Epsilon Anchors infos
- Thread starter jaba
- Start date
Sandy
Well-known member
Good gawd, that is a serious marketing chatter!
Just bought a Knox, clearly made and sold by engineers with zero marketing chatter.
Just bought a Knox, clearly made and sold by engineers with zero marketing chatter.
Robih
Well-known member
Drawing and recommendations here:
AncDraw.JPG
AncSpec.JPG
Have you found the galvanised version for sale anywhere? As far as I’m aware it is stainless only on the market until next spring.
AncDraw.JPG
AncSpec.JPG
Have you found the galvanised version for sale anywhere? As far as I’m aware it is stainless only on the market until next spring.
jaba
Member
Thanks! As for galvanized Epsilon, you find them here . In Italy AFAIK Osculati have galvanized Epsilon on sale: they are official representatives of Lewmar here. You might also have a look at their store locator in UK (bottom of linked webpage, but of course Lewmar marketing policy in UK might differ)
BTW: do you have any thought/comment about Epsilons? They should be less expensive Spade clones... I am looking to replace my Rocna.
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Robih
Well-known member
Unfortunately it’s too early for any worthwhile opinion on Epsilon, we need the anchor in the hands of Steve of SY Panope fame (search YouTube) before we can begin to draw any conclusions. In reality it’ll be a year before we know whether the marketing chatter holds water.
jaba
Member
I totally agree: Steve's YouTube is the anchor's Bible!
Neeves
Well-known member
Like others who test anchors Steve/Panope does not buy the anchors he tests - we need to wait for someone to give him one before we will see any results.
Plenty of people buy anchors with no test data (you don't want me to give you examples
) and once Epsilon is freely available indications of performance will develop. Don't rush to buy and be patient. However Lewmar have had it tested and it has been awarded SHHP by a Classification Societ. Lewmar are no fools (or not that I aware) and cannot afford to market a lemon (considering market expectations) so buying one without much independent user reports does not appear to be a major risk. Basically it will do what is says on the box.
I'd also point out that some anchors have had glowing reports from some - and the anchors turn out to be lemons - so do not believe everything you read. Take a balanced view.
Be patient - or stand out from the cautious, buy one and report back - here. We will value your comments and weigh them against comments from others.
Jonathan
Plenty of people buy anchors with no test data (you don't want me to give you examples
) and once Epsilon is freely available indications of performance will develop. Don't rush to buy and be patient. However Lewmar have had it tested and it has been awarded SHHP by a Classification Societ. Lewmar are no fools (or not that I aware) and cannot afford to market a lemon (considering market expectations) so buying one without much independent user reports does not appear to be a major risk. Basically it will do what is says on the box.I'd also point out that some anchors have had glowing reports from some - and the anchors turn out to be lemons - so do not believe everything you read. Take a balanced view.
Be patient - or stand out from the cautious, buy one and report back - here. We will value your comments and weigh them against comments from others.
Jonathan
LittleSister
Well-known member
LittleSister
Well-known member
I see that Jimmy Green is listing the galvanised versions being available from March 2021.
I couldn't find size recommendations on Lewmar's site (except a boat between 0 and 30ft would require 6kg or 10kg version), nor anywhere else.
I was puzzled that it says it has an 'optional roll bar for sailboat use'. Why would a sailing boat benefit from a roll bar when a motor boat wouldn't?
I couldn't find size recommendations on Lewmar's site (except a boat between 0 and 30ft would require 6kg or 10kg version), nor anywhere else.
I was puzzled that it says it has an 'optional roll bar for sailboat use'. Why would a sailing boat benefit from a roll bar when a motor boat wouldn't?
jaba
Member
A heretic!
IndeedA heretic!
But I am at my third Rocna in the last 15 years and I found too many resetting issues (see also here, here and Panope's most recent here.) Same experience. I mostly singlehand and I am fed up with waking up in the middle of the night to relaunch because of some wind shift (not forcibly 180°), or, worst, having to run away from some otherwise protected anchorage... Anyway, too dangerous. That's why I bit the bullet and decided to replace my anchor before next season.So: I fully agree with @Neeves' but I haven't really got the time to be patient nor I am inclined to be a first tester: I can't afford to stay awake at night because I don't (yet) trust my anchor. I am thinking of looking for a Spade. More expensive, but...
geem
Well-known member
I replaced a Rocna with a Spade. Looks like the new Epsilon is a Spade copy but half the price?A heretic!
geem
Well-known member
On identical bow rollers the spade stows better than a Rocna. We have friends who cant get their Rocna to stow well. I cant comment on the Delta.
Neeves
Well-known member
Indeed
So: I fully agree with @Neeves' but I haven't really got the time to be patient nor I am inclined to be a first tester: I can't afford to stay awake at night because I don't (yet) trust my anchor. I am thinking of looking for a Spade. More expensive, but...
A man who sails in all seasons!
I will not be able to comment on fit but if you were to declare what yacht you sail there might (must) be someone with a similar model who could accurately advise on fit.
