Anyone Using an 'Ultra' Anchor?

[colemj]

He didn't have a Spade copy, he had a Bugel anchor, which looks more like a Rocna because of the hoop. The Spade has no hoop. Wasi sells stainless Bugels and many people make their own. You could take measurements off of one if you wanted to build one. They only consist of a flat piece of plate, a shank and a hoop section.

Mark

[seatechandfun]

Bruce 626,
Spade anchors are manufactured in Tunisia, Rocna is made in China and Ultra is made in Turkey. Please do not try to make a copy of a Spade anchor, ours is also protected and is not out there for public domain to try and copy. The Spade anchor was the first of the new generation of anchors.

[Bruce626]

No worries there - I am just weak on terminology, I was interested in a Bugel as Mark correctly identified and not a Spade. Here in the Philippines it is easier to get an anchor built than find one for sale. I will also likely get a 'fisherman' anchor built as well as that is what I see on most of the boats here. Good luck with your new government.

[jzk]

I saw the Ultra anchor at the boat show">Miami Boat Show, and I thought it was a pretty nice. I was told that it was stainless because of welding in the lead. I was able to do the set tests myself, and the thing did a great job.

What is the problem with the shank being hollow? It can withstand bending much better than a sold shaft, for the weight. Masts are not solid for the same reason.

The only problem that I could see was the price.

[RaySea Lady]

I had a CQR 35lb on my boat that continuously let me down, had to drop anchor 4-5 times to get it to catch.

I bought a 35KG Ultra in 2010 and it has never let me down, catches the first time every time.

Having said that I have never anchored in a storm, 25 mph winds is tops with no problems.

Here is a thread I had started on it that has more info
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...lta-32052.html

[Cheechako]

[QUOTE=jzk;893239]I saw the Ultra anchor at the Miami Boat Show, and I thought it was a pretty nice. I was told that it was stainless because of welding in the lead. I was able to do the set tests myself, and the thing did a great job.

What is the problem with the shank being hollow? It can withstand bending much better than a sold shaft, for the weight. Masts are not solid for the same reason.

A properly designed hollow beam is near as strong as a solid piece OTOH I have no idea what that shank looks like....

[jzk]

[QUOTE=Cheechako;893294]

Originally Posted by jzk

I saw the Ultra anchor at the Miami Boat Show, and I thought it was a pretty nice. I was told that it was stainless because of welding in the lead. I was able to do the set tests myself, and the thing did a great job.

What is the problem with the shank being hollow? It can withstand bending much better than a sold shaft, for the weight. Masts are not solid for the same reason.

A properly designed hollow beam is near as strong as a solid piece OTOH I have no idea what that shank looks like....

Someone commented that they didn't like the hollow shank. It is better than a solid shank for the same amount of material.

[DainyRays]

When handling the Ultra on the ground, it automatically rights itself because of the weight distribution within the anchor. I'm strongly considering buying one right now. I will be replacing my 35-lb CQR with a 45-lb Ultra. I'll keep my 44-lb Bruce as a secondary anchor. When you think about the $1500 to $2000 for an anchor, it's equivalent to a HMC mattress, a SSB radio (without tuner), a haul out and bottom painting, etc. it doesn't seem so out of line in value.

[JonJo]

Originally Posted by Hiracer

FWIW,

It appears to me that ferritic SSs, such as 316, have higher tensile strength than mild steel.
Stainless Steel - Mechanical Properties

Stainless Steel Material Property Data: Dave Wright Welding - Specialty metals welding & fabrication

Spade in their website says they use high tensile steels. What does that mean?? Heat treated mild steel?

. . .

Quick search for strength of SS welds didn't turn anything up. Anybody??

. . .

I see on the Spade website that the Spade is now offered in SS. I didn't know that. Oh boy. Bling bling.

Steel, aluminum, and SS. Range Overview Is anybody else offering an anchor in all three materials. I'm impressed.

'Hi-tensile steel' has no meaning. Armor plate steel is high tensile steel, at around 1,400 MPa, Manson and Anchor Right use a high tensile steel at 800 MPa, I suspect Rocna call their steel at 620 MPa a high tensile steel and you can buy high tensile steel bolts at 500 MPa. Much less than 500 MPa and its still called mild steel - but even 400 MPa would be hi-tensile compared to 250 MPa. I'd ask for the data, forget the words.

Anchor Right and Manson make anchors in alloy, stainless and gal.

Jonathan

[JonJo]

On copying anchors,

Many anchors are easy to measure up and have some sweatshop weld up for you, or you could do it yourself. But if you want to copy an anchor - the Spade must be the most complex, which is possibly one reason it is so expensive.

