Anchors. I hate to do this but...

[sighmoon]

Thanks everyone for all the entertainment, and information. I'm in the market for a main anchor for my boat and while I was attracted to the Rocna based on Steve Dashew's ownership of one, I wouldn't consider it now for the following reasons:

1. As Manson has pointed out, welding plate to cast steel is possible, but unless pre-heated and prepped correctly is a very high risk joint. I for one don't want the safety of my vessel dependant on a welder in China making $5/day.
2. Failures of Rocna's galvanizing have been reported. I assume this is also an off shore Q.C. issue. However, if they can't galvanize to the needed standard, what is the likelihood they prepped that plate to cast joint properly before welding?
3. The Rocna, as well as the Spade have excellent holding power because they are essentially self burying buckets. They will hold well, but you also have to deal with a lot of rubbish brought up when retrieving, as well as environmental destruction. Other designs avoid this.
4. Any manufacturer whose founder's son is allowed to track muddy footprints across every boating forum on the planet as Craig Smith is allowed to do may make a good product, but who wants to buy something from people with so little regard for honesty and civil conversation? After all, if Peter can't control his kid's mouth, how can you expect him to control Chinese manufacturing 8,000 miles away?

For my money, the Sarca Excel seems to test better than the Rocna, is more self cleaning on retrieval, easier on the sea bottom and is manufactured by someone who doesn't feel the need to rely on mis-representation of test results, or made up French translations, or simple lies to sell their product, and has actually been making anchors for awhile. As soon as I figure out how to get one shipped at a reasonable price from Oz, that will be my choice. Second would be Manson, because they also present as an ethical company.

By the way, I already have a Fortress as a backup, which is also clearly a great anchor made by professionals.

Ah, we now have the Sarca Excel anchor rep on the forum, trying to get ahead by slagging off another brand. Good to see nobody is getting left out.

It's starting to look like the entire industry has no honour.

 

[Mark-1]

The only claim to fame seems to be that he is his fathers' son and has been on a boat skippered by his Dad.

In many ways, none of that matters. What is at stake is the question of the integrity of his postings. Perhaps we will just have to disagree, but I don't think that there is anything of real merit in his postings...... though there have been some pretty pictures of his Dads boat in Antartica.

It's a rather good claim to fame though. I love to hear about Craig's trips which are far beyond anything I've ever done in terms of both scenery and adventure - the only two things that matter in cruising!

http://www.petersmith.net.nz/photos/falklands-1.php

 

[idpnd]

As Manson has pointed out, welding plate to cast steel is possible, but unless pre-heated and prepped correctly is a very high risk joint. I for one don't want the safety of my vessel dependant on a welder in China making $5/day.

Manson rep asserted they're made in NZ on this thread.

 

[snooks]

Ah, we now have the Sarca Excel anchor rep on the forum, trying to get ahead by slagging off another brand. Good to see nobody is getting left out.

It's starting to look like the entire industry has no honour.

Bloody hell you must have superpowers to be able to leap to a conclusion like that!

Do you know something we don't? Cos their Email address suggests they don't work in the marine industry.

Lets just stick to facts rather than insulting new members shall we?

Just because someone favours a brand of anchor it doesn't mean they are a a rep or have an involvement with the company.

I bought a Spade, and think it's great. I could have bought any anchor, I went for a Spade, it was my decision and I'll stand by that decision...Are you going to accuse me of being a rep for Spade?

 

[Twister_Ken]

Apropos new tech anchors dragging up bits of seabed, one reason I plumped for a Spade rather than a roll-bar model was that I could foresee struggling to lift the hook and eventually finding a rock wedged between the bucket and the roll bar, whereas a Spade that hooked a rock would drop it off as soon as it came upright. Similarly, an anchor with a bucket of mud stuck on is more likely to lose it on the way up if there's not a roll bar holding it on at the back.

Might be entirely fallacious thinking, but it was one factor.

 

[idpnd]

Apropos new tech anchors dragging up bits of seabed, one reason I plumped for a Spade rather than a roll-bar model was that I could foresee struggling to lift the hook and eventually finding a rock wedged between the bucket and the roll bar, whereas a Spade that hooked a rock would drop it off as soon as it came upright. Similarly, and anchor with a bucket of mud stuck on is more likely to lose it on the way up if there's not a roll bar holding it on at the back.

I did see a youtube video demonstrating just that.. I think it was an ad for one of the newgen competitors?

Ah found it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxENmpztet4

They seem to have a point regarding trench digging by concave anchors:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Am4zG7TS97k

Interestingly enough, he claims they had a roll bar in 1992. AFAIK Buegel developed his in the mid 80s.

 

[snooks]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxENmpztet4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Am4zG7TS97k

Seems they are more than happy to plough numerous furrows in beaches to sell anchors their though

 

[sighmoon]

Bloody hell you must have superpowers to be able to leap to a conclusion like that!

