Rocna 10 vs CQR 45

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by smj

Did your CQR set as fast as your Mantus? Did you ever dive on your CQR and see how it set? Same with the Mantus?

I drift set so you don't really notice a difference when they set. I check my position visually when I put the anchor in then recheck a few minutes later and I'm usually still in the same spot

I have never dove in to check either anchor, but after the tide rotates the boat a few times it's still in the same spot

The 25 lb. Mantus is 10" wider than my 20 lb CQR so it should have more holding power.

That width is also a problem when on deck, but once you get the thing in the water is does the job

[Nicholson58]

We are year seven living a seven month season in the eastern Caribbean. We are on the hook always, never in a marina. One thing all of us note on boats arriving near us is what is on their chain. If we see a CQR, especially where the bottom is slightly challenging, we keep a sharp eye on them. On one nearby boat the owner finally dove and took the chain half around an abandoned concrete mooring. Meanwhile our ROCNA dove right through the hard pack coral refuse.

Best use for my old 74# CQR - mooring my small boats.

[Mike OReilly]

I’ve been sailing and cruising for over two decades now (time flies…) I cruised with CQR (both Genuine and 3rd party) for more than 1/2 my sailing life. I’ve now used a Rocna for the other 1/2. I’ve anchored in a wide variety of locations, and situations.

My personal experience is that the Rocna is significantly better, in almost every way, than the CQR. Again, this doesn’t make the CQR a bad anchor. And clearly it still works. It’s just not as good as the newer crop of anchors.

[ranger58sb]

Commentary from the peanut gallery:

I suspect a huge percentage of anchor users -- any brand, any design -- haven't got a clue whether their anchors work or whether their technique works. I suspect lots of folks who "anchor" haven't ever actually been in a situation that would stress their anchor's design or their setting techniques.

(I can probably count on one hand the number of times -- over the last 35 years or so -- where we've been in a wind (and windage)/wave/tide and current/bottom and holding ground situation that might have tested our anchor or our technique.)

So maybe anecdotal reports from many folks -- "never having dragged" -- is probably not a useful metric by itself. Might be more useful if that were to include additional info.

Probably cruisers here are a step above that casual crowd, of course...

-Chris

[thomm225]

This is my old CQR in action during the daylight with little risk since if it did drag I had 25-30 miles of Chesapeake Bay behind me.

It had been a beautiful Spring day 30 minutes earlier when I anchored.

Winds gusting over 40 knots during the squall

It didn't drag though. Main concern was Lightning.

The anchor came up clean the next morning so I wasn't in mud must have been sand, gravel, and shells etc

But I was in several similar situations off Kiptopeke with heavy winds blowing me toward the beach and luckily the CQR held those times as well. I was anchored about 50-60 yards off the beach both times

Waves were 3' of so. Winds to 25 knots

One time temps dropped to the low 40's

Mistakes were made but the anchored saved me and my boat.

All I could do was lay there and hope it held. My 5 HP outboard would do no good against those waves

Once I rigged my backup Bruce but didn't use it because I did not want to risk fouling the CQR's rode.

The boat was swing all over the place. Anchor rode grinding across the edges of the bow

I was so happy when daylight arrived

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okRZs6os5Eo

[Mike OReilly]

Someone asked about good technique. It starts with identifying a good spot, then lowering (not "throwing out" the anchor) carefully laying out the rode, gently snubbing to allow the anchor to set, and begin to bite, then slowly backing off, increasing rode length so you can really start to dig the anchor in. And of course, once the anchor is set, you want to dig it in as well as possible. No anchor, no matter how good it is, will hold any boat in even a modest wind or current situation, unless it is dug in.

Newer anchor designs are better at setting, and easier to get dug in. They tend to have more holding power, and they reset faster and better. They work well over a wider range of substates. All this makes them easier to use, hence one doesn't have to be as careful in the anchoring process. But no anchor is perfect, and everyone drags eventually, if you anchor in a wide range of areas and conditions.

Technique still matters.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by Nicholson58

One thing all of us note on boats arriving near us is what is on their chain. If we see a CQR, especially where the bottom is slightly challenging, we keep a sharp eye on them.

Agreed. It's always comforting to see a good anchor hanging from the bow of new neighbours. But I'm even more comforted by crews that come in, scout the anchorage, ask for advice/information from those already there, and then calmly and without a lot of drama, get their anchor down properly.

I'll take an obviously experienced crew with a CQR over a boat that roars in and just dumps their anchor and rode without any clear understanding of what they are doing.

[Cynara]

If you drop the CQR with minimal chain, put your boat in reverse then back at full power your CQR will not set.

We sailed channel islands in southern California. West and east coast of central America and Panama canal

Never had an issue.,it takes some skill.

[Icarus]

Originally Posted by sharkdiver84

I've read a lot about how Rocna anchors are superior in all metrics, but have only used CQR in the past. The new boat, Downeaster 38, came with an undersized Rocna 10 which I would never truly trust because it is two sizes below the recommended for this size boat.



My plan was to sell it and get the right size, but then I was gifted a CQR 45 from a generous neighbor. It got me thinking about the tests I have seen when the Rocna anchors provide several times more holding power. Now I'm debating the merits of the two. My gut tells me go with the CQR 45, because I have no experience with Rocna and it's hard to believe that half the size anchor will compete. But some of the tests I've seen indicate that may be true. What are your guys experiences? Can a smaller Rocna compete with a larger CQR?

