Ground Tackle Purchase Plan - Opinions Sought

[SVTwilight]

The new generation anchors are a quantum leap forward in holding power and the ROCNA has been bullet proof and great for us for the last 5 years.

Get the biggest ROCNA you can practically and safely manage and you'll learn quickly what it is like to sleep well at night! :-)

When in doubt, always go up one size if you can.

Mine is like an absolute mooring: once I set it, I can forget it. 37 ft boat, 18,000#, 55 lb. ROCNA, all chain

In New England mud it sets so strong I actually cannot break it lose with the windlass and I have to drive over it with the engine to bring it up. To me THAT is great anchoring. (also great in sand have not tried in it coral yet)

Good luck!

[DMCantor]

Our rule of thumb is to choose an anchor so large that all your friends are laughing at you. A bigger anchor is somewhat more expensive, but compared to dragging into another boat or into shore, the cost is miniscule. Ditto with chain -- the more you buy, the happier you will be.

[Lodesman]

Originally Posted by pickpaul

The boat came with 500ft of rode in good condition and I'd like to use that but I realize the benefits a short piece of chain makes and am willing to purchase some.

IMO, a short piece of chain only adds chafe protection - I would think if you're staying on the Chessie for the foreseeable future you could go with the larger anchor and run the rode straight to it.


Before you hit coral-infested waters, you can add the chain or upgrade to all-chain/windlass etc.

[Hawkeye]

You have a choice, you can go as small and cheap as possible for your ground tackle, or you can sleep at night. There are no happy places in between. Don't be a dope, and for the love of God don't go by anchor tests or marketing bullcrap. Walk through marinas, looking for cruising boats in your class, and see what they are holding. Stop and talk with people. You will find everything from dockside camper to serious cruisers, and it won't take long to know the difference. You need to be safe and secure, and you don't need to try out a half dozen 'maybe's' before you settle on what's right, you just have to use your head, your own eyes and your own ears.

My boat is bigger and heavier than yours, but I had very little money to work with. I got a scrap Ideal windlass and rebuilt it a little at a time. I helped a kid put 14 SS portholes in an old sailboat and he paid me with 216 feet of BBB 5/16 chain, new from West Marine. A lifelong cruiser told me about all the anchors he'd used over the years and was now using the best anchor he'd ever had. I checked his Southern Cross 31. He had a 45 pound galvy steel Spade. A finally found one at a West Marine salvage store. I sleep extremely well, but getting there wasn't easy.

[anacapaisland42]

For my money, more chain, heavier chain, kellet, and go to your local hardware for a boat trailer roller to mount on a 4x4 cedar or PT.
Bill

[darylat8750]

I'll add to the thoughts that a larger anchor with at least some chain and figure out something for an anchor roller. Bill (post 20) nailed it. It doesn't have to be fancy but if your back is not perfect dragging anchor and chain back and forth between bow and cockpit in bouncy conditions is a strained back waiting to happen.

[Tayana42]

I'm of the school of NextGen anchor, as big as you can handle and all chain. However, the OP in in the Chesapeake for the next few years. A good NextGen anchor a boat length of chain and a proper length of rope rode should do fine for now. He can buy more chain, a bow roller and windlass before he ventures off.


S/V B'Shert

[SV Lift]

Chesapeake Bay / East Coast sailing with no windlass:

I would buy a 33lb lewmar claw, 20-30' 5/16" G3 chain, and invest the rest of your money.

If in 5 years you really do set off to cross oceans, you'll be able to buy a used Rocna more affordably since some other new thing will be out and people will be selling them.

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by pickpaul

I have an Alberg30 (9000lbs displacement, more fully loaded for cruising) in the Chesapeake Bay and currently just have a fortress knock off that came with the boat. I only anchored out one night last year and the wind shifted and I dragged narrowly avoiding a sea wall. It's now a lunch hook as maybe it should always have been :-) I need to upgrade!

