Alternatives to Rocna / Mantus M1

[rslifkin]

If shank height is an issue, the Vulcan shank is fairly short, but it's tall. I had to modify my roller and pulpit a bit to get enough clearance for the shank on my 73lb Vulcan. See below for a picture of the modification.

The toe length is fairly short though, so of that's a concern it may be a good fit. It also launches and retrieves nicely and doesn't seem like it needs any specific roller layout to work, as it fits mine just fine, despite having been built for a small-ish CQR.

[Bill O]

Originally Posted by George DuBose

I chose a Manson over Rocna or Mantus as I liked the additional features that the Manson offered and its construction seems very robust, no bolts and nuts holding anything together.

No nuts/bolts holding the Rocna together and a plus for take apart capability on the Mantus if you want to store it for a secondary.

IMO the biggest difference in the Supreme design is the rounder shank design. It didn't fit/work on our boat, while the straighter shank on the Rocna did.
This why I asked the OP what didn't work to help make the best suggestions.

[SV__Grace]

Scoop anchors, especially with roll bars, tend to have a bigger footprint than plow anchors and are tested to not reset as reliably.

I'm a bit of an anchor fanboy/nerd and here's some thoughts based upon decades of reading, research and direct experience-

- Spade appears to be the best of the scoop anchors. It's a bit more expensive, but doesn't have a roll bar and is smaller than comparable Rocna and Mantus.

- I got rid of my Rocna in favor of a Sarca Excel, and love it. Rocna is a great anchor and changed my life when it first came out (I've had 3, including the Vulcan), but the Excel is better in my opinion. Like the Ultra, which I know nothing about but appears to be highly regarded, it is a plow. I've hated plows for decades due to CQR and Delta, but the Excel is a whole other ball game. Got mine from www.groundtackle.com with fast shipping from their location in Canada to my U.S. location.

- You mention "cruising" and "racing," which have opposite goals for ground tackle. Cruisers want security and to sleep well at night, requiring an anchor of robust size and weight. Racers want lightweight and smaller. Seems to me a racer/cruiser would need two anchors and switch them out as needed.

[Panacea2183]

Originally Posted by SurlySailor

Hello we have a 38 foot boat with about 18k pounds displacement. I wanted to upgrade our ground tackle from the 15kg Bruce anchor that sits on our undersized roller while cruising and in the bow locker while racing. I bought a Mantus M1 (also 15 kg)and it was comically oversized and won’t fit on our roller or in our bow locker. Is there a good alternative I should look at? Anyone have any luck. For reference our boat is an Xyachts 38 and we cruise LIS, block, New England and hopefully the Caribbean at some point.

Agree w/others Not over sized
Depends on your definition of cruising
I have a 42 ft trawler 28000lbs dry
85lb Mantus 3/8 all chain rode (replaced 45lb Manson Supreme) in my opinion Mantus sets better.

When the blows come up I sit by and watch the show while others drag, sipping my cocktail

[rslifkin]

I wouldn't call the ultra a plow. To me, it looks like a non rollbar scoop like a spade or vulcan.

[RobertL]

Yes, look at the Ultra Marine anchor. We have one on our 15 Ton ship, wonderfuly manufactured, smart design and for us it is a true "set-and-forget" anchor. It has held in 40kn winds without budging and should fit where a Rocna fits. BTW it was a replacement of an old CQR.

[Sailorlady323]

Originally Posted by ScottMeilicke

I just bought a spade, and they provide PDFs that you can print out and do a test fit to give you a ball park idea. Whoever you consider, see if that is an option.

Is there an x yachts group that can give recommendations?

Spade is a good reliable anchor.

[Hermia II]

If you have a Bruce anchor you need nothing else. I have sailed professionally for many years, Bruce is my favorite.

[bcboomer]

Originally Posted by SV__Grace

- I got rid of my Rocna in favor of a Sarca Excel, and love it. Rocna is a great anchor and changed my life when it first came out (I've had 3, including the Vulcan), but the Excel is better in my opinion. Like the Ultra, which I know nothing about but appears to be highly regarded, it is a plow. I've hated plows for decades due to CQR and Delta, but the Excel is a whole other ball game. Got mine from www.groundtackle.com with fast shipping from their location in Canada to my U.S. location.

+1

[Minggat]

My Sarca Excell arrives today

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by Hermia II

If you have a Bruce anchor you need nothing else. I have sailed professionally for many years, Bruce is my favorite.

Used a Bruce but after I bought my first new generation anchor (a Rocna 45) I put the Bruce in the barn.

The Rocna was much better penetrating hard bottoms or heavy grass.

[wingssail]

We cruise and race our 43' sloop, and have done so for many years.

We engineered and built our own bow roller (double) and installed a windlass 10 ft aft of the roller.

We use a 20kg (44lb) Bruce as our normal anchor, and it lives on the bow except during racing season along with 300' of chain led to the bilge near the mast. During racing season we leave both ashore and then only carry a Fortress and a rope rode, both kept below deck.

If we decide to race while we have the Bruce anchor aboard we put it inside the pulpit and lash it to the rail.

The Bruce fits our roller and has performed flawlessly, without exception, for over 25 years. We sleep very well.

We do, however, carry a 30kg Bruce as a storm anchor, but have used it very rarely.

[billdre]

So I sail a O'Day 28, 7,300 lbs., two years ago I bought a 33 lb. Spade. Which is strictly for peace of mind overnight. Originally I kept it in my anchor locker since is comes apart easily and goes back together easily as well. However, the more I thought about it I decided that if it was an emergency situation I don't think taking time to assemble an anchor is a good idea. Since I don't have an anchor roller, I built a mount for my pulpit. The chain lives in the anchor locker and the anchor is available as soon as I lift it off the pulpit. Photo below. My wife made a Sunbrella cover so it doesn't catch and hold rain water.

[Chili Palmer]

I would venture to say the OP meant "physically" oversized and hence won't fit into his locker when racing.

And by an alternative I would venture to say is there a comparable anchor (in weight) that isn't as physically large?

[Adelie]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

SS,while the 15 kg Mantus may not fit in the locker or the roller, it is not comically oversized in terms of anchoring performance. Might even be a tad on the small size for any serious weather.

Sounds like a larger roller might be in your future if you desire anchoring conservatism. Fitting in the locker seems unlikely, and IMO a poor place for an anchor to live.

Jim

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