Fortress or Guardian Anchor (FX37 or G37)

[leveche420]

I'm looking for an affordable Fortress or Guardian anchor for my 41' sailboat.

Thanks

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, leveche420.

I’d stick with the Fortress, as the Guardian uses smaller extrusions, & etc.

[Highlander40]

Right Gord,
Thats the point, the Guardian is an economy version of the fortress.
Same company, just not so shiney and with simpler shape.

[Highlander40]

We should say,
That as a main anchor the Fortress/ Danforth family is only good if you dont use it. Or in situations without direction reversal.

I use one as a stern anchor and its great but for a main take your pick.

Spade, Rockna, Manson Supreme, Raya , any next gen anchor will save the boat when the Fortress won't.

[leveche420]

Greetings from Spain! Thanks for answer guys!

What about the performance? have both anchors the same performace? or there is a big difference between fortress and guardian talking about performance?

I'm about to buy a Guadian G37 in ebay... $150... What do you think?

Thanks again

[leveche420]

Originally Posted by Highlander40

We should say,
That as a main anchor the Fortress/ Danforth family is only good if you dont use it. Or in situations without direction reversal.

I use one as a stern anchor and its great but for a main take your pick.

Spade, Rockna, Manson Supreme, Raya , any next gen anchor will save the boat when the Fortress won't.

My main anchor is a CQR and I'm looking to a second anchor and thought that a fortress / Guardian could be good for second anchor as they are light and can be stored easily... And the performance seems to be very good!

[Bash]

Although I agree with GordMay as regards the welcome to the forum, I disagree in terms of favoring the Fortress over the Guardian. When I was a racer I wanted a Fortress because it was lighter. As a cruiser, I appreciate the heavier stock and the lower price of the Guardian. (And I'm always looking for a spare G-55, but have never seen one come available in these ads. I suspect that the folks with larger Guardians tend to latch on to them.)

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by leveche420

My main anchor is a CQR and I'm looking to a second anchor and thought that a fortress / Guardian could be good for second anchor as they are light and can be stored easily... And the performance seems to be very good!

Would a FX23 suit your needs? I have one but its actually a bit big for our needs. What we really need is the next size down an FX16. Its been used but only 3 or 4 times, make me an offer. Since its aluminium we could probably post it to Spain or are you visiting the UK?

Pete

[Highlander40]

Second anchor as in stern anchor? or second anchor because the CQR is not reliable? I would chuck the CQR and get a good anchor.

After a strong wind reversal, boats using CQR's drag most of the time.
A CQR will not reset reliably.

[btrayfors]

Originally Posted by Highlander40

We should say,
That as a main anchor the Fortress/ Danforth family is only good if you dont use it. Or in situations without direction reversal......


.....I would chuck the CQR and get a good anchor.

After a strong wind reversal, boats using CQR's drag most of the time. .....

I disagree strongly with both these characterizations.

The Danforth anchor has been a mainstay of boats in the Chesapeake for over 50 years. It is still ideally suited for anchoring conditions here (though not necessarily elsewhere) The Fortress is an improvement on the Danforth High Tensile design. I have an FX-37 and it's incredibly powerful.

The CQR has been a mainstay of many cruising vessels around the world for some decades.

I have used Danforths in the Chesapeake for decades. Never had one drag on me. Also in San Francisco Bay where I taught sailing. In both locales, the Danforth (and, now, the Fortress) are GREAT anchors. The bit about "reversing tides" is way overblown. You set your anchor to the anticipated maximum wind and once it's dug in it ain't gonna move, even with a tide or wind reversal -- unless it blows like bloody stink, and then you didn't set it right in the first place.

The CQR is still an excellent anchor for many locations. I use my genuine CQR 45lb for anchoring everywhere from Maine to the Eastern Caribbean. Again, once it's set properly and on adequate scope, it holds very well. It held me in 55-knot winds off Saba beach all night, and it's held me in 30-45 knot winds in Maine (in Pulpit Harbor with a strong northwesterly).

