size of second anchor-chain-rope

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anglo_saxon

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could someone please advise if the anchor set up below would be sufficiant as a second anchor.
the boat is 13.57m/44`6" long and has a displacement of 12.7t/28000lbs

15 or 20 kg spade anchor
20m of 8mm chain
30m of mutiplait 16 or 18mm

main anchor is a 25 kg delta on 70m of 8mm chain
 
I would suggest that you go for an anchor that will complement the Spade, i.e. be good in conditions where the Spade won't hold so well. In very soft mud, most common anchor types hold poorly but a Fortress works very well. I would go for the FX23 or perhaps FX37 which would also serve as a storm anchor. The weights are 6.8 & 9.5 kg respectively. They also dismantle to stow.

I would go for slightly smaller rope, 12-14mm is quite adequate. The length of chain isn't too important. If you are happy to manhandle 20m, great. 10m or even 5 will do the job of protecting the rode from chafe.
 
the delta and the 8mm chain comes with the boat. would increasing the chain size work with the windlass.
i do need an anchor to work in areas where the delta has problems but also to be able to be manhandled into a dingy and set as a second anchor. i will look up the fortress.
i also have a 10kg bruce with 10m chain and 30m of rope which i could take as a kedge anchor.
as we intend to anchor as much as possible and my main delta is on the border line (size wise) i would like to have that reasurance of a good second anchor.
 
Don't quite follow the comment about increasing chain size. I wasn't intending to suggest that, you most certainly can't increase the chain size as a windlass will only work with the size it is intended for. I suggested that 20m of chain on the 2nd anchor is more than adequate.

Don't be so sure that you bower is marginal. We get by fine with our 16kg Delta (40 ft boat, 6 tonnes). this table gives some idea.

If you are rowing out a kedge, go for a light one and not too much chain.

By all means take the little bruce as a lunch hook. The more types of anchor you have the better.

Look here for inf on the Fortress. Note particularly the 'soft mud' setting. It really works though it can be hard getting it to break out after a blow!
 
It all depends on your cruising range. If you only expect to anchor in less than 10m, then a total of 50m will do, otherwise nearer 100m. 5-10 m of chain should be plenty. If in doubt, look at the weight of 20m of 8mm chain plus the anchor and remember you'll be lifting the whole weight by hand when recovering the anchor in deep water!
 
There are always arguments about anchor/chain size/suitability, but the previous comments are fair comment. I'd go for the larger size of secondary anchor, as the smaller seems closer to a 'lunch hook' in capability.

Yours is a fairly large boat, and there's no suggestion that she's other than deep-draft, so I *guess* you'll be looking to anchor quite often in deep-ish water. Therefore, I'd increase the length of your second warp to - say - 50 metres, to match that on your primary anchor overall to 70 metres. BTW, that's appropriate to a depth of only 11.5 metres at high water.....

There are lots of places where you'll get that, and more. All of the Channel Isles, the Bristol Channel, the Scottish West Coast, the south coast of Ireland, North Brittany....

One other thing you might put together is an anchor 'tripping line' - about 20 metres of light line ( strong enuff for heaving up a snagged anchor ) with a small snaplink on one end, for the anchor crown ring, and a little fisherman's float ( on every beach ) on the other. The whole thing in a small fabric bag tied to the pulpit as you prepare for anchoring.

When you're ready to let go your anchor, simply clip the line to the crown of your anchor, and it runs out with your chain.

Could easily save you two or three hundred pounds, if you come hard-fast on one of Her Majesty's sunken barges in Barn Pool, Plymouth ( See Fishwick's 'West Country Cruising' ), or any one of a thousand other traditional anchorages around the coasts.
 
Second bite of the cherry.... S'cuse.

An old friend who ran various boaty businesses over many years remarked "I'd sell this boat to an inexperienced couple, and he'd say to me 'What's the smallest anchor I can get away with on this boat?' So I'd sell him what he was willing to go along with.

A couple of seasons later, he'd show up again, and ask me 'What's the biggest anchor you think we could handle on this boat?'

Now, what d'you think had happened in the intervening time?

Quite a few boats have been lost because their anchors were too small for the job - 'racing anchors'! I've never heard of a boat being lost, or even damaged, 'cos her ground tackle was too large....
 
Bower anchor

For a boat your size both anchor and chain are currently IMHO too small.

Recommend upping your bower to 10mm chain, changing windlass and powering and going up, either delta or CQR to at least 15kg.

Relegate current bower to 2nd anchor.

Fortress great in theory, but getting it to arrive at bottom in big challenge.

I anchor about 120 times a year, use CQR, Delta and Danforth.
 
Re: Bower anchor

[ QUOTE ]
For a boat your size both anchor and chain are currently IMHO too small.

Recommend upping your bower to 10mm chain, changing windlass and powering and going up, either delta or CQR to at least 15kg.

[/ QUOTE ]

whilst I understand your reference to chain size as the recommended for these anchors is 10mm I fail to see how he would be upping a 25kg delta by going to 15kg?

personally I think a 25kg delta to 70m 8mm chain is an excellent bower for this boat.

If you can run to the expense I would get the 16kg aluminum Spade as a second anchor, or 20kg steel, and make up the rode as you propose.
 
\"Moteur Boat magazine” anchor tests

A new anchor test have just be published by the French magazine « Moteur Boat magazine” July issue page 93

The 10 kg Lewmar Delta did 500 kg mean holding

The 16 kg Plastimo Kobra (Delta clone) did 1000 kg

The 12 kg Oceane did 1100 kg

And finally the 4.5 kg Spade did 1000 kg..
 
Re: \"Moteur Boat magazine” anchor tests

impressive Alain.

if I had the opportunity to check the oceane against my bow roller set up I would certainly be interested. I am swapping my 10kg SS Bruce for a 10kg Delta this weekend and will be interested in any obvious differences.
 
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