Delta anchor on a Westerly Konsort

[FairweatherDave]

I have read the guidance on both the Lewmar site and Jimmy Green and both suggest a 10kg Delta is big enough for a 29ft boat. But the Konsort is a big 29ft boat in terms of beam and displacement. I am curious what other Konsort (or similar size boat) owners use, (or would use) given we have no windlass. The CQR currently in place looks much bigger than 10 kg. I am very happy pulling up a 10kg Delta by hand and that is what I was thinking of putting on the Konsort. Thanks for any Konsort-Delta based advice, it will be appreciated

 

[sailorman]

I used a 10kg Gen Bruce on my Co32 for 10 yrs & my present 37 footer for 15 yrs ( 20m x 8m/m chain + 30m 18m/m anchorplait

 

[yerffoeg]

I would always tend to go one size up, at least, on the weights given in table recommendations.

 

[FairweatherDave]

Thanks Sailorman, that's what I want to hear. Thanks Yerffoeg, that is what I expect to hear too. Perhaps I should emphasize I want to carry on without a windlass for the time being and we really are not the sort of hard core sailors that sit out a big blow in far off rocky places

 

[sailorman]

Thanks Sailorman, that's what I want to hear. Thanks Yerffoeg, that is what I expect to hear too. Perhaps I should emphasize I want to carry on without a windlass for the time being and we really are not the sort of hard core sailors that sit out a big blow in far off rocky places

we are east coast based in gloopy mud i now have a Fortress FX 16 with the same chain / warp

 

[xeitosaphil]

I used a 10kg Gen Bruce on my Co32 for 10 yrs & my present 37 footer for 15 yrs ( 20m x 8m/m chain + 30m 18m/m anchorplait

I also use a 10Kg Genuine Bruce H30/90 5.3tons cruising weight along with 50Mtrs 8mm chain and have recently acquired a FX11 for a kedge. no problems in the last 5years sand and mud.

No experience of Delta' s though

 

[BabaYaga]

I have a 16 kg Delta on the bow of my boat, which is about the same size and displacement as the Konsort. Rode is 20 m of 8mm chain and 45 m of 14mm nylon anchorplait, no windlass. I have had no problems hauling it in by hand, although I have not yet anchored in deeper water than 12 - 13 m.
I think the additional effort required, if going from 10 to 16 kg, will be quite small as long as you don't have to lift the anchor over the rail.

 

[seumask]

I would try the 10 kg one first and see how you get on with it. We have a a 10Kg Delta on the Fulmar and although i would not want to be gale riding at anchor on it, for our anchoring round the Solent and the channel it is absolutly fine day to day with 30m of 8mm chain and 30m of Octoplait. Again no windlass used although there is a thing a bit like a chain winch on the fore deck I've not used it yet.

 

[FairweatherDave]

Hi Seumask. That's definitely what I wanted to hear. Obviously you'll get to the anchorage first in the Fulmar though

 

[J Neeves]

Most yachts are fitted originally with anchors to recommendation (and sometimes slightly smaller) and Deltas have now been used for 25 years. Despite the scare mongering and the huge numbers of Deltas in use surprisingly few yachts drag and even less of them end up on the beach. edit - anchors seem very forgiving! end edit.

Be cautious but the posts all seem fair. I'd look at a Fortress, as well (not instead of) as it will work well in mud and sand and is light - but I'm strongly into having more than one anchor.

Jonathan

 

[Kwik Decision]

We've had a 10 kg Delta (with 30 m 8 mm chain, and 50 m of 16 mm nylon 3 plat) for 7 yrs as the main anchor, and regularly spend nights anchored without problem. Similar (slightly smaller?) sized boat.

If you wanted to go a bit bigger than 10 kg, you could consider a Kobra, which are very similar to Deltas, but they do 12 and 14 kg models as well as 10 and 16. Going up to 16 kg seems overkill - I'm sure the Dufour 40 I used to regularly sail on had a 16 kg delta.....

 

[FairweatherDave]

Thanks Andy and J Neeves. I will stick with the 10kg Delta for the moment as that is what I have available. I also have a Danforth as a kedge (both with lots of chain).

 

[alahol2]

Yes, 10Kg Delta should be ample. We've had one for the last 12 years on a 28ft Stag round the Solent and channel. Very similar windage and current drag to a Konsort. We often anchor two boats on the one anchor when sailing in company if we are not intending to go ashore.

 

[Huggers]

I would suggest that using a Fortress, although wonderful anchors, as the bower should be considered carefully. Based on experience with an FX37 on a 12m cat, I am a bit sceptical about their ability to reset with a change in wind/tide. My Rocna has no such issue and is an anchor I have total faith in (until.....) My FX11, used as a lunch hook and occasional kedge, works admirably.

 

[colhel]

My anchors painted black and is quite heavy. :ambivalence:

 

[LadyInBed]

My anchors painted black and is quite heavy. :ambivalence:

Change the colour, white or yellow is easier to see through the water and those colours set better than black

 

[J Neeves]

More importantly yellow and white are lighter than black.

For the OP - if you have a genuine Danforth of 7kg-8kg, or more, it should be fine, but there are so many copies (some of which, I am sure, are absolutely superb).

if for whatever reason you feel twitchy with just the Delta then deploy the Danforth in a 'V'. You will not get twice the holding power but the 2 anchors will reduce veering and its veering that can cause snatch loads. Setting in a 'V' does not work if the tide or wind will change (you can get in a bit of a tangle. To me your gear sounds fine, which I think is the conclusion you have come to. I'd try it all with caution and then make a decision - buying a new and unnecessary anchor is well, unnecessary

Huggers, you need to check Morgan's Cloud - they are concerned at the numbers, small though they are, of Rocna owners now complaining that in weed and mud their Rocna chokes and never re-sets in a change of tide. No anchor is perfect. A deeply set Fortress is simply so difficult to retrieve that it will not pull out in the first place - a FX37 is huge and would be difficult to deeply set (on engine power alone). edit: You might also want to check the Fortress Chesapeake Bay mud trials - they have some rather stunning results. Anchors are a compromise. Anyone wh claims there is a perfect anchor does not cruise very far. close edit

Jonathan

 

[steve6367]

Works perfectly on the Legend 33, much better than the larger CQR is replaced.

 

[alan_d]

Will a Delta stow easily on the standard Konsort bow-roller? That is one thing that has deterred me from replacing my CQR.

 

[FairweatherDave]

That is a fair point Alan. Since I have a 10kg Delta to try I will be finding out. The CQR tip has taken a few minor chunks out of my Konsort's bow gelcoat though so I'm happy to experiment, plus it it will be lighter.