Fortress anchors

zoidberg

zoidberg

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Yes, this is a 'plug'.

Readers may be interested to note that Fortress are offering '35% off' at date of writing, 'with free shipping'.

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You may be interested to mention the ad to your favourite yot-chandler, and ask for a similar slice-off-the-price..... None of them mentioned this at The Boat Show. :rolleyes:
 
I had hoped the competition from the new similar Lewmar LFX would create a little more price competition in this market sector.

That looks like great deal. Thanks for posting.
 
Don't get too excited, check the detail first

I think Fortress, as Roberto implies, is focussed at their home market. Their minimum freight to Oz is $100 and then rises to be eyewatering

Its not a great deal in Oz, in fact its not a deal at all.

I can buy a FX16 from my local chandler, off the shelf, and save $30 on the price quoted by Fortress for Oz on their website (presumably including their full largesse). The chandler price also includes our 10% GST (sales tax). The chandler price is fixed till mid November.

Jonthan
 
It is said that Fortress anchors are not so good at resetting following a change of direction of pull (tide or wind change), and hence are more often recommended as a kedge, rather than a bower anchor.

What evidence is there of this, and how bad are they at resetting? Can anyone who uses one as a bower anchor comment on their experience?
 
It happened to me twice. It was the day I bought it mid-summer, hot and windless. We anchored in the Haringvliet for lunch, wind turned and we realised that a buoy had just overtaken us. Later we anchored overnight a few miles away and awoke early in the morning almost on shore. Same situation again, very light wind changed direction.
 
Not direct evidence of not resetting but it's uite easy to make them 'fly' like an upside down kite if retrieving one in the dinghy, even quite slowly the flukes will point upwards and the anchor will fly off the sea bed. This is enough to make me wary of wind shifts on just a fortress ...
 
LittleSister said:
It is said that Fortress anchors are not so good at resetting following a change of direction of pull (tide or wind change), and hence are more often recommended as a kedge, rather than a bower anchor.

What evidence is there of this, and how bad are they at resetting? Can anyone who uses one as a bower anchor comment on their experience?
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Because that type of anchor doesn't lend itself to self stowing on a bow roller, I think that few would use them as their bower anchor. Used as a second anchor, or as a kedge, they are excellent.
 
LittleSister said:
It is said that Fortress anchors are not so good at resetting following a change of direction of pull (tide or wind change), and hence are more often recommended as a kedge, rather than a bower anchor.

What evidence is there of this, and how bad are they at resetting? Can anyone who uses one as a bower anchor comment on their experience?
Click to expand...

I have just started an experiment using a Fortress as a bower anchor.

My usual bower is a slightly oversize Delta which I have used for many years for occasional anchoring in tidal areas. I always sleep soundly on it. I would only operate an anchor watch if anchored on loose clean sand and it is above 25kts on the deck. I vaguely recall it did drag (or plough) very slowly somewhere on a windy day, but I don’t recall where so it is not significant in my mind.

But because the on board Fortress is properly sized but so much lighter I decided to give it a try for a couple of tidal swings. One being an overnight tide change and another mid afternoon. Both times were on muddy/gritty sand or firm ish mud (Solent estuary stuff) and light winds. Anyway, no problem. But that is not much of a test. Would I trust it on sand with a tide change, no not yet. But I will be experimenting further to see how I get on.
 
I've never got a fortress to set at all. Of the two times I thought it was set one was caught on an old fishing net, and the other was caught under a rock.

Even playing with the miniature anchors in a sand pit at a chandlers, the fortress was one of the most difficult to set, where as the mantus, rocna, bruce and even the delta all set as soon as I pulled the chains.

The poor setting and awkward shape (to stow) have seen it mostly used a used as a dinghy anchor.
 
Mikedefieslife said:
I've never got a fortress to set at all. Of the two times I thought it was set one was caught on an old fishing net, and the other was caught under a rock.

Even playing with the miniature anchors in a sand pit at a chandlers, the fortress was one of the most difficult to set, where as the mantus, rocna, bruce and even the delta all set as soon as I pulled the chains.

The poor setting and awkward shape (to stow) have seen it mostly used a used as a dinghy anchor.
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That has not been my experience.
 
If you visit America you often see Fortress inelegantly on bow rollers.

I have a belief that Fortress recommendations for anchor size vs yacht size are too 'generous' the anchors are too big. This results in their being difficult to set deeply such that the stock and shank are buried. In contrast most other, modern, anchors - the shackle end of the shank and at least a good part of the fluke is 'easy' to ensure is well buried (Mantus being an exception - the shank is very difficult to bury as it is so shallow setting). If the shank and stock of the Fortress are clear of the seabed then if there is a change of wind (or tide) it is inevitable the chain will get under the stock - and the anchor can then be easily tripped. In worst case scenario the anchor has no chance of re-setting - by itself.

This problem is then exacerbated as people, or some, buy their Fortress as a storm anchor - so the situation is magnified (or made worse). Of course there is then the, unqualified, mantra to buy a size bigger than recommended........

For most everyday anchoring a smaller model is easier to bury (particularly the stock) and Fortress (sized correctly) are excellent in softer sand, mud and unbeatable is squishy mud.

The recommended anchor for our cat was a FX 23, we would often use it as a second anchor in a 'V', for which it is excellent (in sand and mud). We have swapped it for an FX 16 (and also carry a FX 37 for squishy mud (where a larger size offers the necessary hold). The FX 23 is collecting dust at home.

