OMG an anchor question on mobo forum.

[Robin]

We are in the process of buying a Birchwood TS37 and one upgrade has to be to change the anchor. Currently it has a ship style stockless job athat sits in a moulded in hawse pipe in the bow and I doubt a Delta or RocManson will fit.

Any TS 37 owners have any bright ideas please?

 

[BruceK]

Will a Fortress fit?

 

[kashurst]

could you mount a bow roller assembly on the prow, then you could fit a variety of different anchor designs

 

[BruceK]

Fortress does fit and by far and away the most popular fit in a google image search

Bow roller fitted

 

[Robin]

could you mount a bow roller assembly on the prow, then you could fit a variety of different anchor designs

There is one for sale with an add-on like that but Ihoped somebody might have a similar boat and the ultimate answer. A Fortress for sure would fit in the hole but knock chunks of the gel coat every time I suspect. Ideally I would prefer a Delta or even a newgen type Fitting a deck mounted roller will need serious backing plate reinforcement .

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

I have seen boats with similar hawse pipe arrangements fitted with Bruce anchors. Certainly my old Azimut AZ46 had a similar hawse pipe arrangement and that had a Bruce. I think its a case of trying a few different types of anchor and seeing which fits the best. I guess the major limiting factor will be the height of the anchor shank because that will determine whether the anchor can be drawn up into the hawse pipe. I do remember that on my AZ46 if the Bruce anchor was drawn up into the hawse pipe the wrong way up, then it got properly stuck and in the end I was carrying a pick axe handle and sledge hammer on the boat just to be able to bash the anchor out of the hawse pipe

 

[Medskipper]

I owned a Birchwood 37 for fifteen years, my thinking was similar to yours at first but looking at what needed to be done, i.e. increase the size of the stainless steel plate to stop damage caused by a swinging anchor to the gel coat I decided against it. I have to say that the original anchor is very good, chunky and heavy it held in all types of ground and never let me down and the position on the bow works very well.
I did however change the manual winch for a very good electric one which worked well, it was a Lofrans Tigress.

 

[Robin]

I owned a Birchwood 37 for fifteen years, my thinking was similar to yours at first but looking at what needed to be done, i.e. increase the size of the stainless steel plate to stop damage caused by a swinging anchor to the gel coat I decided against it. I have to say that the original anchor is very good, chunky and heavy it held in all types of ground and never let me down and the position on the bow works very well.
I did however change the manual winch for a very good electric one which worked well, it was a Lofrans Tigress.

That is somewhat reassuring. I even wonder if deliberately hauling up a delta type anchor upside down ie point up would work, otherwise a deck mounted extended roller gizmo or add-on bow plank is the only solution other than change nothing. The boat does have an electric windlass and all new 10mmm chain.

 

[Boatbore]

Someone once gave me some excellent anchor advice. I had bought a 15 year old Boat and was perplexed that the anchor was much too small. It certainly appeared to be too small so I was investigating replacing it when a wise old sea dog said to me “its the original anchor, on a 15 year old Boat, that’s been kept in the med and therefore anchored often. If it was a problem it would have been replaced already.” And he was absolutely correct, it worked perfectly and I never had a problem. It might be worth trying the existing set up first and then deciding whether it’s good enough or not. Just a thought !

 

[Robin]

Someone once gave me some excellent anchor advice. I had bought a 15 year old Boat and was perplexed that the anchor was much too small. It certainly appeared to be too small so I was investigating replacing it when a wise old sea dog said to me “its the original anchor, on a 15 year old Boat, that’s been kept in the med and therefore anchored often. If it was a problem it would have been replaced already.” And he was absolutely correct, it worked perfectly and I never had a problem. It might be worth trying the existing set up first and then deciding whether it’s good enough or not. Just a thought !

owner said it workedfine but we anchor a lot often in bad conditions albeit not deliberately. Paranoia rules OK!

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Someone once gave me some excellent anchor advice. I had bought a 15 year old Boat and was perplexed that the anchor was much too small. It certainly appeared to be too small so I was investigating replacing it when a wise old sea dog said to me “its the original anchor, on a 15 year old Boat, that’s been kept in the med and therefore anchored often. If it was a problem it would have been replaced already.” And he was absolutely correct, it worked perfectly and I never had a problem. It might be worth trying the existing set up first and then deciding whether it’s good enough or not. Just a thought !

