CQR anchors

Hi
On the stock there should be the words Genuine CQR , Simpson Lawrence were the main
source. these anchors are forged , not cast and the metal work has a smooth feel, the cast ones have blemishes and feel rough to the touch.
grahamc
 
The genuine CQR has 'Made in Scotland' in the groove of the shank. I once bought a 35lb 'plough' look-alike and laid it on flat, hard ground alongside my genuine CQRs. Differences then stood out: the edges of the fluke of the cast ones were thicker than the genuine article, and convex (presumably to release from the mould?) while the edges of the CQR are concave. It was clear that the point of the CQR lay on the ground, but the 'plough' lay on the curve of its edge, the point barely in contact with the ground! A spring-balance check on the pressure applied by the point show showed the CQR would have twice the initial penetrating force of the cast article, which was 40 per cent heavier! Also, there was no great advantage in fluke area for the extra weight, it was just thicker, being a casting.
Why carry and heave around an extra ten ponds of steel to no good purpose?
I carry two 25lb genuine CQRs, and have anchored with them well over a thousand times, using both when conditions are hard. I used the 35lb a few times, but found it unreliabe, and sold it to a boat-owner who wanted a cheap anchor and would not take advice.
 
There are only CQR's and OTHER plough anchors - the manufacturers of other ploughs would not consider their products as clones (just as I assume that Hylas would not consider his Spade anchor as being a clone of the Delta /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif). A CQR can be recognised as others have said.

There is at least one other plough anchor which is probably as good as, if not superior to the CQR (keeping just to the quantifiable matters, that in at least it does not suffer the articulation wear problems of the CQR).

John
 
[ QUOTE ]
How can I tell the difference between a genuine CQR and a cloned look-a-like?

[/ QUOTE ]The genuine CQR will cost three times as much! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
And everything said above. Basically it says "C Q R" on the side. Lewmar is the current owner of the brand.

CQRs are drop-forged, not cast or fabricated.

[ QUOTE ]
There are only CQR's and OTHER plough anchors - the manufacturers of other ploughs would not consider their products as clones (just as I assume that Hylas would not consider his Spade anchor as being a clone of the Delta /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif). A CQR can be recognised as others have said.

[/ QUOTE ]What kind of statement is that? The Spade is nothing like the Delta, it's not even a plough . . .

On the other hand the Delta is technically a plough, but it's not articulated and the three-point geometry of its design puts it far enough away from the CQR to protect it against accusations of being a clone.

Other articulated plows though are usually direct copies of the CQR, with a few changes / "improvements", and in general the original is always better.
 
Whoops, I forgot - the Spade Anchor is a truly new and UNIQUE anchor design /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif.

But I assume that it is still an anchor, or do I garden with it /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif.

Anyway, how does one interpret your in general the original is always better - actually can only be "in general better" or "always better" but not both. Perhaps "generally always better" is a good non committal selling phrase for anchors, sorta like selling "mandatory optional extras" for cars. You are getting as bad as Hylas /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif.

As always though, friendly regards from the southern realms.

John
 
[ QUOTE ]
Whoops, I forgot - the Spade Anchor is a truly new and UNIQUE anchor design /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif.

But I assume that it is still an anchor, or do I garden with it /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif.

[/ QUOTE ]Well yes, I would say it is. Here's good sales practice yes, defending the competition? It was certainly new and unique when it was first introduced, and even now some of its features remain unique.

SPADE is an acronym in French by the way and pronounced "spahd". Perhaps Alain can tell us if the English meaning was a deliberate coincidence (like that for a good non committal phrase?) when the word is read as English.

[ QUOTE ]
Anyway, how does one interpret your in general the original is always better - actually can only be "in general better" or "always better" but not both. Perhaps "generally always better" is a good non committal selling phrase for anchors, sorta like selling "mandatory optional extras" for cars. You are getting as bad as Hylas /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif.

[/ QUOTE ]You can interpret it as "copies are not as good as the originals although there are some exceptions to specific aspects of design, but in terms of a general overall design context, the original is always better". The "always" referenced the fact that there are multiple examples, but was not the best word-choice, so apologies for the contradictory grammer. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
 
Hi Craig

And here's me, being a cat, thinking spade (er spayed?) was something along the lines of not being sexy anymore /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif.

