Kobra anchor

[piewacket]

Hi all,,, i am buying a kobra anchor ...

Yes i agree spade/rocna better but i anchor little this works for me on price and an upgrade on the CQR 18KG which came with boat and is a handfull

i have a 10.2 Metre Moody with no windlass....

I would like to know from others how bigger they went from size on website...

Plastimo website suggests 12M boat = 10KG kobra
really ?

would love to know how far up you went went - iam hoping to get a lighter anchor i can hand lift - but main anchor still (overnight)

( btw i carry 50 M of chain ) -

 

[Neeves]

Kobra is an excellent anchor, cheap and cheerful. The question mark is over its shank - its very wimpy. As long as you are aware that the shank has limitations, are prepared to live with them - its good value for money. It will sit on your bow roller as the CQR already does. Ive used one and find it develops sufficient hold and quickly. But I have seen them with bent shanks - and there were a couple of images on this forum a few years ago. I had the folding shank welded up, and then painted the weld with liquid zinc.

I'd suggest 15kg - but I know others are going to suggest bigger.

The weight when you lift is primarily in the chain - if you want to reduce weight, to save your back, I'd look at the chain weight, as well. I don't know what you are using (cos you have not said) but 8mm would be adequate and going to G70 you would be able to use 6mm or 1/4" - available from Peerless.

Much depends where you anchor but if you do not anchor in weed nor stones then I would look at a Fortress - you will really save weight. Consider a FX 16, which is now what we are using on a 38' cat.

If you go the FX 16 option I would then suggest leaving the CQR on the bow roller, lashed down. I'd use the FX 16 as my primary and keep the CQR in reserve for when the FX 16 is not ideal. Then most of the time when you anchor in mud and sand you will only have the weight of the alloy anchor to lift.

For the assembled experts to give you an opinion - you need to provide more info.

Jonathan

 

[noelex]

The most realistic anchor sizing tables are published by Rocna and Mantus. These can be used as a starting point for other anchors designs although the Kobra does not quite have the same performance.

Rather than using any table, fitting the largest anchor you can reasonably manage is the best advice for a cruising yacht. If you hauling the anchor by hand, without a windlass the maximum weight will be limited using this criterion. Accessories such as chain stoppers and a low friction bow roller help considerably.

Be aware that that the Kobra in the smaller sizes comes with a clip that secures the folding mechanism. This is less good than the bolt used on the larger sizes (this is sometimes called the Kobra 2). I think the 10kg is largest anchor with the clip, so at least to go over this size if you planning to anchor overnight (check this: Plastimo are not very clear on the production of the Kobra 1 and 2 variants)

 

[zoidberg]

Hi all,,, i am buying a kobra anchor... the CQR 18KG which came with boat and is a handful. I have a 10.2 Metre Moody with no windlass.... I would like to know from others how bigger they went from size on website...

Plastimo website suggests 12M boat = 10KG kobra. really ? I am hoping to get a lighter anchor I can hand lift - but main anchor still (overnight) ( btw i carry 50 M of chain ) -

Having consulted widely ....i.e. here.... I've gone for a 14kg Kobra II on 45 metres of 8mm chain. I also have two Fortress FX-11, each with 7m of 10mm chain plus 45m each of 18mm multiplait. The boat is 9 metres LOA, displacing about 3.5 tons.

The anchors and chain will be stowed below, except when I expect to anchor, when one or more will be brought up, with its rode. I'm keeping that weight out of the bow and down in the deep bilge.

 

[neil1967]

40' monohull, about 12 tons, I've got a 20Kg Kobra. Works well when I've used it, but I can't say it's really been tested in strong winds.

 

[Steve_N]

11.4m monohull c. 9.5 tons and fairly high windage (centre cockpit).
I have both 16kg and 20kg Kobra 2s.
I added the 20kg primarily because there was room for it in the anchor well but the 16kg was ample really and never gave cause for any concern in NW Scottish conditions.

 

[jordanbasset]

We have a 10m Bavaria and went for 14kg Kobra2, larger than we probably needed but as it was replacing a 16kg delta that was on the boat when we bought it I was not too worried about the weight and at £129 very good value. It is on 70m of 8 mm chain.
On our previous 12 metre Bavaria I bought a 16kg Kobra2, again very good performance and more than upto the job size wise.

 

[VicMallows]

16kg Kobra2 + 40m 8mm chain. Sadler29. Hand hauled.

The improvement compared to previous 25lb CQR was dramatic.

 

[ctva]

We have used a 16Kg Kobra2 with 50m of 10mm chain for the last 13 years on the west coast of Scotland on a Jeanneau 342 and sleep easily at night. best one was a NE 6-7 overnight in Canna (exposed to NE) and despite checking regularly overnight, didn't budge an inch. Manual windlass too. Deepest anchoring was in 19m still no problem. The original 10Kg Delta as recommended for the size of boat is kept as a spare kedge.

A good nights sleep is the main consideration when purchasing an anchor / chain combination, so don't skimp. I really like the Kobra.

 

[zoidberg]

best one was a NE 6-7 overnight in Canna (exposed to NE) and despite checking regularly overnight, didn't budge an inch...... I really like the Kobra.

I'd have been tempted to take a line ashore onto a ring-thingy on the ferry pierhead..... then rowing out a Fortress about 30° or so to the east on a longer rode.

Canna has a long history of offering disappointing anchor holding. It's fine if used as originally intended and used - running your Viking-type longboat up onto the beach and hauling it up out of harm's way on wooden rollers. Maybe that's why CalMac don't stop overnight.....

 

[underdog]

I have a 12kg Kobra with 30 m 8mm chain which works very well for a 32 foot 3 ton H 323 when cruising the West Coast of Scotland

 

[piewacket]

thanks everyone - great information...

appreciated