Modern Design Anchors

rpwillia · Mar 1, 2021

FWIW, the CQR is the best ever, the only reason people don't like it is they have no idea how to properly anchor!

Actually I have a Manson Supreme and like it. A friend has a Rocna and he likes it. Another friend (yes I have more than one friend) has a Mantus and he likes it. These are all good anchors, but as was mentioned above it depends on where you are and what the bottom is. In the Potomac we have a lot of mud bottom with some sand in some places. The Manson always sets for me and I do not back down to set it. The reason is if I try and set it all it does is pull a chunk of mud out of the bottom. If I just let it do its thing if it gets reset it will just set again and I sleep well at night. I used to have a nice Danforth but it would pop out and the boat would drift until I reset it and backed it down; made for a restless night. One time when performing committee boat duties in a Frostbite the Danforth set so hard that during a tide shift we bent the shaft and so we upgraded to the Manson. The only time I have ever had the Manson not hold was due to the picture below - pretty freak chance.

jssailem · Mar 1, 2021

Yep. That would impact the anchor performance.

A good friend of mine. I too have a friend, well a real good acquaintance, well maybe at least we have said hi to each other... well at least I said hi while we passed in the parking lot before madato masking... but I digress.

The story goes that he had proudly placed a new Mantus anchor on the end of his chain and rode. He headed out to sea and decided to anchor for the evening. He dropped the hook and started to back down to set it. While it seemed to set, and he began to shut down the engine he noticed the boat was beginning to drift. Not in a good way. Frustrated that the new anchor was not living up to the hype of the anchor salesman he pulled the anchor up. As the anchor neared the surface he saw that the anchor had speared into the middle of a commercial crab pot. One that had been hiding beneath the surface for some years. No crabs just a bundle of seaweed and a giant tube worm.

Anchors are only as good as the bottom into which you sink them.

RoyS · Mar 2, 2021

If you use a nylon rode be sure to deploy a kellet. If your boat swings around while anchored due to wind or current it can wrap the rode around the keel. Nasty. The kellet, just a weight (less than ten pounds) that slides down your rode to just below the keel depth will keep this from happening. Nylon rode BTW sinks and that is desirable. Polyester line looks the same but floats and should not be used for an anchor rode.

JRT · Mar 2, 2021

senechals said:
Thanks. Rocna recommends a #10, 22 lbs., 1/4" chain for the weight and length of the 315. Do you think that is what you have?

Sorry for the delay, I checked this weekend and I have a 25 lbs Manson, not a Rona as I thought, my chain is only 15' so not good per the rule, but works for us for day anchoring. I think if we ever got really serious and overnighted on the hook I'd add an additional 15' of chain. But then I'd be stuck pulling up twice the chain as our windlass is a rope only one and doesn't really work for the chain.

Tom J · Mar 2, 2021

JRT said:
Sorry for the delay, I checked this weekend and I have a 25 lbs Manson, not a Rona as I thought, my chain is only 15' so not good per the rule, but works for us for day anchoring. I think if we ever got really serious and overnighted on the hook I'd add n additional 15' of chain. But then I'd be stuck pulling up twice the chain as our windless is a rope only one and doesn't really work for the chain.

Yes, you will want at least another 15' of chain. I don't think you will have an issue hauling it up, though. I have 100' of chain and have always hauled it by hand, since my boat also has a windlass, and no gypsy. So far, I haven't anchored in more than 20' of water, so I'm not pulling on the weight of the whole chain. Also, the Admiral powers forward while I haul in the slack, so less strain on the old back. That being said, I would love to get a gypsy, and hope to do so.

Parsons · Mar 2, 2021

An anchor thread - must be almost Spring!

My 2 cents ... My Catalina 36 has a Rocna 20kg with 5 meters chain (and I would prefer longer). I took Rocna's guidance (which is based on 40 kts wind and some seas, so conservative) and upsized by one. I only carry two anchors, so I need the thing to stop the boat in the worst conditions, and I like to sleep at night not check my position. I have heard and read many sea stories, and I never heard someone who was anchored during a storm say, "I wish I would have saved that $100, or that anchor was too heavy." Many anchor manufactures, including Rocna, have printable templates that you can duplicate in cardboard and test fit to your bow. A C31 is not that much lighter than a C36, so I suggest that 10kg is prob not enough holding, but hey, it's your family's life not mine.

JRT · Mar 2, 2021

No problem, as a reminder, we are lake locked and anchoring in a storm is not something we do as we can easily motor back to the marine for safety. If this was our boat for the future of sailing along the coast in FL and Caribbean, I'd probably be going up anchor size and chain for sure. @JK_Boston_Catalina310 would be my initial guide to to follow.

