Only One Anchor

[ssullivan]

Originally Posted by BigCat

Maybe that's why some call it the Fisherman anchor? Here in the Pacific NW, they are called halibut hooks because fisherman use them when laying out bottom hooks for halibut.

Sounds about right.

[mikereed100]

Just an aside concerning Fortress. I picked up a FX-37 on Craig's list a while back. Got a great deal but when I put it together I realized it did not have the mud flaps or stock clips. I wrote to Fortress asking if I could buy these things and they said "no", but they would send them to me free of charge. They even covered shipping. This for an anchor that I got second hand! Amazing customer service.

[GMac]

You sure about your pricing BigCat? Seem to be very high numbers.
$1400US is a Supreme for a 50fter here and what's more that's made in solid Stainless.

[BigCat]

Originally Posted by GMac

You sure about your pricing BigCat? Seem to be very high numbers.
$1400US is a Supreme for a 50fter here and what's more that's made in solid Stainless.

Alas, I am.

West Marine: Rocna Anchors Product Display


http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?path=-1|10391|33872|902122&id=902011

[GMac]

Ouch...

Here a 100lb Supreme price range - US$890.00 but often easy to find at $800
Rocna 86lb US$960 to $960

I am not a fan of the way Rocna sets the prices. You get smacked if you say less. Manson make and sell so from there we can do what we like. I suppose that's why Supemes out sell Rocna by a large margin. With the only difference being price it is no wonder.

[boatyard Pirate]

If I had to choose only one anchor I'd save the weight up front and just park it on the beach cause thats where it would end up anyways. Alan
s/v Roo

[GMac]

Originally Posted by boatyard Pirate

If I had to choose only one anchor I'd save the weight up front and just park it on the beach cause thats where it would end up anyways. Alan
s/v Roo

You deploy 2 anchors every time you stop, bit of mucking around isn't it?

[wolfenzee]

It is possible to have only one TYPE of anchor to fit your cruising area, but not necessarily all conditions (unless you use a storm anchor as your regular anchor). Though the question was what one TYPE of anchor would you use for "world cruising". This would only be possible if you took into consideration the bottom conditions available (a variable that too many boaters even don't think about) and were able to pick and choose where you and when anchored and in what conditions. Some times you don't have this luxury and have to rely on a diversity of ground tackle. My primary anchor is a 22lb BRUCE with 300' of chain which works well on most bottoms I encounter in the Pacific Northwest. My 45lb Forfjord is a wonderful storm anchor and works in a broader spectrum of bottom than the 22lb Bruce., but is heavy and doesn't fit my bow roller very comfortably (snagged my genoa first time I sailed the boat), that design of anchor fits best in a hawser pipe, something that would look silly on a 30' sailboat. My intermediate anchor between the two is a 30lb Danforth type it has a heavy cast stock with U.S.NAVY is stamped on the flukes, The "Danforth Anchor" was a lightweight copy of this. I have access to both chain and rode/chain from the bow and rode/chain from the stern.

[GMac]

Interesting range of anchors you have there Wolf. One of my boats is similar to yours. I have a 9lb Alloy Spade as primary and one as secondary. Both have identical rodes being 50ft of 1/4" to 170ft of 12mm polyester brait. That way I didn't get confused which one I'm supposed to have out No, I race that one and they were the lightest anchors I could get that were 'racing legal' and still worked damn well. I've sat through 50kts with one without worry, even though that warp did look small once or twice.

My post to you above was a bit tongue in cheek but there are cruising boats world voyaging with only one anchor type. They do have more than one anchor and of varying sizes but they are all the same type. I know of at least a couple of Rocna powered as well and Spade and Supreme only powered. Actually I think I know more Spade only than any other and I'm sure there will be CQR only amongst others.

[wolfenzee]

My boat came with these anchors as well as a lightweight folding North Hill which lives folded up against the transom in the lazarette, it is basically a kedging anchor. I will probably replace the Danforth type with a CQR of a similar size. Both the CQR and Bruce will stow neatly on my bow.

[Keegan]

Originally Posted by GMac

Interesting range of anchors you have there Wolf. One of my boats is similar to yours. I have a 9lb Alloy Spade as primary and one as secondary. Both have identical rodes being 50ft of 1/4" to 170ft of 12mm polyester brait. That way I didn't get confused which one I'm supposed to have out No, I race that one and they were the lightest anchors I could get that were 'racing legal' and still worked damn well. I've sat through 50kts with one without worry, even though that warp did look small once or twice.

GMAC:

Can you remind us of your boat size and displacement that is depending on your 9lb spade?

[GMac]

31ft, 7500lb but add another 1000lbs if the girls are with me, those 'essential' 15 handbags each can add up Low windage but easily out 'sails at anchor' any other boats inc multis. She hunts around like a hungry dog on a chain.

Note: The anchors are under manufacturers recommended size but as I have played extensively with them in assorted testing programs I was happy to use them. When put to the test (a few boys and rum bottles for a weekend) the system worked just as planned.

Note 2: I have tuned to rode to help as much as it can and that has a massive baring on how well an (any) anchor will work when pushed.

If I cruised this boat more I'd go up a size on everything.

Wolf, are you sure how well an anchor will stow is the best way to get the best option when you're downstairs having a snore off? Have you considered the new ones? They are worth very serious consideration if you are shopping for a anchor.

[trinescape]

we have a sarca no 6 on our tri of approx 5 and a half tonnes and it only let us down once and that was my fault i didnt have enough scope out ,for my back up we have a 25 ilb fisher man and i still want to get a third anchor just in case btw i have a stainless steel swivel on my anchor the primary sarca and i have always thought of it as the 'weak link' in my anchoring system has anybody ever had one of these let go it is rated at having a working load of 1350 kgs

[GMac]

Generally if something is marked up with a WLL they are OK. It's the gear with nothing you have to worry most about.

There are many swivels out there that are perfectly fine and generally most of them would be stronger than most shackles. But there is also some swivels that are just spooky. Sadly they can all look a bit too similar.

[colemj]

Originally Posted by mikereed100

Just an aside concerning Fortress. I picked up a FX-37 on Craig's list a while back. Got a great deal but when I put it together I realized it did not have the mud flaps or stock clips. I wrote to Fortress asking if I could buy these things and they said "no", but they would send them to me free of charge. They even covered shipping. This for an anchor that I got second hand! Amazing customer service.

I recently had the same experience. Bought a second hand Fortress that didn't have the mud palms, wrote Fortress an email to buy them and they just sent them to me free. Got them in two days. They also strongly suggested I put them on and never take them off. I think they are a first-class company, but something about the whole mud palm thing (give them away free and suggest that they be made permanent) leads me to believe they should have just built them that way.

Mark