Secure CQR
I grew up using a Danforth on the bay, and if aboard or for 'lunch-hook' I don't consider them totally worthless; that is reserved for the snake-oil 'fortress'. CQR was the original pun for 'secure' and it is the best anchor made, for the bow 'most conditions' anchor. Delta is also a good anchor but no pin to let it swing with surges. The 'Bruce' is a fine anchor with the flaw that it will, at times, catch only one boulder, rock or clump, a good choice still. Developed by the best engineers at the time to anchor oil-rigs in the North Sea and Channel during the sixties. The latest anchor, well real anchor anyway. Once while anchoring upstream from the 'I' St bridge in the American river, Sacramento. Two boys in a Santan 22 drug into us as we were below with scotch and chess goin on. Well, we towed em back and held them with the tender till they reset. Later as our second game was closing in a complex end-game...clunk! Here were our neighbors again. This time I told them, 'hey, you'd better put out more scope' "What's that the kid replied?" More line to hold the boat says I, to which he repsponds, "Why it touches the bottom?" Scope is CATENARY which is angle of attack, the weight is just an added + by-product of the the HORIZ0NTAL pull on the anchor. A good anchor is designed so when above it it will easily (well NOT always) disengage from its work, and rise smoothly...;-) In coral, learned my lesson here in S.P., you very definately want ALL chain. Yes, even Florida coral, cruised there in early 70's. The Danforths weakness is the inability of the flukes to reset after a shift. Any little debris or beer can will stop them from passing across and resetting. Not an anchor to leave the vessel tied up to. Sure, I use to say a danforth is a great anchor (great when you want to slip lines and hoist her aboard) and "I never drug with one!" That is like a Russaian-Roulette player who says "I am a success". I agree with the tree fellow, may be a few nautical miles away though, do not anchor in a fairway, or to an aid, it is illegal,yes, but also DANGEROUS! a slip at an end-tie is my favorite anchorage.