There are very few aluminium alloy anchors, Spade, Anchor Right's alloy Excel and Fortress. We have an all alloy quiver and carry all three (and no steel anchors). The Excel is difficult to source in Europe, the alloy Spade expensive - if you want to enjoy high hold for weight of anchor (kedge or deploy by dinghy or by hand) there is not much choice.

No anchor is perfect, though some are less perfect than others - they all, well most of them :) have strengths.

Jonathan
 
LittleSister said:
Other bottoms are not their forte, but how well do they cope with them?
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Anecdotally - stones, pebbles and weed may potentially clog/jamb the flukes and in very hard seabeds the flukes may not engage. In such seabeds our Spade or Excel don't have such issues (though in weed many anchors struggle anyway (and ideally we should not be disturbing weed).

Our seabeds and anchorages are very well documented (and described in fair detail in Admiralty Pilots and various cruising guides). We try to avoid weed (we have amazing kelp beds in Tasmania) and knowing a bottom is hard, pebbly or mud and checking forecasts (broadcast and updated every 4 hours) - determines which anchor (or anchors) to use.

Accepting these widely reported anecdotal comments of Fortress and given we have alternative designs there has never been any incentive to test the truth. The compensation is that in sand and mud - Fortress is outstanding and in squishy mud (of which we have a lot) - unbeatable.

As said - Fortress are ungainly on many bow rollers and ours especially so - it is thus deployed by hand, usually from a dinghy - but sometimes by hand off the bow. We often anchor in 'V' to reduce veering, its more comfortable to be 'stable' especially if there is a bit of a breeze.

My concerns of Fortress, FX23, was the realisation that when power set the stock (and sometimes shank) stood proud of the seabed and this 'performance' associated with the, again, anecdotal, comment that Fortress could trip, itself, led to the conclusion the recommended anchor was simply too big (gloriously safe in a straight line blow - but vulnerable in a simple change of tide). The solution seems simply - use a smaller Fortress - which we don't bury but do set such that the stock is 'below' the seabed surface.

But we don't believe in the philosophy that there is 1 perfect anchor nor believe in the associated philosophy that having a bigger anchor compensates for any and all design weaknesses and any and all seabed types.

Everyone to their own - but we work with - Horses for courses. Others are equally happy with other practices.

Jonathan
 
Mikedefieslife said:
Even playing with the miniature anchors in a sand pit at a chandlers, the fortress was one of the most difficult to set, where as the mantus, rocna, bruce and even the delta all set as soon as I pulled the chains.

.
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This contradicts many comments on the ability to set a Delta, reliably. Given its price - if it was that good none of us would have any need to buy anything else.

I wish you were right :)

Even a small change in design of an anchor can have a large impact on performance. Sharpen the toe, alter the centre of gravity, change the shank length by a small amount, alter the fluke/shank angle - all can impact how an anchor performs. Thinking that a model anchor is an exact copy - its a pipe dream - and sand pits are to distract children to allow the salesman the opportunity to persuade Dad - after all - how often to do you anchor in a sand pit (or anything that is even a larger version of a sand pit)?

If sand pits were of value there would be no need to go to the, very great, expense of testing full sized anchors.

We too have had no problems setting a Fortress.

Jonathan
 
Returning to the theme of the thread.

I confess I would not buy an anchor simply because it was on discount. I'd only buy one if I thought it was good and filled a hole in my portfolio. My luck is such I'd buy the anchor at full price and find it discounted the next week :(.

If you have a hole in your portfolio and can enjoy the, or a, discount - I'd recommend buying a Fortress. it does have unique beneficial characteristics. But if I was going off into the wide blue yonder......

I would not venture forth without one, or two.

I have not seen Lewmar's rendition, bizarrely they did not have any at the Sydney boat show in August and as of then - none were booked to be shipped. I have no ideas on prices. It would be interesting to hear comments from anyone who has seen one (its a bit early for user comments).

Jonathan
 
Neeves said:
This contradicts many comments on the ability to set a Delta, reliably. Given its price - if it was that good none of us would have any need to buy anything else.

I wish you were right :)

Even a small change in design of an anchor can have a large impact on performance. Sharpen the toe, alter the centre of gravity, change the shank length by a small amount, alter the fluke/shank angle - all can impact how an anchor performs. Thinking that a model anchor is an exact copy - its a pipe dream - and sand pits are to distract children to allow the salesman the opportunity to persuade Dad - after all - how often to do you anchor in a sand pit (or anything that is even a larger version of a sand pit)?

If sand pits were of value there would be no need to go to the, very great, expense of testing full sized anchors.

We too have had no problems setting a Fortress.

Jonathan
Click to expand...

Why are you rambling on about sand pits though and deltas though, when I only added it as an aside. I was mostly talking about the anchor not setting out in the real world. I've spent over 250 days at anchor so far over the past couple of seasons. The Rocna always sets in an instant. The Bruce before I gave it away used to set reasonably well. The Fortress has never set, it was easy to pull it out just by hand, there as the others even the boat at 2000rpm wouldn't pull them out.

I think that even with the mud flaps, it would lie too flat, preventing it from digging in. Perhaps the technique is to let less rode out to begin with to set it and then let more later. That might keep it at a better angle.

Anyhow, it's all moot, the deal only seems for US customers given the shipping costs etc.. It's not like the current Simrad offers of cashback on MFDs that seems to apply worldwide.
 
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