Photos of Anchors Setting

[noelex 77]

Originally Posted by ImaginaryNumber

Also, if you ever have a rocky area that you could try to set the anchor in, that would be great too.
Thanks

Rock is a separate issue. There are really two types of rock:

1. Bouldery substrate.
Here the anchor works just by wedging In between the rocks. The design is not very important it is more just luck if the anchor, or chain, falls into a crevice. There is a good chance of not being able to retrieve the anchor so you are best using as cheap an anchor as possible. A very small anchor (even ridiculously so) can still hold a very large boat. In fact a very small anchor is more likely to wedge in between the rocks and often works better. The design is not very important, but anchors with thin flukes like a fisherman stand more chance of jamming between the rocks.

This was my dingy anchor yesterday dropped in this sort of substrate. It is a Guardian anchor. The Guardian is made by Fortress as a less expensive version. It is identical, but without the anodising and adjustable fluke. It actually could not be retrieved from the boat as the fluke jammed against the rock when force was applied.



2. A thin layer of sand over rock.
These sort of anchorages are a bit dangerous. From the surface it looks like good sand, but a few inches below this is smooth rock. No anchor can penetrate the rock (although occasionally the tip will get caught in a fissure). The holding is not very good and is dependent on getting a grip in the thin sand layer.

In this sort of substrate all anchors set by dragging a long way and heaping up sand in front of themselves (similar in appearance to sets I have shown from the Delta in a more normal substrate). The heaped up sand eventually forms enough resistance to hold the boat.

Anchors with a very big fluke area are the best. It is very helpful in this sort of substrate to have an oversized anchor. When there is only a very thin layer of sand only the front area of the fluke will be covered. It is a substrate where I would expect the broader blade of the Rocna and Manson Supreme to have a slight edge over the thin more tapered blade of the Mantus, but I have not put this to the test.

The Fortress and Danforth anchors are variable. They need enough depth of sand for the blade to open. If this is case the holding can be very good, but if this criterion is not met they are very unstable and don't hold well.

The convex plow anchors do very poorly in this sort of substrate. The small blade area for their weight together with the convex shape does not offer much resistance.

[Sulaire]

Noelex.. Bouldery substrate is a real pain as we are finding out today, we are anchored clear in a good sandy area and as the wind changes we blow around the anchor 360 deg twice in 4 hours this morning at 15 kts each time! BUT there is a yacht anchored in the boulder field with his chain wrapped tight round a few huge boulders several times , right under his bow. In effect he is moored to the bottom right in the middle of a busy anchorage.

Each time the wind changes he stays still while everyone else floats into or near to him, it has been pointed out to him that his anchor is 25m BEHIND his boat, but after taking a look himself he declared all our anchors are dragging and he is secure!! And is not moving... Looking forward to watching him lift the chain, hope he has an adequate breaker on his windlass circut! I would offer to help him free the chain , but after his lousy attitude i will just sit back and watch the show!!


Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[DoubleWhisky]

Originally Posted by Sulaire

I would offer to help him free the chain , but after his lousy attitude i will just sit back and watch the show!!

Please, post a detailed report!
Can be a lot of fun really

[noelex 77]

A private French cruising boat (a Boreal) dropped this Spade. They did not stay the night. 6m @ 4:1. While it has not had much setting force applied and the anchor is in the early stages of digging in, it is at least a promising beginning. There is minimal heaping up which is always a good sign that the fluke is digging down rather than scraping along the surface. There was a shallow drag mark extending about 2-3m.

I hope we get some more wind soon that will apply a more uniform force to all the anchors.

[cwyckham]

Wow, that box anchor link is gold! Here are a couple of quotes:

The Box Anchor is designed to do all the work for you: just kill the engine and toss the anchor overboard; it’s that easy. The Box Anchor will hit the bottom, roll to its side, and set within one foot with no need to power down.

Of course, this is exactly how a lot of boaters anchor anyways...

