Should I swap to a smaller / 3rd gen anchor?

[RogerFoxTerrier]

We're recently bought a Copland FoxTerrier 22. I believe she's about 1,400KGs.

She came with a 25 lbs / 11 KG CQR as the previous owner deliberately overspec'd it, which I totally get.

But given the CQR design is 90 years old, and they don't get the best reviews compared to modern designs, I was wondering whether it's worth changing. An Utltra is silly money to that's out, but a Rocna looks a good choice. The Rocna site, if I'm reading it correctly, states I only need the 6 KG model, which would be a lot easier to handle. So would the improved setting, holding and re-setting of a new model be better than the sheer weight of the CQR?

Yes, there's nothing 'wrong' with the CQR, other than it's a bit heavy to handle as it's in an anchor locker, not on a roller. I'll also admit I've watched far too many videos on YouTube on 3rd gen anchors and just think they're a bit cool! (sad eh?)

 

[Sandy]

Yes, there's nothing 'wrong' with the CQR, other than it's a bit heavy to handle as it's in an anchor locker.

You have answered your question.

Enjoy your beer tokens in the bar.

 

[Kwik Decision]

In short, yes. A 6 kg rocna on 6 mm chain / 12 mm nylon will be more than adequate for your boat, far easier to deploy and recover, and will hold better than your current anchor. If you don't want to pay rocna prices, a 6 kg delta would also do the job, but less easy to set and lower ultimate hold.

 

[RogerFoxTerrier]

You have answered your question.

Enjoy your beer tokens in the bar.

Yes, but I'm interested in others' opinions...

 

[andsarkit]

You need to check what will fit in your anchor locker.
A good cheap option is a 6kg Kobra for under £100 or a 6.5kg Knox for under £200. Both will set much more easily than a CQR.

 

[lustyd]

Yes, the new setup would be better in every conceivable way. That's how progress works.

 

[billskip]

Yes, but I'm interested in others' opinions...

All the options in the world won't help when it goes tit's up....

 

[RogerFoxTerrier]

You need to check what will fit in your anchor locker.
A good cheap option is a 6kg Kobra for under £100 or a 6.5kg Knox for under £200. Both will set much more easily than a CQR.

Thanks. We're also noting a bit of gel coat / GRP damage on the bow, so can't help thinking the heavy old hook has been dropped on the deck more than a few times!

 

[englishrobs]

We replaced our cqr with a rocna a few years back, wouldn’t go back. Slightly larger heavier boat but similar reduction in weight which I appreciate as we don’t have an electric windlass. Not had a bad set yet.

 

[jbweston]

This is a bit like asking if you should replace your 10 year old Merc with a new BMW. Yes, if you want something newer, with a more modern design and if you are prepared to spend the money. No if you find the old one does all you need and you'd prefer to save the cash. The main difference is that cars wear out but generally anchors don't, so if it's a genuine CQR very likely it will still be working as good as when it was new in 50 years from now.

I think it comes down to your personal preference.

Asking on the forum about which anchor is best is is rather like asking if it's better to be Catholic or Protestant, or to support Man City or Man United. Some people have strong views and firmly-held beliefs.

 

[Tranona]

Asking on the forum about which anchor is best is is rather like asking if it's better to be Catholic or Protestant, or to support Man City or Man United. Some people have strong views and firmly-held beliefs.

But fortunately there is solid data that clearly shows that a modern anchor is superior in every way to the older designs and while his current anchor will do the job a smaller anchor of different design will do an equally good or better job. Not opinion, but proven fact,

 

[RogerFoxTerrier]

This is a bit like asking if you should replace your 10 year old Merc with a new BMW. Yes, if you want something newer, with a more modern design and if you are prepared to spend the money. No if you find the old one does all you need and you'd prefer to save the cash. The main difference is that cars wear out but generally anchors don't, so if it's a genuine CQR very likely it will still be working as good as when it was new in 50 years from now.

I think it comes down to your personal preference.

Asking on the forum about which anchor is best is is rather like asking if it's better to be Catholic or Protestant, or to support Man City or Man United. Some people have strong views and firmly-held beliefs.

Yes I agree - there is no 'best' anchor just like there's no best phone or best mortgage. I actually have a 15 year old Focus and it does just fine. But then I have zero interest in cars. I was really after people's opinions, so englishrobs' above was very interesting. Sometimes new tech / new designs are way better, but sometimes not. My 15 year old Focus for example, has very little to go wrong as doesn't have fancy gizmos I don't need.

Given you still see CQRs everywhere, there's got to be something going for them. But as they were designed by a human, and 3rd gens are mainly designed by computers, I'm intrigued as to how much difference there is. New / shiny things are also accompanied by marketing hype that simply makes you believe they are better.

 

[Tranona]

We're recently bought a Copland FoxTerrier 22. I believe she's about 1,400KGs.

She came with a 25 lbs / 11 KG CQR as the previous owner deliberately overspec'd it, which I totally get.