Copying an anchor does not only involve measurement but demands you identify which materials are used in the construction (and the only way to find out the wall thickness of an Ultra is to cut the shank (does anyone who bought one know how thick the walls are?)). If the anchor you wish to copy uses special steels, that are actually hi-tensile steels, these steels usually require specialist welding techniques - not common in most welding workshops, unless they happen to weld to Lloyds specifications.

The Bugel is commonly copied, especially found in the Eastern Med, I have seen more bent Bugels (copies) than any other anchor - ever.

Would you buy an anchor chain from someone whom you did not know, or trust, would you try to make your own shackles - so why would you want to copy an anchor - or buy an anchor whose raw materials were not defined.

We need people to stick their neck out to develop anchor design, it can be discouraging (I guess) to have your design ripped off - but I am known as a bit of a killjoy.

Jonathan

[Kenomac]

We love our 45kg Ultra anchor. The best investment we've made so far in our boat. Over 90 days at anchor over the past four months, didn't move or drag one bit. It even cuts through weeds and grass, awesome good looks. If you decide to buy one, email me and I'll give you a few hints about setting well in weed bottoms.

Don't listen to the nay sayers about stainless, my father is a metalurgist who specialized in stainless steel, he reviewed the anchor and inspected it prior to our purchase. The stainless naysayers know nothing about the Ultra shank construction, re-inforcement etc. Re-inforced welded tube design is far different than plate galv steel.

Even in the unlikely event you bend the anchor, Ultra will replace it for free... No questions asked.

[JonJo]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

We love our 45kg Ultra anchor. The best investment we've made so far in our boat. Over 90 days at anchor over the past four months, didn't move or drag one bit. It even cuts through weeds and grass, awesome good looks. If you decide to buy one, email me and I'll give you a few hints about setting well in weed bottoms.

Don't listen to the nay sayers about stainless, my father is a metalurgist who specialized in stainless steel, he reviewed the anchor and inspected it prior to our purchase. The stainless naysayers know nothing about the Ultra shank construction, re-inforcement etc. Re-inforced welded tube design is far different than plate galv steel.

Even in the unlikely event you bend the anchor, Ultra will replace it for free... No questions asked.

Your father might not have considered 800 MPa gal steel when he endorsed your puchase? Manson, does not seem to comment on these (or any other) threads - but I suspect they would suggest they know something of stainless and 800 MPa steels. (and they use 800 MPa steels because they are strong (in terms of anchors - unbreakable) - not for some marketing gimmick).

Jonathan

[Delfin]

Like Kenomac, I'm pretty impressed with my Ultra. It is my understanding that the shank was initially just hollow, and there were some reports of bending. To correct that, it was reinforced with a single horizontal plate spot welded to the sides of the shank. This was complex to do from a manufacturing point of view, so the single plate has been replaced with two horizontal plates, one welded to the inside of one half, the other to the other half then the two halves are joined together. Frankly, I have a hard time seeing how this could ever bend, but anything is possible, I suppose. Bottom line, I have anchored with an admittedly very heavy 80 kg Ultra at 1.4 scope in 20 knots of wind without budging for hours while crabbing. At normal scope, I presume the anchor will hold up to the destruction of the chain. Most impressive.

[ghostrider]

Originally Posted by theonecalledtom

Ultra Anchors

If so what results have you had?

It's too pretty to put in the water.

[JonJo]

Originally Posted by Delfin

Like Kenomac, I'm pretty impressed with my Ultra. It is my understanding that the shank was initially just hollow, and there were some reports of bending. To correct that, it was reinforced with a single horizontal plate spot welded to the sides of the shank. This was complex to do from a manufacturing point of view, so the single plate has been replaced with two horizontal plates, one welded to the inside of one half, the other to the other half then the two halves are joined together. Frankly, I have a hard time seeing how this could ever bend, but anything is possible, I suppose. Bottom line, I have anchored with an admittedly very heavy 80 kg Ultra at 1.4 scope in 20 knots of wind without budging for hours while crabbing. At normal scope, I presume the anchor will hold up to the destruction of the chain. Most impressive.

If the Ultra shank was deemed less than adequate and needed not one but 2 webs of internal steel reinforcing (complex from a manufacturing point of view - thus expensive?) what happened to the happy punters who bought before the upgrade?

Rocna stepped upto the mark, I never thought I would ever say this, but they, Rocna (or CMP), are looking like an example to follow.

Jonathan