Rocna anchors - a happy ending!

[captaina]

Many of you will know of the problem with Rocna anchors – following the move of manufacturing to China, a 'dodgy' batch was produced, the anchors were sub-standard and Rocna received severe criticism. Rocna was eventually acquired by Canada Metal Products (CMP), a highly reputable company.



I bought a Rocna in summer 2011 in Portugal. Even at that time, I was aware of the problem, and asked for the Portuguese agent to confirm that it was not from the 'dodgy' batch. I received the confirmation verbally, but they refused to put it in writing. I contacted Rocna directly in New Zealand, and received courteous replies which indicated that my new Rocna might be 'dodgy'.



I spoke to Lawrence Taft from Piplers of Poole; they are the UK agents for Rocna. To my delight and surprise, Lawrence offered to ship a new one out, at no cost to me, even though our yacht is now in the Med. I waited until the new Rocnas had obvious CMP branding. Our new Rocna was shipped to Menorca last week.



Thank you, Lawrence, for your superb service. Hopefully, the sad saga of 'dodgy' Rocnas can at last be put to bed.

 

[Georgio]

That's good to hear, I'm also waiting on my replacement from Lawrence, I'll have to give him a nudge.

Despite all the nonsense (and the poor handling of the situation by Rocna and it's agents) it is a good anchor and miles better than my old Plough.

 

[LittleSister]

The problems were more than 'bad batch'. Since production moved to China they have never been made to the spec Rocna previously claimed, and that on Rocna's own website the designer said was critical to their functioning. The anchors never had the certification that Rocna claimed. Rocana denied all this for a long time, and the new owners have been less than forthcoming about the situation.

Current models are claimed to be made to a better spec than the supposed bad batch, but they're still not made to the spec they used to be, or the designers spec.

I don't think anyone has criticised the anchor design, its just you can't buy a new one that is as strong as the designer said it needed to be.

 

[geem]

Are there any telltale signs if you have one of the dodgy ones? My current boat came with one so no idea of its history

 

[vyv_cox]

Are there any telltale signs if you have one of the dodgy ones? My current boat came with one so no idea of its history

See http://coxengineering.sharepoint.com/Pages/Hardnesstesting.aspx. The really poor shanks had not much more than half the strength they should have, easily detected by this test. If the anchor fluke is fabricated, not cast, without a Rocna moulding in the back end, it was made in New Zealend before production moved to China, and therefore is the best of all the different variations.

 

[Neeves]

I'm not quite sure why this thread was started, If it was meant to engender support for CMP then looking at the identical thread on Scuttlebutt it has done the exact opposite.

Maybe they are just testing the water for market reaction.

If anyone has a better idea?

 

[sailorman]

I'm not quite sure why this thread was started, If it was meant to engender support for CMP then looking at the identical thread on Scuttlebutt it has done the exact opposite.

Maybe they are just testing the water for market reaction.

If anyone has a better idea?

did you mention the Livaboard as well

 

[Conachair]

If anyone has a better idea?

I thought it was a happy camper who isn't very savvy about internet forum protocol.

 

[BrianH]

I thought it was a happy camper who isn't very savvy about internet forum protocol.

Or about public relations and the sceptical yachtie intelligence level.

Posting on multiple forums all over the web is a sign of more than the actions of a happy camper.

 

[Conachair]

Or about public relations and the sceptical yachtie intelligence level.

Posting on multiple forums all over the web is a sign of more than the actions of a happy camper.

Well, we all form our own opinions with the same lack of information.

 

[BrianH]

Well, we all form our own opinions with the same lack of information.

True. Having looked up the OP's other posts I retract my comment. Guess you were right, just a happy camper with a lot of zeal in attempting to rectify the pervading perception of the anchor.

However, as someone with a Rocna who had to deal with the original NZ company and watched the entire shabby situation evolve, I was not impressed with the "dodgy batch" aspect.

 

[Conachair]

However, as someone with a Rocna who had to deal with the original NZ company and watched the entire shabby situation evolve, I was not impressed with the "dodgy batch" aspect.

Don't think you were alone there Very dodgy business.

Shame, great anchor design, still, looks like CMP are trying to turn it around. They could well have bought a pup.

http://www.bymnews.com/news/newsDetails.php?id=97683

 

[captaina]

Silly me! I was only trying to be helpful by letting people know that CMP have resolved the problem and that Lawrence at Piplers is a great guy!

I put my post on three forums at YBW since I was trying to be helpful. If you lot are representative of YBW, which I log onto rarely, I'll bugger off for good. What a pathetic bunch.

 

[macd]

Silly me! ....

...see why...http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?351978-Rocna-anchors-a-happy-ending!