Anchors, once again.

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wagenaar

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I am still looking for an anchor for my catamaran (Wharram Tanenui). I have a Fortress as a ketch as well as a FOB-anchor. With the boat came on unknown type plough-anchor, that I don't trust and I therefore want to buy one more. Since both the Fortress and the FOB have movable flukes I feel that I should buy a different type anchor such as a "spade"-type anchor, like a Spade, Buegel or Rocna. In the meantime I also found information about a Manson-anchor, which looks a lot like a Buegel and a Rocna. Like the Rocna it is manufactured in New Zealand and available in Europe. There is an agent in Germany as well as in the UK and buying a Manson-anchor is therefore easier and cheaper. I consider buying such an anchor, but would like the opinion of users of this anchor.
 
Want to give us the benefit of your reasoning behind such a statement?

Donald
 
I would be very interested in trying the Rocna - mainly out of interest. Looks good from what I have seen. Don't know how to stow it on deck though.
 
I have not used the new Manson anchor and its release is quite recent so have not had any feedback either.

However, Manson are a very well respected and trustworty anchor builder here, building quality products (supply a lot to superyachts as well as for commercial and pleasure vessels). The value of their claims is also not clouded by an involved individual's self serving claims as those of some other similar anchors are.

If considering such a style of anchor it is the one I would go for myself.

(PS I have no connection with them, but have used their other anchors).

John
 
So as to avoid those awful comments clouded by an involved individual's self serving claims /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif, results from the recent West Marine and SAIL magazine testing:

wm_testing_chart_740w.jpg


I must also add a note encouraging people to avoid copies of genuine types, Rocna or otherwise. Here is an illustration of why, involving one brand which produces such copies.
 
I assumed the original poster was, and certainly was myself, referring to Manson's new Supreme anchor.

Going by your own pdf that you linked which makes comparisons of CQR and Rocna (which I understand is your own product) with Manson's much older plough anchor that has been around for many years I am not sure which of Manson's anchors you are in fact commenting on. Or are you just inferring that because your own .pdf claims that the Manson plough is inferior to your own anchor and the CQR then their Supreme anchor will be too?

I also see that the Sail etc tests show the CQR as failing to set while dragging while your own provided .pdf shows it to reset - perhaps an indication of the value of such anchor comparisons in the real world outside of their use for self fulfilling promotion by some.

All seems pretty cloudy to me /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif.

In the end, the West Marine and Sail tests you give seem to show the Manson Supreme up in very good light, thanks as I had not seen those.

John
 
Interesting tests. Both appear to confirm my view that the CQR is the best all-round anchor for me! Sorry, but the Rocna would never stow on my bow roller.
 
Craig,

On CSBB you refused to enter into a discussion and said that my posts were rubbish.

I'd be happy to develop a discussion with you that anchors are horses for courses and that there is no such thing as a universal anchor.

Of course, you don''t have to reply, but anchoring is no more a black art than fly to the moon and I'd REALLY like to know why a Rocna Anchor is a better bet on any particular bottom than any other ie Fisherman, Bruce, CQR, Danforth or just a plain long laid chain where the catanary doesn't even get to the last link!

ON CSBB all I wanted to do was to explore the issues in a friendly way - But you slammed the door twice .... And slamming the door in the face of a questioner is either you setting yourself up on a pedestal or you admitting that you can't justify your claims.

I'm indifferent .... but I'm in the market to buy a decent bower anchor.

/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
The Mousetrap again ....

Genuine vs copy ..... Bruce vs CQR vs Plough vs Delta vs Rocna ad infinitum.

It is amazing how many people sail around with cr*p anchors for years and still manage to ride out heavy weather, happy to throw their lump of metal over etc. etc.

walk around any boatyard / marina and see what anchors are on boats .... despite the number of anchor types available - isn't it amazing that many are rarely seen ? That possibly 2 or 3 predominate ?????
 
having been running a 10kg sword this year, after a 10kg delta last and 10kg bruce the year before..............I like the Sword but it does need to be set hard.

