft]

That’s a pretty cheap Danforth anchor. Have you seen the Fortress Danforth anchor, a much better product all round.
Great anchor you built.
Cheers

[DefinitelyMe]

Thanks for posting. Couple of questions:

1) what's the horizontal bit for that the shackle is kind of resting on? Right at the attachment point?

2) I know next to nothing about fabrication so forgive me if this is a silly question: why did you not choose to make the entire shank from one piece of plate? Why the weld joining the slotted bit to the bit that is welded on to the blade?

Nice job. Glad to hear it works!