Only One Anchor

[Flaguy]

Help !!!!!! Sad story about a guy I met a few weeks ago. It's a long story but I will be breif. This guy worked hard in the marine industry for over 37 years fixing propellers, welding, fixing motors, etc. etc.

His name is Mike Moran, he invented a very simple change to the anchor which is revelotionary, the anchor has not changed in over 100 + years but this guy has actually done it and it is considered the only enviromentally friendly anchor in the world, oh did I mention that it is stronger, holds quicker and it can not get stuck on coral, rock, underwater bebris, etc..
He worked on it for 3 years, took another 3 years to go through the pantent process, received a patent, made prototypes, took his home and mortaged it to the hilt, invested every penny he could get his hands on, he sold a few at local Boat Shows in Tampa Bay Florida area, people that he talked to that came in his shop, he got editorials written about this anchor in every boating magazine from coast to coast, etc. etc.
Well sadley he is giving up today, he is a beaten man, he had all the passion, work ethics, presistence one man can have. He can't find anyone to help him get to the next step. He is not business minded, he knows nothing at all about marketing, he is just a simple man.
It is very hard to show you this anchor in writting (which as you can see I am awful) so I would invite people to go to his website at
Hunter Anchors | Stainless Steel Anchors | Boating Achchors on the Home Page go to the upper right and click on ABOUT then once you get to that page scroll down to the bottom and click on the box that says Fox News Channel you will see Mike, the Anchor and what has made it sooooo good.

I would really appericiate it if anyone could email me what you think, I am trying to help him out free of charge with Business Consulting Service but I can only do so much. Anyone goy any suggestions or can maybe help him out. Oh yes, before I end, I did ask Mike what his warranty is on his anchors. He told me ... " If for any reason that the customer does not agree that this is the best anchor they have ever owned, I will refund 100% of their money back and pay for postage to return it to me, no questions asked". I've never heard of any other anchor company give that kind of warranty. Well I will wait to hear from ya.

In the Spirit of Success,

Dan - Flaguy

[Mike Banks]

True--I was cutting it a bit fine. There was actually an extra ten feet of chain, so there was about wo hundred feet plus in the water.

However the gent whose post I was responding to has a forty seven foot mono I think--and for this even with more rode than I used--(which was 10mm short link chain)--the anchor in question is just too light even for a secondary anchor as far as I am concerned. When they do drag it is usually when the wind (and waves) and sometimes current are at their worst--so potential disaster is real.

For setting well all of the time the old Admiralty pattern (not mentioned) worked a treat. Yes it was a beast to handle in the heavier weights unless one had an anchor davit or cathead, but it certainly set well every time.

Since my dragging incident I have added another twenty metres of 10mm short link chain plus the heavier anchor, plus I use in addition on requirement another fifty metres of 20mm nylon rope.

Anchoring mishaps are among the most fun-spoiling part of the cruising lifestyle. Anything which minimises them has to be good. The old adage of a pound per foot of overall length plus half as much again is not a bad one even with modern anchors, plus the more chain you have the better.

Trouble is--it weighs a lot and in deep water you can not weigh all that chain without a very powerful windlass--as well as the effect it has on the hull in pulling down the nose, not to mention the deck skin and deck beams. My deepwater anchoring needs are for lots of rope and a modest amount of chain. I would prefer to use an additional anchor weight.

Tandem sets are OK too--if you find yourself with two small anchors set one before the other with the last one on a separate chain shackled to the main rode so it acts as an anchor weight if nothing else, and one might get through the night without dragging which otherwise would be a certainty.

[Kanani]

Originally Posted by Flaguy

Help !!!!!! Sad story about a guy I met a few weeks ago. It's a long story but I will be breif. This guy worked hard in the marine industry for over 37 years fixing propellers, welding, fixing motors, etc. etc.

His name is Mike Moran, he invented a very simple change to the anchor which is revelotionary, the anchor has not changed in over 100 + years but this guy has actually done it and it is considered the only enviromentally friendly anchor in the world, oh did I mention that it is stronger, holds quicker and it can not get stuck on coral, rock, underwater bebris, etc..
He worked on it for 3 years, took another 3 years to go through the pantent process, received a patent, made prototypes, took his home and mortaged it to the hilt, invested every penny he could get his hands on, he sold a few at local Boat Shows in Tampa Bay Florida area, people that he talked to that came in his shop, he got editorials written about this anchor in every boating magazine from coast to coast, etc. etc.
Well sadley he is giving up today, he is a beaten man, he had all the passion, work ethics, presistence one man can have. He can't find anyone to help him get to the next step. He is not business minded, he knows nothing at all about marketing, he is just a simple man.
It is very hard to show you this anchor in writting (which as you can see I am awful) so I would invite people to go to his website at
Hunter Anchors | Stainless Steel Anchors | Boating Achchors on the Home Page go to the upper right and click on ABOUT then once you get to that page scroll down to the bottom and click on the box that says Fox News Channel you will see Mike, the Anchor and what has made it sooooo good.