I don't see where you say what size the "fortress knock-off" was? (Really? Aluminum? Or is it a steel Danforth-style? Or...?)

Nor is it clear why it dragged? In our experience, a well--set Fortress of appropriate size doesn't just up and decide to drag just because the wind, tide, or current shifted. Key words of course are "well-set" and "appropriate size."

Anyway, you might find it useful to review the recent Fortress tests in the Chesapeake Bay mud. Results posted here somewhere, plus several magazines posted their own interpretations afterwards (also mostly posted here).

FWIW, a Fortress at least one size larger than recommended for your boat weight is likely still a manageable weight with no windlass... and at the same time fluke sizes are really big, especially compared to many of the other anchor styles. It also stows nicely.

Another FWIW, our back-up is a Fortress and I'd be happy enough using that again as our primary here on the Chesapeake -- it's always worked well when it was our primary -- but it doesn't hang "elegantly" on our pulpit. And besides, we have a heavier larger anchor on the windlass... and since the Fortress is the one that stows nicely... it became a back-up. But it's always worked well here.

Not a recommendation, just some observations.

-Chris

[hamburking]

Alberg 30 is a good boat...I also sail a 30 (Pearson).

A big blow while at anchor last summer had every boat dragging...except one. The next day, I asked about his ground tackle...he had a Rocna, and I was sold. Yes, Rocna is a bit more expensive, but its holding your boat...and your life.

I carry two 10kg bruce anchors, each with 10' of heavy chain and 200' rode. My opinion is that a short heavy chain is better...it holds the stock down, which is what you want.

You will not regret money spent on good ground tackle.

On my previous C&C25 I carried a 5kg bruce, 7.5kg bruce and a 10kg plow. They each had chain and 200' of rode. I carried an additional 200' 1/2" line for tying to shore or emergencies. Occasionally, I would use all 3 anchors at once...very secure. With no roller or anchor locker, I had to carry all these from the cockpit lockers. It was heavy and tricky. On your 30 I hope you at least have an anchor locker up forward, because its not practical to carry an anchor, chain, and line up and back every time. The best anchor is one that is ready to deployed at a moments notice.

[Wulf]

A bit off the OP's direction but...
We lived aboard our Alberg 30 for 9 years and cruised extensively on the west coast from the Queen Charlottes to Mexico. That was 20+ years ago and yes, gear has changed. Our main anchoring gear consisted of 35# CQR with 100' of 5/16 chain spliced to 250' of nylon braid. The combination served us well & never let us down. We did have a bow roller and windlass. The anchor was always on the bow and the rode in the chain locker at the foot of the v-berth. As other posters have said, think "used" to stretch your $$$. Lean a little towards overkill. Start with the right anchor/rode and add as you find deals, can afford etc. You won't regret it. Cheers.

[anacapaisland42]

I guess one other point, it doesn't matter where you sail, sometime, somewhere a bloody big wind will come and scare the pants off you and you'll wish you had put in that heavier ground tackle rather that the new XXXXX.
I agree with Cabo Sailor if your friends on the dock aren't laughing at you then you don't have enough ground tackle. Read Bob Griffiths book :-)
Bill

[anacapaisland42]

Sorry to be a hog but what are the best anchor (Caribbean use) recommendations these days. I think it's time we updated our CQR's 44/36,Bruce 33, Danforths, Mushroom, grapnel collection.
Bill

[darylat8750]

I was happy with my CQR for several years ... Until the Chesapeake. It plowed several nice furrows in the mud there. One place it wouldn't hold us in 10kts of wind and very little fetch even after multiple tries. Bought a new generation (Mantus) and it holds every time. I would avoid the plow and claw types in the soft mud.

[cabo_sailor]

My CQR wouldn't hold in slick sticky clay but the Fortress (with mud palms attached) grabbed first time and held all week in 20-30kt winds. All I did was let out a little rode to guard against chafe from time to time.


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