Do you know something we don't? Cos their Email address suggests they don't work in the marine industry.

Lets just stick to facts rather than insulting new members shall we?

I stand corrected.

The facts are: 6 posts on two threads, and all of them either heaping praise on Sparca, or critisizing the Rocna. Most members have more diverse interests.

 

[Delfin]

Ah, we now have the Sarca Excel anchor rep on the forum, trying to get ahead by slagging off another brand. Good to see nobody is getting left out.

It's starting to look like the entire industry has no honour.

Sorry to disappoint you, Signmoon, but I 'rep' no one. I just like messing around in boats. I live in N.A., and to my knowledge, Sarca doesn't have representatives in the U.S.

 

[TamarMike]

Ah, we now have the Sarca Excel anchor rep on the forum, trying to get ahead by slagging off another brand. Good to see nobody is getting left out.

Can I be a Fisherman's Friend then?

 

[Rigger Mortice]

I love to hear about Craig's trips

OK then, I'll start it for you.

The Log of an Anchorsmith
Chapter one​

I raised the Rocna and pondered for a moment at its superb holding power. Despite the constant F12, I had held firm for three weeks against that lee shore with just 6ft of scope. "Craig", I thought, "these Rocna anchors (available at all good chandlers) are wonderful".

I raised my eyes and smiled at the plight of those around me. 62 Yachts with Monsoon knock offs. 43 boats with Flirtless. 22 fools who had relied on Bugles. 16 Colin Forths...an endless list. All smashed on that terrible shore.

If only they had listened to me. Rocnas are best. etc. Rocna etc. Rocna etc. etc.

 

[Twister_Ken]

Parcel Farce has just delivered the Spade. Postman Pat was a little surprised at how heavy it was, and he thought it was poorly wrapped; wanted me to inspect it to make sure it wasn't damaged. His jaw dropped somewhat when he saw what was inside the yellow plastic bag!

 

[snooks]

Parcel Farce has just delivered the Spade. Postman Pat was a little surprised at how heavy it was, and he thought it was poorly wrapped; wanted me to inspect it to make sure it wasn't damaged. His jaw dropped somewhat when he saw what was inside the yellow plastic bag!

I remember carrying ours from their boat show stand to the car parked under Excel. That was knackering.

Now it's all I can do to lift it out of the locker onto the roller.

 

[Pye_End]

I remember carrying ours from their boat show stand to the car parked under Excel. That was knackering.

Now it's all I can do to lift it out of the locker onto the roller.

If you weld a bit of a hoop over the top it makes it easier to move around.

 

[Twister_Ken]

Not sure that's the problem. It maybe that combining humping camera bags with humping, sorry, marital duties has put his back out.

 

[snooks]

If you weld a bit of a hoop over the top it makes it easier to move around.

It wouldn't help me, even if you made the anchor pink and fluffy put a nice moulded handle on it.

I get back pain when lift heavy things, ever since I was hit by a 12 tonne powerboat travelling at 30 knots a year ago

 

[DavyMac]

I did see a youtube video demonstrating just that.. I think it was an ad for one of the newgen competitors?

..

Interestingly enough, he claims they had a roll bar in 1992. AFAIK Buegel developed his in the mid 80s.

One reason I rejected a Rocna was a concern about having to haul up rocks etc. which might get snagged in the roll bar - we have no windlass so it was a something to think about.

On the Buegel, I don't think sarca claim to have either invented the roll bar or to have been first to market with it.

As a Delta user (and very happy with it - though we anchor in sheltered west Scottish coast anchorages) the Sarca excel looks interesting but essentially very similar. The Sarca web site is sketchy on why it is supposed to be better than the Delta; can anyone expand on that?

 

[Scotty_Tradewind]

Apropos new tech anchors dragging up bits of seabed, one reason I plumped for a Spade rather than a roll-bar model was that I could foresee struggling to lift the hook and eventually finding a rock wedged between the bucket and the roll bar, whereas a Spade that hooked a rock would drop it off as soon as it came upright. Similarly, an anchor with a bucket of mud stuck on is more likely to lose it on the way up if there's not a roll bar holding it on at the back.

Might be entirely fallacious thinking, but it was one factor.

I got a roll bar one so's swmbo could carry it easier

 

[Rigger Mortice]

I got a roll bar one so's swmbo could carry it easier

Don't encourage him. He's only trying to nudge his thread up to 300.

 

[Cape of Storms]

It's a rather good claim to fame though. I love to hear about Craig's trips which are far beyond anything I've ever done in terms of both scenery and adventure - the only two things that matter in cruising!

http://www.petersmith.net.nz/photos/falklands-1.php

Some seriously cool photo's there! It's my dream to cruise the beagle channel but I've just added Staten Island to that list.

To stay on topic I have a CQR, slightly oversized and I've never had any problems with it. Many of the anchorages around me have grassy bottoms and a CQR works well in that.