I would really appericiate it if anyone could email me what you think, I am trying to help him out free of charge with Business Consulting Service but I can only do so much. Anyone goy any suggestions or can maybe help him out. Oh yes, before I end, I did ask Mike what his warranty is on his anchors. He told me ... " If for any reason that the customer does not agree that this is the best anchor they have ever owned, I will refund 100% of their money back and pay for postage to return it to me, no questions asked". I've never heard of any other anchor company give that kind of warranty. Well I will wait to hear from ya.

In the Spirit of Success,

Dan - Flaguy

I know that you said you wanted to hear about it in email but I for one, think that it would make for a healthier discussion on here.

The 1st thing that struck me, when I saw that anchor was, I don't want any anchor with "Sliding" parts on it. The other thing is, I personally, don't like S/S anchors. I know that there is some S/S that is Ok but I will tell you that the "Market" is less for S/S anchors. However, for an anchor with that slide thingy on it, there's not much of an alternative.

Personally, I wouldn't try that thing on my boat if he paid me. Sorry....that's just my gut reaction to it.

[Kanani]

Originally Posted by Mike Banks

I use in addition on requirement another fifty metres of 20mm nylon rope.

Anchoring mishaps are among the most fun-spoiling part of the cruising lifestyle. Anything which minimises them has to be good. The old adage of a pound per foot of overall length plus half as much again is not a bad one even with modern anchors, plus the more chain you have the better.

Trouble is--it weighs a lot and in deep water you can not weigh all that chain without a very powerful windlass--as well as the effect it has on the hull in pulling down the nose, not to mention the deck skin and deck beams. My deepwater anchoring needs are for lots of rope and a modest amount of chain. I would prefer to use an additional anchor weight.

Tandem sets are OK too--if you find yourself with two small anchors set one before the other with the last one on a separate chain shackled to the main rode so it acts as an anchor weight if nothing else, and one might get through the night without dragging which otherwise would be a certainty.

20MM nylon rode may be a bit of overkill.

The whole reason for using nylon rode it to get the advantage of the stretching effect and relieve the shock-loading from the anchor.

I use 5/8" nylon (after 300' 3/8" chain). On my 45', 20 ton ketch. I only deploy the nylon in extreme conditions and I have sat on it for days on end in 100kts of wind, in Stewart Island and Antartica. Never had a problem with it, other than having to be VERY careful with chafe. I wrap the line with heavy leather wherever it touches anything.

I would be concerned about getting enough shock off-loading (stretch) with 20mm line. Where the heck do you stow that stuff? 20mm nylon is huge and heavy. I couldn't even pass that through my hauz-pipe.

[Mike Banks]

I think I may be a bit confused about the size. Mine is about one and a quarter inches in total diameter--and yes it is bulky--but it does stretch and does not weigh anything like as much as chain. I use it as mooring warp too.

On the topic of sliding couplings--they are not new and have been around for ages--some Danforth types had a double shank looped and the shackle slid in a loop and some modern anchors use the same principal of a slot cut in the shank plate.

Another idea dating back centuries was fastening the chain to the base of the admiralty anchor, then fastening the head of the stock to the chain with a special shackle and pin with a release line which went to the ship. If the anchor fouled, the line was pulled and the shackle disengaged, the stock released from the chain which now pulled the anchor out upside down. In those days lever and capstan was the way--an irretrievable jammed anchor was a costly loss. Still is for that matter at over four hundred bucks for a galvanised one--

[Kanani]

Originally Posted by Mike Banks

I think I may be a bit confused about the size. Mine is about one and a quarter inches in total diameter--and yes it is bulky--but it does stretch and does not weigh anything like as much as chain. I use it as mooring warp too.

Surely you are mistaken. 1 1/4" nylon is huge. You're teasing me....right

That would be what you might use on a 100 ton vessel.

[Mike Banks]

Nope--that is it. Perhaps I have overdone it--but that is what I have.

