Anchors. A little schooling, please.

[MV Wanderlust]

Sitting in central Florida, there really isn't anything to do except wait for Irma to get here so I started thinking about anchors.

Our 42', 36,000 lb boat came with an old Bruce anchor on the bow and an old fluke-style anchor under the helm station as a back up. In looking around at other large boats, they seem to just about always have a newer Delta-style plow anchor. I've heard good things about the rapid setting and holding power of the somewhat lighter Fortress, fluke-style anchors but pretty much none of my cohorts use them. Is there a particular reason why the newer plow anchors are typically favored over fluke-style for larger boats?

Thanks.

John

[Cheechako]

The Delta style were in high favor for a long time, but now the new generation anchors have replaced them in favor. I liked the Deltas I had, they do however not reset well at all after pulling out in a big wind shift. As mentioned though, they set very well when you are anchoring.
The Fortress saved my 47 ft boat once after the Delta pulled out in a Florida 70+mph microburst. I just tossed it over in a last ditch effort to avoid being on the shoreline.
The problem with the Danforth style, Fortress or old school, is they are quite ungainly and not convenient to handle with sharp edges etc also. There is no anchor that holds as powerfully once set as those type though. By a factor of 2:1 or more.
The Delta style sits in many types of bow rollers etc well is another reason they are often popular.

[Paul Elliott]

It generally has to do with reliable resetting after wind and current changes, and penetration in weedy bottoms. Bottom type is also a factor.

Do some searching here -- there is *lots* of discussion. Also look at Panope's YouTube anchor tests: https://youtu.be/l59f-OjWoq0

[evm1024]

There are a bunch of old designs that really cannot Hold a candle to the current designs.

There is another group I call the Last Generation that are much better than the older anchors: CQR, Danforth, Delta, Bruce etc.

And there are the New Generation: Mantus, Rocna, Manson Sarca, Fortress etc which have a very much greater performance in most if not all parameters. High holding, light weight, handle differing seabeds, rapid setting, resetting and so on.

In general any of the New Generation perform within 5% or 10% of each other in most areas and you likely cannot go wrong in selecting one of them.

One might be better doing "A" while the other might be better when doing "B". But in general those differences are minor between new generation anchors. Of course those differences lead to a great many discussions.

This is not to say that the last generation or even the old generation are unusable. Many, many nights were and are spent at anchor with those anchors. It is just that there are new generation anchors that are truly better.

You can check out the 2 big threads on anchors and get a feel on what you might like to upgrade to. "Photos of anchors" and "videos of anchors". Both threads are awesome.

There are other factors to consider - How well does the anchor fit your bow roller? Availability, warranty, product support. And a host of others.

My own anchor path started with a danforth, later changing to a delta, then I picked up a Rocna (sadly one of those with weak steel that was returned), a Manson and then finely a Mantus.

I liked the Mantus so much that I started selling them for fun (I have a day job).

Regard

[Mike OReilly]

I’m firmly in the ‘new-gen’ camp when it comes to bower anchors: rocna, mantus, spade, manson, etc. I have a Rocna and use it constantly during the season (we’re anchored the vast majority of time), but like evm1024 says, I think any of these anchors will perform basically the same. Good and quick setting which keeps the anchor digging under strain. And it resets well, or more commonly, rotates around as the pull direction changes.

Prior to the Rocna we carried two bower anchors on the bow which we’d routinely switch between: a CQR and a Danforth. This gave us a good range of anchoring options. In my experience, the Rocna covers the same range, and does it better.

The fluke-style anchors, of which Fortress is one, are different beasts to my mind. They are awesome for soft mud/sand where the pull remains in one direction. They are not good for harder bottoms, and terrible in weeds. But if you can get one properly set, they have the greatest holding power vs weight of any anchor.

Our anchor compliment includes our 25 kg Rocna (bower), a 15 kg Bruce as a kedge/stern anchor, a 3x oversized Fortress as our potential storm anchor (never used — yet), and then a backup large Danforth which has also not been used.

Another important aspect of anchoring is the rode you use. Our main rode is 250’ of all-chain, 3/8”. Our secondary rode is 200’ of 5/8” three-strand nylon attached to 50’ of 3/8” chain. And our kedge is attached to its own rode: 150’ of 1/2” double-braid attached to about 10’ of 1/2” chain.

But probably the most important aspect of anchoring is learning how to do it right. I watch way too many people use poor technique, and then wonder why they end up dragging away. Learn to lay out the anchor and chain properly, to set and dig it in, and you’ll sleep well.

[MV Wanderlust]

Originally Posted by Paul Elliott

Also look at Panope's YouTube anchor tests: https://youtu.be/l59f-OjWoq0

Interesting video. Very methodical testing.

[MV Wanderlust]

Thanks for the great info, everyone. That sure helps.

[Zven]

Originally Posted by JohnEasley

Our 42', 36,000 lb boat came with an old Bruce anchor on the bow and an old fluke-style anchor under the helm station as a back up.
John

I had a similar situation: Same size boat, with an old Bruce anchor on the bow.
The Bruce performed okay, but I knew I wanted to upgrade.
After studying the "photos of anchors setting" thread, I decided to go with an oversized Mantus.
It just arrived a few weeks ago, and I have now been testing it in a familiar spot. It certainly held well.
Did not have a chance to test it in bad weather, but I'm confident it would be fine.