I am a lightish powerboat with a bow roller etc and all 3 work well with the same fitting.

Bruce is the worst if there is weed about - catches the leading edge and stops it setting.

Delta works better but can give a little in softer substrates but hasn't released on me

Sword set hard and firm unless I don't set it in which case it has been known to fall over if no constant load is on it. When on it's side it always resets to point in etc when any load is applied from the observations I have made.

Not had cause to test ultimate holding properly but my feeling is that the Sword simply has more surface area working for it than the other 2 - especially the bruce.

personally if I was selecting an anchor for a serious cruising boat it would currently be a Rocna or Spade.
 
personally if I was selecting an anchor for a serious cruising boat it would currently be a Rocna or Spade.

[/ QUOTE ]
Bought a spade last season on recommendation of a friend. Used a lot in the western isles this summer and some of those times in quite testing condiitons. However, the availability of 70+ metres of chain helped up there too. All in all reassuring, backed up with a fortress for a kedge if necessary.
 
Re: Craig,

Well you can't blame the anchor manufacturers for wanting to promote their own product but I think the black art of anchoring is more down to technique than anything else.

Here's my infallible anchoring technique developed over the last thirty years which has never failed me:

1. Choose a nice spot and bung a big, heavy anchor (CQR in my case) over the side.
2. Let out the required scope of heavy chain: preferably all of it but if swinging room is limited then 90ft plus twice the depth.
3. Go and have a beer.
 
I was indeed referring to the Manson Supreme Anchor, which comes out rather well in the test presented by Craig Smith of Rocna-anchors. This test, in combination with some of the other comments, gives very interesting results. Spade, who know that their anchor is rather pricey, come up with some alternatives. The Ocean(?) keeps dragging according to the test. The new Sword was not tested, but in the available information, Spade relates the position of the shank on the flukes to that of the Ocean. This would imply that also the Sword could keep on dragging and not set properly. It would be interesting to hear a comment from Hylas on this subject.
Although a Rocna seems interesting, it is complicated and pricey to get one in Europe. It has to be shipped from New Zealand and the receiver has to take care of passing it through customs. Since I am living in Spain, this is something I don't care for. Manson on the other hand has dealers in Germany and the UK, who took care of that and everything becomes much more easy. That in itself is enough reason to go for a Manson Supreme in stead of a Rocna.
 
You're right wagenaar, although

[ QUOTE ]
I was indeed referring to the Manson Supreme Anchor, which comes out rather well in the test presented by Craig Smith of Rocna-anchors.

[/ QUOTE ]I don't quite get how you concluded this - without sounding boastful, there is little competition. In the graph above, the "Max Before Release" figures (black columns) are the most important, as they are actual holding power (the grey columns are the force measured while the anchor is dragging, and I would expect that to be of little comfort). On this basis, the Supreme is well and truly down the chart, below other cheaper and more primitive types. Even a Delta is significantly better.

Perhaps the graph is not clear enough.

[ QUOTE ]
Although a Rocna seems interesting, it is complicated and pricey to get one in Europe. It has to be shipped from New Zealand and the receiver has to take care of passing it through customs. Since I am living in Spain, this is something I don't care for. Manson on the other hand has dealers in Germany and the UK, who took care of that and everything becomes much more easy. That in itself is enough reason to go for a Manson Supreme in stead of a Rocna.

[/ QUOTE ]Yes! We know. Although in the light of what I said above, perhaps you will reconsider the true value.

In any case, a shipment of Rocnas is on its way to a distributor in the Netherlands next week, for resale in Europe. So, hopefully we can change this state of affairs.
 
without sounding boastful, there is little competition

A golden rule in anchor selection is "Beware of anchor builders who claim that their anchor is the best".

John
 
Anchor comparison chart is flawed

I've been staring at that chart for nearly five minutes in disbelief. It does not state the nature of the seabed. Without knowing that, the data is utterly useless. Furthermore, no single anchor usually comes top of the list in all seabeds so you need to produce a table for sand/mud, weed, and rock, at the very minimum.
 
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