[Flaguy]

Did you actually see the News Video on the website ????? You will clearly see the "Swingy thing" has a function to it. Thanks
Flaguy

[Kanani]

Originally Posted by Flaguy

Did you actually see the News Video on the website ????? You will clearly see the "Swingy thing" has a function to it. Thanks
Flaguy

I understand the function. It is obvious. It is also obvious (to me) that it could get fowled rather easily. I just wouldn't trust it.

That anchor may be OK for small fishing boats or people that go daysialing. I just can't imagine anyone betting their life on it. It may be a great anchor when it works. It is just a real turn-off to a hard-core cruiser that MUST carry proven gear. That thing looks an awful lot like a toy. That's why it isn't selling.

To a cruiser, his anchor is the single most important thing that he has on his boat when he is within a mile or two of land. If the anchor fowls in an emergency, a sailor could lose everything that he owns, not to mention his life. It's pretty serious business around here.

[SimonV]

The idea is sound, but I can not see the anchor in any of its configurations resetting its self in a tide or wind change.

[mikereed100]

Flaguy,

The slide worries me too. If the wind switched it would slide towards the head which is hopefully well buried. It would be entirely possible for a bit of sand, gravel, shell etc to jam the slide, making resetting an unsure thing. The slide concept has been around for quite some time. I used to have a small anchor in my dinghy that used a hollow shank and a ring. But I think the typical cruiser is more concerned about sure holding than easy retrieval.

Mike

[GMac]

More power to anyone trying to do the impossible i.e. make the perfect anchor, but there does seem to have been very little market research and knowledge used.

I see at least 3 wording issues.

Our unique design allows you to anchor in most any and all conditions. It can be retrieved every time

'Unique', many anchors with slides on shanks for the same reason already. This is one of the nicer ways though.
'Retrieved every time', maybe 'retrievable more times than not' will be more accurate. Comment based on use and knowledge of existing sliding thingy anchors.
Spade, most people here would be thinking of the French made Spade Anchor, which is quite a different beast than the Hunter. The Hunter 'spade' is called a kewene here, it also has a sliding shank thingy.

I can not see the anchor in any of its configurations resetting its self in a tide or wind change

They should reset once the slide is back away from the flukes. They would be just like any other anchor. Wouldn't they?

[SimonV]

Originally Posted by GMac

They should reset once the slide is back away from the flukes. They would be just like any other anchor. Wouldn't they?

Just from looking at thier web site it would apear the anchor has more emphasis to short term anchoring with easy retrieval rarther than long term. I think this was and is a common flaw with a lot of anchors made for easy retrieval, once the slide is at the head of the anchor there is nothing to cause the slide to return to the tailend so the anchor will be imposible to reset.There is no opertunity to attach the chain to the end of the shaft and keep it there perminantly. The makers of the Mason supreme even quantifies this with thier anchor by stating the slot is not for use in sand and to use the mounting point at the end of the shank. JMHO.

[GMac]

Your JMHO (I do like that once I figured it out) will be right sometimes but once the anchor 'flops' over and the shank points at the boat it should slide back and reset*. That's what happens to the other sliding shank types and the target intent. A way to lock it permanently would be good though.

*reset meant in the way that they should just like 1st deployment.

I think you'll find Manson have that comment there as an 'out' due to the anchors being sent into the US (in surprising numbers as a FYI) and for those who's anchoring skills are, shall we say, crap . I know more than a few here stay on the rockslot all the time and we have yet to hear of any dramas not that there may not have been any. Mind you they are not serious cruisers more weekend fish killers.

One thing interesting. Here we use lots of grapnels but they are sized so they will intentionally bend the prong straight if caught in a rock. Sized right you may have to use the boat to straighten it out. Stick prong in rowlock holder of ding or similar to rebend and good to go again. Not often anyone carries a grapnel that is not intended to bend when required, not thought of as a semi-disposable item and no-one goes to sleep with one on.

A $210 grapnel is unheard of and they would never sell here next to the $25-25 ones our 25fters use a lot of. A galv one for a 40fter approx. $35, nearly twice that for a stainless. No sliding thingys on shanks though.

A Kewene, same as a Hunter 'spade' for a 25fter in galv with sliding shank thingy approx. US$60. Mind you the Hunters do seem to be nicer finished.

[seafox]

Hi GMAC, what are the chinese ones you were talking about importing in an earlier post? How does one go about buying one of them?
cheers
Seafox.