Anchors on sailing boats 18-25ft

[Yachtingsouthwest]

Interested to hear from those small trailer sailers, pocket cruisers and other small cruising boats what anchor gear you carry?

I have been using a Mantus 13lb for a few months now but finding it awkward to stow as the stemhead fitting has to be kept clear for the mooring strop. This means the anchor has to be stowed on deck.

Weve been noticing the anchor becoming more and more in the way of foredeck work and jib sheets catching on different bits of the anchor.

Current boat is a Drascombe Coaster 22ft

 

[thinwater]

[Speaking of my F-24, not the PDQ in my avitar]

• Northill Utility folds easily into most shallow lockers. Assembles in seconds, holds well on nearly all bottoms.
• My alloy Excel is super light and stows easily in an ama.

 

[Neeves]

You will find it difficult to source a Northill outside N America.

The alloy Excel is excellent, obtainable from Jimmy Green (or they stock the steel Excel and I'm only guessing they stock the aluminium version) but they are not cheap. The aluminium Spade is also excellent but it has a wimpy shank and is also not cheap. We carry both the A80 and aluminium Excel No4 - for a much bigger yacht. We also carry a Fortress, which stores flat in a locker - if the locker is big enough. The Excel, Spade have twice the hold of a Mantus based on similar physical size - or the aluminium anchors at around 7lb will have twice the hold and half the weight of the steel Mantus. I have measured the hold of a Mantus, Excel and Spade (and Kobra). The Spade and Excel both have demountable shanks. Have a look at a Kobra - it has a hinged shank which might allow you to store it easily. It has better hold than a Mantus.

Looking at the problems differently, blue skying, out of the box, lateral thinking, don't store the anchor on the deck at the bow - there are brackets (Mantus make one) to store an anchor on the pushpit, pulpit or stanchions. Its not as if the anchor for a 24' yacht is too heavy to carry down the deck.

We used a genuine 10lb CQR on our J24. It was fine but its pivoting fluke needs to be treated with caution.

Jonathan

 

[thinwater]

My first "cruising" boat, a Stiletto 27, had no roller or anchor locker. I stored the rode in a stretched "cat bag" below a 6" hatch, and the anchors (2) in sail lockers (I built simple chocks in the lockers). It worked fine. You're talking about 12-pound anchors, so carrying them is nothing. 35-foot and up boats are lugging all-chain and anchors that are hard to lift, so their solutions are not your solutions.

 

[Praxinoscope]

Have just changed the anchor on my Sadler 25 from a CQR to a Manson. Why? I got fed up with trapping my fingers in the CQR which was also just a bit too long to fit comfortably in the anchor locker. The Manson seemed to get good reports, it has no moving bits to trap my fingers and it fits perfectly into the anchor locker, which fortunately a David Sadler thoughtfully designed into the 25.
I also carry a Bruce anchor complete with chain and rope in the transom locker.

 

[Yachtingsouthwest]

My first "cruising" boat, a Stiletto 27, had no roller or anchor locker. I stored the rode in a stretched "cat bag" below a 6" hatch, and the anchors (2) in sail lockers (I built simple chocks in the lockers). It worked fine. You're talking about 12-pound anchors, so carrying them is nothing. 35-foot and up boats are lugging all-chain and anchors that are hard to lift, so their solutions are not your solutions.

I see how that can work but the idea of having the anchors not attached to the rode and in a locker means added time to getting one deployed. Think my main problem is the shape of the mantus anchor it really needs to be on a bow roller.

 

[Yachtingsouthwest]

You will find it difficult to source a Northill outside N America.

The alloy Excel is excellent, obtainable from Jimmy Green (or they stock the steel Excel and I'm only guessing they stock the aluminium version) but they are not cheap. The aluminium Spade is also excellent but it has a wimpy shank and is also not cheap. We carry both the A80 and aluminium Excel No4 - for a much bigger yacht. We also carry a Fortress, which stores flat in a locker - if the locker is big enough. The Excel, Spade have twice the hold of a Mantus based on similar physical size - or the aluminium anchors at around 7lb will have twice the hold and half the weight of the steel Mantus. I have measured the hold of a Mantus, Excel and Spade (and Kobra). The Spade and Excel both have demountable shanks. Have a look at a Kobra - it has a hinged shank which might allow you to store it easily. It has better hold than a Mantus.

Looking at the problems differently, blue skying, out of the box, lateral thinking, don't store the anchor on the deck at the bow - there are brackets (Mantus make one) to store an anchor on the pushpit, pulpit or stanchions. Its not as if the anchor for a 24' yacht is too heavy to carry down the deck.

We used a genuine 10lb CQR on our J24. It was fine but its pivoting fluke needs to be treated with caution.

Jonathan

I have been looking on Jimmy Green, also watching some SV panope he rates the Mantus quite highly. I will admit I have only had boats unders 30ft but am very much an anchor nerd at the same time.

 

[onesea]

Flat stow, small boat, no anchor locker.
What about Fortress or Danforth?
May not be new super high holding power however they are still respected anchors IMHO.

 

[Neeves]

I have been looking on Jimmy Green, also watching some SV panope he rates the Mantus quite highly. I will admit I have only had boats unders 30ft but am very much an anchor nerd at the same time.

On Mantus and Panope

I find it difficult to accept that an anchor can be rated without making a simple hold test.

In addition:

An Inquiry into Anchor Angles - Practical Sailor

and on Panope

Finally I have subjective prejudices against Rocna, that I try to suppress, but I find it difficult to accept it being damned so wholeheartedly in the face of its successful and widespread usage by the buying public and its almost whole hearted support by unbiased testing by independent bodies, RINA, Voile et Voileurs and Sail/YM.

