Anchor doesnt hook up

[Nick_H]

So, it is a plough.

andyc, a plough anchor is a generic term that covers lots of anchors that work in a certain way, including a CQR, Bruce, Delta and others, but it doesn't mean they're all as good as each other, in fact they certainly aren't. Manufacturers usually fit a Bruce anchor if they want to save money, or a Delta anchor if they want the boat to stay in one place, but you'd probably know if you had a Delta 'cos it has Delta written on the side, and you're unlikely to have a CQR unless you also have a long stick on top of your boat, hence I guessed that you have a Bruce. There are also many copies of the genuine Bruce anchor, which may or may not be as (not very) good.

 

[Channel Ribs]

... plough anchor is a generic term...

If you do a Google search for plough anchor you get lots of pictures like this one:

 

[hlb]

I've got a cheap second hand, bent 35lb plough, I've had it ten years. It's never failed me, even in 7 knot tides. I mostly dont bother digging it in. So theres something else wrong here.

It must be simple, like not enough chain. The OP dont say how much he's useing.

 

[Imperial One]

I was thinking about this a 3am this morning and When I do a bit of fishing, the anchor is out and it just drags along the ground.It is a large anchor fitted by the manufacturer.

Andy,

What weight is it - quite a few manufacturers opt for the smallest they can get away with for a given length of boat.

It is simply penny pinching - It is not uncommon for us to retro fit bigger anchors - and windlasses sometimes as well!

It may simply be you need a bigger anchor as well as more chain out.

 

[hlb]

I wonder if the clue is in the Question " Wont hook up" Like the anchor is some sort of giant coat hanger.

It's not, it's more like a big fire brick and just holds the last few metres of chain in place. The weight of the boat should never reach the anchor.

 

[Channel Ribs]

... like a big fire brick and just holds the last few metres of chain in place. The weight of the boat should never reach the anchor.

I like it.

 

[hlb]

I like it.

I have visions of this anchor, dangling from the boat, looking for some unsuspecting rock to snare. Perhaps some rock bait might help.

 

[PaulGooch]

I'm still waiting to hear what size the anchor is, what size the chain is and how long the chain is.

 

[andyc]

It is not a bruce.Its like a delta.The picture of a plough is what I got when I googled it.

I had a look at it today and its not damaged and is a fair size.

When I go out next I shall try much more chain and give it a bit of a tug to try set it.I have no idea how much chain I give out, It is usually all of it and a bit of the rope its tied to.I need to remove it from the boat and run it along the ground so I know how long it is and then mark the chain somehow every meter or so, so I know how much is out.

I agree with the comment about the chain being the bit that holds it in place as that is precisely what happens on my boat in italy,there again I can see what is happening over there as the water is crystal clear.

 

[andyc]

I'm still waiting to hear what size the anchor is, what size the chain is and how long the chain is.

Sorry, it will be a week or so before im down there again.

 

[Divemaster1]

Just for information;

We are 45 ft and registered with 21 Tonne Displacement (guess 15 - 18 Ton to lift).... Flybridge and all that stuff..

Carry 20 Kg Bruce anchor and somewhere between 50 and 75 metre of 10 mm chain.... never had problems when we let out scope of 4x water depth...

 

[hlb]

I'm still waiting to hear what size the anchor is, what size the chain is and how long the chain is.

I doubt if it matters, I wonder if it's touching bottom at all.

I recon, never tried, But done correctly, you could anchor without an anchor, just chain. Maybe not in bad weather, but then again, if the strain reaches the anchor, your in trouble anyway. Anyway it looks like the penny has dropped for our friend. He's going to try more chain.

I'm certainly not convinced about this anchor or that. The RNLI use a fishermans FCS.

When I drop my anchor, it's like putting the hand brake on. The boat stops dead. No amount of power will move it. But when I draw it up, it's more like a snake. I seem to have to follow it about all over the place. No matter it works.

Why are folk so stingy about a bit of chain, it's not as though your not getting it back again!!

