Anchoring Again.

[hlb]

How is it that here on Mobo. We say, just chuck any old anchor down. It will be OK.
Nothing is discussed about it.

Yet on Shutyerbut, it is dissected, to only one anchor will do, a hundred posts on why this one is better than another. At which point Ronca jumps in and You Cant Anchor Without A Ronca.

I can only count, most folk seem to have an anchor like mine. It seems to work. The trick to me seems. That the chain is holding the boat. If the weight ever reaches the anchor, then it becomes a bit dodgey.

 

[Kawasaki]

If the weight ever reaches the anchor, then it becomes a bit dodgey.

Ah yer see, you've just been lucky up till now.
What yer need is a more modern set up
With a holdfast super doopa 'Rockon Delta Fortress' garaunteed holderdowner.

To be sure
See yer just never know
See it's all about the type of bottom as well
Plus which way the winds going which way the tides flowing is it going up or down etc.
How thick yer chain is and have you marked it properly with those little cloured thinghys that stick in the links?
Cos if yer haven't one day you will regret it.
Then the shackle gadgett that joins evrything up together
Now that must be to BS 119007/A standard
The BS 1190007 origional links are made from sub standard melted salmon tins.
Nice an shiney an all that and ok for Studland bay but no good elswhere.
It's a real complicated issue hlb and obviously you take the subject too lightly.

Oh by the way
If yer DO sell MF



































Can I have yer anchor?

 

[AndieMac]

At which point Ronca jumps in and You Cant Anchor Without A Ronca.

The guy (CraigSmith) obviously knows his stuff, in fact he doesn't appear to have an equal anywhere on the internet.
I've just bought a 122 lb. model for the princess and upgraded the chain and swivel, as shes going to a cruising ground with particuarly difficult holding and prone to high winds.
The thing that swayed me was that Nordhavn have chosen them as their standard fitting, and the local commercial fisherman are changing to them also.

 

[Mino]

Perhaps one day they'll perfect global positioning to the point that anchors will be considered unnecessary. But then, if the satellite goes down, one is well and trully buggered.

 

[duncan]

How is it that here on Mobo. We say, just chuck any old anchor down. It will be OK.
Nothing is discussed about it.

Yet on Shutyerbut, it is dissected, to only one anchor will do, a hundred posts on why this one is better than another. At which point Ronca jumps in and You Cant Anchor Without A Ronca.

I can only count, most folk seem to have an anchor like mine. It seems to work. The trick to me seems. That the chain is holding the boat. If the weight ever reaches the anchor, then it becomes a bit dodgey.

you have answered your own question - few people with mobos ever use more than a small percentage of their anchors holding capability; and that's assuming they have exhausted the chains power!

those that have trouble, or do rely on it in more than ideal conditions, have already clocked that some models work better (either per kg or in certain bottom conditions)

generally mobos are hugely uncomfortable at anchor in anything other than rippled water, and also have the speed to find shelter if required. Because of this, the only time I get to test my anchors is when fishing - most never test them at all.

finally there aren't many mobos with CQRs that are usually the primary target for comparisons, and the danforth and fortress types don't fit the bow arrangement (if your boat comes with a brittany it will probably be the only one that fit's it's fitting!)

In the UK the Bruce/Claw generally works fine (sand, mud, clay etc) and it's only when you get to the sea grasses of the Med that the advantages of a spade, rocna, delta (the other 2 are better for that bottom but it's better than a bruce) become both obvious and appreciated.

 

[Nautorius]

On a Mobo, I just bought a Bruce and plenty of chain. I only really went out in good weather, anchored in sheltered areas and then went to a marina berth for the night.

In a Sail boat I have 7 ton of steel/lead underneath me so am more comfortable anchoring in more exposed places, and for longer! Net result is I need a very capable anchor because if it blows up I will have to sit tight. On a MOBO I just ran for cover. Also I go out in weather that I would not do in a mobo and still need to anchor for lunch.

Also on a Sail boat you have a single engine, so if it goes wrong you need to anchor! The anchor is your back up, on a Mobo it is your third back up after the second engine.

I suppose a sail boat brings different aspect of boating to the front of your thought process. I spend longer working out 'what if' on the sail boat than on a twin engine mobo!

Just this season I had a starter motor jam on and set on fire! Left me on the wrong side of the bay of Gibraltar with no engine and a very inexperienced crew! Dropped anchor, put out fire, had nice lunch, calmed everyone down then worked out how to sail it accross a very busy bay without an engine back up and how to get into the marina without engine!

I knew that if it all went wrong I would need my Sea Drogue and my anchor! Knowing it would hold is the difference between coming home safe and dry and not getting home. Without the correct Anchor I would have had to call up a Tug for a tow.....expensive and complex as in Spanish waters trying to get back to Gib.

