Best Anchor for the East Coast.

[LONG_KEELER]

I suppose most boat owners inherit an anchor that comes with a boat change, and few actually ever need to buy one.

The one that I have inherited now drags regularly, so it would be nice to know what others use before I buy. I would like to think that my technique is not at fault. ?

TIA

 

[johnalison]

I have not generally had problems in the past with Danforths, Plough and CQRs, which came with my boats rather than being my choice. Exceptions have been at Hamford Water, presumably due to weed, and once at the Rocks with a 45lb CQR. On this occasion the 10kg Bruce worked fine. I think that if I were starting again I might go for one of the new spade types but don’t feel the need to change.

 

[dolabriform]

I've changed to a Rocna Vulcan and so far so good.
It sets really quickly.

 

[Bradders]

+1 for the Rocna Vulcan

 

[LONG_KEELER]

Price for a 9kg Rocna Vulcan is £372 .

Probably a bit too much for me. I'm also limited to an anchor locker and I think it's probably too big to fit. I've looked at the tests which are very impressive.

 

[Plum]

I suppose most boat owners inherit an anchor that comes with a boat change, and few actually ever need to buy one.

The one that I have inherited now drags regularly, so it would be nice to know what others use before I buy. I would like to think that my technique is not at fault. ?

TIA

In my experience on the East Coast CQR, bruce and danforth anchors have always served me well. What is your current setup and boat type that is giving you the dragging problem?

www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk

 

[doug748]

It's all about juggling compromises.
If you are on a tight budget and have limited stowage, your best bet may be a Delta at a little over £100 new, in your weight range. It's well made and a bargain, The price illustrates the profit margins that some manufacturers are working to.

Here is SV Panope testing a larger model. His conclusion is that it is a reliable anchor with less than stellar performance, unlike some expensive roll bar anchors which he has found to have worrying flaws, letting go and not resetting, on muddy seabeds probably similar the East Coast:

The new Epsilon might be worth looking at but is 50% more expensive and less of a known quantity.

.

 

[Laminar Flow]

We replaced our 35lbs CQR with a 16kg Kobra. It sets very aggressively and hasn't dragged yet. Very happy with it and didn't have to sell the boat to get one either.
Made it to the top of the podium in two consecutive tests by the Germans, in sand, mud and gravel, beating all the much more illustrious competition, including some shiny stainless decor at six times the cost.

 

[LONG_KEELER]

In my experience on the East Coast CQR, bruce and danforth anchors have always served me well. What is your current setup and boat type that is giving you the dragging problem?

www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk

Like yourself, I have never had any real problems when anchoring on the East Coast until now. The new boat to me has an CQR copy of 7kg which is about the right weight for the boat. I have done a bit of checking, and the flukes are very narrow compared to a genuine CQR. Also, it feels a bit light . I put it on the bathroom scales and it came out as 5.9kg instead of the marked 7kg so it has to go. I have never purchased a bower before so I thought it might be an idea to see what other people use. The replies have been very helpful . Many thanks.

 

[Gargleblaster]

I replaced a 9Kg CQR which had rusted out on my 1966 Invicta Mk1 (25') with a 7Kg Delta and have been surprised at how well it sets and holds. My favourite trick now is to anchor under mainsail. The anchor sets immediately the boat turns into the wind and I drop the main. I've not trusted an anchor well enough before to do that single handed.

 

[LONG_KEELER]

I replaced a 9Kg CQR which had rusted out on my 1966 Invicta Mk1 (25') with a 7Kg Delta and have been surprised at how well it sets and holds. My favourite trick now is to anchor under mainsail. The anchor sets immediately the boat turns into the wind and I drop the main. I've not trusted an anchor well enough before to do that single handed.

You've set the benchmark now....................

 

[Behome]

I’ve been using an 11kg Delta for 10 years all around the Kent and Essex coasts, 15m 8mm chain 40m plaited rode.. Never had an issue. (26ft long Keelet). Spare is a danforth.
I find it amusing that folk who have spent a fortune on a “new generation” anchor always manage to slip it into there posts and blogs.
In the past I’ve used genuine CQRs without issue,

 

[peter.m]

I've recently gone for the sarca excel, it readily sets in my lawn just by dragging it on a short length of chain. Not tried it anger yet as in the middle of a bit of a refit.

I find it amusing that folk who have spent a fortune on a “new generation” anchor always manage to slip it into there posts and blogs.
In the past I’ve used genuine CQRs without issue,

You could be talking about me, not a fortune though at the smaller sizes. Personally would not sleep easy through a tide turn with an old style anchor.
If you are looking for a budget anchor boatgeardirect do some decent alternatives

 

[Pye_End]

To some extent, choice of the best East Coast Anchor' depends on where you anchor. Anchorages tend to be glutinous mud round here so quite a few designs no doubt work fine. However, if you also anchor on hard sand for example you may want to choose more carefully, or do what they did before the more modern designs - ie carry two different ones.
'

 

[Pye_End]

I find it amusing that folk who have spent a fortune on a “new generation” anchor always manage to slip it into there posts and blogs.
In the past I’ve used genuine CQRs without issue,

As a matter of interest, if you look at Jimmy Green a Lewmar 24lb CQR is more expensive than a Rocna 10kg.