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by evm1024

And there are the New Generation: Mantus, Rocna, Manson Sarca, Fortress etc which have a very much greater performance in most if not all parameters. High holding, light weight, handle differing seabeds, rapid setting, resetting and so on.

I think I'd add the SuperMAX to that list, too...

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

But probably the most important aspect of anchoring is learning how to do it right. I watch way too many people use poor technique, and then wonder why they end up dragging away. Learn to lay out the anchor and chain properly, to set and dig it in, and you’ll sleep well.

Agree. Good technique can help an anchor work. Bad technique/great anchor... iffy situation.

-Chris

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by JohnEasley

Is there a particular reason why the newer plow anchors are typically favored over fluke-style for larger boats? Thanks. John

There are lots of folk who read sailing forums and prior to the WWW would read the sailing magazines avidly. They or us reading the likes of CF pick up on the advantages of more modern equipment and eventually decide yes that's for me please, I want the very best anchor for holding power.

Then there are lots of folk who don't read the forums or magazines and who don't consider changing what equipment the manufacturer fitted. Motorboats in the UK are often to be seen with the original anchor because so few actually anchor and those that do tend to just be day time for lunch and a swim. So they probably ask themselves why buy another anchor when their Delta works perfectly in benign conditions.

When we bought our yacht the previous owner did admit he sometimes had problems getting the CQR copy to hold. The chain after 19 years was also rather rusty so I changed the lot. At the time in 2007 the Delta was probably one of the best available anchors for the price so fitted a new one and new chain. The Delta worked perfectly for us for some years. However, I wanted the very best anchor available for a particular weight about 10 kgs so I can lift it and deploy it by hand and one that will fit the anchor locker. The solution was to buy a Rocna because the local chandler sold them, but it could have been the Mantus or Manson equivalent. Now for the size and ability to stow in the locker we have one of the best holding anchors available at an affordable price. Our spare anchor is an FX16 Fortress, over sized for the boat but there just in case. Yes it is folded down but the light weight means its easy to dig out with the long spare anchor warp.

Pete

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by JohnEasley

Sitting in central Florida, there really isn't anything to do except wait for Irma to get here so I started thinking about anchors.

Our 42', 36,000 lb boat came with an old Bruce anchor on the bow and an old fluke-style anchor under the helm station as a back up. In looking around at other large boats, they seem to just about always have a newer Delta-style plow anchor. I've heard good things about the rapid setting and holding power of the somewhat lighter Fortress, fluke-style anchors but pretty much none of my cohorts use them. Is there a particular reason why the newer plow anchors are typically favored over fluke-style for larger boats?

Thanks.

John

If it's a genuine Bruce, and the right size for your boat, (30 kg or bigger) it will work well. I'd suggest you give it a try before rushing out and buying something else.

[Suijin]

One way to look at it is that every anchor is a compromise; good at one thing at the expense of being not so great at others. The evolution of anchors has been a process of designing an effective, reliable anchor with as few compromises as possible.

Danforth-style anchors can be summed up as "when she's good she's very very good and when she's bad she's awful." When properly set they have tremendous holding power...the issue is getting them to set in some bottom types and having them stay set as conditions change. Most notably, they can be terrible on grassy bottoms, simply skating along and never digging in, in large part due to their low weight and articulating flukes.

I think you see a lot of them because they are relatively inexpensive, relatively easy to handle (due to weight), and relatively ubiquitous. People see lots of them and assume that's what they want/need.

I have one on my stern pushpit because it's flat and light...easily stowed and deployed. It makes a great emergency anchor, or for kedging. But I would no sooner replace the Rocna at my bow with it than I would use Silly String as anchor rode.

[edmundsteele]

Just one comment on the Fortress. These anchors were supposed to have been designed for sea-planes and are made from aluminum. They disassemble for storage fairly readily using with a couple of large wrenches and as others have mentioned, they can be tricky to handle by the unwary in that they have multiple sharp edges to take off chunks of skin from the ungloved. However......they are great when used as a second anchor or stern anchor, in that they are light enough to be deployed or retrieved from a dinghy. If everything is set but conditions deteriorate and you begin feeling uncomfortable with the holding of your main anchor, it is easy to add a Fortress anchor from the dinghy. Just be sure to add a “tripping line” to the crown of the anchor because Fortress anchors can be a bugger to retrieve. If I have become careless and forgotten the tripping line, I have often used dive equipment to add a line later, just before we want to leave.

[MV Wanderlust]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

But probably the most important aspect of anchoring is learning how to do it right. I watch way too many people use poor technique, and then wonder why they end up dragging away. Learn to lay out the anchor and chain properly, to set and dig it in, and you’ll sleep well.

So, true. Early on in our anchoring "career," we didn't let out enough rode. Held fine the first night but dragged about 50-75 yards the second night. Fortunately, no risk to anyone else around us. We have learned from that lesson and haven't had a problem since.

[MV Wanderlust]

Originally Posted by 44'cruisingcat

If it's a genuine Bruce, and the right size for your boat, (30 kg or bigger) it will work well. I'd suggest you give it a try before rushing out and buying something else.

Oh, we have, cat. Many times. Always thinking about what's new and better, though.