JAE · Mar 2, 2021

senechals said:
We are researching anchors for our new Catalina 315. We had a Delta on our Catalina 36 but never anchored out in San Diego Bay, our home port.
We hope to anchor out on weekends with our new boat. The anchorages are protected, good holding and about 20 feet deep.
We know it all comes down to personal preference but hearing feedback is very helpful.
Does anyone carry one of the new designs: Rocna, Spade, Sarca Excel, Mantus M2, Ultra Rocna Vulcan - there are many. We are not keen on the roll bar design and we read on the Catalina 36 owners forum that the Spade will not clear the furler without modifications.
Looking for feedback specifically for our 310 and 315s.

Hi we have a C310 with a Rocna. Clears our curler easily. Sits nicely and securely in the roller. Easy to deploy and retrieve. Love the setting ability and holding is excellent.

JK_Boston_Catalina310 · Mar 3, 2021

We are using a Manson Supreme 35 pound anchor as our primary. The shank is too thick for the top bail so we have not had that on in 10 years with no issues. We have anchored a lot, we have spent less than 40 days in a marina since 2015. We have never dragged at anchor when we can put out at least 5:1 scope (some anchorages require less scope and we tend to not stay in those places).

If we were buying today I would make templates from each modern design shank and get the one that fits best, it would probably be the Mantus.

For rode we have 175 feet of 5/16 G4 chain. Quality chain is tough to find lately. Magi is the best we have seen but difficult to get in the US and post Covid (italian company). We have another 150 feet of 3/4" New England Ropes 3 strand to extend our rode if needed.

And that's just the primary, we have a Fortress FX-11 as a secondary in the bow locker with 30 feet of 1/4" chain and 150 feet of 5/8 three strand. A stern anchor attached to our arch that's a Fortress FX-22 with 10 feet of 5/16 stainless chain and 100 feet of 5/8 three strand. A disassembled FX-22 and a disassembled FX-30 both with 30 feet of 5/16 chain and 200 feet of 3/4 three strand.

Then I have two Guardian FX-7 in the dinghy.

I like anchors.

Good luck and fair winds.

smokey73 · Mar 3, 2021

JK_Boston_Catalina310 said:
We are using a Manson Supreme 35 pound anchor as our primary...

And that's just the primary, we have a Fortress FX-11 as a secondary in the bow locker.... A stern anchor attached to our arch that's a Fortress FX-22 .... A disassembled FX-22 and a disassembled FX-30 ....

Then I have two Guardian FX-7 in the dinghy.

I like anchors.

Good luck and fair winds.

That borders on an anchor fetish

jssailem · Mar 3, 2021

Perceptive Smokey... You might say he has figured out how to stay in one place...

Ron20324 · Mar 3, 2021

JK_Boston_Catalina310 said:
..... We are using a Manson Supreme 35 pound anchor as our primary. And that's just the primary, we have a Fortress FX-11 as a secondary in the bow ; A stern anchor attached to our arch that's a Fortress FX-22 ; A disassembled FX-22 and a disassembled FX-30. Then I have two Guardian FX-7 in the dinghy.

I hope you got a group discount?

MikeHoncho · Mar 3, 2021

My Excel is fantastic. I even caught a abandoned electrical cable with it (I had to throw it back)

valcour · Mar 3, 2021

We carry a 33# rocna with 60' of 3/8 chain and 150' nylon on the bow roller and a 16# danforth with 30' chain and 125' nylon in the bow locker (had to trim one end of the stock a couple inches to fit the molded recess of the starboard side of locker). The Rocna works well in muddy southern Chesapeake bay and tributaries.

Tom J · Mar 4, 2021

JK_Boston_Catalina310 said:
We are using a Manson Supreme 35 pound anchor as our primary. The shank is too thick for the top bail so we have not had that on in 10 years with no issues. We have anchored a lot, we have spent less than 40 days in a marina since 2015. We have never dragged at anchor when we can put out at least 5:1 scope (some anchorages require less scope and we tend to not stay in those places).

I love our Manson Supreme. I extended our bail with a couple of tangs, to accommodate the wider shank of the Manson, but I have never seen the anchor pull up tight on the bail. I think the curve of the shank on the bow roller keeps the anchor in place, as long as the chain is kept tight.
I also use at least 5:1 scope with all chain, unless we are anchored just for lunch in a tight anchorage. I always carried three anchors on long cruises, with three complete rode setups. There actually were times when the all chain rode did not work well at all.

Alansails · Mar 4, 2021

For our anniversery I bought my wife an Manson Supreme Anchor and UPS delivered it to her office!
Nothing says love like a Manson Supreme anchor, But we had watched and read all the studies and youtubes.
We carry 30' of chain and 200 ' of rode, we are on the Great Lakes and generally anchor in mud. We never go anywhere and she sets fast!

Modern Design Anchors

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jssailem

SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John

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jssailem

SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John

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