Photos of Anchors Setting

[kas_1611]

Originally Posted by noelex 77

Yep, seen a few of those around the Adriatic and even lying on their backs!! Normally this occurs with the "lob it over and hope" brigade and with the "drop it while still motoring forward at 5kts" brigade.

How anyone can expect any anchor to do it's job properly like this is anyone's guess.

Keiron

[cwyckham]

Originally Posted by chasfgr

V short scope 2:1
Short scope 3:1
???
Re the inverted Kobra - when first I had my boat it had a Sowester plough - that frequently upset. Anchoring was a nerve-wracking business. At that time Sowester were CQR owners.
Fortunately the cast shank broke during a Mallorcan gale and I replaced it with a genuine CQR.
This leads me to believe that those who castigate the CQR only have experience of the generic plough.

I don't think that's a very good theory, given that genuine CQR anchors have "CQR" forged into the shaft, they're pretty easy to spot. Many of the anchor tests have included CQRs, and the testers can tell the difference. They always drag on their sides in the tests. They may work in a perfect substrate, but seem to struggle in anything firm.

We hated our genuine CQR and are very happy to have a new generation (Boss) anchor on the bow.

[noelex 77]

This was a 50kg Delta.

We watched this boat drop without problems, but it was soon obvious that they were slowly dragging. By the time we went for a dive they had slid back about 60m.

This was the Delta underwater completely on its side. It was not engaging at all.
It dragged another couple of metres while we were watching it. The scope was only about 4:1, but 60m back where they started it would have been over 5:1. The sand is moderately hard where they anchored and this was too much for the Delta.

A very poor result.

The "smoke" is all the disturbed sand kicked up as the anchor was moving backwards.

[Palarran]

Originally Posted by colemj

Either zero or infinity, depending on how you look at it. We were anchored in muddy water and thought we had a good hold (backed down hard, etc) for a couple of days. A sudden squall came through with 50kt winds and bingo - we were on the move at a high rate of speed. The anchor came up with a giant ball of weeds on it - probably 5' diameter and 200lbs.

We circled around until I could pull all the weeds off it and reanchored in less weedy place.

One thing was clear, the anchor (Rocna) dug down into the weeds and held fine for a couple days of normal 15-20kt winds. However, with those types of weeds, I think the root systems go further down than the anchor can dig and don't provide sure grip.

Mark

Thanks Mark. My old Delta was horrible with weeds and the new Rocna hasn't been subjected to that type of weed yet. I know exactly what you mean by the roots going deeper then the anchor can dig. It's still one of the bottom types we haven't seen good photo's of and it would be great to document a boat pulling against a root ball so hard it comes apart. I know it isn't good for the environment though.

That would be a test worthy of a manufacturer. Show a anchor fouled by weeds that clears it's self while resetting.

[cagney]

Originally Posted by noelex 77

This was a 50kg Delta.

We watched this boat drop without problems, but it was soon obvious that they were slowly dragging. By the time we went for a dive they had slid back about 60m.

This was the Delta underwater completely on its side. It was not engaging at all.
It dragged another couple of metres while we were watching it. The scope was only about 4:1, but 60m back where they started it would have been over 5:1. The sand is moderately hard where they anchored and this was too much for the Delta.

A very poor result.

The "smoke" is all the disturbed sand kicked up as the anchor was moving backwards.

Noelex

The Delta looks twisted to me. That may explain the very poor performance.
??

Thomas

[monte]

I'd suggest taking a little spade down and digging a hole for the ones not set like that delta, take before and after shots and show the skipper before receiving your "Thankyou anchor angel" beers

[chasfgr]

Originally Posted by cwyckham

I don't think that's a very good theory, given that genuine CQR anchors have "CQR" forged into the shaft, they're pretty easy to spot. Many of the anchor tests have included CQRs, and the testers can tell the difference. They always drag on their sides in the tests. They may work in a perfect substrate, but seem to struggle in anything firm.