Jonathan

 

[Yachtingsouthwest]

After watching a few of these Lifeboat veering videos using delta anchors surely this is a good indication to how well they hold in a straight line pull.

The smaller D class uses i think a 4kg and the larger atlantic a 6kg delta.

 

[boomerangben]

We have a fortress stowed on blocks on the stern quarter. A nylon rode is always set up when at sea that is secured on a quarter cleat runs up through the fairlead on the bow then back to the cockpit. It is then simple to attach the anchor to the ride via a substantial karabiner and some chain and deploy from the cockpit. The big plus is not having to go on the foredeck which is not always easy on small boats with cabins.
The fortress has served well on the west coast of Scotland and held firm in sand through some strong blows. Unless I was planning to travel to places where I can’t get the right bottom for a fortress, I wouldn’t change anything.

 

[Neeves]

After watching a few of these Lifeboat veering videos using delta anchors surely this is a good indication to how well they hold in a straight line pull.

The smaller D class uses i think a 4kg and the larger atlantic a 6kg delta.

Go for it.

A Delta is a HHP anchor and a Knox, Rocna, Excel, Spade, Fortress, Supreme etc are SHHP anchors, they have twice the hold and set more reliably in a cross section of seabeds. If you anchor 30 times a year for 2years the cost of an anchor is peanuts, whether its a Delta or Excel. I'd buy the Excel, Spade, Knox, Rocna ..... every time. This is, one reason, why the Shannon lifeboats carry Spade, not Deltas.

You should send the video links to Mr Godwin of Panope fame - who damns the Delta for veering (and most other characteristics).


Jonathan

 

[Neeves]

Flat stow, small boat, no anchor locker.
What about Fortress or Danforth?
May not be new super high holding power however they are still respected anchors IMHO.

Fortress is rates SHHP by Classification Society, ABS. If a product is certificated by any Classification Society it is accepted as such by any other CS.

Jonathan

 

[geem]

I have been looking on Jimmy Green, also watching some SV panope he rates the Mantus quite highly. I will admit I have only had boats unders 30ft but am very much an anchor nerd at the same time.

He also suggests a Rocna is crap. Treat his info with caution. He describes anchors as set that are still moving. Not all is as it seems

 

[steve yates]

I have an 18ft trailer sailer, bradwell 18, and use a 4kg delta with 30m of chain., all fits easily in the anchor locher. Should probably add some rode in case I have to anchor in deeper water, although I tend to go quite far in for peace and quiet, where the big boats cant reach.

 

[Mandarin331]

I had a Coaster, then Matida 20 and now many years later a Hunter Minstrel, all with CQRS, I know many slam them but I've never had an issue here on the East Coast, mainly sand and mud. Currently with 5m chain and rode.

 

[Neeves]

I had a Coaster, then Matida 20 and now many years later a Hunter Minstrel, all with CQRS, I know many slam them but I've never had an issue here on the East Coast, mainly sand and mud. Currently with 5m chain and rode.

CQRs were, demonstrably, the best thing since sliced bread. An anchor developed in the 1930s still in use in its original form today and much copied (the ultimate accolade) was obviously a major step forward. But as with much technology has now been overtaken. The CQR if you find a little used original is still as good, in fact it is identical, to the 'originals'.

That was 80 years ago - it is hardly surprising we have anchors now that are vastly superior. We might slam the CQR but that is in the context of the 3rd decade of the 21st century. There is no condemnation of the concept or the designer of the CQR. It works as well now as when it was introduced and when used in say 1970 and 1980. It was good enough then - it does the same now

We just have better now. Unsurprising really.

Recent anchors offer more hold, per kg of anchor -in fact by a factor of 2. If you look at the aluminium anchor variants, say Spade or Excel or better use of HT steels, say Viking, it works out at approx 4 times the hold per kg.

What's not to like? ...... one answer is we are conditioned to weight as a measure off an anchor, so we (or some of us, or some of you) don't like the concept of light anchors.

The technology has improved, some thinking has been left behind.

Jonathan

 

[onesea]

Should of remembered the old rule on here about not commenting on anchor threads. However they have changed in nature, seems there is one person who knows more than anyone else.

Atleast my suggestion of a Fortess was not too wrong. However I cannot work out how a Fortress is super dooper and the good old Danforth is not. Same design just one is lighter than the other…

 

[Neeves]

Should of remembered the old rule on here about not commenting on anchor threads. However they have changed in nature, seems there is one person who knows more than anyone else.

Atleast my suggestion of a Fortess was not too wrong. However I cannot work out how a Fortress is super dooper and the good old Danforth is not. Same design just one is lighter than the other…

There is nothing wrong with a Danforth, came from the same time period as the CQR. Is still sold, West Marine have genuine Danforth on their shelves, I've seen them in chandlers in Japan. A Fortress has made the original design user friendly and give the design a new lease on life - that will possibly allow it to outlive the CQR.

Danforth has a thicker fluke plate. Think of you digging your garden - would you rather use a thin plated spade or a heavier thicker plated spade - both of a similar strength. Would you rather use spade with a smooth surface or one all 'lumpy' and all rough.

A Fortress does not rust and will not corrode (if you use Duralac on the bolts)
.
Add this to lighter weight - what's not to like.

Simply put would you rather carry a big Fortress or a big Danforth down the deck.

Jonathan

 

[Mandarin331]

Should of remembered the old rule on here about not commenting on anchor threads. However they have changed in nature, seems there is one person who knows more than anyone else.

Atleast my suggestion of a Fortess was not too wrong. However I cannot work out how a Fortress is super dooper and the good old Danforth is not. Same design just one is lighter than the other…

I only commented as the Op asked what others carried on a trailer sailer, and I've had three of them over the years