 

[MapisM]

I'm certainly not convinced about this anchor or that. The RNLI use a fishermans FCS.

You're saying it as if it would prove than even a brick can do the job...?
The fisherman's is possibly the best holding anchor known to mankind (still!).
It's not used on pleasure boats just because it's awfully inconvenient to handle/store, nothing else.

Anyhow, I disagree to some extent on the "it's the chain that holds" principle.
I mean, it does of course, most of the time.
But when it really matters, it's the anchor which stops the chain from dragging under tension. If a chain alone would start dragging (even a little bit), it's unlikely to stop it, because a) the dynamic friction is much lower than the static, and b) it would take even more resistance to stop the boat once she starts moving.
Only the anchor can avoid that, and has at least a chance to dig elsewhere and hold again also after dragging a bit, whilst obviously the chain doesn't.

 

[hlb]

It is not a bruce.Its like a delta.The picture of a plough is what I got when I googled it.

I had a look at it today and its not damaged and is a fair size.

When I go out next I shall try much more chain and give it a bit of a tug to try set it.I have no idea how much chain I give out, It is usually all of it and a bit of the rope its tied to.I need to remove it from the boat and run it along the ground so I know how long it is and then mark the chain somehow every meter or so, so I know how much is out.

I agree with the comment about the chain being the bit that holds it in place as that is precisely what happens on my boat in italy,there again I can see what is happening over there as the water is crystal clear.

Easy way to mark chain is one blob for ten M and two blobs for 20 and so on. Bits in between dont count. I have 60 M of chain, so can anchor hopefully in 20M of water. With rope you need to multiply X6.

 

[Channel Ribs]

Easy way to mark chain is one blob for ten M and two blobs for 20 and so on. Bits in between dont count. I have 60 M of chain, so can anchor hopefully in 20M of water. With rope you need to multiply X6.

I was going to say just that - do not worry about marking every meter as you may as well round up anyway.

With mostly rope I would want eight or more times the depth to hold reliably, chain is three times better for anchoring.

The size of anchor needed for a good length of chain is quite small, I got fed up of using the boat's main anchor for training and as the water is nice and clear I thought I would make up an anchor just for showing how it works: All chain and a tiny delta. In shallow water we can see it working very clearly and most importantly you can see the chain lying flat on the bottom.

I suspect even the dreaded folding grappling anchor would work in the same way!

 

[andyc]

I may have sussed the problem.
I let it out today and thought, Ill run it up and down the side deck of the boat a few times and then measure it.
I let it out and it didnt even reach the cabin.It turns out it is only 15ft long.....and the boat is 43ft.

Anybody have any recommendations on just how long it should be?Im thinking 50ft.What does the knowledgable community think?

 

[hlb]

I may have sussed the problem.
I let it out today and thought, Ill run it up and down the side deck of the boat a few times and then measure it.
I let it out and it didnt even reach the cabin.It turns out it is only 15ft long.....and the boat is 43ft.

Anybody have any recommendations on just how long it should be?Im thinking 50ft.What does the knowledgable community think?

Some how I guessed that.

I have 60 metres, as I found the 20M original far to short for most places.

 

[andyc]

I was actually shocked.I had to have a look in the locker to check I hadnt missed something.

Ill probably buy a load of new chain as my lewmar doesnt like rope much and I have space in the locker for about 10 miles of the stuff.

 

[hlb]

Dont over do it, it will slow you down a bit.

 

[Philiz]

I may have sussed the problem.
I let it out today and thought, Ill run it up and down the side deck of the boat a few times and then measure it.
I let it out and it didnt even reach the cabin.It turns out it is only 15ft long.....and the boat is 43ft.

Anybody have any recommendations on just how long it should be?Im thinking 50ft.What does the knowledgable community think?

50ft is nowhere near enough. We have 60 metres of chain on a 30 ft boat. Go for all chain, rather than chain and rope. It depends on the depth you're generally anchoring in, but I reckon not less than 50 metres. When you fit it, don't forget the bitter end.