Deep Breath - anchor thread

[Serin]

But just about one sort of anchor, so I hope it won't be too contentious.

Oldbilbo has been kind enough to let me know about his good experiences with a Fortress anchor, which has brought the Fortress back into my thinking about a replacement for the CQR that could afford to be a bit lighter. I have read mixed reports of the Fortress. If anyone else has experience of using the Fortress, good or bad, I would be very grateful to your comments. What about the mud palms?

I anchor mainly in honest east coast mud, but the anchor should be effective on other bottoms as well.

Thanks in advance to anyone with useful comments.

 

[dom]

I've used Fortress anchors before and in mud they're fab, light and test really well in a straight line. It's probably fair to say that nothing beats them in soft mud.

The trouble arises when it comes to roll stability as the design is fundamentally unstable on the turn. Not a problem for a kedge, but for a bower in waters with a 180 degree change in tidal flow or even where big shifts in wind occur: I'd be a bit careful, more than a bit actually.

Someone will no doubt be along to disagree in a moment

 

[noelex]

The trouble arises when it comes to roll stability as the design is fundamentally unstable on the turn. Not a problem for a kedge, but for a bower in waters with a 180 degree change in tidal flow or even where big shifts in wind occur: I'd be a bit careful, more than a bit actually.

+1.
A great summary.

 

[Deleted member 36384]

Work well, I bought a new looking one that had a bent shank, obviously bent on surface in a trial. Anyway, as they offer a free parts exchange service, they sent me a new shank. It has seen excellent service as kedge, Very light, very strong.

I bought it after there had been a flurry of accusations between someone associated with Rocna and the Fortress people. Maybe someone wanted to test just how strong the shank was, you can see a flat line right at the bend where the shank must have been supported while a moment was applied to the shackle, there is a mash at the slot where the shackle would have twisted and pulled. Whatever happened to that Craig bloke?

 

[vyv_cox]

I fully agree Dom's review. My experience has been that on two occasions in light wind my Fortress anchor broke out and skidded across the bottom when the wind direction changed. There is also the possibility that chain dragging across the bottom when tide or wind change direction can get between the flukes and shanks.

However, I have read of people who use Fortress anchors as their bower and have had no problems with them. Depends how often and in what conditions, I suppose.

 

[macd]

But just about one sort of anchor, so I hope it won't be too contentious.

Oldbilbo has been kind enough to let me know about his good experiences with a Fortress anchor, which has brought the Fortress back into my thinking about a replacement for the CQR that could afford to be a bit lighter. I have read mixed reports of the Fortress. If anyone else has experience of using the Fortress, good or bad, I would be very grateful to your comments. What about the mud palms?

I anchor mainly in honest east coast mud, but the anchor should be effective on other bottoms as well.

Thanks in advance to anyone with useful comments.

We have a fortress, for use as a kedge and occasionally as a second bower. It's excellent, not least because of its lightness (kedges and second bowers generally having to be manhandled to a degree). That said, I've no experience of using one as a main bower, although some forumites have.

Re mud palms: I suggest you read up on the Fortress website. It's recommended that the palms, despite their name, are used on all sorts of bottoms. So just bolt them on and forget about them.

 

[Tranona]

If you stow your anchor on the bow roller then a fortress is not a good alternative to a CQR. Consider a Delta as a good general purpose bower, equally as good as a CQR in mud, and better in other situations.

 

[JumbleDuck]

Whatever happened to that Craig bloke?

He's being kept in a cage in China and milked for bile.

 

[john_morris_uk]

We have a fortress, for use as a kedge and occasionally as a second bower. It's excellent, not least because of its lightness (kedges and second bowers generally having to be manhandled to a degree). That said, I've no experience of using one as a main bower, although some forumites have.

Re mud palms: I suggest you read up on the Fortress website. It's recommended that the palms, despite their name, are used on all sorts of bottoms. So just bolt them on and forget about them.

That's what we've done with ours.

 

[NormanS]

A Fortress is an excellent anchor as a kedge or as a second anchor. It gets a fantastic grip in mud or sand, and is very light to handle. I wouldn't want it as my primary anchor as I want my anchor to stow on the bow roller, and a Fortress won't.

My boat is at present lying anchored somewhere in the Outer Hebrides, between my Bruce and my Fortress, and I have every confidence in both of them.

