Anchors, anchors again, & more anchors....

[Frank]

My goodness Adrift...what a narrow bow you have  ;D

[CharlieJ]

A question- do you bridle your tri when you anchor?

I'm in the camp along with Jim Brown. I always used a bridle on my tri, after having a really bad experience with it getting sideways in an 84 knot blow. Once I started bridling we never again had even the hint of the boat trying to turn sideways. And we were in two more 60 knots storms and one slightly stronger, but short lived.

I had a chain hook to which I spiced a pair of 75 foot nylon lines. I led one line through a snatch block on each ama bow, then in to the center hull. I could adjust the bridle length from the main bow.

Totally stopped all hunting around at anchor. We'd just lay there with the bows pointed up into the wind, and watch the monohulls dance around.

When I did a Bahama moor with my two big Danforths, each with 50 feet of chain, I'd shackle the two chains together, then lead the rodes back to the ama bows, thru the snatch blocks and over to the main hull. Achieved the same results.

Brown highly recommended the technique in one of his books. Perhaps the " Case for the Cruising Triamaran" Since I tried it, I'll never anchor a multi again without a bridle.

Taught the technique to a friend who sails a Condor 40 tri and another who is on a Catalac catamaran. Both have now tried it and both are completely sold. They told me it was like night and day how quietly the boats lay to anchors with the bridles.

[AdriftAtSea]

Charlie-

Only if we're expecting stronger winds... she normally behaves pretty well on the rode... but in heavier winds, I do put a bridle out.

[CharlieJ]

 ;D
I've had TOO MANY times where the stronger winds came in, with rain, at 0200 and un-expected, so I just rigged for that always, We had it down to an art- took no more time than rigging a snubber to an all chain rode, which I do on Tehani most always.

Of course we were living aboard and always on the boat.

On the tri and on Tehani, I keep the rig coiled and on the bow, ready to go.

[chris2998]

good question I have wonderd this for my fishing boat of how big an anchor to use but just seen in Johns book today the different styles of anchors. I like the swivel anchor but not sure if it would be more a pain in the butt to use

[Karletto]

we had 2x cca15kg danforth anchor  for 9m boat. it is also important what ground do you have. mud/ sand anchor for mud/ sand ground only.

[Godot]

Not as advice; just a data point...

On Godot (24' Seafarer, 24' LOA, 20'9" LWL, ~4000# displacement), I have three Danforth style anchors (two clones of 13 and 18 lbs which came with the boat, and one of the smaller Fortresses which I used to use on my small 16' weekender ... I don't remember the model).  So far, though, Godot has been restricted to the muddy Chesapeake.

Last year (when I accidentally left the 18# clone at home) I dragged in a blow on the 13# clone; but managed to lock myself in place using both the 13#er and the Fortress.

Two days ago I was in a little cove with winds probably around 20 knots (enough wind really get howling and keep me paranoid enough to wake up ever fifteen minutes to check my position on the GPS) and rather choppy water.  The 18#er buried deep in the thick mud, and even when the wind clocked around held very firm.  In took me quite awhile to haul it up.

Conclusion: the 18 pound Danforth clone works great for my boat in thick mud.  Not sure about any other ground, though.

Oh, and I've been using 3/8" line and 3/16" chain with good results.  I'll eventually probably use that as a backup rode and go to 1/2" line, 1/4" chain before the Scoot.  Oh, and I'll probably pick up one of the next generation anchors as well.  Not sure which, yet, though.

[AdriftAtSea]

The Manson Supreme and the Rocna are the two best of the next gen anchors IMHO.  Of the older style anchors, I'd say the Delta FastSet is probably the most reliable and versatile. 

Not a big fan of Danforth style anchors, except as secondarys or lunch hooks...since the flukes can jam and they have a tendency to kite once they break free, and don't deal with shifting winds or currents well.  If they're used as a secondary, the primary anchor should help prevent them from breaking out...

[Marc]

Just to be funny, but whatever happened to the good ol concrete block that I used as a kid in my Force 5 to fish?

[AdriftAtSea]

Did you look in your boat???

Just to be funny, but whatever happened to the good ol concrete block that I used as a kid in my Force 5 to fish?

[Frank]

Marc...up home here when I was young, the most common anchor was a one gallon paint can filled with concrete and a big eye bolt stuck out of the top. Kinda goes with the ..."ya know you're redneck when.."

[Auspicious]

The anchors on Auspicious have been a big Rocna on the bow and a small Breeze (a Bruce knock-off) on the stern for some time. I have wanted a good-sized secondary for Bahamian moors or in case something happens to my primary.