Anchors, anchors and more anchors..
Nothing much wrong with the CQR...
I sailed and anchored in literally hundreds of different anchorages over the last 30 years or so...
I still got a 50lb CQR as a main anchor and a #5 Sarca...both are fine...

[thomm225]

This guy is using a Manson Supreme.

He has a ferry to leeward.

Anchored in winds 70-80 knots.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luWJwTRkTUo

[malbert73]

Originally Posted by ranger58sb

Forget the words CQR and Rocna for a while.



Go to Steve Goodwin's (S/V Panope) anchor reviews on YouTube, look at the summary chart toward the end of his video #131.



Pick from there. (Unless one of his newer videos has even better info.)



-Chris

Exactly. Get a Mantus properly sized.

From direct experience it’s far superior to Rocna and CQR. My anchoring is up and down east coast US- mud, sand, grass.

[mako]

Actually I interpret Steve's charts on #131 differently.

Being a practical guy, it shows that the CQR performs at about 75% of the modern roll-bar crowd. Well, you can buy a CQR that is 50% bigger than a roll-bar for probably 1/4 the price. Less if it is used. Sure it has to fit, but not everyone can accommodate a roll-bar either.

Heck if you can find a used 100lb CQR for a hundred bucks, and fit it, then it's obviously going to outperform a 40-50lb Mantus/Viking/Rocna for $700+

Shoot, just got sucked into another anchor discussion...

[smj]

Originally Posted by mako

Actually I interpret Steve's charts on #131 differently.

Being a practical guy, it shows that the CQR performs at about 75% of the modern roll-bar crowd. Well, you can buy a CQR that is 50% bigger than a roll-bar for probably 1/4 the price. Less if it is used. Sure it has to fit, but not everyone can accommodate a roll-bar either.

Heck if you can find a used 100lb CQR for a hundred bucks, and fit it, then it's obviously going to outperform a 40-50lb Mantus/Viking/Rocna for $700+

Shoot, just got sucked into another anchor discussion...

Once again back to reality

[CSY Man]

Personally, my solution is large, oversized new generation primary anchor. This provides more holding power and greater substrate versatility than two smaller old generation anchors. Importantly this solution is always deployed so provides adequate holding ability even if conditions unexpectedly deteriorate. A spare primary anchor is stored low down in the bilge as a replacement in case of loss. A lightweight Fortress anchor on a predominately Dyneema rode is available as a kedge/emergency back up and can be rapidly deployed.

Agree on the above: I prefer a lunch hook, a working anchor and a storm anchor
all rolled into one strong chunk of metal.

Had a 35# CQR on my 20, 000 lbs CSY 33, anchored in the half-moon bay at Chub Cay 25 years ago. When the sun went down the wind changed to West and picked up to 20-25 knots and we started dragging. (No VHF weather forecast then, got a SSB later)
Sat anchor watch all night, it sucked.
When back in Florida we bought a 55# Delta, 215' of G4 chain and 250 feet 3/4" three strand nylon and cruised with it for 10 years. (Good exercise to retrieve anchor and chain without a windlass)
Didn't really drag but had a hard time setting in soft mud, like in Virginia Key near Miami.
Around 2007 Rocna Anchors became available in Canada but not yet in the US, had a 44# Rocna shipped to Florida and cruised with it as the primary anchor for another 6 years until I sold the boat.
Yes, the Rocna set much quicker and held better than the Delta.

Since then I switched to power boats and used Rocnas ever since, always happy with them, and 95% of the time they came right side up when retrieved.
Got no loyalty to Rocnas however, there are probably better anchors out there now.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by CSY Man

Agree on the above: I prefer a lunch hook, a working anchor and a storm anchor
all rolled into one strong chunk of metal.

Had a 35# CQR on my 20, 000 lbs CSY 33, anchored in the half-moon bay at Chub Cay 25 years ago. When the sun went down the wind changed to West and picked up to 20-25 knots and we started dragging. (No VHF weather forecast then, got a SSB later)
Sat anchor watch all night, it sucked.
When back in Florida we bought a 55# Delta, 215' of G4 chain and 250 feet 3/4" three strand nylon and cruised with it for 10 years. (Good exercise to retrieve anchor and chain without a windlass)
Didn't really drag but had a hard time setting in soft mud, like in Virginia Key near Miami.
Around 2007 Rocna Anchors became available in Canada but not yet in the US, had a 44# Rocna shipped to Florida and cruised with it as the primary anchor for another 6 years until I sold the boat.
Yes, the Rocna set much quicker and held better than the Delta.

Since then I switched to power boats and used Rocnas ever since, always happy with them, and 95% of the time they came right side up when retrieved.
Got no loyalty to Rocnas however, there are probably better anchors out there now.

Yeah, with a 35# CQR on a 20,000 lb. boat I'm sure you did drag.

I almost bought a 35# CQR to replace my old 20 lb. CQR for my 6600 lb. 27' sailboat but happened to find a new 25 lb Mantus M1 for about the same price

You probably needed a 50 lb CQR for that 20,000 lb. CSY