I'm looking to replace the Danforth anchor on my 376, we had a small run in with a concrete piling during a very windy docking manuver, and the concrete was the winner. As I look around the marina I see Danforth, Bruce, CQR, Fortress. Who has a favorite. My use is coastal california & catalina island.
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Plow
Hey Bob, Get a plow! If you sail where you say you sail...Catalena Island etc,,,West Coast, you need a plow my friend. Tim of Hoover Dam
Hey Bob, Get a plow! If you sail where you say you sail...Catalena Island etc,,,West Coast, you need a plow my friend. Tim of Hoover Dam
You need two types anyway.
Bob: Pound for pound, nothing holds like a Danforth. So I suggest that you get another one even if it is NOT your primary anchor. My experince has told me that there is nothing better for the sand/mud than the Danforth and we have a lot of that in the delta. My experience also tells me that there is nothing worse than a Danforth in a grass/weed bottom. It is very difficult to get both of the flukes to dig in this type of a bottom so a plow type works better in this type of ground. Bruce, Delta or a CQR work good for this type of ground. You may read 5 different articles and you may come to 5 different conclusions about the best. There are a lot of Bruce fans out there. I personally have a Delta and it has worked very well for us. My friend with a Catalina 34 thought that his Bruce 33 knock off could hold the Queen Mary until he found himself stuck on the bottom one early morning about 2AM. I would check with your LOCAL sailor type and see what they use in your area.
Bob: Pound for pound, nothing holds like a Danforth. So I suggest that you get another one even if it is NOT your primary anchor. My experince has told me that there is nothing better for the sand/mud than the Danforth and we have a lot of that in the delta. My experience also tells me that there is nothing worse than a Danforth in a grass/weed bottom. It is very difficult to get both of the flukes to dig in this type of a bottom so a plow type works better in this type of ground. Bruce, Delta or a CQR work good for this type of ground. You may read 5 different articles and you may come to 5 different conclusions about the best. There are a lot of Bruce fans out there. I personally have a Delta and it has worked very well for us. My friend with a Catalina 34 thought that his Bruce 33 knock off could hold the Queen Mary until he found himself stuck on the bottom one early morning about 2AM. I would check with your LOCAL sailor type and see what they use in your area.
Bob,
Back in Back in 200-2001, "Practical Sailor" ran a series of 4 articles in which they compared the holding characteristics (etc.) of about a dozen different anchors. The articles were excellent... you will find them most interesting. Go to their website; "practicalsailor.com"
Back in Back in 200-2001, "Practical Sailor" ran a series of 4 articles in which they compared the holding characteristics (etc.) of about a dozen different anchors. The articles were excellent... you will find them most interesting. Go to their website; "practicalsailor.com"
I sleep sound all night long no matter what.
I agree that danforth are good anchors especially for sand and mud...(for mud, use the mud flukes on the danforth) But I really like my plow. Once, Lake Erie, a huge microburst came up on the South West end of Erie. I was moored in the North cove of Kelly's with about 400 ft. out. I assume all the other yachts had that much out as well. Well, when those 50 mile per hour winds came in at aprox 4 to 5 foot seas, (realize these waves are very close together, unlike those of the ocean), 3 out of 5 ended up on the beach. I and one other yacht remained moored. We both had our plows out. I was only a 26 footer. The other yacht was 33 I think??? The other two that ended up beach on their keels were at least in the 35 - 40 foot range. Hehehehehe. There was nothing we could do to help them. We were fighting to stay afloat our selves. All and all, it is your choice. I guess danforth will hold too if you get one with long enough flukes and there is no grass or rocks and you have out a long enough line at appropriate scope. But a plow is all it! You will pay much more for a plow though for the size of your boat. It is all up to the owner. I however, when moored, sleep soundly all night with out ever once waiking up even if a huge storm comes in. I know most sleep light and get up often to check to see if they have drifted. Hehehehe. Now my wife....that's another story. She pops her head out often just to be sure. Skip
I agree that danforth are good anchors especially for sand and mud...(for mud, use the mud flukes on the danforth) But I really like my plow. Once, Lake Erie, a huge microburst came up on the South West end of Erie. I was moored in the North cove of Kelly's with about 400 ft. out. I assume all the other yachts had that much out as well. Well, when those 50 mile per hour winds came in at aprox 4 to 5 foot seas, (realize these waves are very close together, unlike those of the ocean), 3 out of 5 ended up on the beach. I and one other yacht remained moored. We both had our plows out. I was only a 26 footer. The other yacht was 33 I think??? The other two that ended up beach on their keels were at least in the 35 - 40 foot range. Hehehehehe. There was nothing we could do to help them. We were fighting to stay afloat our selves. All and all, it is your choice. I guess danforth will hold too if you get one with long enough flukes and there is no grass or rocks and you have out a long enough line at appropriate scope. But a plow is all it! You will pay much more for a plow though for the size of your boat. It is all up to the owner. I however, when moored, sleep soundly all night with out ever once waiking up even if a huge storm comes in. I know most sleep light and get up often to check to see if they have drifted. Hehehehe. Now my wife....that's another story. She pops her head out often just to be sure. Skip
1, 2, 3, 4, what about number 5?
