CQR question

Koeketiene

Koeketiene

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Hope I can get away with an anchor question on the civilised ECF.

The 'ground tackle' thread has more than a few people commenting they've ditched their CQR for something else.
Why? Are they really that unsuitable for the East Coast? I thought this would be the anchor of choice for 'mud' - of which the East Coast has plenty /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif .

I'll be the first to admit that maybe we don't anchor as much as we could, but out 50lb CQR has always set first time and never dragged. Even in a moderate/fresh breeze (not quite brave enough to stay at anchor when the wind really picks up).
 
A 50lb is rather bigger than the one I ditched, and no doubt sinks into the mud better.

I ditched mine due to not being able to make it dig in whilst anchoring on fairly firm sand, but I also had difficulty in Stangate (half way down - just S of the red) a couple of times with the CQR for some reason. The new design has been cracking and it was a good change.
 
Hmm, p'raps I am a Luddite.
I have used CQR as my primary ank of choice for the last 20 years.

I have sometimes not set first time, and, have some suspicion of dragging on a windy night in the Roach, but I have faith in the tool, and sleep soundly while hanging off it.

I suppose it is all about what you feel comfortable with, and I couldn't argue with anyone over their choice, except when obviously not following the more prudent weight/length ratios, or perhaps chinese copies of designs.

So, CQR for me.

I have also got an FX16 Fortress and a 12kg Stainless Bruce on board
 
SL has a danforth and have dragged all over the area, nearly lost fingers in the jaws but a shallow locker seems to give me little choice.
Joann has a CQR and it sets like the proverbial to a blanket. Won't fit into SL anchor well is there a something as flat as a damforth that works (spelling not intentional but suitable). I think they are excellent as shown by the need to motor the beggars out on most occasions.
<scrounge mode> All these big anchors going begging could be utilised to secure my mooring if no other takers </scrounge mode> /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
I have two danforth's on Sixpence, so glad to see this thread arrive here, hoping for some serious and pleasant exchanges of info to help me decide which way to go. Surprised to hear yours dragged though, I thought it was supposed to be the best for the area, but never seen it debated in a helpful way up in snufflebutt
 
I have no reason to change from a CQR as the thing sets every time, and so far resets on the change of tide. The only problems I have encountered is when (a) When chain is dumped right ontop of it - they really don't like that or (b) it lands on pipe weed - unlucky for any anchor.

I am also very partial to it as it is a Great British Classic Design and of the epoch of my yacht.
 
Hi Neil

Without getting into another anchor debate . . . /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

All I know is I've used my cqr all over the place & it's held in some extreme conditions.

Now I'm not saying it's as good as the Delta or these 'new generation' anchors but it fulfilled its purpose for me when my family & I were cruising full-time over a period of 6 years.

As the Irish comedian said . . . "perhaps it's the way I tell 'em!!"

Cheers

Nigel
 
35lb CQR has always worked for me.

My neighbour has a Danforth and it always comes up with a great ball of mud which is desperately difficult to lift.
 
My old 35lb CQR was brilliant and held in some horrid conditions, up to 8s with the waves sweeping the deck. I feel that the 60lb on CdG is a bit on the light side. Rather than get a larger one, I shall try a similar sized Delta and keep the 60 as a second. I also have a 55lb fisherman, probably a bit light for anything other than rock, but a useful back up. I plan to get a big danforth as a kedge.
 
[ QUOTE ]
and, have some suspicion of dragging on a windy night in the Roach,

[/ QUOTE ]

Was the time FC, Morgana and Flipper met up? My CQR held firm but I seem to recall I hadn't anchored in a long while and decided to use 5x the depth at HW of chain plus a bit! No wonder it took ages to pull it in again!
 
[ QUOTE ]
A 50lb is rather bigger than the one I ditched, and no doubt sinks into the mud better.
I ditched mine due to not being able to make it dig in whilst anchoring on fairly firm sand, but I also had difficulty in Stangate (half way down - just S of the red) a couple of times with the CQR for some reason. The new design has been cracking and it was a good change.

[/ QUOTE ]
What did you get instead?
Surprised you had problems in Stangate.....I had a CQR on my previous boat, now have a Delta (I think - standard fit on 1990's Moodys?), either anchor seems to bring up half of Kent with it.....
I reckon the CQR was actually better than the Delta on the pebble/mud mix off Whitstable. But for pure mud, both work well for me.
 
[quoteWhat did you get instead?
Surprised you had problems in Stangate.....I had a CQR on my previous boat, now have a Delta (I think - standard fit on 1990's Moodys?), either anchor seems to bring up half of Kent with it.....
I reckon the CQR was actually better than the Delta on the pebble/mud mix off Whitstable. But for pure mud, both work well for me.

[/ QUOTE ]
Rocna.
Have never had any trouble anywhere else in Stangate, but that particular evening the space down the end was full. Possibly a patch of weed near the red?
A couple of years ago off Herne Bay I left the boat for a day (on a 25lbCQR) - well 'dug in' as far as I could tell - had been there for 2 days - when I came back after a turn of tide and a very slight fetch at low water and she was 200 yards further west than where I left her! Could have been nasty of she had gone south instead. It regularly took me 2 or 3 goes to get the CQR to bite, but the Rocna has been first time every time so far. Having regularly dried a Sonata out on the sand there and found only the front 2 inches of the same CQR in the sand. Once I actually dug it in with a spade, and 2 tides later it was back on the surface! It was really these experiences that led me to change. The newer anchors appear to be much better at digging themselves in without human intervention. Critical if you are not on board!

I just wonder whether you really need a 35lb plus CQR to have a better chance of digging in, as most of the posts above seem to have larger ones (as it were).
 
Mine is a different shape to the CQR but I am not sure what it is called so this post is not that helpful. A spadeish shaped flat bit sort of curves underneath and back upon the shank. It is about 25kg however so is many sizes too big for my little 23 footer. Plus I can barely pull it out of the mud when the beer has run out and it is time to go home.
 
We had a lightweight Bruce on the boat when we bought her from the Chicester area - worked in the sand there apparently.

Dragged every time i used it in our mud.

Didn't have the confidence to try a heavier Bruce, so got a 30lb cqr. Grips phenomenally! In fact, couldn't break out once on a falling tide, so hung off a kedge in the channel until shallow enough to dig it out! the plough was at least 3' under the mud.

To be fair, I have not anchored in any heavy seas yet with it though.
 
Another satisfied customer for the CQR. We've anchored in many of the usual East Coast places in up to gale force conditions, and we have only dragged a couple of times, but not because of the conditions, but due to weed (in Landemere Creek) or not digging it in properly. Once it sets, it copes with the turn of tide. It usually sets immediately.

I suspect that just about any anchor will work in the mud of the East Coast - it just has to be heavy enough to sink into the mud. Further afield (Netherlands and Baltic) we haven't had any problems either. If/when we head for rocky shores, we'll worry about alternatives, but the trusty CQR will stay for a while.
 
When I bought my boat it was equipped with a 10kg Bruce. This was the boat’s original anchor, and although marginal for the size and weight of the boat worked well provided I gave it loads of chain, but when we were in Scotland it seemed puny compared with the huge lumps of metal they use up there (with good reason) so I replaced it with a 15kg Lewmar claw anchor (copy of the Bruce). This dragged more often than it held. The final straw was when I could not get it to hold in Studland Bay where the holding is described as good. I went out and bought a 35lb CQR which has yet to let me down, holding first time, every time (so far).
 
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