What's your favorite anchor for the bottoms you typically anchor to? Do you get better results with the raw holding power of the Danforth or Fortress, the easy-set of the Bruce, or the bite of a plow like a CQR or Delta? Maybe you like one of the newer anchor designs that have tested so well? Share your heavy-metal preference here then vote in the Quick Quiz at the bottom of the home page.
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Concrete BlocX
Aw c'mon You've had a lot more interesting things in your recent questions than this nonsense, and very dangerous thread idea. "What's the best wife for me," question has been asked and answered. This one is counterproductive, and could lead to newbies actually thinking there's an answer to the question. Poor, poor question: Answer: It's the bottom, stupid! Stu PS Sorry for the rant, but I really do think it's an inappropriate and misleading question. Thanks for evrything you do, otherwise.
Aw c'mon You've had a lot more interesting things in your recent questions than this nonsense, and very dangerous thread idea. "What's the best wife for me," question has been asked and answered. This one is counterproductive, and could lead to newbies actually thinking there's an answer to the question. Poor, poor question: Answer: It's the bottom, stupid! Stu PS Sorry for the rant, but I really do think it's an inappropriate and misleading question. Thanks for evrything you do, otherwise.
100 lbs of depleted Uranium
will hold most small boats most of the time in most anchorages. The water will shield captain and crew from the harmful effects of the residual radiation. Uranium is very dense - much denser than lead - so stowing a Uranium anchor doesn't take up as much room; (except for the lead shielding) This is the best I could come up with - my first choice was already taken!
will hold most small boats most of the time in most anchorages. The water will shield captain and crew from the harmful effects of the residual radiation. Uranium is very dense - much denser than lead - so stowing a Uranium anchor doesn't take up as much room; (except for the lead shielding) This is the best I could come up with - my first choice was already taken!
Stu
The operative prase here is "where you sail." And I know that where I sail, and on the bottoms I typically anchor on, I have a preferred anchor... as do folks who are going to cruise the Bahamas, etc. Doesn't seem dangerous to me. Might help some newbies understand the various strengths of certian anchors on certain types of bottoms.
The operative prase here is "where you sail." And I know that where I sail, and on the bottoms I typically anchor on, I have a preferred anchor... as do folks who are going to cruise the Bahamas, etc. Doesn't seem dangerous to me. Might help some newbies understand the various strengths of certian anchors on certain types of bottoms.
Thank You, Phil
Phil You folks are just great! Much appreciated and a quick response to a boater's concerns. Thanks again and keep up the good work. Best, Stu
Phil You folks are just great! Much appreciated and a quick response to a boater's concerns. Thanks again and keep up the good work. Best, Stu
Bruce for Lake Erie
95 percent of our bottom is sand or muck. So the bruce tends to set quickly and well. It also resets easily on a wind shift. For many of the same reasons, the Danforth/Fortress design is probably as good, and lighter. But I like the heft for anchoring over night - no logical reason for that. David Lady Lillie
95 percent of our bottom is sand or muck. So the bruce tends to set quickly and well. It also resets easily on a wind shift. For many of the same reasons, the Danforth/Fortress design is probably as good, and lighter. But I like the heft for anchoring over night - no logical reason for that. David Lady Lillie
anchor
I have try many types of japanis anchors and got to say that for my type of bottom( sand and rocks ) a honda civic works the best. Still waiting for summer
I have try many types of japanis anchors and got to say that for my type of bottom( sand and rocks ) a honda civic works the best. Still waiting for summer
Max
I had one on my H31. We were anchored in La Trappe Creek off the Choptank River. In the early evening a large thunderstorm passed overhead with severe winds, est 70 mph, for about 20 minutes. We were unable to distinguish any earth/water surface from the wind driven rain. The boat was on its beam ends again and again. Max held. We sailed off the anchor in the morning. It has never not held in the Chesapeake bay. I have one on my H380.
I had one on my H31. We were anchored in La Trappe Creek off the Choptank River. In the early evening a large thunderstorm passed overhead with severe winds, est 70 mph, for about 20 minutes. We were unable to distinguish any earth/water surface from the wind driven rain. The boat was on its beam ends again and again. Max held. We sailed off the anchor in the morning. It has never not held in the Chesapeake bay. I have one on my H380.
Don't use Sandbags
For our first overnighter, we used a Danforth and two fifty pound sandbags. We dragged anchor in the middle of the night. The sandbags were so heavy with the added water, that we had a hard time lifting them and then they were very messy. We finally ended up cutting them open and dropping the sand overboard.
For our first overnighter, we used a Danforth and two fifty pound sandbags. We dragged anchor in the middle of the night. The sandbags were so heavy with the added water, that we had a hard time lifting them and then they were very messy. We finally ended up cutting them open and dropping the sand overboard.
