Lewmar's LFX

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Neeves

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Lewmar's LFX, their aluminium fluke anchor, of Fortress clone, ha hit the N American markets with no fanfare, or none I have detected.

Is the anchor available in the UK, or Europe?

Lewmar unveiled a new steel anchor, an 'upgrade' of the Delta, almost 2 year ago and then another iteration last year, both at METS. Any sighting in the UK?

Jonathan

Edit,

Apologies

Forgot the link

https://www.defender.com/product.jsp?id=4562046
 
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A supplementary question,

Is the new steel anchor also available - or if not is there a release date - or has it been shelved.

I had heard it was tested, somewhere on the UK east coast and when released it would be Classification Society certified. But I also heard release might not be till the year end - which seems a long time from its release at METS.

Jonathan
 
L Lady,

I confess I don't know what you call it :(

But at METS 2 years ago you unveiled an new steel anchor and in METS last year you introduced another, or a tuned version of the one a year earlier. It had a slightly concave fluke with convexity in the centre of the fluke. It came with a removable roll bar ()which had me a bit puzzled) and was on your stand in either spiffy stainless or gal. You had the same anchor in Miami, I think Miami.

It was, I assumed 'better' than the Delta and possibly would become your flagship anchor - able to knock spots off the range of other SHHP anchors.

As I mentioned none of your new anchors have been released with any fanfare - but maybe they will be in the Sydney show next week?

Jonathan
 
How does it compare to the Fortress/Guardian, which it seems to be a copy of? Price wise I see little difference (Defender.com has both listed for direct comparison).
 
Yngmar said:
How does it compare to the Fortress/Guardian, which it seems to be a copy of? Price wise I see little difference (Defender.com has both listed for direct comparison).
Click to expand...

Lewmar are not daft and have the resource and expertise to research, develop and bring to market as good as anything previously, or currently, available. So I'd be confident (personally) that it is as good (if not better). Others may have a different views - but assumptions are not something on which to base the safety of ones yacht - and I confess if I had one - I'd use it with caution initially. I have not seen one, except on websites - and yes it looks very similar to the Fortress, other than the Guardian, range.

Guardian is cheaper than Fortress because it is not anodised (though I have never heard anyone complaining that this is a disadvantage). The Guardian flukes are not machined with a knife edge and the shank is not tapered. Though the Guardian numbering system is the same as Fortress the Guardian seems to be smaller - again this would be best checked with the G16 alongside a FX16, etc.

Lewmar have the resource to evaluate and as they have their other anchors, CQR, Delta etc made in China then I'd expect the LFX to be also made there. If prices are similar then the LFX must have margin hidden in the price (to someone's advantage (if not the consumer) as Fortress are still proudly made in America, from American aluminium and American anodising.

I'd look out for boat show specials and/or discounting by Fortress - it might get messy (for once to the consumers advantage). o if you are in the market for an aluminium anchor - maybe hold off for a short time.

Given that anchor design tends to be incremental I would hope that Lewmar has taken the concept a bit further - these is no evidence of this - but maybe the assembly/dis-assembly procedure has been made easier (or less fiddly) - and we don't need to resort to Zoidbergs excellent idea of using ring bolts.

Jonathan
 
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I don't think this impacts anyone in the UK, Europe nor Oz

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f118/fx-85-and-fx-125-on-sale-221549.html

I suspect these are the anchors returned by BP (and cleaned up by Fortress) after the last big American oil spill (BP?).

Jonathan.

Just to confirm I have no interest in any anchor company, or any company servicing the marine industry, apart from media companies. But if there is 'news' that might benefit one single member of YBW - I will post.
 
Lewmar Lady, if you are there.

In investigating the LFX I was at the Sydney Boat show today - no sign of them on a stand - but apparently they are in the country (Australia). A missed marketing opportunity - I'm speechless. Don't they want to sell them???

I was advised, though doubts were expressed when I questioned the advise - that the LFX does not have a variable fluke angle - I was told it was fixed at 45 degrees. To me to have it fixed at 45 degrees is incomprehensible (and my contact then had doubts). Until this is clarified be cautious. 45 degrees is good for mud - but may not work at at all in sand.

I still don't believe it.

On a more positive note the Epsilon, the 'update' of the Delta - I understand Delta will still be available - its drawings have been approved, it should enter production 'soon', it will enjoy Classification Society approvals, LR and ABS both mentioned - on release. It will come with a removable roll bar (to pander to those who think it is advantageous) it will incorporate a 'convex' centre to the fluke with a concave outer rim - extending or developing the fluke design of Anchor Right's Excel.

Jonathan
 
This link is to Lewmar’s website about the LFX https://www.lewmar.com/LFX. It states there that this angle is adjustable but doesn’t give the angles themselves. However, it looks remarkably like the Fortress/Guardian range of anchors.....

Looking further, I found the user guide here https://www.defender.com/pdf/LFX_OWNER.pdf. The angle of the flakes is changed by moving the mud palms back and forth, rather than the Fortress method of using a different pivot hole on the shank. Angle of attack can be 30 degrees for “common” bottoms, 45 degrees for “mud”.
 
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Thanks for the link Duncan.

The assembly and adjustment of the fluke angle looks a little easier on paper than the very similar Fortress anchor, but we will need to see if this is how it works in practice.

The warranty is only for 3 years and no mention of deformation so presumably this is not covered (unless it is a manufacturing defect in the first three years). This is much worse than the excellent Fortress warranty which covers bending, or damage to the anchor from any cause.

This is an important consideration especially with these aluminium anchors.

I also found this video of the LFX. I am very skeptical about the value of videos produced, or controlled by manufacturers, but the link is below if you want to watch. It shows the assembly and a brief look at the anchor setting in sand.

https://www.lewmar.com/node/20373
 
Thanks for the link:

Let's try to be positive. I for one would not rush out to make a video and post on YouTube - to enjoy uneducated criticism - would you - and if so, get out and do it.

Maybe once the, independent, Holding Capacity tests are conducted on Mantus and Vulcan someone will have time to focus on a product that has only been on the market a few weeks.

So, so easy to be critical, so, so difficult to actually do something.

Jonathan
 
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