2nd anchor

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billmacfarlane

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I'm sure this subject has come up before but I've tried a search and couldn't find it. I've a 35lb Bruce with 55m chain ( or will have when I fit the new chain this week ) . I'm planning to visit the Scilly Isles this summer and will obviously need a second anchor - I'm being pulled towards a Fortress X23 with 2 m chain and a reel of Anchoraline. Anybody who's been to the Scillies any comment re choice of second anchor ?
 
I would agree this, as it is almost the same as I have, except that I prefer a Delta. When I anchored in the Scillies I only used the Delta but I have had good results, mostly, with the Fortress and like its light weight for lunch stops. It has failed to rebed, though, and I wouldn't trust it on rope or Ankarolina for overnight. Probably OK on all chain though. I think that for a steady pull the Fortress is as good as its makers claim.
 
Thanks Vyv.I think I'll go for this set up. I don't plan to use the Fortress daily , but only to use it if I need to lay a second anchor , though hopefully I won't need to do this.
 
fortress is a great anchor for most of the scillies anchorages, where there is good sand bottom, my onl y preference would be for 30 feet of chain, they also work great when shackled to the head of a bruce with a few meytres of chain, did that in Bayona in a F9 and the fortess completely dug its self in so deep that we had to motor it out and the bow went down about six inches before it let go...i now have three fortess anchors of differing size,thats how good i think they are
 
In sand/mud I mostly agree. Many Scillies anchorages have very long weed, especially the ones needed when it really blows, like New Grimsby. I have no experience with the Fortress in that sort of bottom but I suspect that some weight would be helpful. We four boats had CQR, Bruce and Delta, all on chain, and none of us dragged in F8.
 
I have a 25kg Delta . If things get a bit hairy I add two mts of chain with the fortress to delta. It held me in many a good blow in the Cyclades Still hate listening to the chain grumble on the bottom though .I have not used two seperate warp/chain set ups as I belive that the weight is transfered from one ,to the other ,if the first drags then the load is applied to the other which may not have set as well as the first ,then this may drag ect,ect This is IMHO Cheers bobt

Bob T
 
Chain grumble

You can overcome chain grumble by taking a length of nylon warp to a point on the chain just below the stemhead and hauling in to form a bight of chain, then cleating the nylon. This removes all the noise and builds in a little more shock absorbence. In the past we used to take the warp through a link, or use a rolling hitch, but there is now a special s/s hook for the purpose. This is completely non-intrusive, you only need to haul in the chain for the hook to fall off it, dangling on the nylon until there is time to recover it.
 
Noted in YM West Country cruising, recommend both Fisherman and Danforth as backups/kedge with lots of chain when cruising the Scillies.


Brian
 
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