Oh, I forgot to say...I said yachts ended up on the beach...2 of us remained moored. Well where did the other one go??????? Well, let's say he was not as lucky. His anchor failed too. But his hull ran up against a rock just short of the beach and sunk her. Skip
Oh, I forgot to say...I said yachts ended up on the beach...2 of us remained moored. Well where did the other one go??????? Well, let's say he was not as lucky. His anchor failed too. But his hull ran up against a rock just short of the beach and sunk her. Skip
Not only 2 types; but at times simultaneously...
Not only is Steve right about needing two types; the California Channel Islands are one of the few sailing grounds where your neighbors may INSIST on your using a stern anchor in addition to your bow anchor. Just go try and anchor in Pellican's or Fry's Harbor on Santa Cruz on a busy weekend and you will soon find out that swinging at anchor is not appreciated there. The reasons are threefold, I believe, namely: (1) too many boats sharing the same small piece of liquid real estate; (2) strong evening canyon winds can completely reverse the prevailing wind direction in the canyons in five seconds flat; and (3) left-coast sailors want to make sure they are never ever confused with right-coast sailors. At any rate, once you get used to that method and have both of your Fortress, Bruce, CQR or K-mart anchors set well enough to be able to tighten up real good on both anchor rodes there is one low-tech but failure-proof method to sleep well without any fear of secret dragging: find a five-pound dive weight and lower it to the bottom at the end of a thin line just outside the little porthole ventilating your bunk area. Lead the line inside and tie it around your big toe leaving about 10 ft of slack. Any time one of your anchors drags more than that you will be duly notified! Have fun! Flying Dutchman
Not only is Steve right about needing two types; the California Channel Islands are one of the few sailing grounds where your neighbors may INSIST on your using a stern anchor in addition to your bow anchor. Just go try and anchor in Pellican's or Fry's Harbor on Santa Cruz on a busy weekend and you will soon find out that swinging at anchor is not appreciated there. The reasons are threefold, I believe, namely: (1) too many boats sharing the same small piece of liquid real estate; (2) strong evening canyon winds can completely reverse the prevailing wind direction in the canyons in five seconds flat; and (3) left-coast sailors want to make sure they are never ever confused with right-coast sailors. At any rate, once you get used to that method and have both of your Fortress, Bruce, CQR or K-mart anchors set well enough to be able to tighten up real good on both anchor rodes there is one low-tech but failure-proof method to sleep well without any fear of secret dragging: find a five-pound dive weight and lower it to the bottom at the end of a thin line just outside the little porthole ventilating your bunk area. Lead the line inside and tie it around your big toe leaving about 10 ft of slack. Any time one of your anchors drags more than that you will be duly notified! Have fun! Flying Dutchman
Bob..We spend a lot of time in Catalina and
the Channel Islands. We have a CQR and Bruce on the bow and a Danforth for the stern. We use the CQR about 95% of the time and it has never failed us.. Dick McKee S/V Constellation
the Channel Islands. We have a CQR and Bruce on the bow and a Danforth for the stern. We use the CQR about 95% of the time and it has never failed us.. Dick McKee S/V Constellation
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