Best anchor style for Great Lakes?

[Rumrace]

Two Danforth ( weed harvester) 30’ of chain on each and 200’ of rode on each. I have a pair off ploughs for rocky bits like Georgian Bay and near the Straights
I drop my twins about 30’ feet apart set them and add whips to rode to take the load off the hardware.
I have been teaching scuba diving in the Great Lakes for years. The most dangerous boat to anchor near is a boat with 200’ of chain on top of their anchors. Or worse tight chain hanging off the bow. It’s sure not the east coast.
From a divers prospective it’s easy to separate the buckwheat from the bear scat.
I know the east shore line running up Michigan Great towns and ports running up the coast. Holland Michigan May be the cleanest town in the US.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by JBP

I've only been on Superior a few times, but it struck me as much more wild and isolated than the lower four.

'tis indeed. Much more like the east coast than any of the other Lakes, except perhaps some areas of Huron (not Georgian Bay or the North Channel -- Huron proper).

I like Fortress/Danforth anchors, but view that as special-purpose. I would never use one as my main bower unless I knew I was always anchoring in softish mud/sand (not too hard, not too soft). The Great Lakes has a lot of this, but it has a lot more, even the lower Lakes (except perhaps Erie).

Before moving to a Rocna I used to carry two bower anchors: a CQR and a Danforth. I would swap anchors depending on the bottom. The Rocna (and all the newer style anchors: Mantus, Manson, Spade, Rocna, Excel, etc...) cover pretty much the same range as those two, although I still carry both a Fortress and a Danforth for special circumstances. I also carry a Bruce. I like to have lots of options .

I'm no fan of routinely deploying multiple anchors. Again, there are plenty of special circumstances where this is necessary, but for routine anchoring it is not. IMO this approach does more harm than good.

BTW, my leadline has a wax plug. I occasionally use it to sample the bottom.

[FULLCIRCLE331]

A little known anchor the BULLWAGA is the best all around anchor. Look it up. Pratical Sailor did a comparisons of many of the popular anchors the Bullwaga was #1 in almost every catagory. I have used mine for 20 years, it never has failed. The only issue I have is storage it is bulky. The only usage issue I have had is once anchored on a mud bottom when a severe thunderstorm came through, 50 + knots of wind. It dough in so deep that it took awhile to get out. Everyone I have encountered that owns one loves it.

[Medic 4 U]

So interesting to read about people's different experiences on the Great Lakes.
It's interesting to see people opinions about different anchors, and whoever said it was right, boy are there opinions.

Well I have cruised Michigan, with my family, as a kid, and now as an adult with my own family.

Now I grew up on saill boats, but due to medical conditions my wife has, I've had to move over to power boats, as I need to be able to get her into cool 'conditioned' air, if her illness acts up, but she's a trooper.

And I can say in over 40 years of sailing, and power boating, WITH THE PROPERLY SIZED DANFORTH ANCHOR, I HAVE NEVER HAD AN ANCHOR FAILURE OF ANY KIND! I always use adequate scope, for the conditions. We always knew what kind of bottom we're anchoring in as well. To say a Danforth anchor is usless means your denser than the metal the anchor is made out of... In other words you're not a very good yachtsmen.

[Nekton73]

I sail and anchor in Superior, North Shore.



15 kg Rocna on the bow with 40' of 5/16" chain and 200' of 1/2" rode.


7.5kg Danforth in the aft locker with 10' of 5/16" of chain and 150' of 1/2" rode.



So far so good, but I certainly haven't seen every possible situation. This is just what works for me and my little Grampian 30. Take from it what you will.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by Nekton73

I sail and anchor in Superior, North Shore.



15 kg Rocna on the bow with 40' of 5/16" chain and 200' of 1/2" rode.


7.5kg Danforth in the aft locker with 10' of 5/16" of chain and 150' of 1/2" rode.



So far so good, but I certainly haven't seen every possible situation. This is just what works for me and my little Grampian 30. Take from it what you will.

Where are you based out of? I sailed out of the Thunder BayYacht Club for a decade. I still miss the Superior north/east shores. Some of the best cruising anywhere..

[Tetepare]

Originally Posted by Medic 4 U

And I can say in over 40 years of sailing, and power boating, WITH THE PROPERLY SIZED DANFORTH ANCHOR, I HAVE NEVER HAD AN ANCHOR FAILURE OF ANY KIND!... To say a Danforth anchor is usless means your denser than the metal the anchor is made out of... In other words you're not a very good yachtsmen.

Our friends upsized from a 35' to a 41' and the 41' came with a Danforth. Anchored offshore (us, them, and about 100 other boats) got hit by a microburst. Their Danforth bent and they were blown offshore. My Delta did not bend. They now have a Mantus.

I've been sailing for over 50 years, and I still say Danforth is junk. I use Fortress for sand and picnics. As far as yachtsmanship, I've gone out twice to save boats when USCG was too chicken to do so.

[rslifkin]

Originally Posted by Tetepare

Our friends upsized from a 35' to a 41' and the 41' came with a Danforth. Anchored offshore (us, them, and about 100 other boats) got hit by a microburst. Their Danforth bent and they were blown offshore. My Delta did not bend. They now have a Mantus.

I've been sailing for over 50 years, and I still say Danforth is junk. I use Fortress for sand and picnics. As far as yachtsmanship, I've gone out twice to save boats when USCG was too chicken to do so.

The Danforth design is fine (although a bit special purpose and I wouldn't recommend one as a primary anchor). But not all Danforths are made equal. The higher quality Danforths (the H or hi tensile series) and the Fortress (basically just an aluminum Danforth) are quite good. Some of the lower end models and cheap copies are not so good and either don't set as well or are easy to bend.

[Lodesman]

Originally Posted by JBP

4) There are no coral heads. Rope rode is quite popular and perfectly fine.

Rope rode doesn't give any catenary, so you should only use with an anchor that is not overly sensitive to being pulled at an angle above horizontal. Most of the new gen anchors are reasonably good, but at shorter scopes you'll lose 50% or more of the potential holding power.