We hated our genuine CQR and are very happy to have a new generation (Boss) anchor on the bow.

Well I really look forward to having a "new-age" anchor, because apart from 2 resets, my CQR has dug in every time and held me in 48 anchorings this season. None, admittedly, in much above a frisky Bf7. Perhaps anchors respond to a little love and admiration?
If the CQRs drag on their sides the testers need to go back to anchoring school - they just haven't pulled them in enough to set fully.
Every anchor needs its own technique and its own scope JimB swears by a Brittany on 6:1 and 75% full power in reverse.
As I don't know what you mean by "firm" I can't comment - but I'd be far more suspicious of a CQR in Alvor mud than in Lakki blue clay.
IMHO I think CQRs have an undeserved bad reputation from people who haven't learnt how to handle their peculiarities, are easily influenced by fashion and have been confused by the innumerable bad copies of the world's most popular anchor.

[noelex 77]

Originally Posted by cagney

Noelex

The Delta looks twisted to me. That may explain the very poor performance.

It does look twisted in photo 2, but I think it is just an illusion.
This is a photo taken from almost the same angle and it looks straight or even a bit twisted the other way.

Most of the photos are taken at a very wide angle setting and the camera lens does have some distortion.

It is very hard to examine the anchors closely on the bottom so if anyone sees anything that I have missed, or an anchor that is non genuine, please point it out.

[chris95040]

Chasfgr- Could you elaborate on "handling the CQR's peculiarities" ? I think I've just been lucky so far in my anchoring.... It'd be nice to have a few additional tips + tricks up my sleeve.

I have a 45lb CQR on my 20,000lb 41 ft monohull, it's worked well for me with just dropping it when we've come to a stop, laying a good 4:1 or 5:1 scope (all chain), hooking up the snubber, motoring in reverse until the chain looks tight, verifying we aren't moving, and calling it a day.

In New England I don't get to go take a peak at it very often to verify how it set so this thread has been a real eye opener - thanks Noelex!!!!!


-Chris!

[noelex 77]

This was a Kobra.

It could do with a bit more setting force, but it had taken a few metres to reach this stage.

[noelex 77]

This was a Delta setting.

I love watching how anchors actually set underwater, but you do need to careful not to be run down

To take pictures it needs to be in shallow water and this Delta was only in about 4m. The sand is a bit softer towards the beach and the Delta managed to set a bit quicker than it normally does, but it was still took 2 m.

[colemj]

Originally Posted by chasfgr

IMHO I think CQRs have an undeserved bad reputation from people who haven't learnt how to handle their peculiarities, are easily influenced by fashion and have been confused by the innumerable bad copies of the world's most popular anchor.

Having owned and used a CQR for many years before getting a Delta, then a Rocna, I can assure you I know how to set anchors, and that there is a world of difference between the CQR and Delta, and an entire universe of difference between the CQR and Rocna.

Again, this statement is born of years of experience with both types of anchors. The CQR's bad reputation is, indeed, deserved. I don't think any of Nolex's photos of CQR's show anything out of the ordinary for them - including them being very rusty.

Mark

[Prairie Chicken]

I offer another vote of confidence for the CQR. We used a genuine CQR for 20 years in the Med. It worked well for us in bad storms & various bottoms. We very rarely dragged, even when all those around us were. It never gave us reason to look for a newer design.

Now we have a Rocna of the 2002 era and are liking it a lot, but it has yet to be tested in serious weather or over a great variety of bottoms.

[DeepFrz]

In the 3rd picture of the Delta there looks to be some chain at the top. Was the anchor chain wrapped up on itself. I mean that is horrible performance even for a Delta. Something wrong there I think.

[conachair]

Any chance we could keep the cqr / newgen in threads elsewhere, please ? In the history of threads this is one of the best ever, it would be nice to stay on topic without the "anchor noise"
Ta