Sarca Excel

[Wassa]

I have recently fitted a #4 Excel based on experience late last year at Flinders, Deal and other nearby Islands in Bass Strait. Travelling in company with a 38 and 34 footer, both of which have much more windage than my 30 footer, on more than one occasion had to re-set my 35 lb Manson plough after not setting first time and / or dragging, while they were both able to set and forget their Excels. Heading to Wilsons Prom in a a few weeks where I will be able to test it out, as will a tri that has also fitted an Excel based on the above experience.

[JonJo]

Hi Wassa,

You will love Wilson's Prom, great walks. Just hope the weather is good. If you go to Refuge (good in any wind) you might find it busy (and its tiny, so busy is relative!). In strong winds you can enjoy bullets at 180 degrees to each other - most disconcerting. Good holding (stories tell that whale bones were dumped in the middle of the bay - we do not know). We have found that it can be necessary to tie to a tree, it stops you swinging around and means you take up less space. Make sure you have some spare warps, 50m, to take ashore! We have stopped in Oberon as well, again lovely - but to get ashore you might need to dinghy either to Little Oberon or the SE 'corner' of Oberon (the surf is too big on most of the main beach for a dinghy). You cannot get that close to the beach to anchor but the holding is excellent, sand, and the bay humungous (good in N through to SEly) and if the easterlies are strong you will not want to round the Prom until the winds and seas ease. So assuming you stay in Oberon for more than the night choose either the Little Oberon or SE end - its a long dinghy ride from the middle of the bay! Mobile coverage was awful! but at its best just offshore from Waterloo - really convenient!

have a great trip!

As an Excel owner - have you filled out the Anchor Poll?

J

[Wassa]

Thanks JonJo, looking forward to it. Expect to be in refuge most of the time.

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by JonJo

Interesting comment, any anchor can drag but for an Excel to drag and a Bruce to hold would be almost, or totally, unheard of. It would be unusual for an owner of an Anchor Right product not to have contacted the manufacturer direct in this case. We've been using our Excel for 7 years now and have not dragged since we bought it, previously when we used a brand name CQR clone our anchoring was predicated with the idea we would inevitably drag. So when we anchor now we are sure to wake up in the place we were the previous night! I'd be suggesting that the owner of your sister ship contact Anchor Right immediately, outline the situation - as if the fault is that of the anchor then I am sure they will make some sort of positive and useful comment. Obviously if your sistership does not contact Anchor Right one might assume the fault was not that of the anchor.

Jonathan

So you'd contact an anchor manufacturer every time you dragged? Did you contact the manufacturer of your old anchor every time?

Totally unheard of? Well you've just heard of it now. Anchored in pretty much identical conditions,(sand) with similar scope, (2m depth, 20 m chain) and very similar boats,(sisterships) the Sarca dragged, and the Bruce did not.

It's not the only time they've had that anchor drag either. It dragged on them once in Woodwark bay too. They put that down to strong wind and poor holding conditions. They've owned it less than 12 months AFAIK.

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by JonJo

Strangely enough I did, we dragged so often I complained - I also complained that my 40lb CQR copy (reputable supplier) weighted 49lb - they laughed and I would not buy from them again.

.............On this basis I suspect that AR would enjoy a full and frank discussion with anyone who is not happy with their ancho

No-one said it was whining - its part of customer feed back. I wonder what sort of business you were (are) in that you suggest customer feed back is whining.

Never said they weren't happy with the anchor, just stating the facts - they have dragged the anchor a couple of times. The instance we saw at Wathumba surprised both of us greatly - it was an easy, good holding bottom, shallow water and the wind wasn't THAT strong.

They have more important issues to think about just now, but maybe later I'll suggest they talk to Anchor Right.

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by Ozbullwinkle

I totally agree with you. Accounts from owners of Sarca anchors where they have held fast while other boats around them have dragged are very common whereas the reverse situation is certainly uncommon.

.

I wonder how all these people know what anchors the other boats were using though?

We only really knew what our friends were using because they are our friends. We don't run around anchorages asking people who dragged, what anchor they were using. Do you?

[Ozbullwinkle]

Originally Posted by 44'cruisingcat

I wonder how all these people know what anchors the other boats were using though?

We only really knew what our friends were using because they are our friends. We don't run around anchorages asking people who dragged, what anchor they were using. Do you?

When I am in an anchorage and boats near me drag they will invariably motor past quite close after recovering their gear to reset their anchor. Out of interest & curiosity I always pay close attention to what type of anchor is hanging off their bow. I can usually determine this from the naked eye but sometimes I take a look through the binoculars. It is not hard to see what type of anchor they are using unless it is in darkness or course.

[JonJo]

Originally Posted by Ozbullwinkle

When I am in an anchorage and boats near me drag they will invariably motor past quite close after recovering their gear to reset their anchor. Out of interest & curiosity I always pay close attention to what type of anchor is hanging off their bow. I can usually determine this from the naked eye but sometimes I take a look through the binoculars. It is not hard to see what type of anchor they are using unless it is in darkness or course.

