Anchor questions

[TheRailRoader]

Hey Guys

I have seen the technical charts, I am just hoping for some real world application opinion.

I have a CQR 45lb anchor, I'm seeing it generally listed as good for 35-55' boats. I have a valiant 40 and have been told it is a 'heavy' boat, so is a 45lb really enough?

I have looked at upgrading to a 60lb CQR anchor for roughly 1k USD. Would that be significantly better? I have upon my internet searches seen CQR as being a very solid anchor and nothing to laugh at. I just want to be sure my family is and will be safe in any realistic application of the anchor.

So should I upgrade or is this well and truly good? Or should I wait for it to get stolen and upgrade then Haha

RR

[rbk]

Originally Posted by TheRailRoader

Hey Guys

I have seen the technical charts, I am just hoping for some real world application opinion.

I have a CQR 45lb anchor, I'm seeing it generally listed as good for 35-55' boats. I have a valiant 40 and have been told it is a 'heavy' boat, so is a 45lb really enough?

I have looked at upgrading to a 60lb CQR anchor for roughly 1k USD. Would that be significantly better? I have upon my internet searches seen CQR as being a very solid anchor and nothing to laugh at. I just want to be sure my family is and will be safe in any realistic application of the anchor.

So should I upgrade or is this well and truly good? Or should I wait for it to get stolen and upgrade then Haha

RR

Don’t go here. You’re going to unleash opinion Armageddon. Use the search function and google to form your own opinion. Imo for your location you’ll be just fine with what you’ve got for now. Most anchorages are well protected with mud bottoms. Revisit this in 3-5 years or before you go for a world tour.

[Rex Delay]

Do not know the weight of a Valiant 40 but had a 20kg Rocna on my C&C 41, 20,000#, and it held rock steady in any conditions.

[malbert73]

So I’ll just say it. A CQR at any price is an inferior anchor to any new gen anchors. Buy a mantus for much less and have a much much better anchor. And if you want to spend 1K get a spade. Either of those are probably among the best anchors out there.

[TheRailRoader]

Originally Posted by rbk

Don’t go here. You’re going to unleash opinion Armageddon. Use the search function and google to form your own opinion. Imo for your location you’ll be just fine with what you’ve got for now. Most anchorages are well protected with mud bottoms. Revisit this in 3-5 years or before you go for a world tour.

The horsemen have cometh eh? This was my problem with my searches, blind love for one or the other and no really good side by side objective analysis.

Any rate I wont lie, I think you are right.. maybe it is confirmation bias, but you have more experience and you do make sense mate.

[TheRailRoader]

Originally Posted by Rex Delay

Do not know the weight of a Valiant 40 but had a 20kg Rocna on my C&C 41, 20,000#, and it held rock steady in any conditions.

Hmm very comparable as per weight on both counts, thank you. That is dang good to know.

[rbk]

You’ll be spending boat bucks left and right (one boat buck = $1000) start with your foundations/life safety, hull, rigging, engine, electrical then work on luxury systems later. A bad thru hull or hose can sink your boat, a falling rig can kill, a unmaintained engine can put you on the rocks get those in top shape.

Boatpoker’a website is a great place to start, start ‘surveying’ your vessel and look for know and unknown issues, cause there are issues guaranteed.
Marine Surveyor, Port Credit Marine Surveys, Toronto, Ontario

Maine sails’s aite is another gem for upgrades and to help assess current systems installs, no no’s and outright dangerous stuff.
https://marinehowto.com

[rbk]

Originally Posted by TheRailRoader

The horsemen have cometh eh? This was my problem with my searches, blind love for one or the other and no really good side by side objective analysis.

Any rate I wont lie, I think you are right.. maybe it is confirmation bias, but you have more experience and you do make sense mate.

Bingo. Most will tell you what you need and not bother inquiring as to your bottom conditions or location. I’ve used most types and have had them all drag at some point. Biggest issue in your waters is kelp, it’s like wrapping a sheet of leather around your anchor, or large masses can catch your rode (weighing thousands of pounds) and with current no anchor will hold you. Stern tying is more common in your neck of the woods so a spool off the stern maybe something to look into.

