Annual anchor thread...
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I skimmed the video (anchor testing loses me,...), and I loved it. Then I subscribed to his Utube and got a quick history of the boat. What a wonderful family story! Watch it. I especially love that the dad was a wood romantic, which has driven the son to non-wood. I have the exact same thing going on with my son. 
Back to the anchor 'test': In the end, he chose his anchor on the basis of aesthetics. He's a metal craftsmen and was leery of structural deficiencies - and didn't like the looks, in the best holding anchor(a manson maybe?).
He has an eye for design, which he's quite good at in his medium - metal. That anchor performed well beyond the others in his test but he settled on a slightly lesser hook.
In the end, the anchor is secondary to the, anchor-er.
He also pointed out the poor performance of phony anchors. He borrowed a CQR clone that wouldn't even make a good kellet. And had similar results with another clone.
Thanks, Gene.
Back to the anchor 'test': In the end, he chose his anchor on the basis of aesthetics. He's a metal craftsmen and was leery of structural deficiencies - and didn't like the looks, in the best holding anchor(a manson maybe?).
He has an eye for design, which he's quite good at in his medium - metal. That anchor performed well beyond the others in his test but he settled on a slightly lesser hook.
In the end, the anchor is secondary to the, anchor-er.
He also pointed out the poor performance of phony anchors. He borrowed a CQR clone that wouldn't even make a good kellet.
And had similar results with another clone.Thanks, Gene.
Without watching the video ( I am sick of anchoring video's...) your labeling him a craftsman strikes me as interesting. I would suggest he is more more "artist".
Anyone who chooses appearance over function with something as important as an anchor (assuming that it is going to be used to anchor!) has a little artist in them.
That is not a bad thing.
Yes, the anchor-er and their understanding of basic math has more impact than the anchor does.
I still love our Manson Supreme as I have virtually no creative/artistic ability, form follows function...
Bruce
Anyone who chooses appearance over function with something as important as an anchor (assuming that it is going to be used to anchor!) has a little artist in them.
That is not a bad thing.
Yes, the anchor-er and their understanding of basic math has more impact than the anchor does.
I still love our Manson Supreme as I have virtually no creative/artistic ability, form follows function...
Bruce
Well he did say that that both anchors had great holding and reset... and the difference between the two was pretty minimal... so he went with aesthetics to make the final choice.
At least he didn't go for an anchor only for artistic reasons.
I did note that there were no swivels involved. Hmmmm.
At least he didn't go for an anchor only for artistic reasons.
I did note that there were no swivels involved. Hmmmm.
Based on what I saw in the video, it looked to me like the Spade was the best, and that's what he wound up choosing.
Hey, does a Bruce anchor say "Bruce" on it?
http://www.offshoreblue.com/safety/anchor-claw.php
I have a claw type anchor, and have set it well in 20 knots of wind. I has worked for me every time I have set it, but now I wonder if it is one of those poor copies or an original.
I do set with a lot of rode... unusually 5:1 or better, With 120' of chain and another 200 feet of three strand, I've never been shy about scope.
http://www.offshoreblue.com/safety/anchor-claw.php
I have a claw type anchor, and have set it well in 20 knots of wind. I has worked for me every time I have set it, but now I wonder if it is one of those poor copies or an original.
I do set with a lot of rode... unusually 5:1 or better, With 120' of chain and another 200 feet of three strand, I've never been shy about scope.
I use a "real" Danforth not a knock off. I had to drop anchor in 30 mph wind to pick up a MOB one time. We would go by him so fast that we could not hold onto him. We dropped anchor ahead of him and laid out line till we were abreast. Picked him up and then rolled the anchor line in. It took an hour and a half, on anchor, to get the dude aboard as he was pretty pooped when we came abreast and could not assist. Rigged a line to boom and used that to bring him in. All anchors require you drop a second anchor astern to keep from fouling bow anchor's line and also to avoid running over it and pulling it out.
I also use a SL Claw. 22 pound and 75 feet of chain on my 25 footer. Have NEVER had it fail to set first try, with the single exception being off Frazier Hogg Cay, Exumas. There the cruising guide claimed it was almost impossible to get a set. Hard scoured marl. They were right- we took a mooring
Coming onto 12,000 Cruising (not local) miles on it
Had a smaller true Bruce on my previous boat- never had a problem
We have the 44 lb claw on our Catalina 42. Our normal practice is 5:1 scope on 5/16 chain. 150 ft. of chain, 175 ft of 3/4 nylon. We almost have no soft muddy seafloors in the Pacific Northwest. It has always set and held with one significant exception. Refuge Cove (B.C.) has a fairly flat bottom and we were in 40 ft. It first set then skipped when we backed down. Let out more scope and it still did not set. When we pulled it up it was cradling a soccer-ball sized round rock. The claw is perfectly designed as a collecting tool for that material. Maybe that was a total fluke. ;o) I don't think the Spade or Manson would not do that. No plan to replace the anchor but if it happened again we will make a change.
Yeah, finding that soccer-ball rock has got to be a tough test... going back to that video... it looks as though a golf-ball size rock stymied the Danforth... so I guess it all comes down to one ball game or another. GRIN
I'm a Danforth guy (they say Danforth on them) and have had rare issues with stuff getting jammed between the flukes (clams or rocks will do it) and keeping the flukes from gybing over onto the other tack - you know what I mean. If the wind shifts around, I watch them like a hawk. If I suspect it's going to swing around, I'll set a second anchor early. My second anchor and rode are just a copy of my first.
Another thing I don't like is a lee shore. If a wind shift puts a lee shore behind me, I'm not proud - I'll move. One evening, a wind shift to the NE put the nearby breakwater into our lee. I moved and re-anchored off the beach. Four other boats followed me.
Couple of other folks have talked to scope - 5:1? I feel that the scope to set and the scope to hold are different. I like to set the anchor at 10:1 and then shorten up afterward. How much depends on what's behind me. If it's deeper water, I probably won't shorten past 7:1 - if shallower water, perhaps 5:1.
Another thing I don't like is a lee shore. If a wind shift puts a lee shore behind me, I'm not proud - I'll move. One evening, a wind shift to the NE put the nearby breakwater into our lee. I moved and re-anchored off the beach. Four other boats followed me.
Couple of other folks have talked to scope - 5:1? I feel that the scope to set and the scope to hold are different. I like to set the anchor at 10:1 and then shorten up afterward. How much depends on what's behind me. If it's deeper water, I probably won't shorten past 7:1 - if shallower water, perhaps 5:1.