Anchors

I’d say that’s a weak article. No real guidance as to the strengths and weaknesses of those anchors listed nor mention of other noteworthy anchors such as Mantus and Sarca Excel. I’m not sure it adds much to the discussion and could point newbies in the wrong direction.
 
Agreed, the article could do with some comparative testing.
As a tiny contribution, I have just upgraded from a Lewmar Delta to a Rocna Vulcan (the Delta was lost when the swivel sheared). After a couple of weeks use the Vulcan feels better, setting more quickly and holding well in an overnight blow. Fits on the stem head OK. Looks a bit agricultural.
 
At least they didn't include CQR, that's progress as far as I'm concerned. Now if we can get them removed from all the RYA materials and supporting books we may finally be rid of them!
 
lustyd said:
At least they didn't include CQR, that's progress as far as I'm concerned. Now if we can get them removed from all the RYA materials and supporting books we may finally be rid of them!
Click to expand...
Good luck with that. I have twice written to them, about 10 years apart, pointing out that their anchoring info is years out of date and offering to assist with rewriting. Never had a response.
 
Oh I didn't expect the RYA to update anything. Or Sir Tom's books for that matter. Hopefully there will be a new generation along at some point who will address all of this stuff and phase out the outdated bits.
 
doug748 said:
Interesting to see a BÜGEL ANCHOR commercially available, cheap as well:

Bügel Anchor

You don't see them tested a lot but apparently they are good. Although they look like they have been designed and welded up by a Bulgarian turnip farmer.

.
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The dimensions are available on line somewhere so any farmer with a welder can make one. Why on earth they make the list is beyond me.
 
The death of the CQR is looking seriously exaggerated. Here is a respected summary chart, submitted by one of our resident experts, showing it mid range by performance:



1652722968864.png


Nor does year of introduction seem to correlate with utility, as it lands ahead of Seven newer designs. If the questionable Cobblestone Holding were taken out, it would be up there with the Spade and Knox.*

Well I never.

* Not the Knox which scores significantly better, I should have said the Spade and Mantus.
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doug748 said:
The death of the CQR is looking seriously exaggerated. Here is a respected summary chart, submitted by one of our resident experts, showing it mid range by performance:



View attachment 135376


Nor does year of introduction seem to correlate with utility, as it lands ahead of Seven newer designs. If the questionable Cobblestone Holding were taken out, it would be up there with the Spade and Knox.

Well I never.


.
Click to expand...
There is something very odd about the Panope testing. He consistently marks the Rocna down, whereas with few exceptions most users are delighted with theirs. Skip Novak and other renowned cruisers use Rocna in high latitudes and other extreme cruising, apparently without problems.

It is reported that mud clogs the Rocna hoop, preventing its resetting, but why is this unique to Rocna? There are many hoop anchors, what about the others?
 
His tests are pretty compelling - he is as scientific as you can be, and rather than all the drag tests on beaches that Professor Knox did, this really is real world anchoring. The CQRs performance did make me wonder in those videos though - all these years we have been rubbishing it - has it been rubbished for no good reason?

If I watch any more anchoring videos though... I think my wife might leave me.. "and here we are on anchor number 2,143, and we see it setting....... and now dragging a bit.... there is a crab!!" With me sitting in rapt attention. :ROFLMAO:
 
The problem is that CQR always was fine for people very experienced in anchoring, such as the tester. The CQR isn't rubbish because it never works, it's rubbish because making it work requires more skill than a more modern design which can mostly be flung from the bows without a second thought. Times have moved on, and holding power is not the only measure of success for an anchor. Seatbelts and airbags are only needed by bad drivers, but we can all agree those are a nice to have, so why not an anchor that takes the guesswork out of a weekend on the hook?
 
They are not new generation. They don't work particularly well. You used to see quite a few German yachts with them because they were home made anchors. They seem to go with home built steel yachts. The one German guy I know has one as a second anchor because he can't bare to part with it since he made it himself about 20 years ago. He now uses a 'far better Rocna anchor'. His words not mine.
I don't know who made them commercially but they are a simple flat plate with a roll bar. That was the attraction of home build. Simple to make
 
lustyd said:
The problem is that CQR always was fine for people very experienced in anchoring, such as the tester. The CQR isn't rubbish because it never works, it's rubbish because making it work requires more skill than a more modern design which can mostly be flung from the bows without a second thought. Times have moved on, and holding power is not the only measure of success for an anchor. Seatbelts and airbags are only needed by bad drivers, but we can all agree those are a nice to have, so why not an anchor that takes the guesswork out of a weekend on the hook?
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He makes a point of not 'setting' them. He purposely chucks them over the side. Steve was surprised as anyone by the CQR, but the results stand up throughout the size ranges as well
 
vyv_cox said:
There is something very odd about the Panope testing. He consistently marks the Rocna down, whereas with few exceptions most users are delighted with theirs. Skip Novak and other renowned cruisers use Rocna in high latitudes and other extreme cruising, apparently without problems.

It is reported that mud clogs the Rocna hoop, preventing its resetting, but why is this unique to Rocna? There are many hoop anchors, what about the others?
Click to expand...



He did very much improve the clogging problem by drilling holes in the Rocna in the clogging area. This also worked perfectly with a Manson, which suffered in the same way. So maybe the hoop is a red herring.
I would like to see tests in heavy river mud, the sort of stuff that is difficult to force off with a boathook; I picked up a clump the other day that I think would defeat anything except perhaps a Fisherman.

His tests do put a big emphasis on veering and resetting performance. It might be that in reality hard 180deg resets and heavy veering, at the margins of performance, are just not that common.

.
 
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