 

[noelex]

The mud palms are attached to the crown of the anchor. They reduce the chance of the crown sinking into the substrate. If this happens with a pivoting fluke anchor like the Fortress the angle of attack of the blades can be reduced during the critical initial setting phase, potentially preventing the anchor from starting to dig in.

The mud palms are a bit fiddly to attach. Their main use is in soft substrates but they do not seem to create any practical problems in hard substrates so are best attached permanently.

This shows the mud palm installed. There is one on the other side of the crown as well:

 

[PotatoNavigator]

There's an awful lot of agreement going on in here for an anchor thread, do we think everyone has filled their argument quota with brexit?

Quick! Everyone! Get your controversial threads in now! I myself am in the market for some antifoul, but which one?

 

[AngusMcDoon]

Only problem I've ever had with a Fortress is getting the sod out again after a blow.

 

[macd]

Only problem I've ever had with a Fortress is getting the sod out again after a blow.

Yes, it can be a struggle. But have you followed Fortress' recommendation: they insist that you get the bow over the hook on the shortest possible rode and then reverse?

 

[duncan99210]

We use a Guardian (cheapo version) as a kedge and, as others, occasionally a second bower. As others, it can be a problem breaking it out of a muddy bottom after it's been well dug in. Recovery is usually from the dinghy by muscle power. On the odd occasion where it's been possible to use the windlass, it breaks out no problem.

I'd been considering one for my project boat but it's problems with the turn of the tide are giving me pause for thought.

 

[Serin]

There's an awful lot of agreement going on in here for an anchor thread, do we think everyone has filled their argument quota with brexit?

Quick! Everyone! Get your controversial threads in now! I myself am in the market for some antifoul, but which one?

Ah, Brexit is the new Anchor Thread. Nice to be able to contemplate anchor without rancour.

 

[Serin]

To everyone who has taken the trouble to reply - I am most grateful. Thanks. Interesting reading.

It sounds as though the Fortress lives up to its reputation, but with the reservation about changing winds and turning tides. That's the bit that slightly concerns me. I do like a peaceful night's sleep.

But the Fortress will stay on the "possibles" list as I continue to ponder.

 

[Spirit of Glenans]

If you stow your anchor on the bow roller then a fortress is not a good alternative to a CQR. Consider a Delta as a good general purpose bower, equally as good as a CQR in mud, and better in other situations.

My first boat, a Leisure 17, came with a Fortress(- type) anchor. There were rings on the top rail of the pulpit to hang it vertically from the horizontal bar at the top end of the anchor. The bar was drilled near each end for "P"-clips to keep it in place while stowed. It worked.
There are suitable bolt-on fittings available from Defender and other US sites :
http://www.defender.com/category.jsp?path=-1|2276108|2276122&id=2304757
The prices seem reasonable although the £/$ exchange rate is not great right now.

 

[Tranona]

My first boat, a Leisure 17, came with a Fortress(- type) anchor. There were rings on the top rail of the pulpit to hang it vertically from the horizontal bar at the top end of the anchor. The bar was drilled near each end for "P"-clips to keep it in place while stowed. It worked.
There are suitable bolt-on fittings available from Defender and other US sites :
http://www.defender.com/category.jsp?path=-1|2276108|2276122&id=2304757
The prices seem reasonable although the £/$ exchange rate is not great right now.

Yes. They were common, and standard fitment on Centaurs at one time with a Danforth. However, things have moved on since then and self stowing on the roller is now common and Delta or new generation anchors are much more suitable - as well as being better all round anchors.

 

[Serin]

If you stow your anchor on the bow roller then a fortress is not a good alternative to a CQR. Consider a Delta as a good general purpose bower, equally as good as a CQR in mud, and better in other situations.

My anchor is now, and will be, stowed on deck. To change that would be too much of a hassle. The CQR has never let us down, even bottoms other than mud, so what I'm really interested in is a slightly lighter anchor, to reduce the effort of hoisting it under the pulpit and on to its chocks.

One of my fairly regular crew members, who loves being on board, but, I suspect, prefers "yachting" to sailing (and whose nails are very high maintenance) was keen to help with the anchoring process (something I avoid, as the forces are great enough to do somebody damage if they don't know what they are doing) After I had brought it to the stemhead and hoisted it inboard I presented myself to my adoring public in the cockpit - a vision of east-coast-mud- plastered loveliness - and asked her if she still wanted to help. Er......no.......