[Uncle Bob]

Originally Posted by TheRailRoader

The horsemen have cometh eh? This was my problem with my searches, blind love for one or the other and no really good side by side objective analysis.

Any rate I wont lie, I think you are right.. maybe it is confirmation bias, but you have more experience and you do make sense mate.

Visit sv panope, video's of anchors setting for a good unbiased demonstration of various makes and models doing their thing in the same environment.

[Jim Cate]

no really good side by side objective analysis.

There have been quite a few more or less objective anchor tests in recent years. While some, especially those sponsored by anchor vendors have had some questionable rankings, none have shown the CQR or its many knock-off imitators to be the equal of even the worst "new generation" anchors.

And those of us who have lived and cruised through the years iin which these new anchors have evolved can tell you there IS a difference. Yes, many of us did cruise successfully with the older anchors, but the new ones set more readily in more diverse bottoms and with greater holding power. To me, it is clear which way you should go!

Jim (who has lived primarily at anchor for the past 32 years)

[Rex Delay]

For what it is worth, my current boat came with 40# CQR and 45#Danforth anchors, heavy chain and big rode. Chucked it all and replaced with a 15kg Rocna. Will sleep better with it.

[TheRailRoader]

Originally Posted by rbk

You’ll be spending boat bucks left and right (one boat buck = $1000) start with your foundations/life safety, hull, rigging, engine, electrical then work on luxury systems later. A bad thru hull or hose can sink your boat, a falling rig can kill, a unmaintained engine can put you on the rocks get those in top shape.

Boatpoker’a website is a great place to start, start ‘surveying’ your vessel and look for know and unknown issues, cause there are issues guaranteed.
Marine Surveyor, Port Credit Marine Surveys, Toronto, Ontario

Maine sails’s aite is another gem for upgrades and to help assess current systems installs, no no’s and outright dangerous stuff.
https://marinehowto.com

Do not worry to much about me and my wasting of my cash

Right now I am creating a priority list, cost to repair etc. Heck I am looking at Hybrid repowering options right now too but those are things I am more comfortable researching due to experience with such things.

The pure sailing stuff.. I have trouble pricing, prioritizing etc. But the through hulls, sea cocks etc are ranked higher then the anchor

[Fore and Aft]

Rail Roader thats a lot of bucks for a CQR, why not keep an eye on Craigslist until a 60 pounder turns up.
You are going to get a million posts about how good these new age anchors are. But what amazes me is how many people managed to sail around the world and not end up on the beach before they were invented?
I had a 45lb CQR on my 32 footer and I slept well at night. Not sure I would be sleeping so soundly with only a 45lb CQR anchor. That CQR is bound to be fine 99% of the time.
Cheers

[TheRailRoader]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

There have been quite a few more or less objective anchor tests in recent years. While some, especially those sponsored by anchor vendors have had some questionable rankings, none have shown the CQR or its many knock-off imitators to be the equal of even the worst "new generation" anchors.

And those of us who have lived and cruised through the years iin which these new anchors have evolved can tell you there IS a difference. Yes, many of us did cruise successfully with the older anchors, but the new ones set more readily in more diverse bottoms and with greater holding power. To me, it is clear which way you should go!

Jim (who has lived primarily at anchor for the past 32 years)

Thanks Jim 👍

And everyone else I'll be checking the recommendations out.. well after I eat some peach cobbler and ice cream 👹

[brownr377]

I'm a little scared to jump into here. I cruised around with my current boat, Ericson 35-3, with a 35 lb CQR and never had any issues in the sound or my current location. That said I just upgraded to a 44 lb spade and it is an amazingly better anchor. I kind of didn't believe that it could be noticeably better to an idiot like me, but it very clearly is superior.

If you're not anchoring out much and only in fair weather you're probably fine, if your going to be anchored out all the time probably bump it up the priority list. I think any of the new gen anchors would work better, which one is right is a personal choice dependent on lots of variables that only you can weigh. One thing I wouldn't personally do is change out a CQR for a heavier CQR,