But given the CQR design is 90 years old, and they don't get the best reviews compared to modern designs, I was wondering whether it's worth changing. An Utltra is silly money to that's out, but a Rocna looks a good choice. The Rocna site, if I'm reading it correctly, states I only need the 6 KG model, which would be a lot easier to handle. So would the improved setting, holding and re-setting of a new model be better than the sheer weight of the CQR?

Yes, there's nothing 'wrong' with the CQR, other than it's a bit heavy to handle as it's in an anchor locker, not on a roller. I'll also admit I've watched far too many videos on YouTube on 3rd gen anchors and just think they're a bit cool! (sad eh?)

Any of the 6kg modern anchors will do the job. If you don't want to pay Rocna prices then an Epsilon is a good choice, and as suggested earlier 6mm chain and 12mm rope would be good.

One of the reasons why you see lots of CQRs and copies is that the majority of people do not place much demand on their anchors (if any!) and they work well in most common UK seabeds. However size plays a part as it is the flukes that create the holding and the CQR flukes are poor in this respect, hence the need for greater size.

 

[KevinV]

My own thoughts, sailing a very similar boat, are that the weight of your current setup in the bow is going to have a huge effect on how the boat sails. I carry a 6kg delta and just 12m of 6mm chain (so the bit on the seabed is chain).
I'll be changing for a NG anchor when I have the spare cash but there are always other things higher up the list - the delta works and is easy enough to handle.
You are at the very beginning of working on your boat - I'd hang on to your cash until you've done everything important, it's a work of minutes to buy a new anchor.

 

[RogerFoxTerrier]

My own thoughts, sailing a very similar boat, are that the weight of your current setup in the bow is going to have a huge effect on how the boat sails. I carry a 6kg delta and just 12m of 6mm chain (so the bit on the seabed is chain).
I'll be changing for a NG anchor when I have the spare cash but there are always other things higher up the list - the delta works and is easy enough to handle.
You are at the very beginning of working on your boat - I'd hang on to your cash until you've done everything important, it's a work of minutes to buy a new anchor.

Yes absolutely. We're stripping paint at the moment so need to repaint and do loads of work on the interior. She won't be in the water until next Easter so a new anchor is indeed not that high on the list!

So you think she'll sail better with less weight up front?

 

[KevinV]

So you think she'll sail better with less weight up front?

Without a shadow of doubt - quite apart from the amount of weight it's as far from the centre of the boat as you can possibly get

 

[RogerFoxTerrier]

Without a shadow of doubt - quite apart from the amount of weight it's as far from the centre of the boat as you can possibly get

That had never even crossed my mind!!

 

[noelex]

Yes, there's nothing 'wrong' with the CQR, other than it's a bit heavy to handle as it's in an anchor locker, not on a roller.

Our first yacht had much the same setup. If you are finding the 25 lb anchor a "bit heavy to handle" then you should certainly consider downsizing.

By switching to a higher performance design of anchor you can regain some of the lost performance and decreased versatility involved in reducing the size of the anchor. A 6 kg Rocna won’t give you the same performance, especially in poor substrates, that would be achieved with a 10 kg Rocna, but you should always be able to comfortably manage your anchor.

One caution is that a Rocna is a much wider and taller anchor than a CQR. Given yours has to fit in a locker, check the size carefully. Even switching to a Rocna of lower weight there is a risk it may not fit in the same space as the heavier CQR.

The Spade is more compact if the space in the anchor locker is limiting. If space is not an issue, the Mantus Mk 1 is also worth considering. We switched from a Rocna to an identically sized Mantus, and the Mantus is the better anchor in my view (although I have not seen the newer MK 2 Rocna in action).

Welcome to the world of modern anchors.

 

[oldbloke]

Yes, but I'm interested in others' opinions...

I'm pretty certain that counts as an opinion

 

[Dellquay13]

We're recently bought a Copland FoxTerrier 22. I believe she's about 1,400KGs.

She came with a 25 lbs / 11 KG CQR as the previous owner deliberately overspec'd it, which I totally get.

But given the CQR design is 90 years old, and they don't get the best reviews compared to modern designs, I was wondering whether it's worth changing. An Utltra is silly money to that's out, but a Rocna looks a good choice. The Rocna site, if I'm reading it correctly, states I only need the 6 KG model, which would be a lot easier to handle. So would the improved setting, holding and re-setting of a new model be better than the sheer weight of the CQR?

Yes, there's nothing 'wrong' with the CQR, other than it's a bit heavy to handle as it's in an anchor locker, not on a roller. I'll also admit I've watched far too many videos on YouTube on 3rd gen anchors and just think they're a bit cool! (sad eh?)

I recently bought a Lewmar Epsilon 6kg galvanised anchor for my Foxhound 24. It’s got a Lloyds SHHP rating and was sized from the Lewmar brochure. It’s the cheapest SHHP around, and while the finish is a bit rough and ready, coupled with 25m of 6mm chain and 30m 3ply, it’s never struggled to hold in the sand/shingle/mud and big tides around Pembrokeshire.
I only carry so much chain because of the big tidal range at springs, and some of my favourite anchorages are steep to, and 15-16m deep at HW.
I’d buy another Epsilon when I upgrade to a bigger boat