Anchor repair required...

Greenheart

Greenheart

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Okay, it's a diddy little Danforth, just about two kilos. But for some reason, the flukes & stock swing to one side (visible in the photo), but not equally to the other. Where the shank meets the stock, the construction doesn't hold it evenly - one side sags in, tending to slew the whole thing sideways and tripping it rather than hooking and holding.

View attachment 40601

I'm not sure why it's bent - it's rarely been to sea, never had to hold much load and I can't remember any occasion when it's been used as a hammer or a spade or for anything that it wasn't intended to do. My question is, can it be bent back?
 
I wouldn't like to be worrying about that if the wind started to get up whilst at anchor, especially if it has not had much use to get in that condition.
Personally I would be replacing it with another one perhaps secondhand.
 
prv said:
Don't forget, folks, that the pride and joy is a 16' dinghy :)
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Seventeen-foot-six, if you don't mind, mate!

I'll have a try at holding the anchor on its side then standing on the lower fluke to see if it'll bend sideways a fraction. Otherwise I'll see which designs of anchors are recommended in very small sizes...it's a pity no-one round here has an opinion about the virtues of different anchors... :D
 
dancrane said:
Seventeen-foot-six, if you don't mind, mate!
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Sorry :)

All I meant was to remind the inevitable anchor-thread people that you weren't going to be hanging a 30-footer off that little anchor, and they didn't need to recommend a thirty-kilo Rocna "just in case".

Pete
 
Has it always been like this (manuafactured askew)?. Leaving it as-is is not an option because the bend will get worse and then accelerate - it should be as straight as sensibly possible. I'd suggest straightening it and "feel" how hard it is to do so - if it is easy (ie close to the effort put on it by the rode) I'd be worried. You could always test it by using it on a bigger boat, lots of rode, engine astern until it drags or breaks out of the sand - then you'll know. If it is only used daytime with you onboard its less critical than prolonged use with no one around. Cheers.
 
Thanks for that. I wasn't planning to leave a rather tender dinghy afloat at anchor in any kind of breeze...but I hoped for a decent hold on a summer day. As it is, I doubt I'd get that. I'll try a spot of shank-bending.
 
It looks like the stock has been bent back on the RHS.

If you don't want to try bending it back the small Gardian anchors are a great alternative. These are made by Fortress and are identical appart from the lack of lifetime Gurantee, no anodising and they only have a single fluke angle. They are good holding, easy to handle (aluminium and therefore light) and will not rust.

In the small sizes needed for this size boat they are not very expensive.
 
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It's a cheaply manufactured anchor welded from standard stock bar and plate. These will all have low carbon contents and therefore be very malleable. I think you will find bending it easy and it will not be harmed. You could even argue that a bit of work hardening will improve it!
 
I tried ramming a shaped piece of broken DVD inside the crown to prevent the stock & flukes swinging sideways. Not a success. Bending attempt next. Listen for yells of pain. :rolleyes:
 
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