Photos of Anchors Setting

[downunder]

Originally Posted by gspeak

OK ... let's see. How many different people have actually contributed photos to this enormous thread (55 pages long). Maybe 3 or 4 different people if that. So that means that all the hundreds of others who have viewed are all BS, because they haven't posted photos of their anchors.

OK ... so it hasn't quite turned to spring downunder .. so its winter down here. Some people don't like diving in winter.

OK ... I live & cruise in the tropics of North Queensland so the water temp is still acceptable to those who are used to cold water. To us locals it is still cold.

OK ... for those further south than us in Oz it is bloody freezing still.

OK ... I have a Sarca Excel that I spent my good hard earned cash on. To say that I swear by it is a huge understatement. Sets first time every time & have used it up to 40 knots & never dragged. Never! Have used it during the passing of two (2) nearby cyclones earlier this year. I have dropped it into many various substrates ranging from soft sand, coral rubber, mud & hard packed sand without any problems.

OK ... if you guys want to keep slamming & making snide remarks about an anchor that none of you have any experience with & lump it in the same category as "all convex ploughs" then all I can say is that it reflects very, very poorly on your impartiality & purported expertise.

OK ... you have a problem with accepting the validity of "certified" SHH anchors because it means nothing to you. Fair enough ... but I bet a lot of consumers take comfort in it.

OK ... believe it or not Oz & NZ has some of the most severe boating weather conditions in the world & guess what ... down under sailors are some of the best in the world. We also have one of the highest boating ownership per population in the world (I'm sure I read that somewhere). There are thousands of Sarca anchors in use down here. We're not mugs.

OK ... we also have thick skins, but enough crap is enough.

Oh ... I will get some photos of my Excel on the bottom ... when it warms up a bit. Till then I prefer to enjoy my cruising in comfort & safety.

Stick to taking the great underwater photos & analysis of what you see for each make & model of anchor & technique in different situations .... & leave out the BS.

Gspeak.

I am from Mackay and I know that up in Innisfail I could jump in for a few minutes even without a wetsuit even in the middle of our winter to photograph an anchor. Not in NSW or Victoria however.

As someone very interested in the SARCA's performance it would be great to get some sooner rather than later an ongoing portfolio of you anchor in action.

Go for it. We look forward to your contribution.

[Coops]

Here is an idea for the Aussies, which includes me. Why not start a thread of your own on the merits of your chosen Sarca anchor? That way you are not inserting into this one what is basically of no interest to a lot of the cruisers because it is not available to them, or at least not easily.

Nor is it ruining a very good thread, which a lot of members are positive about, with all the petty squabbles and rubbish which seems to be involved in the promotion of your particular favourite. It is a thread about photos of anchors being used, not which is the best or most ignored, or insulted.

It has to be a better way than getting people offside about them.

Coops.

[downunder]

Originally Posted by Coops

Here is an idea for the Aussies, which includes me. Why not start a thread of your own on the merits of your chosen Sarca anchor? That way you are not inserting into this one what is basically of no interest to a lot of the cruisers because it is not available to them, or at least not easily.

Nor is it ruining a very good thread, which a lot of members are positive about, with all the petty squabbles and rubbish which seems to be involved in the promotion of your particular favourite. It is a thread about photos of anchors being used, not which is the best or most ignored, or insulted.

It has to be a better way than getting people offside about them.

Coops.

Problem. Most of the specfic SARCA threads to my flustration have been closed and is some reluctance to start another. Now perhaps you could do that. Perhaps before your time.

The beauty and intent of this thread is that we are seeing photos of different anchors in action admittedly mainly by Nolex at this point but hopefully it will grow as others are inspired.

[JPA Cate]

Mermaid & Noelex:

In post #807, there is a circular object, looking somewhat like a tire to the left of the third picture of the unset Delta. Was it a tire? What was the stuff in the center of it?

Thanks.

Ann

[SimonV]

We it had to happen, never in the history of the interweb has an anchor thread stayed completely civil and objective. I have been following this thread since it started and made no comment because it is a thread about photos of anchors..... I like this tread...so don't spoil it and don't get of track...that is all.


Sent from my GT-N7105T using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[cwyckham]

Originally Posted by Coops

Here is an idea for the Aussies, which includes me. Why not start a thread of your own on the merits of your chosen Sarca anchor? That way you are not inserting into this one what is basically of no interest to a lot of the cruisers because it is not available to them, or at least not easily.

Nor is it ruining a very good thread, which a lot of members are positive about, with all the petty squabbles and rubbish which seems to be involved in the promotion of your particular favourite. It is a thread about photos of anchors being used, not which is the best or most ignored, or insulted.

It has to be a better way than getting people offside about them.

Coops.

No, no! Please post your pictures of Sarca Excel anchors here. Show them working amazingly. I tried really hard to buy one in Canada, but they were too expensive so I went with a Boss. I sure wish I could post pictures of the Boss.

