Anchor Setting Comparison (Video)

[Maine Sail]

P.S. Maine Sail, I am offended by your biased testing in your video, you pulled that Rocna at 3-4 times the speed of the CQR! Did your foot slip?

Yup, I guess so... hey it still set.. Funny you're the first one to point out the un-favorable speed to which I set the Rocna. If I had gone that fast with the CQR I would have surely been lambasted..

 

[Scott B]

I think that everyone should put on a dive mask and and least swim over their anchor and chain at least once, if you get the opportunity to anchor in clear waters.

I've done this a few times to observe how the rode, chain and anchor interact. I have 50 ft. of chain and 250 ft. rode. Seldom does the chain straighten out when the boat swings around on wind shift. I can think of only two occasions, once 30 knot winds and once gusts to 52 knots, that the chain left the bottom in a straight or arc from the anchor to the boat. Most times the boat will dance on the rode and start to lift the chain. At that point the weight of the chain counteracts the boat and pulls it back to its original position. As the wind shifts, the boat swings on an axis from the rode / chain connection and slowy pulls the chain along. At 15 ft. of water, I have 25 ft. of rode out and sometimes I'm sitting right on top of the anchor with milder winds.

Most may already know this, but it would reinforce what Maine Sail is saying about the angle of the chain until the anchor is set.

 

[Maine Sail]

CQR 4:1 Video

Here's the CQR at 4:1. Shank still laying flat on ground as I described earlier..

Click Below for video:

CQR Setting In Hard Sand @ 4:1 Scope (LINK)

CQR Setting In Hard Sand @ 2:1 Scope (LINK)

Sorry YouTube won't allow the embedding of more than one video per thread apparently..?

 

[Scott B]

Yup, I guess so... hey it still set.. Funny you're the first one to point out the un-favorable speed to which I set the Rocna. If I had gone that fast with the CQR I would have surely been lambasted..

I did notice that, but figured it would be perceived to help set the Rocna.....

 

[Ross]

Good detail to include.I have dropped the hook on an out of control boat and depended upon a quick set to keep me out of the marsh at the edge of the river.

 

[Maine Sail]

Flip/Flop Set

I made this video to show how the roll bar does it's thing. It's a short viceo but that helped cut down my upload times..

Flip/Flop Set Video (LINK)

Also found this cool underwater video of a Manson Supreme doing its stuff.

Manson Supreme Underwater Video (LINK)

Rocna at 4:1 Video (LINK)

 

[Ross]

Re: Flip/Flop Set

That Rocna would be great for digging potatoes.

 

[BobM]

Thanks Mainesail!

I wasn't meaning to impugn your reputation, nor to create a days work for you hauling anchors! Very educational. I'll have to spend some time going over this issue (understanding the dynamics of anchoring) again I see.

 

[Maine Sail]

I wasn't meaning to impugn your reputation, nor to create a days work for you hauling anchors! Very educational. I'll have to spend some time going over this issue (understanding the dynamics of anchoring) again I see.

Bob,

You did not impugn my rep or cause me any work I was not already looking to do. I was ready to get out of the office for an hour or so this morning anyway.

You were not the first person to think about anchor behavior that way so I just wanted to help show what I've already observed and capture it on video. With anchors under water many, no most, boaters never get a chance to see how they act. Having a good understanding of this is probably goes a long way to help understand why my anchor set or why it did not.

The 2:1 videos are quite telling and clearly show that no anchors really like a 2:1, once they bite, and the rode begins pulling up on the shank. The anchors liked 4:1 better, well except for the CQR, but still it gives a clear understanding of why longer scope = better setting & not teh otehr way around.

We also now know that 2:1, 4:1, 7:1 and 15:1 don't help the venerable CQR set in hard stuff..

 

[Franklin]

...longer scope = better setting

Not with the fortress....supposed to set at 3:1 per directions....and then let out scope to 7:1. I believe because it lifts up the back end of the anchor putting more weight on the tips.

 

[dserrell]

1

 

[Ross]

Isn't the fortress just an aluminum danforth?

 

[Franklin]

Isn't the fortress just an aluminum danforth?

No. First difference is that the fortress has two settings, one for soft bottom and one for hard bottom. The difference in settings is the angle in which the flukes are. I believe there are other suttle differences that may help but I can't remember what they are. I did compare it to my old danforth when I got it and did see some mild differences.

The other great difference is that you can buy a real big one, take it apart and stow it below to use on a rainny day Or you can put it on the bow and it still be lighter than the danforth but it will have much greater holding power. It will however, cost a lot more

Many say the fortress does set better than the danforth but I bet that both should be set the same way...get it to dig in with a short scope so that the tips are pointed down into the ground and the back of the anchor is raised off the ground, then once it's catching and digging in, then let the scope out and put a lot of pressure on it (back down on it). I do believe that is the trick to those anchors.

Now don't get me wrong, my fortress is not my primary anchor, it's my storm anchor. I like my primary anchors to be ones that can reset themselves on wind shifts in the middle of the night. If the wind shifts, the boat isn't going to reduce the scope to 3:1 to get it to dig in for me.

 

[John]

Does anybody have any experience with the spade anchor, or know anybody who has?

 

[Maine Sail]

Does anybody have any experience with the spade anchor, or know anybody who has?

I own two, one aluminum & one steel. I would not invest your money in the aluminum version. The nice thing with them is they can be broken down.

Back row you'll see them:

 

[Franklin]

Calling Maine Sail

There is one thing I'd like to know so the next time you are down there doing tests, try testing the theory that the fortress will spin in the bottom instead of resetting with a wind shift. That's one thing I'd really like to know....is how it really handles a 90 degree and a 180 degree change in the pull.

 

[Ross]

Re: Calling Maine Sail

Mainesail, You have enough anchors for a ten day cruise. But do you have enough chain and rope?

 

[Maine Sail]

There is one thing I'd like to know so the next time you are down there doing tests, try testing the theory that the fortress will spin in the bottom instead of resetting with a wind shift. That's one thing I'd really like to know....is how it really handles a 90 degree and a 180 degree change in the pull.

I have not yet tried this with the Fortress. I do know from experience that it failed me twice on wind tide shifts and failed to re-set. One time I was only using it as a lunch hook, nice & light, and was luckily on board thinking hmmm why is that tree moving. That time I did not back down hard, as it was just lunch, but I did back down.. It's one heck of a high holding anchor, and I use it as my stern anchor, so I never have to worry about a re-set.

The second time we almost lost our boat after a front moved in and we swung 180 to a high pressure front moving in.. Anchor had been power set with 80% - full reverse RPM during initial setting and once before bed. Wind were gusting 30-40 from the primary set direction, scope was in the 8:1+ range, when it shifted it unset and failed to re-set. It should be noted that it never moved an inch in the primary set direction, even in winds to 40 knots. But as he high pressure frint moved it and winds built from 180 degrees it unset and we almost lost the boat.

 

[Craig Smith]

Yup, I guess so... hey it still set.. Funny you're the first one to point out the un-favorable speed to which I set the Rocna. If I had gone that fast with the CQR I would have surely been lambasted..

Yep that's what I was thinking too...

 

[sand sailor]

a fortress should flip over and dig in again