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Has anyone else noticed anything like this with their SPADE?
It seems like a shocking amount of slop.
It seems like a shocking amount of slop.
SPADE Anchor Loose Shank
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CJ13
Active member
We have a Spade Anchor, 17years old. We anchor 5 months / years & apart from a bit of rust it’s fine.
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I've been using mine full time since September and it's dragged once and has failed to set a good few times. To me, an anchor that can fall apart like this and have that much slop after less than a year of use is very poor. I havent given it a hard time, haven't seen any wind over 40 knots. I am always careful not to anchor on rock and always dive on it after its down.
rogerthebodger
Well-known member
Can you post a picture of the underside of the blade so we can see the shank attachment.
westernman
Well-known member
Why don't you ask them what they think?
RobbieW
Well-known member
Your experience is very different to mine, I used a Spade for 6 years in the Med, Brittany and the Atlantic Iberian coast. It failed to set perhaps once and I cant remember it dragging, it held us in a 50+kt gust in Santa Ponca when a 'tornado' blew through. The shank isnt a tight fit in the base and that didnt create a problem.
How do you drop and set your anchor ?
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I have, a few months ago they said it's fine but it's getting worse. And Ive been waiting to hear back again since last weekend. I'm asking for other user experiences.... thanks for your help.
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I drop 5:1, let the weight of the boat settle the chain out straight, then apply slow pressure in reverse until full throttle.
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Ps. Is your shank this loose?
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Will do later, its in use atm
RobbieW
Well-known member
Not now as i regalvanised it, prior to that perhaps not quite as loose but far from tight
GHA
Well-known member
Very different experience here, can't really fault it. Living on the hook 24/7. Will check for movement in the shank next the boat moves but it's on the (not very big) boat list of 'really good things I would buy again without question'.
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geem
Well-known member
Over the years we have had 4 Spade anchors on different boats. Never had a loose shaft. I had one I couldn't remove due to rust. They are an excellent anchor with terrible galvanising in my experience. Ours doesn't drag. We free drop it whilst moving to ensure we don't pile chain onto top of the anchor and generally use 4:1 scope. I don't see hoe you can get so much movement since the bolt joins th3 two pieces through a hole just slightly larger than the bolt diameter. That much movement is way more than normal. Surely is is obvious what the problem is just by looking at it carefully
rogerthebodger
Well-known member
I would be looking at how tight the connection bolts are
KAM
Well-known member
Mine is similar. Tightening the connection bolt won't make any difference. I did replace the set screw that came with mine with a plain shank bolt. I think Spade claim the load is taken by the joint not by the bolt. I wouldn't worry about it.
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I hope this is the issue. Getting a replacement here will be a nightmare
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Thanks KAM. It will be interesting to hear what SPADE say too.
GHA
Well-known member
Yep, pretty sure the bolt is non structural, just keeps the shank from pulling out of the slot, load is 90deg in different direction. Want to check mine now but it's a bit busy right now..
Fairly sure it's not got as much play as that though.rogerthebodger
Well-known member
If thee bolt has been loose the fretting movement will tend to open the hole and the slot that the shank fits through
I made a spade lookalike but welded the shank in on both sides so no movement is possible
geem
Well-known member
Over the years we have had 4 Spade anchors on different boats. Never had a loose shaft. I had one I couldn't remove due to rust. They are an excellent anchor with terrible galvanising in my experience. Ours doesn't drag. We free drop it whilst moving to ensure we don't pile chain onto top of the anchor and generally use 4:1 scope. I don't see hoe you can get so much movement since the bolt joins the two pieces through a hole just slightly larger than the bolt diameter. That much movement is way more than normal. Surely is is obvious what the problem is just by looking at it carefully