65# CQR200'chain then 50#danforth
havent had a broblem yet.......have a 3rd 30# fortress as a stern or emergency......then a 4th mushroom for the dingy.......I was going to say the "x" also ..but that wouldnt be nice. or the old perkins 4-108 I just pulled out and repowered.
havent had a broblem yet.......have a 3rd 30# fortress as a stern or emergency......then a 4th mushroom for the dingy.......I was going to say the "x" also ..but that wouldnt be nice. or the old perkins 4-108 I just pulled out and repowered.
On Lake
Superior some of us use ice w/ a couple hunnert feet of planks. werks grate, till summer cums.
Superior some of us use ice w/ a couple hunnert feet of planks. werks grate, till summer cums.
Sandbags?!?!?!
That's a new one for me. I don't understand how sand bags were used nor what their purpose could've been?
That's a new one for me. I don't understand how sand bags were used nor what their purpose could've been?
Sack Full of Stu's Responses 
You know those responses that Stu always does? The ones where he basically tells the poster that they are stupid and shouldn't be asking something that has already been asked. Well, I've taken a sack full of them and tied a line to it. In a strong blow, I throw the sack overboard... holds every time. Jack P.S. Just kidding, Stu! Having a little fun here.
You know those responses that Stu always does? The ones where he basically tells the poster that they are stupid and shouldn't be asking something that has already been asked. Well, I've taken a sack full of them and tied a line to it. In a strong blow, I throw the sack overboard... holds every time.
Jack P.S. Just kidding, Stu! Having a little fun here.
Underwater Power or Phone Cables!
Jack What a great idea! Only problem is that so many folks are pleading with me to mend my ways, and I'm workin' on it!! So maybe the sack won't be heavy enough. :{ Stu PS (ok, now I'm gonna be gettin' the "Gee, Stu, what's with all the PSs?" Maybe we can put THEM in the sack, too! PPS Here's a little story. I vote for Transatlantic Cables as the BEST anchors. Just When You Think You’ve Seen It All August 17, 2001 We took an overnight cruise on Thursday, August 16, and motored “Aquavite,” our 1986 Catalina 34, from our Grand Marina slip up to Clipper Cove in the late afternoon. We dropped the hook in about 13 feet of water. The tides were at neap with a new moon, with a high of 6.8 at about 10 p.m., and a low of minus 0.9 early in the morning. We made sure that we had enough depth under the keel for the low water, and had tucked into the southwestern corner to miss the Bay Bridge traffic noise. There were only a half dozen other sailboats at anchor, and two semi-permanently moored 25 to 28 foot cabin cruisers just south of us. We had a delightful evening and woke up about 8 a.m. to bright sunshine, and a gorgeous day. We spent a few hours doing boat chores, and planned to leave at around 1 p.m. to do some sailing. We have a 16.5 pound Bruce anchor, which we’d purchased at a swap meet a few years ago. While we have a much heavier Danforth for use when required, we use the lighter Bruce because it really helps to avoid back strain. We don’t have a windlass, and can easily pull it up by hand. It sets fine and holds well, because we always anchor carefully and make sure it’s set well. While a lot of folks think we’re crazy to have such a relatively lightweight anchor, with the usual evening wind strengths and directions here in the Bay during the summer, we’re very comfortable, and have never had trouble with the set or retrieval - until today. I’d learned a neat trick a few years about pulling up the anchor manually: don’t be in a hurry. As we were doing our boat projects in the morning, and before the afternoon breezes came up, I’d go forward and pull in about ten feet at a time, let the boat reset and then repeat this until we were just over the anchor. Then it usually comes up easily, either motoring or sailing right out. No go at all today. The last 13 feet of our 20 foot chain just stayed bar tight straight up and down, and wouldn’t move any more by hand. So I ran the nylon anchor rode back to the port side winch and cranked away. No too much more came up, and then the line got a wrap on the winch. Since there was so much tension on the line, I couldn’t back it off and didn’t want to loose any progress now that some of the chain was over the bow roller. I took another line, tied it to the chain at the stem, and ran that back to the starboard jib sheet winch and cranked away. It came up another few feet, so I walked up to the bow, figuring that the anchor should be out of the water by now. It was, but hooked into the curve of the anchor was what looked like the Transatlantic Telephone Cable! Three four inch diameter lines, that at first looked like some sea monster. Brownish gray with lots of black sea floor mud. We’d been motoring up on the anchor hoping it would break free, and it looked like we had pulled some slack into the cable. I guessed it was communications wire, because there were no sparks flying! We grabbed a spring line and dropped the looped end down and pulled it up underneath the cable with a boat hook, tied it onto a bow cleat and used the bitter end to make kind of a bridle for the cable. Then we slowly dropped the anchor until it cleared the cable and pulled the anchor onto the bow roller. The anchor and the chain were clean as a whistle, since we’d motored up and drifted back down on the whole mess for awhile. We let go the bitter end of the spring line, the cable dropped out of sight, and off we went. I remember reading about a cable-hook in Latitude 38 a few years ago. It’s still there. While I didn’t get the Lat Lon on our GPS, the cable runs north-south in the southwestern corner of Clipper Cove. We were just north of the easternmost of the two motor cruisers, the one with the white clorox bottle marking his anchor. Now I know what it’s like to raise the equivalent of a 33 pound anchor by hand. Wouldn’t want to do that every day. No wonder they invented windlasses.