Jonathan
jaba
Member
Hanse 400
noelex
Well-known member
It is great to see companies producing new models. There has been a shortage of high performing anchors for boats where the roll bar models will not fit. The steel Spade is excellent, but despite the high performance it has some drawbacks (it is expensive in many countries and is more difficult to re-galvanise).
There are plenty of new contenders: the Rocna Vulcan, Mantus M2 and the Lewmar Epsilon to name a few. Hopefully one of these new models will prove even better overall than the steel Spade. However, at the moment there are very few user reports, so it will need some time before we can establish how well these new models are performing.
If nothing else, extra competition will be good for consumers, hopefully the extra competition will drive down prices and will help point the way for future developments and refinements. Despite very rapid developments in recent years, the goal of the perfect anchor is still a long way from reality.
There are plenty of new contenders: the Rocna Vulcan, Mantus M2 and the Lewmar Epsilon to name a few. Hopefully one of these new models will prove even better overall than the steel Spade. However, at the moment there are very few user reports, so it will need some time before we can establish how well these new models are performing.
If nothing else, extra competition will be good for consumers, hopefully the extra competition will drive down prices and will help point the way for future developments and refinements. Despite very rapid developments in recent years, the goal of the perfect anchor is still a long way from reality.
noelex
Well-known member
I think it is simply that powerboats, especially small powerboats frequently have problems fitting anchors with roll bars.
I suspect Lewmar have gone to the expense and trouble of designing a roll bar because the anchor sets better with one installed, but they deem the performance still acceptable without the roll bar. By making the roll bar removable those boats that cannot fit a roll bar anchor are not excluded from the pool of potential buyers.
I have not seen the new anchor so the above is speculation. It will be interesting to see how the anchor performs with and without the roll bar.
Neeves
Well-known member
To add to this.
Galvanising any anchor can be difficult as many galvanisers are not interested in small lots. However I believe Spade have a galvanising guarantee and if your anchor does need to be regalvanised - send them a query.
Taking sensible precautions, leather gloves, banishing children (or those of childish tendencies) and pets etc
If you have a sympathetic galvaniser (they are surprisingly common in Sydney, Australia), it is very easy to prepare for re-coating. Take the anchor apart and weigh the fluke. Support the fluke such that the molten lead will flow freely from the ballast chamber in the toe into an appropriately sized 'tin' or steel saucepan. Using a blow torch heat the lead in the toe until it melts, allow the lead to flow into receptacle. Re-weigh anchor Take anchor and shank to galvaniser.
On receipt of recoated anchor add lead, to the same weight, as you melted out or use reclaimed roofing lead ideally chopped up as 'shreds' to fit in ballast chamber. Melt with blow torch - job done.
Jonathan
Neeves
Well-known member
Noelex - you forgot the Viking anchor.
There is an undercurrent amongst some who monitor anchor sales that there is a belief amongst the public that an anchor, to be 'rated' and talked about - must have a roll bar.
Without a roll bar it surely cannot work
As proof - Neither the M2 nor Vulcan has hardly hit the public's imagination.
Lewmar might be suspected of pandering to their perception of public opinion.
Time will tell.
Jonathan
There is an undercurrent amongst some who monitor anchor sales that there is a belief amongst the public that an anchor, to be 'rated' and talked about - must have a roll bar.
Without a roll bar it surely cannot work
As proof - Neither the M2 nor Vulcan has hardly hit the public's imagination.
Lewmar might be suspected of pandering to their perception of public opinion.
Time will tell.
Jonathan
Robih
Well-known member
Jonathan,
yes, we need an Epsilon in the hands of Steve. If I was marketing manager at Lewmar I’d cancel an advert in the sailing mags and use that budget to send an anchor free gratis to Steve ASAP. A Positive test result from Steve is worth more than £20k spent advertising in the yottie mags - I would suggest.....
yes, we need an Epsilon in the hands of Steve. If I was marketing manager at Lewmar I’d cancel an advert in the sailing mags and use that budget to send an anchor free gratis to Steve ASAP. A Positive test result from Steve is worth more than £20k spent advertising in the yottie mags - I would suggest.....
Neeves
Well-known member
Being an anchor thread one should argue BUT I cannot argue with you except to say
Printed media, and this forum is part of printed media, desperately needs advertising. Cruisers Forum is an important window through which Steve disseminates his videos also desperately needs advertising revenue. CF is in fact a profit centre - Steve's vids and, all, the posts are part of the product. Without advertising Steve would not have a fan base (because CF would have no 'meaning' without the ads), or Steve's fan base would be smaller. Arguably one might say that CF should support Steve (as well as Steve receiving free anchors from anchor makers) as he sucks people into CF.
So I agree - but I think it slightly more complicated.
It is so unusual for a major player to introduce a new anchor, especially someone with Lewmar's background - they may decide there is enough interest and it is so keenly priced that it will sell itself. Many sales are part of a bundle, anchor, windlass, hatches to major boat builders - so every, well many, new yacht in a boat show (remember them?) had a Delta - now, or soon, they will have an Epsilon. A perception of the man on the omnibus might be - if Benny/Jenny and Bav sport an Epsilon - it must be good - not every one is clever enough to rely on YBW (or CF)
Interesting times.
Jonathan