What's the Best Anchor for a 60 Foot Cat?

[Curmudgeon]

Who needs an anchor? Pull up the daggerboards, sail her right up to a beach and tie her to a tree.

[MehmetCan]

Well, even the idea of a rock hidden an inch below the sand scratching the whole bottom of the bow is more than enough to make my skin crawl! So beaching is not that much of an option.

For the cats, I've considered more comfort oriented ones for quite a long time. On the other hand, most of those cats' booms are way high (at least 7-8 feet) and since I'm and for quite a long time will be the only able sailor on board (guests and other residents don't count), reefing the main on such high ground would be a nightmare. Once you choose between the models with lower boom, you only end up with Catana's, FP's and Gunboats. FP's are comfort oriented alright but they lack the performance and just for a lower boom, that's not a good compromise I think. And between a Catana or a Gunboat, I'd choose a GB everytime due to it's performance and shorthanded sailing oriented architecture...

[GMac]

You could use a 10mm (3/8") G70 chain approx 22,000lb to bust it so way stronger than a matching anchor will hold. 2.3kg/mt whatever that is on that old school imperial system. But it would be lite, as in physical weight, so if the weather went bad the mantra would be scope, scope and then use more scope.

Around a 100-125lb Supreme... or Rocna, they do perform identically so buy whichever you can find the cheapest. Be aware the physical size of these beasts, it does catch more than a few out.

Secondary system. A big Fortress which will save weight and give you a better anchor for the soft type bottoms. Boat length of chain and a nice long length of polyester line which you set up to shackle onto the chain, which will mean you have a nice long line you can used to tie aft in somewhere, tow line or just for whatever. Thinking 'multi purpose' there as many hardly ever use their secondary in vengeance. Polyester as it stays nicer longer than Nylon will, has the same strength and is becoming cheaper... or was until the damn Future Traders found out the Bangladesh cotton crop got drowned and drove the raw price up 25% in 6 weeks.... Grrrrrrrrr

Don't suppose you have a bit more info on the boat do you? Just how fine are the bows, which often indicates how she will handle weight up that end. I'm guessing on something like that the anchor locker will be back by the mast though???

[MehmetCan]

G70 sure sounds interesting... A big fortress is becoming more and more attractive as the secondary anchor as well. The bows are razor sharp so it's impossible for any anchorage option (I would even fear for a line!) I can send you the specs if you like by the way...

[Factor]

Gamc - side issue - Manson Racer v Fortress - any comment - I can get Manson Racer for much less money in Australia by a long way.

[xxuxx]

Originally Posted by catty

Before we can answer this question may we ask where the boat will be spending most of its time and the type off bottom conditions prevalent in the area?
Sure we can base an answer on a video of a 4wd towing a selection of anchors up a sandy beach , but I'm not sure that you want to anchor on a sandy beach all the time.

I have to agree with Catty. Last fall in Annapolis a 50' Lagoon dragged in 70 lb Manson in the mud and almost hit us at 2am. For a mud bottom, I believe a Danforth or Fortress would be better served. It depends upon where the majority of your cruising will be.

[Steve Strand]

Ram
The Fortress is a great anchor, best holding power per pound of any I think, but as a primary anchor there is a serious issue if a stick or rock jams the flukes in one position and the wind switches, the anchor flips over and the flukes can not pivot to the sea floor. So, for my money, it is the best stern anchor but I would never use it as my sole anchor and we prefer to anchor on one anchor only whenever possible, which is most of the time.

[Kettlewell]

Comment from the peanut gallery. I'm perpetually amazed that people need a "new generation" anchor that weighs about 2lbs per foot of boat length vs. the old world-cruising standard of 1lb per foot when we had to struggle using "old generation" anchors. And the old 1lb per foot rule was considered overkill in those days.

[careka]

Here is a nice film of many diff anchors

http://www.naviga.tv/tum-videolar/te...lir-olsun.html

[Agility]

I have a similar boat (Atlantic 57). I had a 33Kg Rocna and I had a problem. I moved up to a 40Kg Rocna with a significantly beefier shank and I'm happy with it. YMMV.

The problem I had with the 33 was not holding power but a bent shank. I wasn't on board and didn't see it happen but I was truly amazed that it could have bent like it did. Months later when not paying a lot of attention and pulling up my anchor I quickly noticed that my bow dove down into the water significantly from the power of the windlass. That must have been what bent the shank.

I would still be happy with the 33Kg but the supplier wanted me to try the larger one (at no cost I might add).

I tell you this because on a lightweight cat like the Gunboat I think it would be a mistake to go larger than the 40Kg Rocna. This forum has a lot of folks that like to overspec their anchors for world cruising (I do too) but you really don't want to add all that weight to bow and if you have to lift it yourself, it's a real bear at 55Kg's plus chain.

Fwiw, Chris uses a 65lb Steel Spade and is happy with it over many years.