And then:

This same principal works in wind or current change. With a traditional anchor, if you are in a cove or canyon and the wind direction suddenly changes, you have to power up the boat, retrieve the anchor, and try to reset it to accommodate the new situation. The Box Anchor has been designed to take care of all of this for you. The new wind direction brings the boat over the top of the anchor freeing it from the bottom, but as the boat passes over the top of the anchor and continues towards its new resting place, the Box Anchor simply rolls over on its other side to set firmly in the new direction.

Sounds like an anchor designed by somebody who's never actually anchored before.

[DoubleWhisky]

Originally Posted by cwyckham

Wow, that box anchor link is gold!
...................
Sounds like an anchor designed by somebody who's never actually anchored before.

Originally Posted by DoubleWhisky

When I saw it, I was under impression it was invented by boating fascinated farmer as a creative developement of a wide tooth harrow. If it was possible to make a plough to be an anchor, why not to follow with other tool of trade..?..

I will stick to my theory....

[Factor]

Originally Posted by noelex 77

The convex plow anchors do very poorly in this sort of substrate.

Could I respectfully request that you do not make broad generalisations like that. Not all convex anchors are ploughs, not all convex anchors behave identically any more than all scoop anchors do. This is a good thread and a good resource, especially for those in that part of the world, but inaccurate pronouncements are not useful. Some of us have undertaken our own comparisons and have determined that many anchors behave slightly and sometime radically differently. Broad sweeping statements like that are as accurate as saying all powerboats are bad, all people who like cricket are stupid and all inflatables are rubbish.

[avb3]

Originally Posted by Factor

Could I respectfully request that you do not make broad generalisations like that. Not all convex anchors are ploughs, not all convex anchors behave identically any more than all scoop anchors do. This is a good thread and a good resource, especially for those in that part of the world, but inaccurate pronouncements are not useful. Some of us have undertaken our own comparisons and have determined that many anchors behave slightly and sometime radically differently. Broad sweeping statements like that are as accurate as saying all powerboats are bad, all people who like cricket are stupid and all inflatables are rubbish.

It would be wonderful if we could see some pictures of these anchors you may be talking about in action. It would be such a credible resource for all sailors, don't you think? Perhaps you could solicit some from local sailors you know that have these anchors you talk about?

Please do contribute, as the more information in actual settings, the more knowledgeable we all become, and perhaps anchor manufacturers can produce even better products.

Do you think you could assist in this type of crowdsourcing activity? I'm certain your efforts would be so appreciated by everyone.

[DoubleWhisky]

Factor,

with all due respect:

1. Noelex wrote "convex plow anchors do..."
2. Noelex did not claim that all convex anchors are plow anchors.
3. Noelex did not claim that any convex anchors exept plow do so and so...

You are obviously finding in Noelex writing something, what does not exist there.
I'm observing this lack of common understanding between You and Noelex for a long time, sometime with some fun, sometime with irritation.


Can we agree on the following:

1. Not all convex anchors are ploughs;
2. There are some convex anchors being ploughs;
3. When somebody write "convex ploughs" or "convex plow anchors" or words to that effect it is not about convex non-plough anchors???

Cheers,

Tomasz

[onestepcsy37]

Originally Posted by Factor

all people who like cricket are stupid

Anyone who can even UNDERSTAND cricket should be awarded an honorary degree from Cambridge.

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by DoubleWhisky

Factor,

with all due respect:

1. Noelex wrote "convex plow anchors do..."
2. Noelex did not claim that all convex anchors are plow anchors.
3. Noelex did not claim that any convex anchors exept plow do so and so...

You are obviously finding in Noelex writing something what not exist there.
I'm observing this lack of common understanding between You and Noelex for a long time, sometime with some fun, sometime with irritation.


Can we agree on the following:

1. Not all convex anchors are ploughs;
2. There are some convex anchors being ploughs;
3. When somebody write "convex ploughs" or "convex plow anchors" or words to that effect it is not about convex non-plough anchors???

