Only One Anchor

[GMac]

Thanks Kiwikat.
Might see you out there over Xmas. Heading north this year, the Bay of Islands.

[pilot]

Originally Posted by Keegan

Wow,

One thing for sure, a few years ago people raved about the CQR as a great anchor. Maybe it is just being out marketed now by some "New" designs.

keegan

Well, had myself long time the CQR, until met another german boat with the Buegel anchor.
I believe, lot of US sailors did not know to much about the Buegel, as no where advertised (at least not at WEST MARINE)

[susan collyar]

The Super Max is a great anchor for here on the East Coast and the Bahamas at least. I have two aboard. my Charlie Morgan 41 K/CBer.

jewt
s/v Bifrost

[Keegan]

Rocnas are pulling away from the pack....

[craigsmith]

Originally Posted by Keegan

Wow,

It is interesting to see the CQR starting to gain in the poll. It could very well take the lead...Who would have thought, with all of the constant babble on the "New Generation Anchors"

Depressing isn't it?

It's ironic... practically every other choice on the poll is a superior option to the CQR, yet it maintains its popularity over most of them.

[susan collyar]

perhaps sailors are a bit "bullheaded"

jewt

[Keegan]

Originally Posted by craigsmith

Depressing isn't it?

It's ironic... practically every other choice on the poll is a superior option to the CQR, yet it maintains its popularity over most of them.

What is surprising is how much confounding data there is on anchors. For years everyone raved about how great the CQR was and now there are all kinds of people that suddenly realized it is not that good. Yet, there are still those who have had good results with it and swear by it.

I did go with a Rocna and Spade for my current cat but my old 40' double-ender had a CQR.

Keegan

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha Keegan,
How long do you think it'll take me to wear out my 60lb CQR so I can justify a Rocna?
Kind Regards,
JohnL

[Kiwikat]

Originally Posted by craigsmith

Depressing isn't it?

It's ironic... practically every other choice on the poll is a superior option to the CQR, yet it maintains its popularity over most of them.

I would be interested to know if this is just a " better the devil you know" type attitude or "it's what I've always used" type thing. I know a lot of people that curse them but still hang on to them because "that is what I'm used to". Sound familiar???

[Keegan]

Originally Posted by SkiprJohn

Aloha Keegan,
How long do you think it'll take me to wear out my 60lb CQR so I can justify a Rocna?
Kind Regards,
JohnL

If it works then use it. For years it was one of the most used anchors and I dont believe that there were more reprots of boats being lost to dragging anchor during those years.

Keegan

[David M]

I used to have a plow anchor and it did just that..it plowed and plowed and plowed... I must have plowed at least an acre of the bottom of the SF Bay over the years. I changed it out for an aluminum Fortress Danforth anchor and that anchor really holds. Mostly in shale, sand and mud...it hold especially well in mud. Fortresses tend to "fly" since they are so light...so having a length of chain on them really helps...I have 30 feet of chain on mine. Knowing they have a tendency to fly basically means that you need to have zero SOG when you go to set the anchor.

[maxingout]

It's been interesting to read how different yachts have fared with the variety of anchors in the survey.

The success of anchoring with any particular design is more related to where you are cruising than any other thing. Some cruising destination are CQR territory. Some destinations are CQR territory only if you have an eighty pound anchor and two hundred feet of chain.

If your cruising area is small, you should be able to pick out a specific anchor designed to do well on that type of bottom and never drag anchor and sleep soundly at night.

If you are a world cruiser, then you face a completely different challenge. You need an all around anchor that works in all bottoms. Using the same anchor in the South Pacific as you used in the Chesapeake may not work.

That's why we used a seventy pound Beugel anchor for the last half of our circumnavigation. We finally had an anchor that was heavy enough to be used in all conditions. 90% of the time, the anchor was overkill. But 10% of the time it was absolutely necessary, and because we used it, we got a good nights sleep and our boat was safe.

[craigsmith]

Originally Posted by Keegan

What is surprising is how much confounding data there is on anchors. For years everyone raved about how great the CQR was and now there are all kinds of people that suddenly realized it is not that good. Yet, there are still those who have had good results with it and swear by it.

I did go with a Rocna and Spade for my current cat but my old 40' double-ender had a CQR.

I don't think there's confounding data, it appears confusing but if it's carefully qualified and analyzed then the picture is quite clear. Promotional motives aside, we are very interested in that true picture, as it provides genuine feedback for us, both when starting out (what does the market want) and now (what does the market think of our solution).

The CQR still enjoys a very high profile according to several factors. One of the most fundamental is the near 50 year monopoly it had as the only purpose-built "small boat anchor". Even significant improvements by first Bruce in the 70s, then Delta in the late 80s, both with fairly good efforts at marketing and establishment of wide availability, have not been enough to check the sort of momentum provided by that - yet.

The other is that most boaters were not long distance cruisers and did not need very high standards for their anchors. Small boaters gunk holing around the UK or US coasts can for the most part get away with small CQRs, as they can run to port for heavy weather and the seabeds are more often than not fairly forgiving.

As long distance cruising becomes more and more popular, as it already has in the last 10 or 20 years on account of developments in yachts and the onboard technology, and boaters expect their anchors to handle a wider variety of conditions, together with off-the-shelf reliability, hopefully we'll see these standards rise - and a better awareness become prevalent.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by craigsmith

...(1) most boaters were not long distance cruisers and did not need very high standards for their anchors. Small boaters gunk holing around the UK or US coasts can for the most part get away with small CQRs, as they can run to port for heavy weather and the seabeds are more often than not fairly forgiving.

(2)As long distance cruising becomes more and more popular, as it already has in the last 10 or 20 years on account of developments in yachts and the onboard technology, and boaters expect their anchors to handle a wider variety of conditions, together with off-the-shelf reliability, hopefully we'll see these standards rise - and a better awareness become prevalent.

1. It’s been my observation that most coastal & small-boat sailors use(d) lightweight fluke style anchors.
(Danforth anchor patented by R. S. Danforth in 1939).
The Plow anchors were only popular with “serious” cruisers
(CQR anchor patented in 1933 by Sir Geoffrey Taylor).

2. I agree wholeheartedly!

[Pblais]

Craig and Gord make a serious point about the "bigger picture". I think there is even more to it than that. Where you boat and how you operate make a big difference. People that anchor a lot just know more from more experience. They have the ability to get the most out of an anchor. They also have a total package like spare rodes and windlass and more than one anchor.

The sad truth is you can lose an anchor or break a rode and have nothing when you carry only one. There is not a best anchor so you only need one because it can get caught in deep water and not be able to retrieve. With all the various anchors the knowing how they set and when they really are set is the bigger issue. You can use any anchor and get it to set so long as you know some times you have to move on to different holding ground. There are also locations where anchoring is just a bad idea and no anchor will overcome the problems with the location.

Lightweight fluke anchors as Gord notes I also find most popular here as well. A little research tells you why - they are cheaper. Most anchors only get splashed and not actually submerged for any period of time. In that sense a cheap one works just as well. Most people boating don't understand about time on the hook. They carry toy anchors with old clothesline rodes.

As far as my own choices I carry 3 primaries (Bruce and CQR), one chain rode, one three strand rode and a Danforth on the stern with the rode attached. I don't count the dinghy anchor but you need one. I think I'm ready to lose the three strand nylon rode for an 8 strand. At least it stows better.