New Anchor Set-up

[Sandy Feet]

Ok I've read through the old threads which have a lot of great information and like most things a lot of opinions that don't always align so I'll try and keep this simple by asking "how far wrong or right am I with this set-up?"
We're buying a new anchor rig for an oceanis 45 (10+ tonnes), we'll be coastal cruising around the Western Australian coast North and South of Perth where the bottom is primarily sand or crushed coral mix. Thinking a SARCA or MANTUS with 40m shortlink 10mm chain plus a 20kg Bruce with 10m of chain + 30m 16mm rhode.
Would this cover most scenarios or is there a better combination?

[Jimbo485]

A fortress would be handy as well.

[aclmck]

Hi Sandy Feet,

Which Sarca?? SuperSarca or Exel Super works well in this bottom and has been proven in these bottoms , i can't speak for the excel haven't used one but the reports and testing i ha seen they probably work better than the super, Phone Rex at Anchor Right and get his advice. i will be using one of each though on my boat.

[Snowpetrel]

recon you might want more chain. 40m would leave you looking pretty short in some of the deeper anchorages if it was blowing. I prefer about 60m, this gives you ability to anchor in 15-20 meters of water (at high tide, might be much less at low tide up north). Also get more rope, at least 50 meters and ideally 100 meters (or 2x 50 meter coils). Try to match it's size and length with the YA racing rule specs.

[Cotemar]

Sandy Feet,
My recommendation would be for any one of the new generation Concave anchors, Manson Supreme, Rocna, Mantus in the 65 lbs-30 kg range.

2nd / Storm anchor recommendation would be a Fortress FX37, which is light and fast to deploy in a dingy as a storm anchor

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by Snowpetrel

recon you might want more chain. 40m would leave you looking pretty short in some of the deeper anchorages if it was blowing. I prefer about 60m, this gives you ability to anchor in 15-20 meters of water (at high tide, might be much less at low tide up north). Also get more rope, at least 50 meters and ideally 100 meters (or 2x 50 meter coils). Try to match it's size and length with the YA racing rule specs.

+1 (no, make that +100) .
40 metres of chain is an absolute minimum IMO; I would expect to have 90 or 100 metres to be really happy. As SnowP points out, there are big tides up north.

The two most important things after a good bottom are anchor size and scope.

I will leave the anchor argument to others but I suggest to have available the maximum scope you can carry. That has to be at least 60m but 90m is better .

Same with rope, carry as much as you can (it doesn't weigh much) and never goes astray. Suggest 8 plait nylon.

I used to carry 300 ft of 5/16" chain on a 30'er in Qld; never really used more than 200' but it was nice to have it in reserve for the few times it was necessary. Around Darwin, had to anchor occasionally in 20m and in Indonesia, we anchored a couple of times in 40+m.

Can't beat having lots of scope available

[cfarrar]

I don't see the point of a Bruce that's smaller than your primary anchor (Sarca, Rocna, Supreme, whatever). The Fortress makes sense.

[Fortress]

Cotemar,

I see that you posted a chart with results for the steel anchors from the May 2012 Voiles magazine test. Our much lighter aluminum alloy 7.1 kg FX-23 model was also in this test, and it held over 2,500 kg, or over 350x its weight, and earned the title "Champion of All Categories" as per the below.

We have a short video that was taken aboard the test vessel while the FX-23 was being pulled, and unfortunately we cannot share it, since along with superlatives, some language that might be considered offensive was used!

[Cotemar]

Originally Posted by Fortress

Cotemar,

I see that you posted a chart with results for the steel anchors from the May 2012 Voiles magazine test. Our much lighter aluminum alloy 7.1 kg FX-23 model was also in this test, and it held over 2,500 kg, or over 350x its weight, and earned the title "Champion of All Categories" as per the below.

We have a short video that was taken aboard the test vessel while the FX-23 was being pulled, and unfortunately we cannot share it, since along with superlatives, some language that might be considered offensive was used!

I am using an Fortress FX-23 myself, but my Cat is only 5 tons not the Oceanis 45, at 10+ tonnes that the OP (original post) has for his boat.

My Cat has much more windage than an Oceanis 45, so yes the FX-23 may be a good fit for him also.
This photo is of a Mahe 36 front view (not my boat photo), but shows the frontal windage that most cats have to deal with.

[barnakiel]

If the sand is a loose sand (as coral sand often is) then a 20 kg Bruce is insignificant on a 45 fter. Alas, as a second anchor (your case), it may be fine.

Why only 40 meters of chain? If there is coral sand around there may be some coral heads too (?). Then get as much chain as you reasonably can.

b.

[Sandy Feet]

Thanks for the input guys. Have doubled the chain length to 80m for the supersarca and settled on the Fortress fx37 as a second. Just out of interest how do people store 100m of rope, loose flaked on still on the roll? My experience easy handling abseiling rope (which we use km's of at work) is that unless you mount the roll and spool it off carefully you can end up with a huge mess very quickly, experience with braided nylon is it gets in a mess even easier, especially 100m

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by Sandy Feet

Thanks for the input guys. Have doubled the chain length to 80m for the supersarca and settled on the Fortress fx37 as a second. Just out of interest how do people store 100m of rope, loose flaked on still on the roll? My experience easy handling abseiling rope (which we use km's of at work) is that unless you mount the roll and spool it off carefully you can end up with a huge mess very quickly, experience with braided nylon is it gets in a mess even easier, especially 100m

Good choice on chain length
As for the rope, choose 8 plait - much easier to handle than braid or 3 strand and makes for a better rode to boot. I would break it into two 50 metre lengths and flake each one into a figure of eight; stow where convenient.

[Cotemar]

Originally Posted by Sandy Feet

Thanks for the input guys. Have doubled the chain length to 80m for the supersarca and settled on the Fortress fx37 as a second. Just out of interest how do people store 100m of rope, loose flaked on still on the roll? My experience easy handling abseiling rope (which we use km's of at work) is that unless you mount the roll and spool it off carefully you can end up with a huge mess very quickly, experience with braided nylon is it gets in a mess even easier, especially 100m

This is what 60 meters = 200 feet of 8 strand plait rope looks like stowed.
Have never needed to use it since we bought the boat. We have 60 meters of 5/16, G4 chain that gets used, but we anchor in shallow water most of the time so a 7 to 1 scope still does not need much out.

[sabray]

Originally Posted by Cotemar

This is what 60 meters = 200 feet of 8 strand plait rope looks like stowed.
Have never needed to use it since we bought the boat. We have 60 meters of 5/16, G4 chain that gets used, but we anchor in shallow water most of the time so a 7 to 1 scope still does not need much out.

I love my plait line. What are those wires pulled hard up on the PVC conduit. Looks like it will chafe real fast.

[Cotemar]

Originally Posted by sabray

I love my plait line. What are those wires pulled hard up on the PVC conduit. Looks like it will chafe real fast.

The grey pipe you see is actually flexible hose and it’s been like that for years with no chafe. When I wash out the anchor locker and water get in that hose, it just comes right back out. If I bend it up it will hold water and cause problems