Those of us who have had serious drags with a CQR (in my case in hard sand) find the change perfectly sensible, well worthwhile, and a lot cheaper than a new boat.

 

[LittleSister]

I think if an anchor drags, as you say, regularly, and especially on the East Coast, it is definitely time for a change. Even if your technique were terrible (not that I'm suggesting it is), a decent anchor would, I think, take care of itself more often than not in East Coast mud.

On the East Coast, in several different boats 23 to 39 feet, which came equipped with, variously, CQRs, Danforth types, a Bruce type copy, I have only ever had a serious problem once, AFAIR, and that many years ago.

The near ubiquitous East Coast mud is, it seems to me, usually one of the easiest bottoms for anchoring. (And one of the harder bottoms for breaking out - especially for the Danforth/Fortress type, which seems well suited to these parts.)

The only serious East Coast anchoring problem I can remember was in Hamford Water in the 1980's with a big CQR and a heavy-weight boat. Other boats nearby observing our trouble setting told us that there were notably troublesome patches of pipe weed in the area that year. We ended up giving up, after repeated tries, on our originally chosen spot, and eventually anchoring successfully further upstream.

I have had occasional problems elsewhere - Ramsgate and Newtown Creek spring to mind, somehow, though both these are also mud bottoms. I'm sure there are a number of others, with different types of bottoms, but I can't remember where now.

If I were staying in the East Coast area I probably wouldn't bother with a replacement bower anchor, but when, pre-Covid and a few other challenges, I was planning to spend more time further afield I was contemplating splashing out on a Kobra, or possibly a Delta. Some of the glitzier, 'new generation', anchors look appealing, but are beyond my price range.

I have always carried an extra spare-cum-kedge anchor (again various inherited types), but in many years and thousands of miles of sailing I've only ever deployed one once, as a kedge, and then unsuccessfully, when accidentally grounding entering Lymington on on a falling tide with engine out of commission. (My fault: foolishly helping the single crew get fenders out both sides and lines at each corner - we didn't know where we might be able to get to a berth - when I should have been concentrating on the sails and helming. )

 

[noelex]

The CQR is fine in the right substrate. It is once you move away from the ideal medium-soft substrates that the advantages of modern anchors really start to become apparent.

These types of results are typical for the CQR in the harder sand of the eastern Mediterranean. Below is an example. This CQR was dropped 10m @ 4:1 using good technique, but the anchor was obviously not holding. This was their second drop, the first did not hold either. The drag mark was difficult to photograph, but extended for many boat lengths.

At the end of this the anchor was still on its side with not much more than just the toe digging in. This anchor had been given some reasonable force and every chance to bury:

However, in more forgiving substrates the CQR performs much better than these photos show. I have only anchored off the East Coast of the UK over a few nights, but most anchorages in this area seem to be medium soft mud which is ideal for the CQR. Just be aware that if you venture further afield then a switch to a modern anchor will be a significant improvement.

 

[LONG_KEELER]

The anchor names are all rather confusing. Many anchors have a trademark name like Bruce or CQR and a generic name like Claw or Plow. Trademarks effectively never expire whereas design patents expire after approximately 20-25 years. Therefore manufacturers are free to clone an anchor design that has an expired patent but cannot use the trademarked name.

Perhaps this explains why new age anchors appear expensive . You can't blame them for making some money before someone else nicks the idea.

Anyway, being a cheapskate , I have purchased a 7.5kg Claw/Bruce type from
our good friends at EYE at Levington. It cost a measly £35 although they said that the next batch they buy will be about £20 dearer for I think carriage type increases.

I have often rafted overnight from my friend's boat using only his Claw 7.5kg who has a similar sized boat but much heavier. He use's 6mm chain x 3 or 4 roughly depending on conditions and has never encountered problems. E.Y.E said that a Claw type is a very popular seller for them. It does seem quite popular when you do marina walks to see who uses what. A plus is that it fits my anchor locker nicely. Not that this fact should decide what suits you best.

I will certainly report back after anchoring a few times.

 

[Ianqv]

My CQR and Bruce both drag. I have just ordered an Ultra (ouch!) - fingers crossed this'll do it!

 

[Plum]

My CQR and Bruce both drag. I have just ordered an Ultra (ouch!) - fingers crossed this'll do it!

That is frustrating for you. I use both Bruce and CQR types on the East Coast and do not have a dragging problem. Hope the Ultra works for you. Let us know.

www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk