Anchor advice

[jim99]

Thanks, makes sense I think (even to me).

Hmm, you'd think they would want to compare the steel and aluminum Spades. Make my decision easier /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[crisjones]

Hi Duncan,

I didn't intend my "test results" to be compared to previous results in numerous tests, I was just relating personal experience in real life conditions.

I too was quite surprised the Delta and Spade didn't set as easily as I expected in view of all the test data that shows them to be pretty good.

Bear in mind I only tried each anchor once until it had set because I had limited time so there is no repeatability of my findings. I do intend to repeat the tests when weather and time allow and will then try each a few more times, might also try and find some different conditions to compare performance.

I still believe that lots of weight will always make initial setting easier, even Hylas admits that the steel Spade digs in quicker than the ali in some conditions.

While I agree that anchors are generally designed to be fairly easily pulled out with a vertical pull but when 3 anchors are set in much the same way on the same bottom, the ease or difficulty of breaking them out must give some indication of how well they were dug in. In the past I have noticed alot more difficulty pulling up an anchor after a good blow compared to the same anchor after a calm night.

 

[TonyMS]

Cautionary tale on the flat webbing on a reel instead of rope - My wife had the the line pulled through her hands when anchoring once, and nearly cut her hand in 2.

I suppose she would have been burned with rope, but at the margin rope is easier to hold.

We're fans of the Plastimo Kobra anchor - rated nr 2 (after Spade) in the Voile et Voilier tests and very affordable. Folds as well

 

[Anonymous]

[ QUOTE ]
..., and they [Bruce anchors] are quite popular on the archipelago.

[/ QUOTE ]Which is probably as good a reason as any for you to choose a Bruce. In addition, I have noticed that a high proportion of heavy quality yachts, manufactured in the Nordic countries, equipped for serious cruising, seem to be fitted with a Bruce.

 

[duncan]

thanks for the response.

[ QUOTE ]
the ease or difficulty of breaking them out must give some indication of how well they were dug in

[/ QUOTE ] agreed - but this will be a function of the load put on them rather than there ability to set/reset or actually hold as you implied.
re weight, again agree the general point but would clarify that it is of course a function of 2 factors - the static weight of the anchor bought to bear on its 'point' when resting on the seabed and the dynamic force bought to bear on the same point by a lateral pull on the stock. In the case of the spade equally weighted steel of aluminum units would have the same (roughly) but what Alain was probably, fairly, highlighting is that for any given vessel the recommended steel unit will be heavier than the equivelent (holding) aluminimum one - and therefore set better in extremes of 'hard bottomitus'!

Enjoy you cruising - as said it's good to hear of success stories in the economy stakes; especially when they 'really work' better than expected.

 

[Birdseye]

Whilst I have CQR, Brittany and Bruce in the garage, I've long carried an aluminium second anchor and had no real problems with it. Its big advantage as a lunchtime anchor is that it is easy to recover manually because of light weight. Once it is dug in, the resistance to drag (its a danforth style) depends on area not on wieght. But getting it to dog in has to be part dependant on weight and part on the sharpness of the flukes.

My only doubt has been about its ability to reset after tide changes, but that wont affect you.

And effort to lift up isnt related to holding power since you are lifting at almost 90 degrees to the angle you require the anchor to hold at.