Some thoughts on my Sarca Excel #9

[Muaddib1116]

Originally Posted by fxykty

We had a fast drag experience with our relatively new Excel #9 not long ago in Opua, a bay with lots of soupy clay-based mud. We had been anchored just off the main channel, near the big marina and on the edge of a mooring field in 10m of water and 60m of chain out, plus our 7m bridle.

For the previous 24 hours we had steady 15-20 knots with prolonged gusts 25-30 knots, coming into the bay with 0.5m wind fetch waves. A strong (2-3 knots) tidal current at 120* to the wind sometimes had the boat sitting sideways to the wind.

We had power set, then were anchored for 24 hours, and had not moved out of a tight semi-circle generally downwind and cross current to the anchor.

Without any warning during another 30 knot gust the anchor just let go and we slid downwind into the mooring field at a rate of 3 or 4 knots. Anchor alarm was blaring as I started the engines, then throttled forward and started taking the chain up. We had to move forward to take the strain off the windlass and we still had to break the anchor free to get it up at the 10m mark - it certainly wasn’t just lying on top of the bottom. The first 30m of chain was absolutely packed with mud, although the anchor was clean by the time it got to the surface.

We re-anchored further into the bay in much shallower water and had no further troubles in that system or any others over the next few weeks. (BTW, for anyone wanting to anchor rather than use the marine at Opua, the best anchorage, albeit less than 2m deep at low water, is inside the SW mooring field opposite the boat yard haul out ramp.)

Very weird how the anchor held for so long, then suddenly let go. Two theories, the first provided by locals and the second by Rex (Anchor Right):
1) the anchor remained set in a blob of thicker mud, which eventually broke free of the surrounding softer mud. Seems plausible and explains why the anchor held for an extended period before letting go and why we had to work to get it free even after dragging.
2) at some point in one or more of the lulls the current pushed the boat past the anchor, eventually tripping the anchor and turning it over so it was sitting upside down. In soft mud it wouldn’t easily turn back over and would have a fraction of its regular holding power. I’m not sure that the wind ever died down long enough for the boat to move that far, but it could also explain why the anchor held, then let go.

Theory 1 sounds a lot more likely. It's become pretty clear from Steve's test videos that if an anchor gets fouled with mud which effectively changes the shape of the anchor fluke, it severely compromises the anchor holding.

[ilenart]

Originally Posted by ilenart

I have the SARCA Excel No 6 and so far it has worked well in most anchorages, had 40-50 knots when anchored in sand and 30-40 knots in sandy / weed and it just sets and digs in. Had at least 4:1 out all chain.

However in very heavy, solid weed in just skates over the top and cannot dig in. I’m heading south in October along the southern Australian coast, which is notorious for having bays which a solid weed and no sand patches. Everyone recommends you need a specialist weed anchor along southern Australia; either a admiralty / stock anchor, or a stockless anchor like the Marsh.

I picked up some local Esperance knowledge of having an admiralty anchor ready to attach in tandum with 5M of chain to the front of your main anchor. That way you can still use the existing windlass and main anchor, then hoist up the admiralty and 5M of chain by hand when you are leaving. Will try it out and see if that works.

I have also downloaded high resolution satelite images of the anchor spots to try and spot where the sand patches are. Unfortunately these show lots of anchorages which are solid wall to wall weed.

Ilenart

An update to the SARCA Excel performance in weed. Just spent the last 5 months going accross the bottom of Australia from West Australia to Tasmania. Had lots of anchorages with heavy weed. The anchor performed really well, 99% of the time the anchor set first time and never moved. Had +60 knots in Bunbury (wind gauge only goes upto 60 knots) and had no problems.

Only time we had issues was a bay in South Australia where it took three goes to set. Other people subsequently advised that this bay was particularly hard to get any anchor to set properly.

So far the admiralty anchor has sat in the locker unused. Can definitely recommend the SARCA Excel.

Ilenart

[Jim Cate]

Interesting and encouraging! Thanks for posting this info.

If we should ever replace our Supreme, the Excel would likely be my choice.

Jim

[Muaddib1116]

Since we're doing updates, I figured I should chime in. As I said earlier, I was very happy with my Excel #9's performance. I was, however, having issues with chain twist and retrieval, but because of the Excel's long shank and my boat's bow roller setup, I did not have room to fit a swivel.

So I am trying out a 55kg Rocna Vulcan this coming summer season. It's shorter shank allows me to fit a swivel, even though I'm going up 5kg. Steve's recent testing show's very good results for the Vulcan, so I hope that I will have at least as good results with it.