Whether or not either of these anchors could serve well as a primary anchor depends on your location and intended cruising grounds. Together, they make a fine choice -- IF YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT ANCHORING and have experience doing so.

If you don't, then get a 500lb Rocna or Manson S with 500' of chain and just kick 'em overboard anywhere :-)

Happy New Year, folks!

Bill
s/v Born Free
27,500 lbs 42' sloop

[leveche420]

Originally Posted by Pete7

Would a FX23 suit your needs? I have one but its actually a bit big for our needs. What we really need is the next size down an FX16. Its been used but only 3 or 4 times, make me an offer. Since its aluminium we could probably post it to Spain or are you visiting the UK?

Pete

Hi Pete,

Thanks. I don't know if a FX23 will be enough for my sailboat (41', 12500kg). I've been reading at the fortress website and it will probably work. FX23 is supposed to work for boats from 39' to 45'. I normally like to oversize but FX23 could work. What do you think?

I have no much money so I don't think I can afford it... and I won't feel confortable making you a ridiculous offer...

I dont normally visit the UK, I normally visit the US for work.... By the way guys, sorry for my English...

Cheers

[Pete7]

Your English is better some native speakers, so don't worry about that

I can't comment on the FX23 as I have never used it. It came from a friend who bought it for a 8m rib of all things, then found out it was way too big


Pete

[Mardav]

Originally Posted by Highlander40

We should say,
That as a main anchor the Fortress/ Danforth family is only good if you dont use it. Or in situations without direction reversal.
I use one as a stern anchor and its great but for a main take your pick.

Spade, Rockna, Manson Supreme, Raya , any next gen anchor will save the boat when the Fortress won't.

Say what?
I have several anchors on my 43' 34,000 lb boat with a lot of windage...that being said, the S120 Spade works well and sets quickly, the 45 lb CQR works well with lots of scope, but my favorites are the two Fortress anchors. I use an FX-37 as my main anchor and keep an FX-55 for a storm or 'go to anchor'. The Fortress grabs instantly and stays stuck! I have no affiliation with the company, but the Fortress anchors have never failed me, period. The key to anchoring as you all know, is of course the proper rode in scope and size. The only problems I have ever had with a Fortress is breaking it out when it's time to go. In fact, I hate to use the FX-55 because it just doesn't want to come unstuck even with 750 hp! My boating is pretty much confined to Florida and the Bahamas, so other than sand, mud and grassy bottoms, I can't say...

[Highlander40]

You guys are right about the holding power of the danforth style.
Once they dig in they don't like to move. Thats a problem when it comes time to pick up or when the wind swings around. One of my dock mates has one with a bent shaft. Now that anchor is useless.

I cary a Fortress, a Defender and a Spade.
The Spade will set so fast that you had better be hanging on!
It will also rotate around in the bottom to a new direction without moving an inch!

I have used a CQR and all I can say is that you won't know how bad it is untill you use something better. The last time in Block island (which is known for winds that swing 360 on a regular basis) 6 or 8 boats dragged and were repositioned to an off limits area. Next morning I watched as they pulled up. All had CQR's!

Hundreds of years ago sailors used rocks for anchors. Have we learned anything?

[craigsmith]

Originally Posted by leveche420

I'm looking for an affordable Fortress or Guardian anchor for my 41' sailboat.

If you intend to use it as your primary anchor, don't; Danforth types are not suitable for bower usage. They do not handle veering or reversing loads at all well, and once pulled out if dragged at speed are unlikely to re-set. Additionally their design makes building strength into them almost impossible, and the aluminium versions particularly tend to be able to generate more holding power than they are structurally capable of sustaining (i.e. in the right circumstances they don't drag, you just break them - not the best balance of design choices if you want to be able to re-use the anchor).

www.rocna.com/kb/Old_generation_anchors

You should be looking at a new generation asymmetrical anchor that is designed from the start as an all-round bower.