John
 
We know that the genuine CQR is possibly the best plough anchor in it's class .... but for occasional anchoring as many do - can you justify the cost ? I can't.

To say original is gernerally better ............ only when a cheapo company produces "copies" .... It is not unusual for another company to produce a copy with improvements .... but now I'm being finicky.

I have a "genuine" copy /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif it holds my boat nicely and I shall not change it. It's been there for donkeys years and I expect it to there for more donkeys years.

Yes there are some c**p copies ... pays to lay it on floor and check its "attitude" .... when buying.
 
I always thought that the original was forged and the majority of copies were cast. The quality of the metal being the chief difference, not the "attitude".

I'm not sure that I could tell the difference between a forged and cast anchor though I suspect that those wot knows about these things would have no difficulty.
 
CQR drop forged and reputed to not break. They used to guaranteed for life .... don't know if that still holds true or not.

Copies / Ploughs are generally cast. They also have a rougher surface and appearance.

My comment about attitude was in reply to another when they said the point of the plough wasn't putting enough weight to dig in ...

Anyway - most people can only tell the difference because a genuine CQR says so on the shank !!
 
...unless the copy also says "Genuine". Clever people these forgers! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
Interesting test.

I saw a large dutch boat (about 40 ft steel motor-sailor with high freeboard) at the weekend trying to anchor in deep mud with a fisherman's anchor and rope rode. The wind was about 20 kts and the tide runs at about 2 kts. All of the other boats in the creek had chain rode and were steady and comfortable. The dutch boat was swinging wildly, and probably dragging. To everybody's relief, he motored off after a couple of hours. I wonder if there's anywhere on the Dutch coast or the East Anglian coast where a fisherman's anchor on rope is a good choice - it wasn't even a particularly big anchor.
 
'Horses for Courses': so Anchors for Seabeds! but there is more to it that just that: it is also about Anchors for Purpose! If you intend to cruise between harbours/marinas, with visits to crowded popular anchorages in settled weather, you probably need an anchor which sets within a very short distance and will hold well enough on a short scope (a Bruce for instance) and if the forecast proves false you may choose to scarper for a safe man-made haven.
If, at the other end of the spectrum, you want to cruise wild anchorages on coastlines with no marinas and few harbours, you will need anchors that will hold in whatever may come in that locality and season, even if only a tiny probability. When you believe a storm is coming, you make for an anchorage with good shelter and good holding: then you need anchors that set and bury deep, do not drag and do not bend or break. Such anchors can be forgiven for not always penetrating first time, or travelling ten metres while they bury to secure holding depth.
I my sailing history (cruising the whole of UK, Ireland, Faeroe, Denmark and Norway from Oslo to 70N) wild anchorages have outnumbered constructed shelter by at least 10:1 For my first boat I chose CQR. I have used Danforth, Brittany, Bruce, Souwester plough, and on delivery yachts others I do not recall: I disposed of them all and settled on the 25lb CQR as the best for my purposes. It is easy enough to handle, stows neatly on my slightly offset bow roller, and the second of a pair stows in the locker with all the chain and warp for both.
I was at anchor in Orkney, with shelter from seas but not wind, through the violent storm that swept the North and Shetland on 13/06/2003: Orkney Harbours radio reported that at its peak, the windspeed never dipped below 64Kn (hurricane level) for five hours. My pair of 25 pounders held Piota without dragging (checked by transits) and that is why I chose CQRs.
 
Very interesting man, Geoff Taylor! I wonder how many of the designers of the last decade's crop of new anchors have an understanding of science to match his?
 
He invented it, not, as has sometimes been suggested, for use in flying boats (the American Northill Anchor, not now in production, because they were bought by Danforth and closed down, was indeed invented for flying boats) but for use in his own boat!

Professor Taylor was a member of the Royal Cruising Club as well as a Fellow of the Royal Society, i.e. he was a very serious cruising yachtsman as well as an eminent scientist, and he was fed up with manhandling the big fisherman aboard his 20 tonner.

So he invented the CQR ("secure") anchor, working from first principles.

For which many of us are very grateful!
 
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