Manson Boss any users or sensible opinions?

[Fortress]

Originally Posted by Simi 60

Please dont think I am singling you out.

After the last decade or more that the GFC has been playing out with all the now obvious lies and BS we have been fed with all the clever marketing and happy clapping and me using the interweb for more than pron and cat videos I have now become skeptical about everything and everyone.

Now where's that tin foil so I can make a new hat.

No worries, I agree with your assessment and I believe that you are wise to be skeptical of anchor manufacturer's claims.

For the record, I respect Manson and the fact that they have always made their product from a high grade of steel and they have Lloyd's certifications, which I know do not come easily or inexpensively.

Safe anchoring,
Brian

[redsky49]

Originally Posted by Snowpetrel

Yes, they picked a battleground that suited the fortress anchor. But I think the only real question anybody who knows how good an anchor they are was just by how much of a margin the fortress anchors would win by and if the next gens could come close on that bottom in a straight pull.

I think that test was as good and unbiased as I have seen from any manufacturer. But the point of my post was that it is one of the few tests to include the Boss anchor.

"Yes, they picked a battleground that suited the fortress anchor."

No argument here to that statement. On the other hand, most any anchor can successfully set in sand so that is hardly a test of setting performance. And the conditions they experienced, the sticky, stinky gray/black mud goop, are found throughout the Bay, so this relates to a great many Bay sailors (at the very least).

It's helpful to know that a 'Danforth type' anchor has some success in this bottom type, as I can relate personally how I once tried repeatedly to get a Delta to grab in this vicinity and finally gave up - totally exhausted from deploying and retrieving the anchor manually.

Now if some manufacturer will address the problem of anchoring in kelp/grass we would have proper anchoring tools for the majority of situations we might face. As for rocks...??

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by Simi 60

Test paid for by Fortress?
Do I need to ask what the result was?

Originally Posted by Snowpetrel

Yes, they picked a battleground that suited the fortress anchor. But I think the only real question anybody who knows how good an anchor they are was just by how much of a margin the fortress anchors would win by and if the next gens could come close on that bottom in a straight pull.

I think that test was as good and unbiased as I have seen from any manufacturer. But the point of my post was that it is one of the few tests to include the Boss anchor.

Originally Posted by redsky49

"Yes, they picked a battleground that suited the fortress anchor."

No argument here to that statement. On the other hand, most any anchor can successfully set in sand so that is hardly a test of setting performance. And the conditions they experienced, the sticky, stinky gray/black mud goop, are found throughout the Bay, so this relates to a great many Bay sailors (at the very least).

It's helpful to know that a 'Danforth type' anchor has some success in this bottom type, as I can relate personally how I once tried repeatedly to get a Delta to grab in this vicinity and finally gave up - totally exhausted from deploying and retrieving the anchor manually.

I think it's reasonable to be skeptical. OTOH, their most recent tests here in the Chesapeake were extremely relevant to our usual anchoring situations.

It seems reasonable (to me) that Fortress would pick something that highlights one of their known capabilities (secure anchoring in soft mud) for a particular round of testing (and marketing; they are a profit-oriented business)... and it seems fair (to me) that they tested all the anchors in the same way.

I can well understand there are real-world issues to deal with -- time constraints, tides and currents, wind, the mud itself, as well as costs associated with the test platform and crew, etc., etc., etc... so even though their test technique doesn't exactly match they way we deploy and set our anchor... the consistency they used kinda makes up for that in my mind.

IOW, I don't think it's reasonable to expect perfect testing -- from any manufacturer or even independent sources -- that would exactly mirror the way I use the anchor. Steve's and Noelex's pictures are other examples: great info, but just not always exactly the way we do things (or in some cases, without enough other surrounding info to make perfect judgements).

But I do think it's reasonable testers expect me to be able to interpret their results, map all that into our situation as appropriate (or not), and make my own decisions.... very probably using similar test info and recommendations from other manufacturers, anecdotal info from folks like here on the forum, and so forth.

-Chris

[Simi 60]

Originally Posted by Fore and Aft

I surveyed a 35 foot cat last year Simi and it had been anchored/abandoned for a whole year in front of Hervey Bay on one of those cheap plow anchors.

Luck, protected waters, low windage,low weight might have had something to do with it
I am guessing the cat was not 3 levels or 60 tonne.

I want to be able to sleep at night
I want to be able to leave the boat without worrying about it going for a wander unattended.
Oversized ground tackle is cheap insurance in my eyes.

Does your new anchor fit the bow roller? These new designs are certainly a lot more chunky than the CQR.

Cheers

Preliminary inspection says yes.

[DrDelmas]

I have a 12 meter cat with the same set up as ozsailer but with a 60 pound anchor and agree with what he says after 5 years of full time crusing and anchor out almost all the time

[Mantus 1]

Hello,
I had a Manson Supreme before i went with our Mantus. I did find that the tall shank can give you some trouble if you have limited clearance over the top. Our's would not pull back all the way because it would hit the bail and wedge its self in.
Also I would never use the top slot if sleeping on board. If the tide or wind were to change and the shackle moved down the slot there is the chance you would be dragging the anchor backwards.

[cwyckham]

We've had great luck with our 45# Manson Boss. We're in pretty easy anchoring grounds most of the time, but the difference between the Boss and our old 35# CQR is striking!!