Anchor material

[30boat]

One for the metallurgists amongst us.
I feel that urge to build myself an anchor again.Is it ok to use mild steel?I usually up the scantlings a bit to compensate.
There's a lot of talk of special steels but is it really necessary?

 

[Bilgediver]

One for the metallurgists amongst us.
I feel that urge to build myself an anchor again.Is it ok to use mild steel?I usually up the scantlings a bit to compensate.
There's a lot of talk of special steels but is it really necessary?

Different materials may suite different designs. SOme designs may be perfectly suitable for assembly from steel plate however steel is more likely to suffer corrosion than say cast steel. How do you intend to protect the steel fabricated anchor from corrosion.

 

[vyv_cox]

Apparently 'the rules' prohibit use of steels with a carbon content above 0.21%, so it has to be mild steel. If you went above this you would in any case need pre/post weld heat treatment to prevent cracking.

The special steel discussion that has attracted well over 1000 posts in two threads on Scuttlebutt relates to the very narrow stocks used on some commercially built anchors. Provided the stock is made large enough there will be no problem, witness the Ultra anchor made in 316 stainless steel which has properties very similar to mild steel. Presumably theirs has been designed to sound engineering principles.

 

[30boat]

I usually make the shank an I beam by welding a flat bar around the perimeter.I'll get it hot dip galvanized if I don't go for stainless.Quite like the design of the Ultra ...