Why buy US / China Junk When You Can Buy Aus / NZ ?

[Olesargesas]

I cannot understand why US boaties and the US in general love buying Chinese junk claimed to be a US product. Over here in Aus we have more pride and try to support the local manufacturers, both Aus and NZ.

Maybe the US should get China to support them in all their military conflicts around the world instead of Aus and NZ.

[Olesargesas]

I would like to share my anchor research, investigations and usage with others. I have been boating now for over 30 years.

Up until last year, being a one main anchor person (plus spare) I need a versatile anchor as such I have been a dedicated CQR person. Then after noting all the new modern day high holding anchors on boats around the bays where we become long term stayers in all weather I got curious and started to do some research.

Throwing away my old myth of what has worked in the past is the best for the future, taking into consideration I have only recently upgraded to a smartphone.

Anyway having extensive metals and structural fabrication and design experience I started my research with the following outcomes.

· Stainless Steel or Black Steel ? No brainer stainless regardless of grade is un-repairable as too much memory and if bent it will not ever maintain its straightened shape. Throw it.

· Concave or Convex ? For me again a no brainer, mainly because my anchorage is regularly heavy mud (crabbing). It is my view (and experience watching other boaties with concave anchors spend half an hour trying to wash the mud off, sometimes having to dig it off) that convex retains less mud on recovery than does concave. Further you fill a concave anchor with heavy mud it is no longer a concave anchor but a mud plug. You do a 180 when the tide changes the anchor pulls and will not reset properly. Also requiring something that works well in coral, foul (fishing) and firm sand. So for me Convex, even though in soft silty sand it may not be as good, but I do not frequent these areas.

· Strength ? After researching my Modern Convex Anchors of interest, it is again a no brainer. How can you beat a Bissalloy 80 Shank (it’s probably one of the strongest and abrasion resistant metals in the world) especially when you believe the section is more than fit for purpose ? You cannot. Combine this with excellent structural design and welding connection between shank and fluke. Then for me the decision was no decision.

· Published Tests and Certifications ? Having found one anchor that satisfied all of the above, how do they perform ? Reviewing tests funny enough the only anchor that satisfied all my above pre-requisites had an excellent performance rating for holding power.

As such my decision was made, I would buy a Sarca Excel in Galv. But what size. Having run a 100lb CQR previously, knowing full well my 65lb stern anchor would satisfactorily hold the boat in 35knot gusts, I went for a #8 40Kg Excel.

Don’t forget when sizing your anchor don’t use boat manufacturers boat weight. I use boat weight plus full load of fuel and water, plus 4 tonnes for misc. fittings, food, grog, 1st mates make-up, fishing gear and my junk.

First time trial on 10mm stainless chain, no swivel, just shackled. Unbelievable, unbelievable. The set, so much faster than the CQR, retrieval again once broken (not with winch) came up relatively clean in mud that washed of by the time the winch got the anchor home. The hold, lets you sleep a lot more comfortable after the first 10 nights or so in different conditions testing.

What more can I say, I am now new generation phone and anchor and very glad my 1st Mate talked me into both.

Olesargesas

[Scott Berg]

Good point-- exactly why I just bought a KISS wind gen after John moved manufacturing to the US. Yes, it will cost a bit more, but the people who made it will be living here, paying taxes here, etc. I was glad to walk into the booth at the Miami Boat Show, see the 'Made in USA' and order one. Same with my sails (made in Annapolis) and, for that matter, my boat (Florida, granted a few years ago)

[denverd0n]

Wow. I think that may be the first time I've seen a posting in an internet forum that accused Americans of not having enough pride.

So why would anyone buy something made in China? Well, not all Chinese products are junk. Some are quite well made. If you can find those products, for a good price, then the question would be, why not? And then, sometimes I don't require the very best quality. In those cases I sometimes just look for the best price. And, of course, a lot of people aren't sure how to sort out quality vs. price, and those people do sometimes end up buying junk.

By the way, there's a very good possibility that your new smartphone was made in China.

Note to Scott: It may say "Made in USA" on it, but it probably should only say "Assembled in USA." I would be willing to bet a very large sum of money that at least some of the components were, in fact, made in China.

[homeless]

If people in the US did not buy products manufactured with cheap Chinese labour, then Australia would not be able to sell China the gas, coal, iron ore, copper, or bauxite that those products are made from.

Do you really hate Australians so much that you want them poor and unemployed ?

If Australians are poor and unemployed, they won't buy the products produced in the US by Microsoft, Apple, Google, GM, Ford, CAT Boeing etc.

Do you really hate people in the US so much that you want them poor and unemployed ?

If you stop trade, or introduce protectionist policies everyone suffers. To claim that everything made by the world's largest manufacturer is "junk" is possibly a bit misleading ?

[lorenzo b]

What many seem to ignore is that if you buy a product made in China for say $15k instead of a comparable one made in the USA for $25k, you just put $10k in your pocket.
Inexpensive quality products made overseas add substantially to our wealth and standard of living.

[Kenomac]

Our boat was made in the UK, and the new generation anchor we plan to buy is manufactured in Turkey, our Steinway piano was made in the USA. I was made in Canada and now live half the year in the USA. When making a purchase, I always look to buy the highest quality product and not at the label as to where it was made.

Regarding a previous poster's comment "Not all Chinese products are junk. Some are quite well made." I honestly can't name one Chinese product that we've purchased that I'd describe as high quality. Crap is the most accurate description used in our household for items made in China.

[VirtualVagabond]

Wow... the hornets are buzzing

I thought this was a very clever Clayton's anchor thread... may need Aussie roots for that one.

The anchor looks interesteng. I have a 105lb CQR and can't get most of the modern rollover style Rocna types to work with my bowsprit, but this might.
Are they pricy?

Vic

[avb3]

Thread closed, getting political.