latest anchor test

[pcatterall]

For those who have not seen the article a brief summarry of the results follows
Best first. ( efficiency rating is the figure given)

6kg spade 24
15kg spade 32
4 kg Rocna 21
16kg Rocna 30
7 kg Manson Supreme 12
11 kg manson Supreme 21
7kg Delta 8
16 kg Delta 11
7 kg CQR 7
21 kg CQR 8
6 kg Bruce 5
16 kg bruce 6

These tests were all conducted in medium/hard sand which seems to be a basic weakness with the survey ( as has been pointed out). The author notes this point himself and is clear that different sea beds would affect the results but maintains that the 'order of performance' would be significantly the same.
The CQRs problem was attributed in part to the hinge which caused/allowed the anchor to snake around.

 

[ChrisE]

I don't think that anybody would argue much that a cqr once bedded in is good gripper.

The problem is that on some surfaces getting it to bed in is the problem. 10 years with cqr never dragged but spent ages on occasion getting it in and on some occasions having to give up trying to anchor in the chosen spot.

8 years with Spade no dragging and only a couple of times spent a while getting it to set, yet to find a spot where it doesn't go in. That, I would argue, is the difference between the old and the new.

 

[Rigger Mortice]

6kg spade 24
15kg spade 32
4 kg Rocna 21
16kg Rocna 30
7 kg Manson Supreme 12
11 kg manson Supreme 21
7kg Delta 8
16 kg Delta 11
7 kg CQR 7
21 kg CQR 8
6 kg Bruce 5
16 kg bruce 6

Doesn't say much about my Danforth!

 

[Quandary]

That is so funny, and typical, thanks, its these we gems that I look forward to. You have been away for a while, missed them. I think having dinner under the table with the dog has been the best yet.

No problem, I will try to continue to keep you amused, as long as River City is on the box I will be sitting at the laptop trying to overcome my natural reticence.
(the dog is eating al fresco in the balmy outdoors these days but he was under a few bar tables in Skye and Sutherland over the last few weeks.)

 

[Twister_Ken]

One of our favourite pastimes, while lurking in the sand dunes avin a barbie

Bavaria, is it, only the keel seems to have fallen off.

 

[pcatterall]

'Doesn't say much about my Danforth'

Agread; I would have thought that that type would have been given a go.

 

[WoodyP]

Having read the article, I couldn't make hog nor mutton of the script. The figures are for anchors of different weights, so it seems to be impossible to compare like with like. Also, as the photo shows a Danforth at the beginning, and then they are never mentioned again or tested, what the b'jesus are they talking about.

 

[Ex-SolentBoy]

Solent Boy
I dunno? I was quoting hearsay, I have never anchored anywhere near the Baltic, so like many on here speaking from a position of extreme ignorance and perhaps a little tongue in cheek, but without any intention to be provocative.
I talk to a lot of passing boat owners every day, its remarkable how few of them can reply to the question 'How do you find your anchor performs'.
On the presumption that most of the yachts going out and coming back through the Crinan Canal anchor at least 75% of the time and should be expected to know something about it, I have been carrying out a crude survey of visible anchors. Deltas seem to be most popular, followed by CQR, they massively outnumber the others which seem to be Bruce, then Roll Bar (Rocna and Manson are hard to identify once the labels are off) and a few Spades. Spades are a small minority, except on the French boats and we see even fewer folding anchors (Danforth/ Fortress) out here except on smaller yachts The major proportion of the Bruces are stainless steel on big Scandanavian yachts. The preference for Delta and CQR may be influenced by Scottish supply (Simpson Lawrence was much respected) as well as the anchoring conditions.
Next year I might take time to assemble some statistics.

There are lies, damm lies and statistics. I understand your problem.

The most popular car in the world ( I am told) is the Toyota Corolla. That doesn't make it the best car, it just makes it the car that more people have bought than any other.

A Delta is well less than half the price of a Rocna or a Spade. Perhaps price, rather than performance is a more important selection criteria for most people.

I went through the Crinan a few weeks ago and then on to Ardfern. Stayed there for a few nights I actually saw three boats in the marina ditching Deltas and fitting Rocnas which are distributed locally. Not a statistical survey in any way, but draw your own conclusions.

 

[salinia]

Bavaria, is it, only the keel seems to have fallen off.

"Skipper" dug a hole for that to fit into

 

[jfkal]

Get Real

There are lies, damm lies and statistics. I understand your problem.

The most popular car in the world ( I am told) is the Toyota Corolla. That doesn't make it the best car, it just makes it the car that more people have bought than any other.

A Delta is well less than half the price of a Rocna or a Spade. Perhaps price, rather than performance is a more important selection criteria for most people.

I went through the Crinan a few weeks ago and then on to Ardfern. Stayed there for a few nights I actually saw three boats in the marina ditching Deltas and fitting Rocnas which are distributed locally. Not a statistical survey in any way, but draw your own conclusions.

