Real world experience with the ultra and the Spade?

[lamadriver]

Has anyone used both the Ultra and the Spade?

I have to go to a non roll bar anchor on the new boat ,


Id be looking at the 100lb models.

LD

[Panope]

I used a 45lb Steel Spade for a couple seasons, and a 45lb Ultra for one (short) season.

I cannot comment on "real world" holding power because neither anchor saw more than 25 knots.

I can say that the Spade never failed to set immediately, while the Ultra required a second try on 2 occasions due to heavy weed fouling.

I emphasize the small amount of data. Take the above with a grain of salt.

Steve

[tamicatana]

For the past 10yr, my primary has been Manson Supreme, 2dary Al Spade, and 3tiary Fortress.

Rode out IRMA in the Everglades, lying to those plus lines to the mangroves

Rode out SALLY in a channel off the Mobile River lying to those plus lines to the cypresses

In the Bahamas, the Manson and Spade are my two for the Bahamian moors I’ve rigged.

None of these bottoms have IMO been really challenging, but that said, the Spade has set reliably. The problem was that the Spade was old enough that it began to show the known corrosion issue, and has been replaced with a Viking.

The Manson has been replaced with a Sarca Excel bc I had a drag event IMO due to fouling in the roll bar. That was the only time the Manson had ever dragged, but once was enough.

The Excel has set reliably, quickly, and more deeply in the same area that fouled the Manson. The Excel has however not been tested in a wx reversal like what happened in the drag event mentioned above. Just haven’t been out enough, damn that work and money thing