It's construction seems very good, at least as good as the Excel's. It doesn't have the stainless fluke tip though, so when the galvanization wears off there, it will rust. The shank is very interesting, it is sort of an I-beam shape, and the leading edge is tapered, I think this help it cut through bottom substrate. The fluke size is dramatically larger than the Excel #9, more than I would have expected for being only 5kg heavier. If I like the Vulcan this summer, I will put my Excel #9 on craigslist or on the forum classifieds.

[fxykty]

Originally Posted by Muaddib1116

Since we're doing updates, I figured I should chime in. As I said earlier, I was very happy with my Excel #9's performance. I was, however, having issues with chain twist and retrieval, but because of the Excel's long shank and my boat's bow roller setup, I did not have room to fit a swivel.

So I am trying out a 55kg Rocna Vulcan this coming summer season. It's shorter shank allows me to fit a swivel, even though I'm going up 5kg. Steve's recent testing show's very good results for the Vulcan, so I hope that I will have at least as good results with it.

It's construction seems very good, at least as good as the Excel's. It doesn't have the stainless fluke tip though, so when the galvanization wears off there, it will rust. The shank is very interesting, it is sort of an I-beam shape, and the leading edge is tapered, I think this help it cut through bottom substrate. The fluke size is dramatically larger than the Excel #9, more than I would have expected for being only 5kg heavier. If I like the Vulcan this summer, I will put my Excel #9 on craigslist or on the forum classifieds.

We have an Excel 9 on our cat and have relegated the Spade S140 that came with the boat to spare.

The Excel has more weight in the tip compared to the Vulcan, hence the difference in surface area. A roll bar anchor will have even more surface area and no tip weight. The harder and sharper tip of the Excel distinguishes it from the Spade, which has even more tip weighting due to using lead.

Regarding weed (mostly grass, some areas of prolific kelp) in Tasmania, we have spent the last two months working our way around the coast, from arrival at Wineglass Bay to the east coast of Flinders Island where we are now. We have had to occasionally set multiple times in heavy weed, but once the anchor is through the weed and into the sand and/or mud below it is rock solid.

We always power set the anchor in stages. Gentle reverse so the boat is making stern way as the anchor is dropped and making contact with the bottom. Neutral with wind action or a bit of engine help to lay the chain out downwind or down current (we loosen the clutch to lower the chain, not the gearing). As 5:1 is nearing we put the engine(s) in forward to stop almost all reverse way before putting a chain hook on. The first check is just a gentle snub - enough to tell if the anchor is in a setting position and ground or whether it is skating.

Then we put the bridles on and let the chain out with one engine idle reverse so the bridles take the load. Once (if) the boat stops at the new extended rode position, we engage the second engine idle reverse. Slowly we increase RPM until we’re at 80% full throttle, in reverse.

At each increase we hold 15-30 seconds and check the bridle lines for movement and transits for boat position. The final 80% throttle we hold 30-60 seconds.

If at any point we get movement then we pull it all back up, clear (if necessary) weed or whatever from the chain and anchor, and try again in a slightly different spot.

If we don’t power set to 80% throttle the anchor does not position itself level, but instead canted on one fluke with the other poking out of the bottom. Still a strong set, but at risk of breaking free with new wind or current, and of wrapping chain around the exposed fluke in really light wind strong current situations.

I truly don’t believe a swivel helps anything and after two years on our boat we removed the one that was there, and haven’t noticed any issues. On the other hand, we rarely anchor in really shallow spots for more than a couple of days. YMMV

[Muaddib1116]

Originally Posted by fxykty

The Excel has more weight in the tip compared to the Vulcan, hence the difference in surface area. A roll bar anchor will have even more surface area and no tip weight. The harder and sharper tip of the Excel distinguishes it from the Spade, which has even more tip weighting due to using lead.

Great info! The only thing I would say is that I think you have some of this wrong. While the Excel has a steel ballasted fluke, in the setting position, it actually has relatively low tip weight (as a percentage of total anchor weight), around 20%. The Vulcan, which also has a steel ballasted fluke, and Spade have tip weights somewhere around 40%, and the roll bar anchors like the Mantus and Viking are up around 50% in the setting position. The fluke ballast seems to be more for righting moment.

That being said, I think the Excel seems to penetrate and set very well, even in weedy bottoms. I think you're right, the Excel has a sharp tip, angled down which definitely helps. Despite that, the Vulcan has shown very good setting, resetting, veering, and holding power results in Steve Irwin's tests, as good as the Excel, and maybe better in some categories. I'm hopeful that this anchor performs as well as the Excel and that the swivel helps solve some of my issues. Time will tell.