Jack What a great idea! Only problem is that so many folks are pleading with me to mend my ways, and I'm workin' on it!! So maybe the sack won't be heavy enough. :{ Stu PS (ok, now I'm gonna be gettin' the "Gee, Stu, what's with all the PSs?" Maybe we can put THEM in the sack, too!
PPS Here's a little story. I vote for Transatlantic Cables as the BEST anchors. Just When You Think You’ve Seen It All August 17, 2001 We took an overnight cruise on Thursday, August 16, and motored “Aquavite,” our 1986 Catalina 34, from our Grand Marina slip up to Clipper Cove in the late afternoon. We dropped the hook in about 13 feet of water. The tides were at neap with a new moon, with a high of 6.8 at about 10 p.m., and a low of minus 0.9 early in the morning. We made sure that we had enough depth under the keel for the low water, and had tucked into the southwestern corner to miss the Bay Bridge traffic noise. There were only a half dozen other sailboats at anchor, and two semi-permanently moored 25 to 28 foot cabin cruisers just south of us. We had a delightful evening and woke up about 8 a.m. to bright sunshine, and a gorgeous day. We spent a few hours doing boat chores, and planned to leave at around 1 p.m. to do some sailing. We have a 16.5 pound Bruce anchor, which we’d purchased at a swap meet a few years ago. While we have a much heavier Danforth for use when required, we use the lighter Bruce because it really helps to avoid back strain. We don’t have a windlass, and can easily pull it up by hand. It sets fine and holds well, because we always anchor carefully and make sure it’s set well. While a lot of folks think we’re crazy to have such a relatively lightweight anchor, with the usual evening wind strengths and directions here in the Bay during the summer, we’re very comfortable, and have never had trouble with the set or retrieval - until today. I’d learned a neat trick a few years about pulling up the anchor manually: don’t be in a hurry. As we were doing our boat projects in the morning, and before the afternoon breezes came up, I’d go forward and pull in about ten feet at a time, let the boat reset and then repeat this until we were just over the anchor. Then it usually comes up easily, either motoring or sailing right out. No go at all today. The last 13 feet of our 20 foot chain just stayed bar tight straight up and down, and wouldn’t move any more by hand. So I ran the nylon anchor rode back to the port side winch and cranked away. No too much more came up, and then the line got a wrap on the winch. Since there was so much tension on the line, I couldn’t back it off and didn’t want to loose any progress now that some of the chain was over the bow roller. I took another line, tied it to the chain at the stem, and ran that back to the starboard jib sheet winch and cranked away. It came up another few feet, so I walked up to the bow, figuring that the anchor should be out of the water by now. It was, but hooked into the curve of the anchor was what looked like the Transatlantic Telephone Cable! Three four inch diameter lines, that at first looked like some sea monster. Brownish gray with lots of black sea floor mud. We’d been motoring up on the anchor hoping it would break free, and it looked like we had pulled some slack into the cable. I guessed it was communications wire, because there were no sparks flying! We grabbed a spring line and dropped the looped end down and pulled it up underneath the cable with a boat hook, tied it onto a bow cleat and used the bitter end to make kind of a bridle for the cable. Then we slowly dropped the anchor until it cleared the cable and pulled the anchor onto the bow roller. The anchor and the chain were clean as a whistle, since we’d motored up and drifted back down on the whole mess for awhile. We let go the bitter end of the spring line, the cable dropped out of sight, and off we went. I remember reading about a cable-hook in Latitude 38 a few years ago. It’s still there. While I didn’t get the Lat Lon on our GPS, the cable runs north-south in the southwestern corner of Clipper Cove. We were just north of the easternmost of the two motor cruisers, the one with the white clorox bottle marking his anchor. Now I know what it’s like to raise the equivalent of a 33 pound anchor by hand. Wouldn’t want to do that every day. No wonder they invented windlasses.Fortress for Mud in the Chesapeake
Much better on our 460 than the stck Delta. Delta good for sand or harder bottoms.
Much better on our 460 than the stck Delta. Delta good for sand or harder bottoms.
Danforth...
Depending on the holding ground your on..... The DANFORTH is the anchor against which all others are measured....It does very well assuming you use the correct model for your boat size. I use a Danforth and a folding "rock hook", this combination seems to cover a broad area of possabilities.
Depending on the holding ground your on..... The DANFORTH is the anchor against which all others are measured....It does very well assuming you use the correct model for your boat size. I use a Danforth and a folding "rock hook", this combination seems to cover a broad area of possabilities.
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