It doesn't matter that the excel is regional, we can still learn something about it. If we see it biting in quickly and setting level, rotating cleanly, etc. then we would all learn that not all "convex" or "plough" anchors are the same. That would be fantastic.

Until then, we have pictures of CQR and Deltas and Kobras and they aren't looking so hot. I fully expect the first pictures of the Excel to be a real eye opener for those who think that concave roll bar anchors are the only game in town.

[Coops]

That is what I intended. Photos on here, but discussions about them on another thread. Guess it is not going to work or even happen then.

Coops.

[DoubleWhisky]

Originally Posted by Coops

Here is an idea for the Aussies, which includes me. Why not start a thread of your own on the merits of your chosen Sarca anchor? That way you are not inserting into this one what is basically of no interest to a lot of the cruisers because it is not available to them, or at least not easily.

Nor is it ruining a very good thread, which a lot of members are positive about, with all the petty squabbles and rubbish which seems to be involved in the promotion of your particular favourite. It is a thread about photos of anchors being used, not which is the best or most ignored, or insulted.

It has to be a better way than getting people offside about them.

Coops.

Hi Coops

I personally think it will be great to have real world photos of Super Sarca and Excel included in this thread.

On our boat You will find a New Zealand Rocna and it is making its way to European market just by virtue of being very good anchor.
It is no reason for Excel not to follow.

It is probably worth to explain why underwater photos are so important for many uf us, European Anonymous Anchorholics.

Tying to the shore while anchored is somewhat a European specialty. Thousands and thousands of boats do it all the time, in Baltic and Mediterranean more than anchoring out.

For everybody doing this two factors are most important:

• reliable holding power in different substrates
• setting distance

Ability to reset after the windshift is important of course, but it is second thought for many yachties there (not for me, I must admit).


From all reports I read on CF Excel has a very high holding power and is reliable (no real danger of breaking out, once properly set).
Also from CF reading I assume Excel is not likely to break out in the windshift.
But without the good underwater photos it is impossible to assess the setting distance of any anchor. On photos You can see a marks on seabed.


For Med mooring (or Baltic mooring) You need rapidly setting anchor.


When anchoring out, or even tying to the distant tree on the shore You can easily accept a setting distance of five or six meters. If not in crowded anchorage You can live even with a setting distance of 10+ meters.


But when You are tying Your stern to the quay in smallish harbour, You need an anchor with a setting distance of about 1 meter, not more than 2 in less ideal conditions.
Anchor in need to take several meters to set will at some time leave You with not long enough rode and You have a PITA in place of anchor.



On our bow it is easy to accomodate 50 kg or even 55 kg Excel. 55 kg Rocna would be a struggle. 48 kg Mantus is too big for us (to say nothing about 57 kg one). Spade 55 kg does not fit because of the shank profile. I do not want the stainless steel anchor so Ultra (excellent anchor) is out of question.



It is a great probability an Excel is the good way to go, in order to fit heavier anchor to our bow.


But I really want to see the photos and judge the setting distance for myself

[Coops]

See my post previous.

By the way, I have owned yachts, and cruised some, over here since 1974. I have worked in the biggest chandlery chain in Aus., Whitworths, for 14 years and until this forum, had never heard of Sarca. I am merely pointing out a severe lacking in my knowledge of them as well, not implying anything at all.

Coops.

[Prairie Chicken]

I applaud the photos posted here & hope for a good variety of anchor types on assorted bottoms. It is a very worthwhile thread.

Noelex is making it look easy, but lets not forget that you not only need warm, safe water with descent visibility, but you also need the right gear to get good underwater photos of those anchors. Even though there are lots of cruisers and photographers following, not that many have waterproof housings for their camera gear. Not everyone can contribute.

Keep up the good work Noelex & Mermaid. I'll contribute if the opportunity permits.

[gspeak]

OK ... Here are a couple of not so good, or closeup, photos of our Excel from a few months ago when we beached her to fit new folding props. They probably don't count for much as obviously it was very shallow when we set it & they are not underwater photos. No underwater photos possible here, as Factor alluded to, this is a very high incident crocodile habitat.

It appears the Excel took a few metres to set as I was backing down hard & for quite a while trying to position Seabreeze correctly on the sand bank with a fairly quick outgoing tide. Sand was firm hard packed.

As you can see (well not so clearly) the Excel has dug itself completely below the surface & appears to be very level.

Hope these are OK till the next time we anchor out in some shallow water (not crocodile infested) away from the coast. It may be a while as we are busy shutting down our business in October, so we can finally do some extended cruising.





Dave

[downunder]

I see you are using the low tide photo technique pioneered by 44C.

[JPA Cate]

Thanks for the pic, gspeak.

Ann

[gspeak]

Originally Posted by downunder

I see you are using the low tide photo technique pioneered by 44C.

Happens to be the only "safe" photo technique I will ever use in the Johnstone River, Innisfail.



Dave

[downunder]

Agreed.

I can recall in my crazy youth spearing large barra in the creeks around Ingham and didn't think about. The population those days was still recovering after being protected from hunting.

Not thesedays.