Hernia anchor

solent clown

solent clown

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I happen to have a 20kg Bruce anchor laying about I was going to use on one of our 24ft Tridents, but it just ridiculously heavy and unweildy , I was thinking something around 10kg would be much easier to handle. Even though it is here and so "free". Just moving it about the workshop is hard enough work even without a chain and rode attached.
So will I be ok with something around 10kg. Coastal only, occasional use
 
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solent clown said:
I happen to have a 20kg Bruce anchor laying about I was going to use on one of our 24ft Tridents, but it just ridiculously heavy and unweildy , I was thinking something around 10kg would be much easier to handle. Even though it is here and so "free". Just moving it about the workshop is hard enough work even without a chain and rode attached.
So will I be ok with something around 10kg. Coastal only, occasional use
Click to expand...

That would be OK for my 50fter so just sent it and I can use it as my spare.

On second thoughts it will cost more that buying a new one.
 
For me the questions are - will you be overnighting, will you be leaving the boat unattended at anchor and for how long?

If the answer to both questions in neither then even a modern 5kg anchor will hold you in the kind of conditions you are anchored for an hour or three. If the conditions get worse the chances are you will up anchor and go to somewhere where you can tie up to a bouy or pontoon. Similarly if you are only leaving the boat unattended on a calm day to go ashore for lunch within sight of the boat.

But if you want to sleep soundly or leave the boat for a few hours to go off shopping then 8-10kg makes more sense. We have a 15kg for a 42 footer which we leave for hours and spend dozens of nights at anchor each year in very varying conditions and that has always felt a little undersized but so far has held us well every single time - once we've confirmed the anchor is properly buried and holding.
 
Wasn't an argument made very persuasively here, that in extremis, a heavy anchor and a long-enough rope rode, is as effective as a huge weight of chain?

The impression given, was that even a long chain will lose its beneficial catenary curve if the current or conditions push the vessel hard enough...

...and with the 'pull' on the chain angled upward rather than horizontally, the whole benefit of chain cable is lost...so coral aside, rope is less effort for no less effect.

Both must be ideal...but perhaps the stormy situation when chain might seem better, is a good time to put down twice or thrice the length of rope instead.

(I'm getting out of this thread, right now ;) ).
 
dancrane said:
Wasn't an argument made very persuasively here, that in extremis, a heavy anchor and a long-enough rope rode, is as effective as a huge weight of chain?

The impression given, was that even a long chain will lose its beneficial catenary curve if the current or conditions push the vessel hard enough...

...and with the 'pull' on the chain angled upward rather than horizontally, the whole benefit of chain cable is lost...so coral aside, rope is less effort for no less effect.

Both must be ideal...but perhaps the stormy situation when chain might seem better, is a good time to put down twice or thrice the length of rope instead.

(I'm getting out of this thread, right now ;) ).
Click to expand...

Stop it. This thread was doing so well.
 
RupertW said:
For me the questions are - will you be overnighting, will you be leaving the boat unattended at anchor and for how long?

If the answer to both questions in neither then even a modern 5kg anchor will hold you in the kind of conditions you are anchored for an hour or three. If the conditions get worse the chances are you will up anchor and go to somewhere where you can tie up to a bouy or pontoon. Similarly if you are only leaving the boat unattended on a calm day to go ashore for lunch within sight of the boat.

But if you want to sleep soundly or leave the boat for a few hours to go off shopping then 8-10kg makes more sense. We have a 15kg for a 42 footer which we leave for hours and spend dozens of nights at anchor each year in very varying conditions and that has always felt a little undersized but so far has held us well every single time - once we've confirmed the anchor is properly buried and holding.
Click to expand...

yes, popping off for shopping, lunch, sightseeing.
 
dancrane said:
Wasn't an argument made very persuasively here, that in extremis, a heavy anchor and a long-enough rope rode, is as effective as a huge weight of chain?