+1,

One becomes even more interested (panic stricken) if the dragging boat passes close by and if it hits something (or runs onto something) then it would not be unusual to become part of a rescue mission. We helped rescue a tri that dragged and then drifted through a very busy anchorage at Great Keppel - of course we knew what anchor they were using (I lifted it, the owner was on the beach). We had 2 yachts drag at Long Beach, Jervis Bay - when they came back to re-anchor their anchors were hanging off the bow roller - its simply unnatural not to notice. We had a boat drag and drift into us in Cowan Water, they came down broadside on and our prodder went straight through the cabin, you think I did not notice what anchor they were using?

[JonJo]

Originally Posted by 44'cruisingcat

We were anchored in Wathumba around 20-30 metres away from our sistership. They were using their new Sarca Excel, us our bruce. Very similar boats with similar sized anchors, similar scope, same size chain, in good holding sand. We had winds around 20-25 kts.

They dragged, we didn't budge. Second time they've dragged in less than 12 months with that anchor.

More recently you have quoted that you were anchored using 20m of chain in 2m of water. I'm assuming it was 2m at low tide (as if it was 2m at high tide you would have spent a lot of the time high and dry!)

Sounds impressive, and certainly would raise questions over the Excel.

Except tides can be upto 3m at Wathumba, I assume as your Cat is 44' it has a bow roller (or bridle attachment) on or near the same height as the crossbeam, so 1-1.5m above the water line. At high tide you were anchored with an approx 3:1 scope in winds you suggest were 20-25 knots. It is a great credit to your Bruce that it did not drag - no wonder you have no intention of changing. Having said that the Excel should not have dragged - so it would be interesting to have the owner's comments.

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by JonJo

More recently you have quoted that you were anchored using 20m of chain in 2m of water. I'm assuming it was 2m at low tide (as if it was 2m at high tide you would have spent a lot of the time high and dry!)

Yes, we were drying out at low tide.

[Factor]

I have dragged with the excel on one occasion, but it was my fault. I didn't take the time to ensure it was set, I am so used to it hitting and biting, that on one occasion when I was only stopping briefly in about 20 knots of breeze that i simply dropped it and did no more. I did what I needed to do and noticed that I had been slowly moving. OTH hand when I take a few seconds the anchor has never dragged (so far the highest wind is 38 -42 knots). In fact at Inskip Point on Fraser one night we had swirling winds and much wind on tide action and boats including ours were spinning like tops. We didn't move and in the morning when I pulled it out it was less an anchor and more a ball of chain.

I am not suggesting that the Oram in question didn't set the anchor properly, I don't know. All I know is if I pay a tiny bit of attention my doesn't (hasn't) drag.

But I am sure it can and will on rare occasions.

To reiterate what Rex said - I have no commercial involvement with him, I can show you the invoice that illustrates I paid good money for a good product.

I really think Rex's offer of money back or replacement is pretty bloody decent.

[Wayward Wind]

I have a Sarca Excel 4 (16kg) which has never dragged . . . yet. I feel so confident that I now set and forget. Strongest wind condition that I checked was about 35 kts. Having said that, 44'cruisingcat & Factor's post about the Sarca dragging is a sobering reminder that I should never take my anchor for granted.
My 16kg Delta dragged twice. When I switched over, the Excel 4 did not drag under the same conditions. I tried to buy the Excel through our local BIAS shop which did not have any in stock, so the guy there gave me a number to call. I rang, a young fella answered, and when I asked about the Sarca, he said, "wait, I will call the old man". Rex came on, and after discussion, he recommended the Excel 5 (22kg). I replaced my Delta with it, but the fluke was too long and hit the bridgedeck of my Fountaine Pajot Mahe, denting the bash plate in the process. I called Rex, he offered to replace it with the Excel 4 (16kg) and refund me the difference. The anchor, so far, has not let me down. For a weekend sailor like me, the ability to pick up the phone and tap the brains of the man who designed the anchor, well, that is priceless.

[Cotemar]

Isn't the Sarca Excel just another plow anchor in a pink dress?
It's just another knock off Delta or CQR just prettier.

Plows are made to push dirt aside and that they do well.

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by Cotemar

Isn't the Sarca Excel just another plow anchor in a pink dress?
It's just another knock off Delta or CQR just prettier.

Plows are made to push dirt aside and that they do well.

Interesting way to set the pick but my Excel doesn't have the big long handles on it - I had better call Rex!

[congo]

Hi Cotemar,

Your observation is far from accurate, see link clearly showing the concept of the Excel.

Next Generation Anchor Environment Destruction - YouTube

Wotname, obviously you bought the wrong model!!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...d6_Ym7elE#t=0s



Regards Rex.