CQR-----Delta--------Manson and price is an issue.

[Delfin]

>it was very rarely dug in but we where anchored to a long loop of chain.

A CQR is fine provided you dig it in properly, let the wind blow you back, then apply power, the anchor will generally drag five to twelve feet before digging in at which point you will come to a resounding stop. If that doesn't work we found it's the bottom that is the problem, and would be to all anchors, move away and try another spot. In some places in the Caribbean we tried four times or five times before finding the right spot, generally sand over rock or in the UK mud over rock is the problem.

I think that is true, but I also believe that what you will find, and what is widely attested to by users, is that 3rd generation anchors don't take 4 or 5 times to set, nor do they drag 12 feet before doing so. We recently watched a new 72' Nordhavn with brand new shiny and massive CQRs anchor next to us in Roche Harbor, WA. It took them about 15 minutes and 4 tries before they felt they were secure. For us, it was drop the Ultra, come to the jarring stop you refer to and forget about it.

I think it is also worth considering whether an anchor that drags 12 feet before digging might not drag 50 feet on wind increases. Since CQRs have been used successfully for years this clearly can't be that big an issue, but it is reported to be an issue.

 

[NormanS]

If you find that you are coming to a "jarring stop", your chain is far too light. Either that or your anchoring procedure is very questionable.

 

[BelleSerene]

If you find that you are coming to a "jarring stop", your chain is far too light. Either that or your anchoring procedure is very questionable.

Presumably you don't use a 3G anchor, Norman?

 

[Delfin]

If you find that you are coming to a "jarring stop", your chain is far too light. Either that or your anchoring procedure is very questionable.

Well, 1/2" seems heavy enough, and since a decent new design anchor will almost always drag less than a meter before it stops the boat, the boat stops. We never bother to back down on the anchor to set it because we don't have to in order to get it to set. Whether it is the 'resounding stop' referred to by KellysEye or not kind of depends on how much current or wind we are anchoring into. Perhaps you've confused proper anchoring technique using an effective hook with dragging your own anchor when trying to set it?

 

[GHA]

If you find that you are coming to a "jarring stop", your chain is far too light. Either that or your anchoring procedure is very questionable.

Not sure how light chain is involved?

I do similar with a low power engine, slow back then some slack chain, bit of way on going backwards with chain on a grab and the boat bangs to a stop. Logic being if the anchor can provide enough force to stop the boat in a few feet with no snubber then it's well dug in.

 

[NormanS]

Not sure how light chain is involved?

I do similar with a low power engine, slow back then some slack chain, bit of way on going backwards with chain on a grab and the boat bangs to a stop. Logic being if the anchor can provide enough force to stop the boat in a few feet with no snubber then it's well dug in.

If your chain is sufficiently heavy, its catenary will act as a snubber, and prevent your boat banging to a stop.

 

[RichardS]

If your chain is sufficiently heavy, its catenary will act as a snubber, and prevent your boat banging to a stop.

I have a Rocna 25kg on 10mm chain and if a 15kt wind is blowing me back the 40 ft boat will come to a thudding stop when the anchor bites. The only way to stop this would be to power forward whilst blowing back and I can't be bothered with that.

Richard

 

[NormanS]

I have a Rocna 25kg on 10mm chain and if a 15kt wind is blowing me back the 40 ft boat will come to a thudding stop when the anchor bites. The only way to stop this would be to power forward whilst blowing back and I can't be bothered with that.

Richard

Depends what depth you are anchoring in. Obviously if it's very shallow, you won't get a useful catenary.
It also depends on your definition of a "thudding stop". I wouldn't expect to drift astern fast enough in 15 knots of wind, to come to what I would regard as a thudding stop. Most boats tend to drift beam to the wind, so the rate of drift is quite low.

 

[GHA]

If your chain is sufficiently heavy, its catenary will act as a snubber, and prevent your boat banging to a stop.

That's quite easy to calculate, when the forces get up catenery doesn't actually do much to reduce the force as it acts over such a short distance.

 

[NormanS]

That's quite easy to calculate, when the forces get up catenery doesn't actually do much to reduce the force as it acts over such a short distance.

Presumably that means something to you?

 

[GHA]

Presumably that means something to you?

Energy in joules = both force times distance and 1\2 times mass times velocity squared.
It's easy to calculate the distance and force needed to take most of the sag out of a catinery, not much distance, chain size doesn't make a huge difference when the force gets to the sort of levels needed to stop a boat over a short distance.

 

[NormanS]

Energy in joules = both force times distance and 1\2 times mass times velocity squared.
It's easy to calculate the distance and force needed to take most of the sag out of a catinery, not much distance, chain size doesn't make a huge difference when the force gets to the sort of levels needed to stop a boat over a short distance.

I just anchor.

 

[Babylon]

I just anchor.

God, I really miss the huge smiley lying in the ground clutching its belly in uncontrolled laughter!

 

[Sybarite]

Hi Sgeir,
If you have a plough anchor, given enough force upon it due to its convex flukes it will generally tend to do just that.... plough, unless its hooked behind rock.

Modern generation anchors with concave flukes like the Manson, Spade and Rocna will generally tend to go deeper and not plough a furrow..

The one great advantage of modern generation anchors in my experience is that they tend to set quickly first time and will reset usually within their own length through a change of tide.

Having said that, the Kobra 2 seems to have one of the very best, if not THE best of reputations of all the plough type of anchors for generally good holding, but my friend with a Nicholson 38', will still not trust it to sleep on it.

Kobra 2 have a very good reputation of value for money and, in tests a few years ago, came out second to Spade in all round performance : Rocna were not tested then.

However this year I have seen test results which place the FOB Rock anchor at almost twice the holding power of the Kobra and the Delta. It resembles them in appearence. It a bit more expensive though but not as much as the Spade or the Rocna.