The impression given, was that even a long chain will lose its beneficial catenary curve if the current or conditions push the vessel hard enough...

...and with the 'pull' on the chain angled upward rather than horizontally, the whole benefit of chain cable is lost...so coral aside, rope is less effort for no less effect.

Both must be ideal...but perhaps the stormy situation when chain might seem better, is a good time to put down twice or thrice the length of rope instead.

(I'm getting out of this thread, right now ;) ).
Click to expand...

Go on OUT OF IT, NOW !!!! :D
 
So does anyone Solent based want to swap a 20kg bruce for a smaller one? :rolleyes: It is not only heavy but very unwieldy, not for me, I get enough of that in the day job.
As an adjunct to this thread question, our main experience of anchoring has been using a fisherman's anchor we were given, mostly because it was easy to store, and a couple of those nasty little grapplers.
they are unloved, but great for digging into the shore, looping around a tree. Getting out of the "luxury" of being able to ground the dinghys or the 18 footer and just hook it up to something dry and heavy is going to be a new learning curve.
So I thought I might get some practice in when I pick up the other Trident from Portsmouth harbour. The area below marked in red looks absolutely ideal. What could possibly go wrong

Cable Route by mark punksteel, on Flickr
 
I quite like the name 'The Trident™' as a new type of anchor. Brilliant concept...three flukes, one always facing down to dig in. Y'heard it here first.

Or you could sink one yacht, with a warp up to the other one. Ought to hold it fast. Sorry...not funny. :grumpy:

:biggrin-new: :highly_amused:
 
dancrane said:
I quite like the name 'The Trident™' as a new type of anchor. Brilliant concept...three flukes, one always facing down to dig in. Y'heard it here first.

Or you could sink one yacht, with a warp up to the other one. Ought to hold it fast. Sorry...not funny. :grumpy:

:biggrin-new: :highly_amused:
Click to expand...

been there once... Never again :rolleyes:
 
dancrane said:
I quite like the name 'The Trident™' as a new type of anchor. Brilliant concept...three flukes, one always facing down to dig in. Y'heard it here first.

Or you could sink one yacht, with a warp up to the other one. Ought to hold it fast. Sorry...not funny. :grumpy:

:biggrin-new: :highly_amused:
Click to expand...

Alarmingly that was exactly what we were sold when getting a mooring for the night in the Caribbean once. All seemed good and newish rope and solidly held us in some strong gusts but when I went for a swim I saw that the smart bouy and newish rope went about 3 meters then was tied with a complex granny knot to some very thick but very frayed rope itself tied to a sunken sailing yacht on its side. We should have moved really.
 
Sandy said:
I find offshore use quite difficult as the weight of 500 meters of chain tends to point the bow towards the sea bed. ;)
Click to expand...

Racing once I was on a boat that anchored in about 70m. Kedge plus about 200m of old sheets knotted together.* Took ages for the boat in front to work out how we were overtaking them.

After Hurricane Ophelia last year the OP might want to keep the 20Kg anchor. You never know when a hurricane might come up the Hamble. :)

*Also old halyards and guys.
 
RupertW said:
Alarmingly that was exactly what we were sold when getting a mooring for the night in the Caribbean once. All seemed good and newish rope and solidly held us in some strong gusts but when I went for a swim I saw that the smart bouy and newish rope went about 3 meters then was tied with a complex granny knot to some very thick but very frayed rope itself tied to a sunken sailing yacht on its side. We should have moved really.
Click to expand...

You just have to admire that level of "it will be all right"
 
lpdsn said:
Racing once I was on a boat that anchored in about 70m. Kedge plus about 200m of old sheets knotted together. Took ages for the boat in front to work out how we were overtaking them.
Click to expand...

I wonder if I alone, visualised you tying bedsheets together?

I must be very slow today...I don't quite get the tale. How were you overtaking, if you were anchored? Was the other boat being driven backwards?
 
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