So, lets talk anchors

Feb 26, 2004
22,760
Catalina 34 224 Maple Bay, BC, Canada
In the end, all chain is basically no safer than chain/line if you don't have a proper snub line system.
Thanks, capta, for that great report.

Here's my friend Steve’s Anchoring 101

The Rocna. All 20kg of it with 100ft of chain. The rest of the world can debate all they like. When I pull into a place like Bodega Bay at midnight and the fog is so thick I can't see the jetty 50 feet away to make an entrance, I drop my hook in the rolling ocean swells with the surf crashing (Foster says it's like staying in a cheap Best Western beside the highway), and I sleep. And in the morning I have a windlass to pull the beast up and I wouldn't trade it for anything. (I also wouldn't add more chain - this works perfectly in 25 to 30 feet of water - you let all the chain out and you tie off nylon at the preferred scope and don't bother with snubbers and chain hooks and all that stuff...)
 
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Jul 20, 2005
2,422
Whitby 55 Kemah, Tx
Mantus is the best out there for setting and resetting and hard to beat in holding power too (Hurricane Sandy at 90 knots for hours) and yes, my tip did not bend. Who would judge an anchor based on a picture and not knowing the story? Nobody I know would.
 
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Nov 22, 2011
1,192
Ericson 26-2 San Pedro, CA
I've been looking into anchors for the past week so... I'm an expert!!! Ha! One fairly long and egaging rticle went on about anchor size, large boat, small boat, stuff like that. I'll see if I can dig it out and link it. Among other things, it went thru the physics of anchoring, calculating catenary arc, force on the anchor, rodes bar tight. What it comes down to is chain is required the first (place favorite length here) feet. This protects the rope rode from wear on the bottom. Beyond that there is no calculatable benefit, other than not dancing so much at anchor. By the numbers, an all chain rode has more perceived benefit that actual benefit. This guy also said that choosing a smaller, stronger chain than BBB shows great benefits. Again, I'll see if I can dig it out.
http://kb.rocna.com/kb/Rode_optimizations#Minimal_practical_chain_lengths
 
Jul 27, 2011
4,990
Bavaria 38E Alamitos Bay
Here's my friend Steve’s Anchoring 101

When I pull into a place like Bodega Bay at midnight and the fog is so thick I can't see the jetty 50 feet away to make an entrance, I drop my hook in the rolling ocean swells with the surf crashing (Foster says it's like staying in a cheap Best Western beside the highway), and I sleep.
Perhaps, but there is this:
Rule 5
“Every vessel shall at all times maintain a proper lookout by sight and hearing as well by all available means appropriate in the prevailing circumstances and conditions so as to make a full appraisal of the situation and of the risk of collision.”

I suggest than anchoring, and then turning in, anywhere near an approach to a harbor, especially in fog when one should be making "efficient sounds" at 2-min intervals, is not something to be advocated for, IMHO.:solame:
 

Gunni

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Mar 16, 2010
5,937
Beneteau 411 Oceanis Annapolis
In another area, such as the Canadian Maritimes, where I'm guessing the anchoring is mostly on rocky bottoms, I'd go with another anchor I'm sure.
The Manson Supreme has a 'rock slot' that allows the shackle to slide to the spade and back out the anchor.
 
Jan 12, 2016
268
Hunter 410 Ladysmith, BC
I won't make any negative comments about others, I will just say that I'm very pleased with our Rocna 25 kg, and 200' of chain. Rocna appears to be a very good purchase for our boat.
 

capta

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Jun 4, 2009
4,766
Pearson 530 Admiralty Bay, Bequia SVG
Mantus is the best out there for setting and resetting and hard to beat in holding power too (Hurricane Sandy at 90 knots for hours) and yes, my tip did not bend. Who would judge an anchor based on a picture and not knowing the story? Nobody I know would.
I'd put dollars to donuts it happened when he was anchored, or trying to extricate his anchor.
But of course, you could be right. Perhaps he got out a honking BIG wrench and bent it as a discussion piece. Or dropped in on concrete from 200 feet?
 
Nov 26, 2008
1,966
Endeavour 42 Cruisin
I believe there was a boat anchored off Haiti and took a direct hit by Cat 4 hurricane Matthew. Mantus.

I have gone thru 4 dinghy anchors. They all sucked royally. Bought the Mantus dinghy anchor...WOW! anchored the dink off a beach next to another dink, 1 foot of water. They put out a Danforth of maybe 10 lbs and 4' of chain plus some rode. I put out my Mantus dinghy anchor and some 3 strand. When the wind picked up, they started dragging but we did not. Dinghy anchors are lightweight and wont dig in...except the Mantus. Dont know how they did it but they did
 
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Oct 13, 2013
129
Beneteau 37 Oceanis Platinum Edition Seabrook, TX
Capta. What you got against Mantus? If I didn't dock about a mile or so from their office/warehouse I would continue using it. Your analogy of bald tires is way off course. For all I know the cat could be a bare boat charter vessel with a bunch of drunk non-sailors who couldn't set or retrieve an anchor to save their life.
Everyone has their favorite choice on what anchor to use. For me my vessel is also my home. I would not trust my home to other than the best equipment. That's why I prefer Mantus.
 
