Ches Bay Anchor Test

[Warren Milberg]

Some interesting and surprising observations and conclusions here:

http://www.sailmagazine.com/tips-and-techniques/comparing-eleven-popular-anchors-chesapeake-bay

 

[Deadhead]

I have found my Manson Supreme with all chain to hold anywhere I have anchored on the Chesapeake.

 

[Chief RA]

This is the third thread posted on this same article! Let it go! Happy Holidays, Chief

 

[Bill Roosa]

As with all things anchoring, your mileage may very. I use a delta. the "worst" of the anchors tested. I've never had any trouble whatsoever. I have used a danforth to great distress as it drug due to a small piece of cloth on the fluke leaving us grounded. Had to use the delta to kedge off!!!
Used the delta in storms to 50 knots and aside from the wild sailing on the rode (40.5 do this a LOT) it held fine every time.

 

[jibes138]

Bill, You should get an anchor riding sail. They work great to hold you steady into the wind.

 

[rpwillia]

Anchor Experience

Have had a Danforth and now a Manson. Both were good in their own way.

Problem with the Danforth was with a wind or tide shift it would break free and drag, until one day it didn't!

Manson has been pretty good, but it drug once as well! Or maybe I was just doing my part in cleaning up the environment.

Of course if I had real talent, I would have a QCR as everyone knows they are the best anchors evah!!! :stirthepot:

 

[justsomeguy]

What the heck is that thing?

It looks like a huge clipless bicycle pedal!

 

[rpwillia]

A milk bottle

What the heck is that thing?

It looks like a huge clipless bicycle pedal!

I drug three times in 20 knots of wind in 2 hours waiting for the tide to come up in Colonial Beach, Virginia. Could not figure out why the anchor was dragging. Wasn't till I got in and walked around the boat that I saw I had caught a partial piece of a milk bottle. Surprising I didn't drag even more.

 

[justsomeguy]

I drug three times in 20 knots of wind in 2 hours waiting for the tide to come up in Colonial Beach, Virginia. Could not figure out why the anchor was dragging. Wasn't till I got in and walked around the boat that I saw I had caught a partial piece of a milk bottle. Surprising I didn't drag even more.

That's a plastic milk jug?

 

[rpwillia]

Yes

That's a plastic milk jug?

A plastic 1 gallon milk jug. Finders keepers!

 

[RichH]

Some interesting and surprising observations and conclusions here:

http://www.sailmagazine.com/tips-and-techniques/comparing-eleven-popular-anchors-chesapeake-bay

Good post, Warren

The article does highlight the often neglected technique for anchoring in muck - especially with plow type anchors you really have to wait a bit (sometimes 15 to 30 minutes so that they can 'sink' deeply into the muck) before pulling strain,.

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

I think all anchors mentioned here and in the Chesapeake Bay Anchor test have their merits EXCEPT for the Fortress who "somehow" had the highest holding strength.

Colour me a little predjudiced but all of the demos I've seen on the Fortress web site show them sinking into mud or soft sand. Not too versatile for other bottoms.

I've seen see these ridiculous little 10 pounders sitting on the decks of several 30+ foot power boats in our marina. Somehow I just can't see myself at 03:00 relying on one of these things in a 20 knot blow and the wind shifts. You now have a 10 lb. paperweight skipping over the bottom just hoping (praying) it'll catch onto something ........ onto anything .

At the very least, give me WEIGHT in an anchor.

 

[woodster]

Have had a Danforth and now a Manson. Both were good in their own way.

Problem with the Danforth was with a wind or tide shift it would break free and drag, until one day it didn't!

Manson has been pretty good, but it drug once as well! Or maybe I was just doing my part in cleaning up the environment.

Of course if I had real talent, I would have a QCR as everyone knows they are the best anchors evah!!! :stirthepot:

ill have to say from the looks of that pic of the mason they do seem to have good aim...nailed it dead on the handle :dance:

 

[Bad Obsession]

rpwillia....I am surprised that you didn't hit a deposit of oyster shells. Those can be a pain also and there are tons of collections of them in Colonial Beach.

 

[Fortress]

I think all anchors mentioned here and in the Chesapeake Bay Anchor test have their merits EXCEPT for the Fortress who "somehow" had the highest holding strength.

Colour me a little predjudiced but all of the demos I've seen on the Fortress web site show them sinking into mud or soft sand. Not too versatile for other bottoms.

I've seen see these ridiculous little 10 pounders sitting on the decks of several 30+ foot power boats in our marina. Somehow I just can't see myself at 03:00 relying on one of these things in a 20 knot blow and the wind shifts. You now have a 10 lb. paperweight skipping over the bottom just hoping (praying) it'll catch onto something ........ onto anything .

At the very least, give me WEIGHT in an anchor.

Ralph,

Thanks for your input. Interestingly enough, at the very end of the testing and after all of the 11 anchors had been tested a total of 60 times (the Fortress at both the 32° and 45° angles), we deployed the 10 lb FX-16, and at the 45° angle for soft mud.....it out-performed ALL of the 44-46 lbs anchors in the test with pulls that exceeded 1,500 lbs!

This anchor was also one of the toughest to break out and it took a good 20 minutes to get it back aboard. Here's a link to the YouTube video of this test from the 4th and final day of testing, and the FX-16 test is at about the 8:00 minute mark:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ga1_LCZ90g

In addition to the testing results of the 21 lb FX-37, this was a clear indication that design plays a vital role in anchor performance.

While Fortress holds a US patent on the adjustable shank / fluke angle crown, Baldt, Bruce, Vryhoff, and the US Navy all manufacture anchors with wider shank / fluke angles for soft mud bottom conditions, and the 45° angle pulls with the Fortress during the SF Bay and recent Chesapeake Bay testing served as further proof of this required configuration for superior anchor holding capability in this type of bottom.

 

[RichH]

Aint no better mud-hook than the Fortress set with that 45° angle; and, you dont have to wait for it to 'settle in and down' - IMO ;-)

 

[Ron20324]

.

Do you have a dredging permit for that anchor???

 

[Fortress]

Do you have a dredging permit for that anchor???

Ron,

We might have overlooked that...although I would have expected that University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science in Solomons, MD and owners of the test boat, the 81-ft Rachel Carson, would have alerted us to the need for one!

The images below show more dredging, and the last two from the right of center might be of particular interest, as the first one shows the soft mud stuck to the anchor, and then the next one (far right) shows this same anchor after the soft mud has been power-washed off, revealing oyster shells.

 

[SEMPERAVANTI41]

Amazing! Fortress runs a test and Fortress comes out on top! Why am I not surprised?

 

[Fortress]

Amazing +1....and below are more stories from boating writers who were aboard for the testing:

All at Sea:
http://www.allatsea.net/best-anchor-for-mud/

Comments from this story: "There was no stopping the performance of the Fortress once it set into the mud."

"From all calculations, the Fortress FX-37 was buried 13 feet in the mud – a testament that when set properly for the conditions the Fortress digs in and stays.

Boat US:
http://www.boatus.com/seaworthy/magazine/2014/october/the-fine-art-of-anchoring.asp

Comments from this story: "The FX-37 at the 45-degree fluke angle was the overall holding power winner with three sets holding over 1,000 pounds and two sets exceeding 2,000 pounds."

Boats.com:
http://features.boats.com/boat-content/2014/09/anchor-throw-down-fortress-anchor-tests/

Comments from this story: "Fortress’ anchors performed best in the four-day anchor throw-down."

Please find below a PDF file of the PassageMaker magazine story.

Comments from this story: "Over the full course of the testing, Fortress and Danforth-style anchors dominated the competition."