[JAFO]

Originally Posted by ilenart

Only time we had issues was a bay in South Australia where it took three goes to set. Other people subsequently advised that this bay was particularly hard to get any anchor to set properly.

So far the admiralty anchor has sat in the locker unused. Can definitely recommend the SARCA Excel.

Thanks.. As someone considering a SARCA Excel, I appreciate the update. Since a circumnavigation of Oz is also in my future plans, out of curiosity, which bay in SA was this?

[ilenart]

Originally Posted by JAFO

Thanks.. As someone considering a SARCA Excel, I appreciate the update. Since a circumnavigation of Oz is also in my future plans, out of curiosity, which bay in SA was this?

Memory Cove, near Cape Catastrophe

[CAVOK]

Can only recommend FXYKTY ‘s anchoring method. Although we don’t have a cat our procedure is very similar. Especially that they lift the anchor entirely & clear the tip of the anchor if it drags in weeds during the anchor set.

[fxykty]

Originally Posted by CAVOK

Can only recommend FXYKTY ‘s anchoring method. Although we don’t have a cat our procedure is very similar. Especially that they lift the anchor entirely & clear the tip of the anchor if it drags in weeds during the anchor set.

Thank you. The anchoring method I described is adapted from the anchoring section on Morgan’s Cloud Attainable Adventure Cruising site https://www.morganscloud.com/. After our dragging incident not long after we switched to the Excel we took a good look at our anchoring methods and determined that we were lackadaisical at best when anchoring. Not anymore!

One more thing: we always set at 5:1 based on current depth of water + bow roller height + high water rise (it actually works out more than 5:1 as the bridle attachment is generally at or below the waterline even with 80% throttles). However, if we are in a tight spot and/or really don’t expect the wind to pick up, after power setting the anchor we will shorten down to 3:1 or even less in deep water. That means we move the bridle attachment to the point on the rode that results in the chosen ratio.

[rslifkin]

I set similarly to fxykty's method as well. Biggest difference for me is that I set at the target scope instead of shortening after. I do that partly because I also consider the set to be a holding power check. In my case, it's idle reverse, 900 rpm, 1000 rpm. I rarely go beyond that as I have big engines, so 1000 rpm in reverse on both provides similar rode tension to 30 kts of wind, if not a bit more.

[Muaddib1116]

That's certainly safer, especially since it's a test of setting ability which is important for wind shifts. But I think fxykty was just saying that he does that in very specific circumstances where he's confident there won't be much wind or a shifting wind.

[fxykty]

Originally Posted by rslifkin

I set similarly to fxykty's method as well. Biggest difference for me is that I set at the target scope instead of shortening after. I do that partly because I also consider the set to be a holding power check. In my case, it's idle reverse, 900 rpm, 1000 rpm. I rarely go beyond that as I have big engines, so 1000 rpm in reverse on both provides similar rode tension to 30 kts of wind, if not a bit more.

Do you mean that if your target scope is 3:1 then you power set at 3:1? My understanding is that shorter scope than 5:1 will not properly set the Excel. But once you have set the anchor at 5:1, then shorten it up and you can test the holding at the shorter scope.

Our engines require 80% throttle (about 2400 rpm) to straighten the rode equivalent to 25-30 knots of pull. 1000 rpm for us is just above idle!

[rslifkin]

Originally Posted by fxykty

Do you mean that if your target scope is 3:1 then you power set at 3:1? My understanding is that shorter scope than 5:1 will not properly set the Excel. But once you have set the anchor at 5:1, then shorten it up and you can test the holding at the shorter scope.

Our engines require 80% throttle (about 2400 rpm) to straighten the rode equivalent to 25-30 knots of pull. 1000 rpm for us is just above idle!

I've got a Vulcan in my case, but yes, if my target scope is 3:1 I'll power set at 3:1. What amazed me was the time I stopped at just over 2:1 to attach a snubber and drifted back enough in the wind to feel it set before I was ready to feed out more rode. I figure the chain doesn't pull tight immediately, so it starts to dig in enough that by the time the chain is pulled straighter it'll continue to dig.

1000 rpm isn't much above idle for me either (idle is just under 700 in gear), but my engines are 340 hp each (powerboat) and turning good size props.

[JAFO]

Originally Posted by ilenart

Memory Cove, near Cape Catastrophe

Thanks!