New anchor size for 386

[MacBlaze]

Well we have bought our first boat: a 2003 Hunter 386. It is pretty close to turn-key and the only thing I want to replace is the anchor. It currently has a 33lb Lewmar claw, 105' feet of chain and 295' of line, as well as a Lewmar electric windlass.

We've chartered a couple of boats with Rocnas and stayed in windier anchorages and have convinced ourselves a new generation anchor is a must (we will be cruising the PNW). We are planning on living aboard for most of a year and intend to try and stay on the hook as much as possible during the summer months.

Rocna recommends the 20kg (40lb) all the way up to the 33kg (73lb)
Manson recommends 30lb to 40lb
Mantus recommends 45lb to 65lb

Now we haven't made up our minds on which of the three to choose (although I am leaning to the Mantus based entirely unscientifically on this thread over on Cruisers Forum, but the sizing has me baffled.

How do I figure out which is appropriate, and more importantly, what fits?

Bruce

 

[seadaddler]

Mantus

I just did a 3 week cruise along SW Florida and anchor out most times
and just got a 35lb Mantus anchor at the Miami sailboat show for our H-36 and in love with how well it set so quick and when we were pulling it up it was very hard to get it to brake free and just all around impressed with it.
I have 90 feet of chain and I did notice when I did pull it up most times
it was covered with mostly mud and had to use my anchor washing to clean it up.
Nick

 

[quadrille38]

Conventional wisdom is to go as heavy as possible however with the amount of chain you have plus anchor weight I'd be getting concerned about so much weight in the bow.

Not sure how your 386 compares but Our 38 came with the mariner package that had a 25 pound Delta and 20 feet of chain. When I looked at the specs that seemed to be at the margins of the specs for that anchor. Especially with the amount of freeboard the boat has and the way it tends to sail like a banshee on anchor. I upped to 35 feet of chain with the 35 pound Delta. Performs very well.

With as much chain as you have I'd be tempted to look at the specs for the anchor go with a weight that isn't at the low end for the anchor but not at the high end either. And then add a second anchor of a different type for those times when you might need two, or your primary isn't the right kind.

But again bow weight would be a real concern. Our 38 has the 75 gallon water tank in the bow under the Vberth so that's another 600 or so pounds up there.

 

[Terry Cox]

Anchoring PNW Waters

Hi Bruce,

Our boat came equipped with a 40# Danforth, 30 feet of 5/16" grade 40 chain and 250 feet of 5/8" three strand nylon. When we first purchased the boat in 2002 I had some anchoring lessons to learn.

Those lessons have helped make what I consider to be a very effective anchoring system suitable for just about any occasion. Still have the 40# Danforth. Very effective in PNW waters. Also, still use a 20# kellet (lead down rigger ball). So, Belle-Vie now has 50' of 5/16" grade 40 chain, 150 feet of 5/8" three strand nylon, another 50' of 5/16" grade 40 chain and another 150 feet of 5/8" three strand nylon. Each is connected to the other using a warp splice.

Typically I shoot for 25 feet of water to drop and set the anchor. Usually settle with a minimum of 110 to 140 feet of rode unless sour weather is in the forecast. A SS carabiner secures the kellet to the end of the first 50' segment of 5/16" chain. This helps with catenary.

Catenary is also the reason for alternating between chain-to-rope to chain-to-rope. This tip came from another seasoned sailor that seemed to make sense when lots of rode is needed for much deeper water and/or sour weather conditions.

In all the years of anchoring hundreds of times in PNW waters, one time the anchor did not hold and that was in a strong blow in Cortex Bay on Cortez Island, BC. It is a notoriously poor anchorage consisting of a thin layer of mud over hard shale. Needless to say even with 300 feet of rode, Belle-Vie at 35,000 pounds still moved about 100' that night.

In all the years of anchoring, the Danforth has always reset itself when a wind shift or tide current change occurs. Perhaps there are more modern designs that do a better job than the Danforth, but as long as the Danforth does its job, I am a happy sailor.