When are we stopping to take equipment tests from commercial publications serious?
They are neither worth the paper they are printed on nor the bytes sent though cyberspace.
The best anchor is Toyota engine block (prior to 1982 model only). I got it chromed and it looks good hanging from the bow of my RIB.

 

[Quandary]

Statistics and Natural Selection

I have no axe to grind, I have owned and used most of the popular anchor types and agree with those who say that ease of setting is the advantage of the modern ones, our roll bar seems to be almost idiot proof as long as you look down to avoid heavy kelp before you drop it, but then so is our Delta. The roll bar makes it a bugger to recover through the pulpit though, so once deployed it tends to decorate the bow roller, unless it is not going to be used for a few days; CQRs are not the easiest thing to hande either and I am convinced the Delta was an improvement. The only anchor types that I have used that have never dragged (so far) have been a big (genuine) Bruce and a Delta but I suspect that is more to do with luck than judgement.
I am suggesting that if certain types of anchors are being used regularly, as is normal west of marinaland, they surely must be satisfactory or otherwise they would soon have been replaced.
The advantage that the Manson, Rocna and particularly the Spade seem to have is that you can more or less chuck it over and it is set whereas with a CQR you need to know how to set it and take the time to do it. I am not surprised that Ardfern Chandlery are managing to sell the Rocnas they stock, if you can afford to keep your boat there, a Rocna is just beer money.

 

[pcatterall]

Having read the article, I couldn't make hog nor mutton of the script. The figures are for anchors of different weights, so it seems to be impossible to compare like with like. QUOTE]
I also found the article heavy going but it does become clear that they have tested a small and a larger anchor from each model.
Many of us hardly use our anchor so rely on articles about well conducted tests or well considered factual reports from those who use theirs on a regular basis and especially those who have used a variety of anchors in a variety of situations.

 

[Leonidas]

[QUOTE ]

I note that my my 2 anchors are a bruce and a cqr so not much anchor security for me then!
Unquote


Likewise. I have been using exclusively a Bruce anchor (the boat was originally fitted with ) for many years. It never gave me any anchoring problem except on one occasion that I anchored in a small cove where the bottom was covered with sea grass; but there again it was blowing quite hard at that time and there was not much room to allow paying out sufficient scope. I wonder how the other anchor types would have performed under these conditions.

 

[Robin]

Our new boat, a mobo in Florida, came with a 66lb Bruce, I don't know if it is a genuine one or a lookalike but I'm told it works. The previous owners anchored out in the Bahamas and Exumas for some three months on it earlier this year.

Now I'm no fan of Bruce anchors so am seriously thinking of replacing it with a 55lb Delta, the size recommended for our size of boat, in fact for even bigger. I'm a big Delta fan, but had many years of confident anchoring with CQRs also before moving to Delta with a boat change. A Rocna or Spade might well be the latest dog's bolleaux but the prices especially in the sizes we want are way out there next to Mars, planet that is not bar.

I guess we'll wait and do some practical trials on our first trip. If two 250hp engines astern can't move the Bruce it might get to stay, otherwise... Anyway from what I hear on USA forums doing that with a Rocna is likely to bend the shank since somebody apparently specced the steel wrong to the Chinese makers. That should get Craig going.

 

[Marlin]

Were these genuine Bruces? Don't recall them making 6kg and 16kg versions - they were all in 5kg increments as far as I know.

 

[bluedragon]

WHAT THE HELL DO WE NEED ANOTHER ANCHOR TEST FOR?? Have PBO nothing better to do!! This topic has been done to death in recent years both in the mags and forums. There are no new types anchors here. What's the point of all this? Can anyone tell me??

 

[ChrisE]

Splutter, splutter, without anchor threads how would this forum survive?

 

[Leighb]

Were these genuine Bruces? Don't recall them making 6kg and 16kg versions - they were all in 5kg increments as far as I know.

I have genuine Bruce which is 15kg, seems unlikely that they have made one of 16kg.

It came with the boat, we anchor quite a bit, and it has not let us down yet. Always on muddy East Coast rivers though.

 

[vyv_cox]

WHAT THE HELL DO WE NEED ANOTHER ANCHOR TEST FOR?? Have PBO nothing better to do!! This topic has been done to death in recent years both in the mags and forums. There are no new types anchors here. What's the point of all this? Can anyone tell me??

This one was done by a very respected authority on the subject, quite independently of any manufacturer interest, in as scientific a manner as can be possible. I find it most interesting to note the results, which agree quite closely with my own attempts to combine all the test results I can get hold of and 'average' them out.

Partly answering your questions, there are very few new topics in yachting (one exception being the YM crash boat). All that can be done is to put a new slant on the old topics, by better observation, better interpretation or by adding scientific/mathematical diagnosis. This article seems to me to be a significant step in the right direction.

 

[Sandyman]

WHAT THE HELL DO WE NEED ANOTHER ANCHOR TEST FOR?? Have PBO nothing better to do!! This topic has been done to death in recent years both in the mags and forums. There are no new types anchors here. What's the point of all this? Can anyone tell me??

Simples: Creating a marketplace then selling into that market.