Cheers,

Tomasz

Well said, mate! I hope that we can indeed agree on those stipulations, and get back to empirical, verifiable information about real anchors in real bottoms, set by real cruisers/charterers/stuffups.

Jim

[gspeak]

Originally Posted by avb3

It would be wonderful if we could see some pictures of these anchors you may be talking about in action. It would be such a credible resource for all sailors, don't you think? Perhaps you could solicit some from local sailors you know that have these anchors you talk about?

Please do contribute, as the more information in actual settings, the more knowledgeable we all become, and perhaps anchor manufacturers can produce even better products.

Do you think you could assist in this type of crowdsourcing activity? I'm certain your efforts would be so appreciated by everyone.

Can I just say that not all of us have the luxury of youth, great fitness, time or the absolutely awesome clear waters that Noelex inhabits. I have been striving to get some photos of our SARCA Excel in use for you guys.

We anchored in 8 metres with 40 metres of all chain rode behind a small island (You can check out the anchorage at Kent Island) here in North Queensland on the weekend. My mermaid & I went for a snorkel over to the surrounding reef & also tried to get photos of the Excel. However, the wind was blowing 20 knots & wrapping around the island in gusts, wind against a strong tidal current that ran between the islands & the water was very poor visibility. I tried diving down to the anchor with camera in hand, but my 64 year old lungs just can't hack it any longer.

Be assured when I have the luxury of anchoring in shallower, clearer water (not having to worry about reefy bottom & bommies) I will post photos of our Excel in use for you all to analyse. I'm as interested as you as to why this anchor continues to perform so very well. The wind against tide on the weekend meant we were rotating 360 degrees throughout our stay & made for a fairly uncomfortable night ... but it appears that we didn't move at all.

Please be patient as due to work commitments, we're a little leisure time poor right now.

Dave

[cwyckham]

Originally Posted by gspeak

Can I just say that not all of us have the luxury of youth, great fitness, time or the absolutely awesome clear waters that Noelex inhabits. I have been striving to get some photos of our SARCA Excel in use for you guys.

We anchored in 8 metres with 40 metres of all chain rode behind a small island (You can check out the anchorage at Kent Island) here in North Queensland on the weekend. My mermaid & I went for a snorkel over to the surrounding reef & also tried to get photos of the Excel. However, the wind was blowing 20 knots & wrapping around the island in gusts, wind against a strong tidal current that ran between the islands & the water was very poor visibility. I tried diving down to the anchor with camera in hand, but my 64 year old lungs just can't hack it any longer.

Be assured when I have the luxury of anchoring in shallower, clearer water (not having to worry about reefy bottom & bommies) I will post photos of our Excel in use for you all to analyse. I'm as interested as you as to why this anchor continues to perform so very well. The wind against tide on the weekend meant we were rotating 360 degrees throughout our stay & made for a fairly uncomfortable night ... but it appears that we didn't move at all.

Please be patient as due to work commitments, we're a little leisure time poor right now.

Dave

Thanks for the effort. It's always exciting when somebody other than Noelex posts a picture because it'll be of a different type of bottom somewhere else in the world.

[Coops]

Yes, thank you for trying. At least you are doing, or want to at least, something positive for the thread rather than merely proffering negativity as some choose to do. Good on ya.

Coops.

[noelex 77]

Originally Posted by gspeak

I have been striving to get some photos of our SARCA Excel in use for you guys.

Thanks for trying. I am blessed here with very clear water, which makes the photography easy.

Anchor photographs do not have to be technically good to tell the story so I would encourage everyone to post photos. Hopefully random photos rather than particularly good, or bad examples to prove a point.

Even when murky water robs the photo of detail, often enough can be seen to draw some conclusions. If you use one of the photo editing programs to increase the contrast and sharpness the image often improves enough to reveal more information.

Those North Queensland waters have such amazing colourful fish and coral so you have a lot of reasons to get and use an underwater camera. I love watching the clown fish. They have even been known to distract me from looking at anchors.