Sorry, anchor question

[cliffordpope]

Mud plug = simple dumpy conical lump of iron with a ring on top, weighing about half a hundredweight. I think some may have a depession on the underside which is supposed to add "suction". The point is NOT to have any chain, because that interferes with the weight simply sinking as deep as possible into the mud. You simply drop it straight down and watch the bubbles as it glugs down into the slime.
They can occasionally be quite difficult to get up. The trick is to put some tension on the rope and wait a moment for the mud to release its hold.
The weight itself is useful for other purposes. Moveable ballast, sliding down a chain or rope on a line to aid a conventional anchor, spare additional anchor, additional security at a soft bank mooring or as a foil to vandals if cast adrift.

 

[jimbaerselman]

[ QUOTE ]
it breaks free easily. If not, disengage gear, fall back, and try again.


[/ QUOTE ] An even simpler way to break out a deep set anchor is, when you've pulled it to straight up and down, lock it, then engage ahead briefly. That flips it over . . .

 

[Chris_Robb]

Re: I\'m really surprised that the Rocna man hasn\'t chipped in ....

or a Manson Supreme!

 

[shmoo]

Be a bit careful with all rope. When we first started anchoring we had (nearly) all rope and subscribed to the "if in doubt, let more out" school and at slack tide in a fluky wind this happened:

 

[jimbaerselman]

Great graphic!

Nylon rope? If so I'm surprised it didn't sink to straight up and down. And was the wind originally from astern with you riding to the current?

An interesting ability of the scheel keel though, to wind you up, so to speak.

 

[Dipper]

Some friends of mine had that happen with chain in light winds and a change of tide. Their boat had a very pronounced torpedo on the bottom of the keel. They had to ask the harbour master to help spin them round with his launch.

 

[Chris_Robb]

Quite common for the warp to float between the Fin and skeg too. then you go broadside to the tide! Only way out is to attach a fender to the bitter end and chuck it all over the side, go round and pick it up again.

 

[GMac]

Force 4 is not even weather yet.

Fortress or Alloy spade (A60 = 4kg) both will be an improvement. Actually I'd go a G16 Guardian anchor, Fortress's cheaper sister from the same people, rather than a Fortress, save the bucks. 3kg odd and almost oversized for the boat. Maybe a G11.

I think the Spades maybe cheaper.

20mts more rope.

Better holding with less weight. You're good to go.

 

[Dipper]

Don't forget that an anchor is also a safety device. You may not intend anchoring in deeper water but there may be an occasion where you are caught in stronger winds and deeper water and your engine fails!

 

[craigsmith]

I don't know why all the talk of chain and rope, you had a decent amount of scope out. Over 5:1... which is fine, not the best but okay, you should expect the anchor to work at that. At that scope the make-up is irrelevent, you could be pulling it bar tight and still expect the hook to hold. If it doesn't it's not working, period.

Don't get another Danforth type if you don't like your existing one. The Fortress variation is better but oh when will people learn that Danforth types are not general purpose types and have no place on any boat as the main anchor...

The advice to an alloy Spade is good, as is the comment from the guy with the Rocna /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[jimbaerselman]

Craig,

I guess you don't know Britany anchors. Any more than a 10/11 degree pull above the horizontal of the rode, and they won't set, and will pull out.

In 3m, with another metre to the bow, and only 17m total scope, he is at best pullling at sin(4/17) = 13.5 degrees, give or take an inch. 4.25 scope . . . if you define scope from stem-head to bottom, which you should in shallow water. And it's actually a bit less than that, since he's got to tie his rode off somehow . . .

 

[craigsmith]

That is no endorsement of the anchor.

That it "requires" such high scope is a flaw.

 

[jimbaerselman]

The OP asked about Britany anchors. I answered him. You said talk of insufficient scope was off point, and also made a scope calculation error. I'm just correcting your errors, not endorsing or criticising any anchors.

 

[Seagreen]

It seems that the real limiting factor is what SWMBO is able or prepared to haul up. Therefore, its really a case of beefing up this arrangement with a windlass. So manual or electric?
Once this works, a bigger anchor, some more chain and a lot more warp become feasible, without giving SWMBO extra work, though she may grumble at the price tag!

/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

If you are going to alter the foredeck with a fitted lecky windlass, making a bigger anchor locker box should be a doddle.