Kedge/Yachtsman/Fisherman anchor

[sailingharry]

We are preparing to do the Down East Circle in 2021. Lots of rock and kelp.


Our Saga 43 has a 66 pound Rocna in #1 position, and 50 pound or so CQR in #2, both backed by 300 feet of rode (#1 is 260' of chain + 40 feet of nylon). I had an opportunity to upgrade the CQR to a 66 pound Bruce, but it interferes with our spinnaker sprit, so we tossed the coin and "performance" won out over "anchor security". LOL. Regardless, our ground tackle is certainly credible. We also have an appropriate size Fortress and rode (I forget the size) buried in storage below decks.



The question regards that rock and kelp. I've been offered a 50 pound or so Kedge/Yachtsman/Fisherman style anchor -- the old fashioned double fishook with a cross bar kind of anchor. It's been in the family for 50 years, and been used 3 times (I remember a nasty New England evening in the mid 70's where the Danforth couldn't penetrate the kelp).


So, that anchor would be a serious pain in the neck to store. And take a long time to rig and set if ever needed.


Would the collective wisdom on this forum find a way to store it? Or is a Rocna so much superior to that Danforth from my youth that the Rocna won't ever need to be changed out for the Fisherman and I should fill that storage space with rum?

[billknny]

We have spent the last couple of summers in New England and Nova Scotia. We have never anchored in rock and kelp. Yes, there is a lot of rock and kelp, but there is also a lot of sand and mud. It's kind of like the tropics. There is a lot of coral, but you just don't anchor in coral.

We chose to anchor where anchoring is easy and reliable. Rocks are never a good choice. Anchors get stuck, or rocks move.

We never found a place where our 105lb Mantus didn't hold our 52 foot boat.

I vote for the rum.

[sailingharry]

Originally Posted by billknny

I vote for the rum.

I'm leaning heavily in that direction myself. I just don't want to regret the decision.

[Training Wheels]

Just don’t drink it all at one sitting!

[billknny]

I have never seen anyone actually USE a yachtsman anchor, and in years of cruising have only ever seen one on a boat, and that boat never went anywhere.

Just keep in mind that everything written about what kind of anchor you should have that is more than 15 years old is out of date, and 50% of everything written since then is just wrong.

The catch is figuring out which 50% that is...

[slug]

I’ve used them a few times

Hard bottom , did the job

I don’t like them Clumsy , hard to handle , not versatile little holding power in soft bottoms

Best to avoid bad holding and carry all purpose anchors