Does anyone here have any advice to give about anchors?

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Ravi

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At the risk of unleashing the dogs of hell, I am genuinely looking for some advice about purchasing a new anchor.

My 30 foot (9 metre) 3200 Kg displacement Gib'sea has a 10 kg Bruce which I would like to replace. I have decided that I would like to get a 'new generation' anchor as the replacement. Yes, yes, I know that my anchoring technique is at fault and that someone out there will tell me that they could anchor the QE2 in a Force 10 with a 15 lb. CQR but, please, please, please, accept that, in my infinite stupidity, I have fallen for all the conspiratorial hype and that my mind is made up. An NG anchor it will be.

The story so far. After much research I decided that I wanted a 15 Kg Rocna. However, after a spell ashore, my brain has atrophied and I "forgot" that I have a small bow platform which makes it unlikely that a Rocna, (with its roll bar), will fit - without fettling, fidgeting and spending that will cut into much needed autumn sailing time. I plan to take a Rocna (and Vulcan) cardboard template across to Greece next month but I am pretty sure that the Rocna is not an option.

So, assuming that the Rocna (and any roll bar anchor) is not an option, what other NG anchors are there out there?

The obvious choice is a Spade but this is out of my price range. (Actually, the Rocna was already way above my budget, but you know how it is.)
I have come across the Vulcan, which seems to be a slightly compromised Rocna for people in my predicament. This is my one and only option, at the minute. (Sadly, the same price as the Rocna.)
I can't find anything else!

The, Turkish made, Ultra anchor looked very exciting until I realised that the price of this shiny stainless steel bow trinket is even more than the Spade.
The Manson Boss seemed interesting but it is only recommended for Mobos. ?????????????

Have my endless hours of Googling missed something or are the £pade and the Vulcan the only NG options that human ingenuity have come up with for a boat that can't take a Roll bar anchor?

If anyone out there can recommend any other, hopefully cheaper!, alternatives, I would love to hear.
If not, the 15 Kg Vulcan cardboard template is going into my suitcase.

Thanks.
 
Check first that the roll bar Rocna won't fit on your bow,
I have seen gib sea with Rocna on their bow.

Manson. Before I brought my Rocna it was a Manson I was after but could get one locally and to get one derived was going to cost almost third again.

Now, having the Rocna, I am very happy with it, we did a quick, spur of the moment film Yesterday for another anchor Thread, just to show that if you dropped it correctly how quickly it would set, link below,
From the second the Co skipper started to drop until it was set it took two mins and a few second,
We would have normally left it a bit longer under power but, I wanted to make the film shorter so YouTube wouldn't take all my MB to upload it,
But has you will see the boat was rattling and shacking at 2500RPM with experience that tell me the Rocna was well in.

Depending how much anchoring you do and where, there are cheaper anchors about that will work well, like the delta, and within no time at all you will get more and more posting of other anchor,
but for us anchoring most of the year round and never knowing what surface that we are going to find, the Ronca works very well.


https://youtu.be/nlIEQ-zOuMM
 
Given your size of boat, a 10 kg Rocna or 9 (max 12) kg Vulcan will be fine, and more likely to fit that the 15 kg ones. We've got a Rocna 10 kg on our slightly shorter but considerably heavier Sadler 29, and have been very happy with it, although it hasn't been tested in a real blow yet. As Vic notes, very quick and easy to set.

Rather than keeping it on the bow, ours lives in the anchor locker, and it is as quick to launch from there as the old one was from the bow. Mind as we don't have a windlass, the old one was lashed in place.
 
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Exactly what I was going to say. Take out the template from a smaller Rocna, say 10kg and see if it will fit. We have a relatively short double bow roller and the 15kg fits beautifully. Delighted with it.
 
Kobra, Anchor Right Excel, either alloy or steel (they do deals for one offs by air), look at the Knox (also has a roll bar - but take a template), Mantus (also has a roll bar) take another template.

I've seen plenty of Boss on yachts, the Vulcan was introduced under the guise of meeting some perceived need of Mobos - its a marketing ploy to sell to Mobos

Roll bar anchors are not identical, the location is different for each design.

Jonathan
 
Trop Cher said:
Stop mucking about, just open your wallet wider and buy a Spade, you know you want to ! :)
Click to expand...

If you cost the anchor against the number of safe nights you have on board a Spade is good value for money. Its cheaper than insurance and will last the life of the yacht (unlike the insurance that you will fork out every year - and hopefuly never use.. Trop Cher has a point and I for one would not argue with him.

Jonathan
 
Neeves said:
Kobra, Anchor Right Excel, either alloy or steel (they do deals for one offs by air), look at the Knox (also has a roll bar - but take a template), Mantus (also has a roll bar) take another template.
Click to expand...

Thanks to everyone for the help and advice and especially, Neeves, for directing me to some alternatives that I can consider, if the Rocna doesn't fit. Also, for the suggestion of trying templates for different roll bar models, even if the Rocna does not fit.
 
Twister_Ken said:
Just bought a Spade direct from the manufacturer, drove there and picked it up. A little less in euros than UK chandlers want in Sterling.
Click to expand...

Where is the manufacturer? Jersey? Tunisia?
If I can't fit the Rocna, the Spade would be my choice, but for the cost. (The Vulcan is quite a bit cheaper.)
I have been looking at the Kobra 2, which Neeves suggested. It seems like a good anchor. From the performance tests, it sounds like it sits between the traditional (CQR, Bruce) and NG anchors, alongside the Delta anchor - but at a heck of a lower price.

In terms of performance-per-euro, it sounds pretty unbeatable. My natural caution still inclines me towards an NG anchor but the kobra 2 would definitely be my bank managers choice.
 
Ken,

I recall you donated your last Spade to a worthy recipient - the fact you have replaced it with another suggests you were impressed.

Just out of interest - when you replaced, same size as the previous? I assume you have invested in new chain - what was the choice there.

Jonathan
 
Ravi said:
Where is the manufacturer? Jersey? Tunisia?
If I can't fit the Rocna, the Spade would be my choice, but for the cost. (The Vulcan is quite a bit cheaper.)
I have been looking at the Kobra 2, which Neeves suggested. It seems like a good anchor. From the performance tests, it sounds like it sits between the traditional (CQR, Bruce) and NG anchors, alongside the Delta anchor - but at a heck of a lower price.

In terms of performance-per-euro, it sounds pretty unbeatable. My natural caution still inclines me towards an NG anchor but the kobra 2 would definitely be my bank managers choice.
Click to expand...

I do not think you would regret it
 
Replaced with a like-for-like Spade (15kg), on 50m of calibrated 8mm chain. I've yet to splice some warp onto the chain, but will add 50m of 14mm octoplait soon. Where I am now depths soon drop down to 20m or more, so the length is needed.

Yes, pleased with the Spade (and it fits my stemhead arrangement) but it never underwent a serious test except when stopping the boat dead from 7 kts SOG in the Needles Channel!
 
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