Best type of Anchor

P

PGD

Well-Known Member
Joined
9 Jul 2001
Messages
1,032
Location
Thames - non tidal
www.peter-davey.com
Hi, was messing about on the river yesterday, fishing etc, wanted to anchor up, would it bite into the river bed..... NO, so I have a "now considered by me as useless" Danforth / flat anchor and want to replace it.

So M type or Plough or something else. What works best for folks.

Cheers in advance.

Peter

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.mssa.org.uk>http://www.mssa.org.uk</A> Marine Service Standards Assistance
 
I suspect you will get a different answer to this question from each response.

I use a 35lb CQR with 3/8 chain and it works for me. You can get all kinds of new fangled anchors but I can't see any reason to change from the tried and trusted CQR.

<hr width=100% size=1>
 
Depends on the bottom - I use a CQR in mud - East Coast - and it really digs in. More successful than the Danforth INHO.

<hr width=100% size=1>dickh
I'd rather be sailing... :-) /forums/images/icons/smile.gif
 
I dont think you can beat a plow anchor, or CQR
item2045_1.jpg


<hr width=100% size=1> <font color=blue>No one can force me to come here.<font color=red> I'm a volunteer!!.<font color=blue>

Haydn
 
I've got a Delta, never had a problem with it. Keep the Danforth as a kedge. How much chain/rope were you using and what was the depth?

<hr width=100% size=1>
 
10 foot of water so did about 20 foot of chain, then reversed back on it to get it to did in, just dragged it down river.

Bottom was mud with weeds.

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.mssa.org.uk>http://www.mssa.org.uk</A> Marine Service Standards Assistance
 
I'd suggest that at a very minimum a scope of 3X is required! Try again with at least 3X and if its still not working increase the scope.

<hr width=100% size=1><P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by jimi on 22/08/2003 21:44 (server time).</FONT></P>
 
Re: Hey...where\'s Hylas ? NM

Hylas is a guy who posts regularly in the raggie's forum on anything anchoring related. He's the designer of the Spade anchor.

The Danforth is not bad (though not brilliant. It's biggest advantage is space saving), but does have a problem with weeds, as do many anchors. You probably needed more chain out anyway - the recommended scope for anchoring is minumum scope of 3 (3 times depth), and more if you are using chain and rope

<hr width=100% size=1>
 
There's no such thing as the "perfect" anchor, as different types are better on different bottoms. I've found the Bruce to be a pretty good all rounder, but my favourite has to be the "U Anchor". This one is deployed by shouting it's name at the skipper of the boat that's dragging it's way towards you because he didn't let out enough anchor cable:-))

Bill.

<hr width=100% size=1>One of these days I'll have a boat that WORKS
 
very funny /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

so the problem then is not enough chain rather than a Cr@p anchor then ???

Peter

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.mssa.org.uk>http://www.mssa.org.uk</A> Marine Service Standards Assistance
 
Do a search, select 'username' then type in Hylas. You'll learn loads, including the fact that no one knows what the best anchor and strategy is. Danforths work fine in many conditions, but anchoring is a skill you need to work at if you don't use it regularly.

The scope of the chain and rode is one thing that many agree on. Scope of 3 is minimum, 5 is better in wind or tide (or in your case current), anything beyond 10 is waste of time. You don't have the problem most coastal boaters do, which is that wind and tide can change. The wind might change, but the current on a non- tidal river only goes in one direction, so you have less problems with the anchor breaking out due to sideways forces. This makes the Danforth a relatively more useful tool.

Try putting out more chain, and if you don't have more chain, put out more rope. 2x isn't enough. Many here happy to explain why once you've read Hylas posts which though a little biased, do make a great deal of sense.

<hr width=100% size=1>
 
In truth the anchor does very little at holding you. Its the chain that does it. Layed across the sea bed. Little force actuay gets to the anchor. This is only maent to keep the last few feet of chain still. So to understand what I am saying. You ride on the chain. Not on the anchor .

<hr width=100% size=1> <font color=blue>No one can force me to come here.<font color=red> I'm a volunteer!!.<font color=blue>

Haydn
 
Disagree. Try a good anchor with nylon rope. Get LJS to dive and look when you're anchored. Read some of Hylas's post and see the arguements.

<hr width=100% size=1>
 
No. Not having that. Else ships would be held by bits of string instead of maybe 100 tons of chain. Besides, you need at least three times as much rope, before it does any good at all. So the swinging circle would be so great that only you could anchor in Studland bay!! Oh it might be Ok with a tinsy wincy boat, doing a bit of fishing on a calm day, but the rest of us arnt carting about 20-100 metres of chain for fun.

<hr width=100% size=1> <font color=blue>No one can force me to come here.<font color=red> I'm a volunteer!!.<font color=blue>

Haydn
 
So why not do away with anchor entirely, and just use length of chain? Why do magazine bother testing holding strength of anchors?

Gonna hafta agree to disagree on this one

<hr width=100% size=1>
 
Its not my arguement. Its the whole bloody world of sea folks arguement. Now come on Brendan, you were only telling us about your exploits at Uni the other day. Surely they told you about anchors and chain!!........../forums/images/icons/laugh.gif But seems they didn't. So I'll tell you. Chain rests on the bottom and pulls the anchor across the bottom, till it digs in, like a plough. Then when the boat is bouncing up and down in a gale. The fourse is used up by the weight of the chain. But the chain is still pulling on the anchor horizontally, there for digging it in even more. Now a rope, pulls on an anchor at, say 45deg. So it's pulling it up brew. So it's pulling it out all the bloody time. What they teach you these days??!!****/forums/images/icons/smile.gif

<hr width=100% size=1> <font color=blue>No one can force me to come here.<font color=red> I'm a volunteer!!.<font color=blue>

Haydn
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top