Holding is of course of greatest interest, but something I can store is important too. Even on a (<ahem>) bigger boat storage space is an issue and most anchors don't store well.

I finally made a choice and the anchor is on its way. I'm disturbingly excited about this. <grin> My plan is to pull the big Rocna off the bow and store it in my trailer for a while so I can get some experience with the new one.

I like SailFar, so I'll be posting here first.

Pictures and identification of my choice when the darn thing shows up. In the meantime, IT'S ANOTHER ANCHOR THREAD!!!  ;D

[AdriftAtSea]

Let me guess, you got a Bulwagga... :)  NOT!!!

[Auspicious]

No, not a Bulwagga.

I should offer a prize to anyone who guesses, but I can't think what I have to offer that I can afford and don't want anymore. *grin* I'd offer a beer, but I'd offer a beer to any of you guys who show up at Auspicious.

[AdriftAtSea]

If it is a next gen anchor, it is probably a Manson Supreme.  If it is an older anchor, my best guess would be a Delta FastSet. :)

[Auspicious]

something I can store is important too.

If it is a next gen anchor, it is probably a Manson Supreme.  If it is an older anchor, my best guess would be a Delta FastSet. :)

Neither the Manson Supreme or the Delta qualify as easy to store in my mind, or at least on my boat.

We already ruled out the Bulwagga. *grin*

As a digression, I have issues with the Manson company. The facts about "who was there first" between Rocna and Manson are far from clear, but looking at the range of products that Manson offers (a CQR copy, a Bruce copy, a Navy copy, a Fisherman copy (that does have some interesting innovation), and a Danforth copy) it isn't a big leap to believe their Supreme is a copy of someone elses anchor. I don't have definitive information to that effect, but I don't like what I see as a consumer and as a generator of intellectual property. Other's obviously disagree. We all are allowed our own opinion. Given my current understanding I won't buy anything from Manson. End of digression.

[AdriftAtSea]

The Fortress is easy to store, but doesn't qualify as a primary anchor iMHO.  Ancora Latina, from Brazil makes an interesting anchor that can disassemble into two parts, but they're not sold in the USA AFAIK.

The Spade, Buegel, Hydrobubble, and XYZ are all about the same in terms of difficulty to stow, so they're probably out of the running... you already have a Rocna.  darn, I'm stumped... :)

[Joe Pyrat]

Something you can store...  One of those fisherman anchors you can disassemble?  I've got one, a 55 pounder, stored in the bottom of KAHOLEE as hurricane insurance and anchor of last resort.   ;)

[AdriftAtSea]

Don't think it is one of them, since they don't hold all that well in most conditions.

[Auspicious]

Okay - this may be even more fun than I thought it would be. Someone out there is keeping track of shipping time, trying to account for holiday factors, and figuring it all out. *grin*

The Fortress is easy to store, but doesn't qualify as a primary anchor iMHO.

I agree with you. The Fortress (better than but similar to the Danforth IMHO) is good at what it is good at, but limited in applicability.

Ancora Latina, from Brazil makes an interesting anchor that can disassemble into two parts, but they're not sold in the USA AFAIK.

Points for close. The Raya Tempest, a version that disassembles was on my very short list. In fact, I was about to buy one. The purchase price is low enough that even shipping to the US kept it competitive. It's an impressive concept and I'd love to try one out.

The Spade, ...

The Spade does come apart to make stowage easy. It was the anchor I expected to buy as a secondary. Since Alain sold the company shipping has been unreliable. That is why West Marine doesn't carry them anymore. Glenn Ashmore, the first fellow to offer the Spade in the US (as far as I know) doesn't sell them anymore either. The price is up 50% at the places that still try to sell them.

Buegel, Hydrobubble, and XYZ are all about the same in terms of difficulty to stow.

Agreed, plus the Hydrobubble just doesn't look like a long-term reliable anchor to me. I worry about that plastic floatation component exposed to UV over time. YMMV.

Something you can store...  One of those fisherman anchors you can disassemble?  I've got one, a 55 pounder, stored in the bottom of KAHOLEE as hurricane insurance and anchor of last resort.

I looked at the PE Luke fisherman anchors, but they are really really expensive and extraordinarily heavy. 900USD for an 80 lb anchor that is weak in mud doesn't seem like a good value to me.

You are going through the same kind of thinking that I did.

1. It has to hold reliably in a range of bottoms, with emphasis on the mud bottoms I currently cruise over.
2. I need to be able to store it either in my cockpit locker or engine room without displacing a bunch of stuff I also want to carry or making systems service more difficult.

anchors anchors anchors

Craig, Alain, and João should show up any minute! *grin* Sorry Kurt. ;)