Thats all well and good. The vast majority of Med based boats only go out of the marina for the day, anchor in a local bay, lunch on board and return to the marina at night. In other words they tend to go out only in benign conditions and there is always somebody on board in case the anchor drags. On the other hand if you plan to do extended cruising and spend nights at anchor in what might be breezy conditions and go ashore for dinner or provisions, thats a different kettle of fish and you better make sure you have a decent anchor and plenty of chain

 

[vas]

Thats all well and good. The vast majority of Med based boats only go out of the marina for the day, anchor in a local bay, lunch on board and return to the marina at night. In other words they tend to go out only in benign conditions and there is always somebody on board in case the anchor drags. On the other hand if you plan to do extended cruising and spend nights at anchor in what might be breezy conditions and go ashore for dinner or provisions, thats a different kettle of fish and you better make sure you have a decent anchor and plenty of chain

+1
then you also have to account for anchoring techniques and areas. MiToS probably had only changed to the 15kg bruce I got her with 25+yrs ago, if I drop on decent seabed 60m of chain on 5m of water, it will hold (probably for ever!) but in many cases you dont have the space for that scope and then you drag and change anchor
simple

 

[Portofino]

Explains why there are a lot Volvo drivers creeping about on the roads .
Only takes one or even 1/2 of a bad experience

 

[Boatbore]

Thats all well and good. The vast majority of Med based boats only go out of the marina for the day, anchor in a local bay, lunch on board and return to the marina at night. In other words they tend to go out only in benign conditions and there is always somebody on board in case the anchor drags. On the other hand if you plan to do extended cruising and spend nights at anchor in what might be breezy conditions and go ashore for dinner or provisions, thats a different kettle of fish and you better make sure you have a decent anchor and plenty of chain

Of course all of us need equipment that is fit for purpose, all I was suggesting is that it is possible the OP already has that given he describes the boat as one he is in the process of buying. My advice still stands, there will be plenty of things that will need liberal applications of cash for the OP when taking on a new-to-him boat and if it was me I wouldn’t start with stuff that I THINK needs improving. I would try it and see...... which doesn’t mean waiting for a virtual hurricane and laying insufficient chain onto a weedy bottom and then smugly saying “I knew it” when the anchor drags !

Why does anything anchor related provoke such strong feelings on here ?

 

[Robin]

Of course all of us need equipment that is fit for purpose, all I was suggesting is that it is possible the OP already has that given he describes the boat as one he is in the process of buying. My advice still stands, there will be plenty of things that will need liberal applications of cash for the OP when taking on a new-to-him boat and if it was me I wouldn’t start with stuff that I THINK needs improving. I would try it and see...... which doesn’t mean waiting for a virtual hurricane and laying insufficient chain onto a weedy bottom and then smugly saying “I knew it” when the anchor drags !

Why does anything anchor related provoke such strong feelings on here ?

Iit is a sensible suggestion for sure and we may well go that route first off.

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Why does anything anchor related provoke such strong feelings on here ?

You should take a look at some of the anchor threads on Scuttlebutt. Apologies if my post came across as strong. FWIW, when I buy a new boat one of the first things I do is upgrade 'the anchor but that is because we do spend quite a few nights at anchor throughout the season and I like sleeping well at night

 

[Bouba]

Why does anything anchor related provoke such strong feelings on here ?

Because anchoring is an exact science so only one person can be right

 

[Portofino]

Of course all of us need equipment that is fit for purpose,

Why does anything anchor related provoke such strong feelings on here ?

Good Q .
I,am with you on this .
Guess like a Volvo driver ,they’ve had a bad experience with another marque .
In a boat sense they reassure themselves that buying a bigger set up will prevent what happened.
Or the OEM set up is weedy in which case it’s easier for folks like you and me to understand the buying decisions?

Dunno - the only common theme with anchor threads is a row due to one side not getting the other sides rational .

Personally we too anchor off .
Of course not it’s not a expidition boat and we try to be mindful of the met , but allways have a plan B ,and have been the only ( not sure if that’s good or bad ? ) one anchoring in places like Corsica .
As you can see from the pics anecdotally nobody in my little club seems to bother changing - admittedly most spend there nights in a marina , but the wind gets up in the afternoons too

https://imgur.com/a/E1eeA

 

[Boatbore]

Because anchoring is an exact science so only one person can be right

A brilliant answer !

 

[Boatbore]

You should take a look at some of the anchor threads on Scuttlebutt. Apologies if my post came across as strong. FWIW, when I buy a new boat one of the first things I do is upgrade 'the anchor but that is because we do spend quite a few nights at anchor throughout the season and I like sleeping well at night

No need to apologise, no offence taken !