Anchor setup for serious crusing - anchor size for 25 foot, 2 tons (4500 pounds) yachts

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slawosz

slawosz

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Hi,
I am doing some reconnaissance regarding circumnavigating the UK. It would be spring probably, so we would be in Scotland in late April I guess. There is plenty of anchorages there but with possible storms, I need proper setup. I am thinking about 10 kg Delta anchor and chain... I know for the size of boat, 6 mm would be sufficient, but maybe 7 or 8 mm? But 6 mm is much lighter, with 8 mm chain I would have to have less (20, 25, 30? meters). I would like to pick brain of people who did that.
 
Gosh! I was wondering what I'm going to do this afternoon!
Cheweating Popcorn GIFs | Tenor
 
Before the fun starts, here is my view:

I would certainly stick to 6mm chain, probably 40 - 50 metres with an 10kg Epsilon, or the Delta that you are already considering. Dylan Winter asked a similar question here:

Anchoring the West Coast of Scotland - how much chain?

Would also have a longish length of nylon to shackle on should it be needed. Stowing it aft means it does not get manky and is ready for other uses. It can also serve to put some spring in the rig up, should that be necessary.

PS.

That lot can be lifted easily by hand by most people. In poor conditions motoring up to the anchor helps - but you already know that I am sure.
.
 
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slawosz said:
Thanks. You mean this one? Knox Anchor 9kg — Knox Anchors
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That is what I have on a 26' 2.8T boat along with 30m 6mm G40 chain and 30m 14mm anchorplait. I have only anchored about 10 times with it so not a long term test but it sets very quickly compared to the old CQR. It is awkward to stow unless you keep it on the bow roller and I had to make up a clamp to secure it to the deck.
 
My 10 and16 kg Deltas on 27, 29 and 34 ft boats were excellent all around Irish Sea, English Channel and North Sea, and subsequently all the way to Greece. I find that so long as the seabed contains some sand these are perfectly acceptable anchors. The only failures we ever had with them was on very hard sand on a surf beach (alongside the entrance to Pwllheli Marina) and in soft mud in Vliho Bay.

I did test a Knox and found it to be rather temperamental, having a somewhat narrow range of seabeds in which it set well.
 
When I had that size of boat (25ft Folkboat) I had a 25lb CQR, and 25 fathoms of 5/16" (8mm) chain. CQRs are now definitely not fashionable, but I was very happy with the 8mm chain. In extensive cruising on the West Coast of Scotland, over several years, the only place where I had problems was Canna,* which is notorious for tangle (weed).
We had no anchor windlass, the naval (sp) pipe was relatively far aft, and the chain stowed down beside the keel mounted mast step.
*That particular Canna gale was interesting. Lots of the West Coast fishing fleet were also in there for shelter, for three days. They were dragging all over the place. I laid out a Fisherman (anchor), and it was holding, until a dragging fishing boat fouled it, and I lost it. It was a long three days. ☹️
 
I had a similar boat that used 6mm chain and a 10kg Delta for years. I dragged once, in F6 in Newtown Creek, where the bottom is well-stirred mud soup. If you've already got the anchor, I wouldn't bother to change it, but consider a Danforth as a backup for very soft mud.

if you haven't, then I'd consider the Knox or Kobra, but someone will be along in a minute who'll explain why you'll certainly die if you don't get a Rocna, closely followed by someone else who'll explain why you'll die if you do.
 
I think Delta sounds reasonable. I will have Bruce (6kg) as a backup with 20 m chain (maybe to be replaced) and 20 meter rope. I have seen videos of Delta setting up, @vyv_cox says its good, so should be fine!
 
Look at some of the anchor tests. CQR, Bruce and Delta have approximately half the holding power of similar weight modern anchors from Spade, Rocna etc.
If you really think you are going to test your maximum holding capacity then there are better anchors than a Delta. The benefit of modern anchors it the speed and ease with which they set. Add in the additional holding power and its a no brainer
 
I was told by a sailor from Grimsby who sailed up and around Scotland a lot that some kind of fisherman was essential as a second anchor for Scottish waters in case of heavy kelp. He had one with broad flukes that folded down for storage, which I believe came from Gael Force Marine.
 
If you already have the Delta then no point in changing, but if buying worth looking at the Epsilon as it has significantly higher holding power and as you will see from the Lewmar sizing chart your boat sits right in the middle of the 6kg band for the Epsilon lewmar.com/file/9520

The way anchor development has gone is in the search to get increased holding power within the same weight through better design - or the same holding power for lower weight. There is no benefit from having heavier chain other than the small additional damping effect of the catenary at low wind speeds and the downsides are weight and cost. As often suggested the damping effect can be enhanced by the use of a stretchy nylon snubber. With regard to achieving maximum holding power, you are unlikely to ever be able to exert enough pull to exceed the holding power of a 6kg never mind a 10kg Epsilon.

Not sure what you have based your plan on, but suspect you will find that getting from where you are to Scotland by April is more than a challenge. Suggest you read Concerto's long account of his similar trip last year to get an idea of what is involved - bearing in mind he has a much bigger and faster boat. Would also rethink your assumption that you will be anchoring in exposed spots in poor weather. The success of such voyages depends very much on avoiding doing just that, and you will find in many accounts that most nights are spent in harbours of some sort and anchoring only in benign conditions. As forum members from north of the border are always reminding us one of the joys of the west coast in particular is the large number of delightful sheltered anchorages where you can seek good shelter and good holding. This does not mean that you should not have good gear, but it is not the same as Skip Novak cruising around Patagonia!
 
geem said:
Look at some of the anchor tests. CQR, Bruce and Delta have approximately half the holding power of similar weight modern anchors from Spade, Rocna etc.
If you really think you are going to test your maximum holding capacity then there are better anchors than a Delta. The benefit of modern anchors it the speed and ease with which they set. Add in the additional holding power and its a no brainer
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I appriciate the comment. Do you have any particular test in mind?
 
Tranona said:
The success of such voyages depends very much on avoiding doing just that, and you will find in many accounts that most nights are spent in harbours of some sort and anchoring only in benign conditions. As forum members from north of the border are always reminding us one of the joys of the west coast in particular is the large number of delightful sheltered anchorages where you can seek good shelter and good holding. This does not mean that you should not have good gear, but it is not the same as Skip Novak cruising around Patagonia!
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Thats the idea - to look for sheltered anchorages, but sometimes wind can do 180 degree turn and conditions might be challenging.
 
I like this idea of only anchoring in benign conditions. Please Sir, how do I go about obtaining these benign conditions? ?
 
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