Overall the Anchor is key, and I am even thinking of splashing out on a Rocna for next year. Seems a better expenditure than Aircon...

Paul

 

[PaulGooch]

<snip>

generally mobos are hugely uncomfortable at anchor in anything other than rippled water, and also have the speed to find shelter if required. Because of this, the only time I get to test my anchors is when fishing - most never test them at all.

finally there aren't many mobos with CQRs that are usually the primary target for comparisons, and the danforth and fortress types don't fit the bow arrangement (if your boat comes with a brittany it will probably be the only one that fit's it's fitting!)

<snip>

Funny you should say that Duncan.....

My boat (Merry Fisher 805) came with a factory fitted brittany anchor, with 20m 8mm chain and a few metres of 14mm nylon. Must have only been used in shallow water, as the rope was totally inadequate for the East coast.

The boat is fitted with an electric windlass and a self launching bow roller. You are totally correct that the bow roller arrangement is unique to the brittany anchor. I found the brittany was OK with muddy/sandy bottoms, but didn't seem to work as well on hard/rocky bottoms. Letting out all the chain and lots of rope worked much better, confirming the theory that the chain will hold as well as the anchor.

I had a brand new CQR anchor from the previous boat, so decided to fit that. This mean removing the self launching section of the bow roller, the part with the rollers, that tips as you launch the anchor, and making a new one to take the CQR anchor. I had to make it about six inches longer, to stop the anchor hitting the stem and added a third roller. It works a treat.

I've found that the CQR holds really well in mud and sand and doesn't even drag if we turn 180° when the tide changes during a days angling. It seems to grip hard/rocky bottoms a bit better than the brittany, but i still find it best to make sure i let enough rope out to ensure all 20m of chain are lying on the bottom.

I agree with Haydn that the chain should more or less hold the boat, without asking much of the anchor, except maybe in extreme conditions. We've spent many days at anchor, sometimes in some very strong tidal flows and never had a problem.

 

[hlb]

you have answered your own question - few people with mobos ever use more than a small percentage of their anchors holding capability; and that's assuming they have exhausted the chains power!

those that have trouble, or do rely on it in more than ideal conditions, have already clocked that some models work better (either per kg or in certain bottom conditions)

generally mobos are hugely uncomfortable at anchor in anything other than rippled water, and also have the speed to find shelter if required. Because of this, the only time I get to test my anchors is when fishing - most never test them at all.

finally there aren't many mobos with CQRs that are usually the primary target for comparisons, and the danforth and fortress types don't fit the bow arrangement (if your boat comes with a brittany it will probably be the only one that fit's it's fitting!)

In the UK the Bruce/Claw generally works fine (sand, mud, clay etc) and it's only when you get to the sea grasses of the Med that the advantages of a spade, rocna, delta (the other 2 are better for that bottom but it's better than a bruce) become both obvious and appreciated.

Hmm. Rather disproves my point that on Mobo anchors are hardly ever discussed.

I used to use my original fortress, but for some reason, I did not like the look of it. So bought a second hand CQR which has worked fine for the last 12 years.

Both fit perfectly.

 

[tinkicker0]

How is it that here on Mobo. We say, just chuck any old anchor down. It will be OK.
Nothing is discussed about it.

Yet on Shutyerbut, it is dissected, to only one anchor will do, a hundred posts on why this one is better than another. At which point Ronca jumps in and You Cant Anchor Without A Ronca.

I can only count, most folk seem to have an anchor like mine. It seems to work. The trick to me seems. That the chain is holding the boat. If the weight ever reaches the anchor, then it becomes a bit dodgey.

What about mine?

I found an old 1lb, lead sea fishing weight and a load of orange line wound around a wooden spool. Used it for fishing off Scarborough when I was a kid.

Will I have to get a rocna? I cut me thumb on the hook getting it off the spool and that hook was rusty, so don't want to think it was all for nowt.

At least my weight is shaped like a fish and won't upset the seahorses.

 

[AndieMac]

What about mine?

I found an old 1lb, lead sea fishing weight and a load of orange line wound around a wooden spool. Used it for fishing off Scarborough when I was a kid.

Will I have to get a rocna? I cut me thumb on the hook getting it off the spool and that hook was rusty, so don't want to think it was all for nowt.

At least my weight is shaped like a fish and won't upset the seahorses.

If we cruise inland, only need to use the grappling hook with one foot of chain to get it down to the nearest submerged car body or shopping trolley.