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Feb 6, 1998
11,667
Canadian Sailcraft 36T Casco Bay, ME
Don't want to leave anyone out of the bent anchor stuff..

Danforth or Danforth StyleAnchors

Manson Supreme


Spade


Delta


More Danforth Type


Delta


Lewmar Claw


Claw


Manson Supreme


Fortress


CQR


Danforth


CQR


Rocna


Rocna


Rocna


Stainless CQR


That should be good for now.... (wink)
 
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Oct 22, 2014
20,995
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
Plus 1 Scott. They all looked like they dug in, a force was put sideways to the set and they held, tell they didn't and were retrieved.
 
Apr 20, 2012
21
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Any anchor can be bent if the fluke(s) get stuck and there is a change in pull direction. Our consultant, Bob Taylor, an anchor design & soil mechanics expert who has spent close to 50 years with the US Navy and in the offshore industry, has said that he has seen many anchors recovered with bent shanks and one was a 10 ton stockless anchor.

In the event that a Fortress owner damages an anchor part, we replace it for free without any conditions or restrictions, and the customer only pays for shipping & handling.
 
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Sep 23, 2009
1,475
O'Day 34-At Last Rock Hall, Md
All metals bend. Wedge any anchor in rocks, coral or even a submerged tree trunk, apply enough side force something has to give. Thanks for the pics which show a good variety. There is no anchor made that will not, so what is to be learned? Maybe one (probably the cqr) would take more side load but the only way to avoid the possibility with any of them is limit anchoring to soft bottoms with no old tembers submerged. Or stay at marinas and mooring balls.
The old adage of seeking local knowledge for bottom paint I think applies equally to anchors. All I know is if I ever sell my boat the old Scotty cqr goes with me.
 
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Jul 27, 2011
4,990
Bavaria 38E Alamitos Bay
Seems that an anchor buried deep in sand might not rotate easily with a rt-angle shift in the direction of pull; especially a fluke anchor such as Fortress or Danforth. I once bent the shank of a Danforth riding in sand in 20 to 25 kt with a second boat, actually a heavier one, rafted to me.
 
Apr 20, 2012
21
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Seems that an anchor buried deep in sand might not rotate easily with a rt-angle shift in the direction of pull; especially a fluke anchor such as Fortress or Danforth. I once bent the shank of a Danforth riding in sand in 20 to 25 kt with a second boat, actually a heavier one, rafted to me.
It is certainly possible. While the precision-machined Fortress might be more likely to turn better than a Danforth with its two large sharpened flukes, the Fortress might also be more likely to bury deeper which can result in the anchor having a harder time turning, and then retrieving it afterwards.

In fact, after almost 20 years of working with Fortress, that is by far the most commonly heard comment, the difficulty in retrieval particularly after a heavy blow, and the comment is sometimes made by a very grateful owner.

The Sailing Foundation wrote this comment after they loaded up a 21 lb (10 kg) FX-37 to 4,000 lbs (their maximum) with a straight pull, then a 90° pull and finally a pull from 180°:

The Fortress set so deep that the rode had to be hauled in to 1:1 and significant power applied to rode by the 83,000-pound tug to break it free. It is doubtful that a sailboat would have windlass power to break it out. Perhaps large primary winches or a rising tide might be adequate. However, it is also doubtful that a sailboat could have set the anchor that deep in less than a full hurricane.
 
Jul 27, 2011
4,990
Bavaria 38E Alamitos Bay
Two summers ago we were anchored bow-stern at Yellowbanks, Santa Cruz Island, w/stern toward the beach on the Fortress FX-16, 9/16" 3-stand nylon on 40 ft of 5/16" chain, when a sun-downer blew up from shore gusting to 35 kt by the anemometer--duration about an hour. The Fortress dug in so deep that two guys could hardly recover it using an inflatable dink w/10 hp outboard, pulling from over the top and every which way. The boat next to us could not get his up at all until a friend took his Bayliner over there and powered it up with his windlass in combinations with various movements of the boat. (It was too shallow to risk taking the sailboat in where the Bayliner was working.)
 
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capta

.
Jun 4, 2009
4,766
Pearson 530 Admiralty Bay, Bequia SVG
Capta. What you got against Mantus?
I don't think I said anything against Mantus. I posted a picture and said make your own decision.
I don't believe I've heard of a Rocna bending as in the pics above since that whole mess got sorted out.
Though there are some things I'm not comfortable with in the Mantus anchors' design, I have NEVER used a Mantus, so I cannot say the Mantus is a bad anchor. I have seen, in one case, an experienced cruising couple try to set a Mantus in the St. George's anchorage and it took them around ten attempts. I know it's a lousy anchorage and our boats are not at all similar, but we've yet to have to re-anchor even once there.
All I've ever maintained is that our Rocna has done, and is doing right now, exactly what it was designed to do better than any other type of anchor I've ever used. Perhaps if I had a Mantus, I'd be saying the same thing.