Oversize Bruce Anchor

[Jmord]

I've spent some time reading posts about oversized anchors but wanted to get some community weigh in on my plan.
I would like to use a 44# bruce as my main anchor. The boat is a 34 ft islander and displaces 10,400# unloaded and we have a Lofrans manual windlass. I believe the 44 is about 10 pounds heavier than necessary, but doesn't seem like overkill to me.

We will be cruising down the west coast this fall. (San Francisco, Channel Islands, Baja peninsula) Any thoughts? Thanks in advance!

[Kenomac]

Sounds like a good plan. Use an all chain rode.

[TeddyDiver]

Originally Posted by Jnc3

I've spent some time reading posts about oversized anchors but wanted to get some community weigh in on my plan.
I would like to use a 44# bruce as my main anchor. The boat is a 34 ft islander and displaces 10,400# unloaded and we have a Lofrans manual windlass. I believe the 44 is about 10 pounds heavier than necessary, but doesn't seem like overkill to me.

We will be cruising down the west coast this fall. (San Francisco, Channel Islands, Baja peninsula) Any thoughts? Thanks in advance!

I don't think that's oversized at all. I have 25kg/55lbs Bruce for a boat about the same size as yours..

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Jnc.

The Bruce performs fairly well in most bottom conditions, but can struggle in hard-bottoms such as clay. A 44 pounder should be more than adequate for your boat.

[zeehag]

44 pound bruce is perfect for west coastal anchoring, and perfect for your boat. i use a 66 pound , or 30 kg bruce as primary and have no problem at all. perfect anchor.
DO use allchain, as chafe happens and is not your friend.

[sailorchic34]

I've used a 44# bruce on my islander 34 for many years. It works. All chain is your friend too.

[Greggegner]

I have about that size bruce on my Pearson P385. I added ~35' of 3/8th chain and once down it is down. It resets if the wind shifts. I am satisfied with its performance. It will hold you boat well. Add chain...


Greg S/V Sweet Dreams
Pearson P385 out of Racine Wisconsin

[Lodesman]

Why a Bruce and not one of the modern anchors? While there's a lot of anecdotal support for the Bruce, most of the anchor tests I've seen don't rate its performance very well. From what I gather, Bruces work best if well oversized, and rely mostly on deadweight rather than mechanical hold.

[TeddyDiver]

Originally Posted by Lodesman

Why a Bruce and not one of the modern anchors? While there's a lot of anecdotal support for the Bruce, most of the anchor tests I've seen don't rate its performance very well. From what I gather, Bruces work best if well oversized, and rely mostly on deadweight rather than mechanical hold.

It's better in clay than any other anchor. For sand modern rules. Your deadweight claim is pure BS..


Spade Anchor
It's not good behaviour to spam about Spade in a thread about Bruce

[Training Wheels]

Spade anchor is making me regret that I bought a spade anchor.


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[Paul L]

I had a Bruce on my last boat and switched to a Spade. The Spade was far superior in setting and resetting and general holding. That said, a 44lb Bruce should work decently on your sized boat.

[esarratt]

Sounds about right to me; you could even go bigger since you have a windlass.

I bought a 44# Bruce for my 9800# 24 ft boat; I think it is a bit oversized, but I don't care. I also have a 35# CQR.

I think ALL manufacturers' recommendations for their anchors are a bit light.

[markpierce]

Originally Posted by Spade Anchor

Yes the Bruce is exactly as you described. A good anchor that requires the weight of the chain to help it set. Because it relies partly on the weight of the chain to set, is part of the reason it dislodges and has to reset with wind changes.

Our low-cost, 33-pound claw stays in the thick, clay-like bottoms of the San Francisco estuary during four-times-a-day, 180-degree, 2.5-knot current changes. Anchor secures/digs-in on first attempt. We use an all-chain, 3/8-inch rode.

[TacomaSailor]

The Bruce 44 anchor is just about right as a cruising anchor for your boat. We used one on our Caliber 40 for seven years in Puget Sound, SoCal, the Baja, and La Paz - until spring 2002 when we had several dragging episodes in the Islands of La Paz. Here is a link to a blog post I made about the first episode:

February 9 2002

We eventually learned, by diving on the anchor and watching it, that the Bruce would dig into 12" of sand and hold. But, with the wind gusting to 50+ knots the Bruce would dig in even deeper and hit the hard coral or rock under the sand. It would skip or scallop up to the sand surface, drag a few feet, slowly dig in, eventually hit the rock and scallop back up. I tested this theory by watching the anchor in the wind and having my wife drive the boat in reverse at full power.

There are some bottoms for which the Bruce is not intended.

and another where the La Paz Waltz defeated the Bruce
March 17 2002

Later in the spring of 2002 we purchased and installed a Spade 66 to use for our next 30-months of Mexican cruising. The Spade is way too big for our boat and I sleep very soundly knowing that when the wind is 30 knots gusting to 45 as it is many nights on the east coast of the Baja Peninsula. Too much anchor weight, 8:1 scope, and set in reverse at 3200 RPM with a 50 HP 18" Maxprop also lends peace of mind.

When cruising BIG and all Chain is peace of mind. Our boat is 40', 25000 pounds in cruising trim, and shears a bit at anchor. Our Spade and 300' of 5/16" HT chain has never let us down.

[barnakiel]

Our boat is about 8800 loaded and our first Bruce (a Chinese copy) was about 22 (all measures imperial). Now if I were to judge from our pretty broad anchoring experience then a copy Bruce can be a decent all rounder.

Our present main anchor is a Bruce 33 (on the same boat). Original, this time. We took it to the West Indies and back and I like it even more than the first one (I still keep the smaller older one as a back-up).

Otherwise, some advice you may use or reject:

- Bruce is no use in thick weed,
- Bruce is poor in shallow sand (or mud) over rock,
- Bruce is fine in rock BUT it may come undone without any warning.

On any boat except a very small one, I would fit the biggest anchor I can comfortably handle. I would also carry a 2nd anchor ready to deploy at any time, preferably of an alternative design (say a Spade, a Delta or something similar).

So to say, here a 1+! for a Bruce.

PS As per your original query ;-) I do not see a 44 as oversize for your boat.

Cheers,
b.