You can still look the goods in the marina with the new chinese polyethylene 'Rocknah' (Patent pending), weighs in at a mere fraction of the old fashion metal versions, won't rust or gouge bow rollers, but guaranteed to wow the anchor snobs

 

[blueglass]

generally mobos are hugely uncomfortable at anchor in anything other than rippled water
.

bit of a sweeping statement if you don't mind me saying so. I am hugely comfortable at anchor in my mobo in many and varied conditions and have spent 68 nights this season alone on the hook. Only 2 of the 68 were uncomfortable, but then it was blowing a 6. Maybe you should give it a try?

 

[ccscott49]

I would use one of the modern pattern anchors, but one heavy enough for my boat, wont fit in the hawse pipe. the shank being too wide.
So thats a no-no.

 

[westernman]

Just this season I had a starter motor jam on and set on fire!

Same here. What kind of engine do you have?
Mine is a Yanmar 4JH2 HTE.

It seems that starter motor fires are fairly common place.

 

[Nautorius]

Same here. What kind of engine do you have?
Mine is a Yanmar 4JH2 HTE.

It seems that starter motor fires are fairly common place.

Exactly the same engine! Apparently it is a faulty solenoid that is at fault! Chuffing expensive to repair...

 

[westernman]

Exactly the same engine! Apparently it is a faulty solenoid that is at fault! Chuffing expensive to repair...

The place which fixed mine in Mallorca had another one to do the same weekend as us for the same engine.

Being high season Mallorca it cost us an arm and a leg as well. 1500 euros (they inisted on cash as well!) including taxis for some one to go and get the part the other side of the island.

 

[duncan]

bit of a sweeping statement if you don't mind me saying so. I am hugely comfortable at anchor in my mobo in many and varied conditions and have spent 68 nights this season alone on the hook. Only 2 of the 68 were uncomfortable, but then it was blowing a 6. Maybe you should give it a try?

I do, no qualms at all.

However it's a completely different issue in most of the UK from the Med -but I may be presumptuous regarding your nights. I realise that you know this very well from your times Wales!

Yes the Med can chop up, fast and high, but generally the dangerous wind direction is known and can be covered. We (the whole family) have spent a lot of wonderful nights at anchor around Greece and Turkey, and would just love similar conditions here - they are rare.

I would still rather overnight at anchor in a 35ft yacht than a 45ft mobo in any sea state other than calm - I don't think this is an unrealistic generalisation; maybe others can comment.

 

[westernman]

A sailing boat underway is often more confortable than one at anchor in the same conditions.

More than once this season we arrived at our anchorage to find it more swelly than expected, and then left after sunset to sail somewhere else. In each case, it was more confortable, and every one (except the poor guy on watch) got a good nights sleep.

I would guess a planing motorboat underway in choppy conditions is unconfortable and noisy.

 

[toad_oftoadhall]

How is it that here on Mobo. We say, just chuck any old anchor down. It will be OK.
Nothing is discussed about it.

Yet on Shutyerbut, it is dissected, to only one anchor will do, a hundred posts on why this one is better than another.

the chain is holding the boat. If the weight ever reaches the anchor, then it becomes a bit dodgey.

I'm a Shutyerbuter and I agree 100pc with every word of this.

I've spent undisturbed nights on nothing more than a mud weight with a bit of old nylon rope tied to it.

If you chuck a load of heavy stuff over the side you stay put in the most hoorendous weather. And ever was so.

You know the apocraphal tale of the ship that spends a week at anchor in a typhoon - at the end they send a diver down to check the ground tackle - the anchor is standing on end - never set at all???? Well it's happened to me. 60m of chain out. Wind and waves that scared the **** out of me. When it all died down I braved freezing (and still lumpy) water to take a look. It was standing on end. The chain had taken hours of violent snatching load and still not even pulled taught on the sea bed.

How can people make such a song and dance about it???

 

[AndieMac]

I would guess a planing motorboat underway in choppy conditions is unconfortable and noisy.

Certainly not ideal sleeping conditions while underway, but the idea would be to blast quickly to the next safe haven, then have a proper sleep.
Yachts don't have a choice, they can only move slowly, but as you say a softer motion.
I dare say your classic timber yacht would have better sound insulation than the average GRP versions though.

 

[westernman]

Certainly not ideal sleeping conditions while underway, but the idea would be to blast quickly to the next safe haven, then have a proper sleep.
Yachts don't have a choice, they can only move slowly, but as you say a softer motion.
I dare say your classic timber yacht would have better sound insulation than the average GRP versions though.

No. The engine is very noisy. But then, if it is too choppy for anchoring, then there is probably a decent bit of wind so no need to be motoring.

The sound of water sloshing along the hull next to the bunk while sailing is very soothing.... And with a 13 ton lump of lead in the middle of the keel, the motion is nice and smooth.