Anchors - Bigger is Better ?

[Delancey]

Is it just me or does this drawing look like the back of the fluke is pushing a wedge of compacted soil, like a clump of mud?

[JonJo]

Maine Sail,

I too have a load cell (so you are not alone - I bought it), mine is a bit smaller than yours, 2t, as generating loads beyond that looks unrealistic on small anchors, 15kg, and once you get to that load either you need upsize the shackles and maybe chain or you are in severe risk of breaking something. Upsizing then makes the tests less realistic.

I note with surprise that you have never clogged a roll bar anchor - comments from owners regularly appear on these threads.

I too am totally independent (though I do try to sell my research) - it pays for the load cell etc (remember I am a Scot).

I also note that you have a Mantus, I did not see any comment on the discussion on roll bar removal nor shank strength on the recent thread. Both were stand out obvious and whereas your research is for your own benefit it might have been in the public interest, in that specific case, to have provided your own experience. You must have been out of touch at the time, the thread did not last long and you could have missed it altogether.

But you are certainly correct - complete as much and as diligent an investigation as you can and someone who knows absolutely nothing and have not invested a second in thought will stand up and condemn you - and people might wonder why you do not share

Jonathan

[JonJo]

Originally Posted by noelex 77

The anchor was well set (better than average) before my little friend had a go. You can see the shank half burried and the fluke was completely covered before the octopus dug it out. (Have a look at the circle of sand hollowed out) That is as good as you will see under engine power alone in this sort of substrate.

Maybe a smaller anchor would have set more deeply

Jonathan

[Cotemar]

Originally Posted by JonJo

Maine Sail,

I note with surprise that you have never clogged a roll bar anchor - comments from owners regularly appear on these threads.

I have never had my Rocna clog either. Well, other than a lobster pot.

[JonJo]

Maine Sail,

If you want to buy an Excel, or SARCA, send Anchor Right an email as I suspect they are not going to conduct a discussion on price on this thread.

Jonathan

[JonJo]

Originally Posted by Cotemar

I have never had my Rocna clog either. Well, other than a lobster pot.

Maybe you need to extend your sailing area

Jonathan

[Cotemar]

Originally Posted by JonJo

Maybe you need to extend your sailing area

Jonathan

Why, do you know where there are no Lobster pots?

[JonJo]

Originally Posted by Cotemar

Why, do you know where there are no Lobster pots?

Great Barrier Reef, Australia?


Jonathan

[JonJo]

Originally Posted by noelex 77

I would not feel comfortable with a 15kg (steel) anchor holding a 38 foot cat in strong wind. I am not convinced two anchors set in a V increases the holding much so I would not feel much better with two out.

Did you guess right

Spot on!

You carry only 2 anchors a Rocna and Fortress, your only back up is the Fortress.

Please explain why it is not safe for me to deploy 2 anchors a 15kg high performance Excel and a 8.5kg high performcne Fortress where the latter probably has the holding capacity of any modern 30kg steel anchor in most anchorages. Why is the Fortress good enough for you, by itself, but not good enough for me as one of my options?

You obviously have never read about the background to a 'V' anchor setting - despite it have been posted innumerable times. It is not about increasing holding capacity, any increase is a bonus (and is greater the closer the 2 anchors are set together - simple trig). The idea is to stop veering, or sailing at anchor as this movement of the yacht can develop into snatch loads and it is the snatch loading that is massive and likely to upset an inadequately set anchor, like your anchor with the resident octopus. The other advantage of the 'V' is that each anchor is loaded along the length of the shank, where it has been designed to be most efficient. An inadequately set anchor if loaded from the side, during veering and snatch loading, has a considerable risk of 'falling over' and if full of compacted sediment will never re-set (or will not re-set according to its designer - disputed by many of course, who know much better than the designer).

Something you have never mentioned for which I am most critical (and I am renowned for being nice) - you have never mentioned how you cooked the octopus A real delicacy in your part of the world.

Jonathan

[Delfin]

Originally Posted by JonJo

Something you have never mentioned for which I am most critical (and I am renowned for being nice) - you have never mentioned how you cooked the octopus A real delicacy in your part of the world.

Jonathan

The only octopus I recall from my time in Oz was the blue octopus. I gather when bitten by one you stagger a couple steps and fall over dead. Come to think of it that was the result when bitten by an appalling number of Australian critters.....

[downunder]

Originally Posted by Delfin

The only octopus I recall from my time in Oz was the blue octopus. I gather when bitten by one you stagger a couple steps and fall over dead. Come to think of it that was the result when bitten by an appalling number of Australian critters.....

The blue ringed octopus whilst deadly is hardly reason to stay away. You might even stagger more than a few steps.

The blue-ringed octopus has a nasty surprise for any potential prey or predators. Within its salivary glands live bacteria, which produce the chemical tetrodotoxin. This is a strong, fast-acting toxin that paralyses the target by blocking the nerves from transmitting messages. This toxin can be fatal; it has known to have caused the deaths of at least three people: two in Australia and one in Singapore. Many more people have come close to death as a result of the bite of the blue-ringed octopus. The paralysis that overcomes the victim is only to their voluntary muscles; they remain fully conscious. Death usually occurs as a result of lack of oxygen. Thus, if mouth to mouth resuscitation is given to a victim of a blue-ringed octopus, they should fully recover. The good news for swimmers in the waters where blue-ringed octopuses are found, is that they are retiring creatures and will only bite if they are being harassed and poked.

Cheers

[Delfin]

Originally Posted by downunder

The blue ringed octopus whilst deadly is hardly reason to stay away. You might even stagger more than a few steps.

The blue-ringed octopus has a nasty surprise for any potential prey or predators. Within its salivary glands live bacteria, which produce the chemical tetrodotoxin. This is a strong, fast-acting toxin that paralyses the target by blocking the nerves from transmitting messages. This toxin can be fatal; it has known to have caused the deaths of at least three people: two in Australia and one in Singapore. Many more people have come close to death as a result of the bite of the blue-ringed octopus. The paralysis that overcomes the victim is only to their voluntary muscles; they remain fully conscious. Death usually occurs as a result of lack of oxygen. Thus, if mouth to mouth resuscitation is given to a victim of a blue-ringed octopus, they should fully recover. The good news for swimmers in the waters where blue-ringed octopuses are found, is that they are retiring creatures and will only bite if they are being harassed and poked.

Cheers

I still have a copy of a book called "Venomous Australians" and in addition to photos of a few Labour Party officals (well, maybe I made that up) there is a whole catalog of things that bite, Antipodean speaking. I used to find black widow spiders in my son's tricycle handlebars and under the toilet seat in our outdoor, but plumbed loo. But you're right, very few of these critters are at all aggressive, and Oz is still one of the nicest places on earth, at least that I have lived in.

[B-Baysailer]

Main Sail your massage box is full

[Delfin]

Originally Posted by El Pinguino

That said I once had Smith senior aboard in the Falklands.. I anchored and wasn't happy with my possy... weighed anchor and shifted ... anchor was full of sticky mud, Smith senior very insistent that all mud had to be cleared off anchor or it wouldn't re-set.

Mr. Smith seemed like a good engineer. He said his shank needed to be made out of a particular grade of steel for it to be robust enough to be worth purchasing and he was right. His observation on what is probably the only weakness of a hoop anchor is also no doubt correct. Once the hoop has fouled, I'm sure the balance is off enough that resetting would be problematic. Thanks for the post.

[El Pinguino]

I don't think the hoop was fouled as such... just a mass of mud on the blade... maybe the lip on the outer end of the blade bit was keeping it there. dunno..