Anchor for Hunter 37.5

[Bob O'Brien]

What anchor (and size)do you have for your Hunter 37.5 and are you happy with it? I'm looking to upgrade my ground tackle this summer. In Long Island Sound, I expect most of my anchoring will be in sand, mud or rocky bottoms.

 

[Don H.]

Danforth 25 lb.

I use a 25 lb. Danforth with six feet of chain and 200 ft. of nylon. I sail in the Galveston Bay area where there is always good holding ground. In rock or sandy anchorages, you might need to go to 32 lb. for the extra holding power.I carry a Fortress 16 as a second anchor, but due to its light weight, I usually have difficulty getting it to set properly in the heavy mud.

 

[Andy Hansom]

Bigger anchor

On our 380 I just went to a 44# Bruce anchor with 55' of chain and 250' 5/8 three strand. We had been using a 33# Bruce but it has drug twice in 25 to 30 knot winds at our local island. The boat realy gets sailing at anchor in those type of winds and it puts a tremendes amount of pull on the anchor just before the bow pulls back around and the boat is beam to the wind. We normaly anchor in 25 to 30 feet sand bottom with 7-1 anchor road meaured from bow roller to bottom.Vanishin point

 

[Ron Hughes]

anchoring

Bob,For anchoring in sand and mud with a boat of 18,000 lbs or so, you should use a LAPF or "large area pivoted fluke" anchor like the Danforth (at least 40 lbs) or the Fortress FX 37 or bigger with the mud wings in place. For anchoring in rocks, a fisherman or Paul Luke type are rated superior. If you really want the whole scoop tho', get the well researched and highly respected book by Robert A. Smith called "Anchors, selection and use". Another more general resource is "Staying Put, the art of anchoring" by Brian Fagan. With those two books and the advice of your friends, you should be thoroghly confused! No, actually, they should answer any of your questions better than anyone on a cruiser's forum can.All Good Wishes!Ron Hughes s/v "Best Revenge" H 40.5