Spade anchor size

westernman

westernman

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I am toying with the idea of getting a Spade anchor to replace my current 75lb CQR. My boat is a gaff rigged pilot cutter (i.e. plenty of windage) - 52ft LOD, 66ft with bowsprit and 33 tonnes displacement.

The Spade web site recommends using displacement as the primary selection criteria - which means the Spade 240 anchor at a massive hernia making 155lbs (good for up to 132ft and 40 tonnes).

I think that would be over kill and reckon that something more in line with the recommendations for 66ft LOA would be satisfactory. This would be a S160 (< 72ft < 23T) at 82lbs (which is similiar in weight to the CQR).

Thoughts anyone??

My experience with the CQR is that it is very touchy about where you anchor and how you dig it in. Also it won't hold the boat reliably in more than a F7.
I want something much less fussy and which will hold in a F9 in a sheltered bay (F9s are common place down here, but we don't get more than that during the summer).
 
I can only say that you are going in the right direction by considering a "modern" shape anchor such as Spade, Rocna, or Manson. I am sure some forumites will be able to give you more information based on their experience.
 
Although not in your size range I found the recommended Spade size for my old boat to be too big (15kg for a 3 tonne 29 foot boat). It was great in terms of security as I had total confidence in it, but would in hindsight have gone smaller.

The spade seemed far better than my oversize delta.
 
rb_stretch said:
Although not in your size range I found the recommended Spade size for my old boat to be too big (15kg for a 3 tonne 29 foot boat). It was great in terms of security as I had total confidence in it, but would in hindsight have gone smaller.

The spade seemed far better than my oversize delta.
Click to expand...

In what way too big?

To heavy to be easy to raise?
To big to fit the bow roller? To fit in the locker?
 
We had a Spade S140 on our 15 ton 44ft Ketch. This was one size up from the recommended
size.

It never let us down, always set first time. The only time we had a 'moment' was when the snubber broke in a Force 11 of the North coast of France...........the resulting shock pulled the anchor out of the seabed, however I motored forward,reset,drifted back and all was good for the remaining six hours when the wind finally died down to a reasonable F8 !!

I loved that anchor and will get one for my next boat.

Not sure this helps but it is a thumbs up for Spade anchors!

Cheers
 
chockswahay said:
We had a Spade S140 on our 15 ton 44ft Ketch. This was one size up from the recommended
size.
Click to expand...

The size recommended is a massive S240 which will do > 30T. It weighs a back breaking 70kg. It is recommended for boats up to 132ft and 40T.

I am thinking that a S180 might be up to the job. Essentially one size up in weight from the CQR which I currently have which is definitely too small.

I have a dilemma, because the recommendations based on length and displacement give very different sizes. They do say displacement is the important criteria - I am not so sure. I would have thought the most important thing is windage which would more or less correspond to length.

I have a fair amount of windage for a 52 ft boat - but I reckon if I use the length over the bowsprit, then I will end up with a more reliable figure to use for anchor size.
 
I found the people at Spade / Sea Tech very helpful. Why not contact them directly? They do speak English!

If you go for a Spade / any other modern anchor please remember that these hold much better hence you should be planning to put an "elastic" nylon or similar rope in between the anchor chain and your boat's fixation point to act as shock absorber for shock loads which could be much greater than with you old-type anchor.
 
I would be astonished if a Spade anchor the same weight as a CQR did not make a significant improvement in setting and holding. Going up a size as you suggest would seem to be more than adequate. This is based only on my reading of many anchor tests and discussions, so speaking to the suppliers/manufacturers would seem to be a good way forward.
 
In my opinion, there is no such thing as overkill, where anchor size is concerned, as long as it fits on your bow roller and you and your gear can handle it.

155 pounds sounds about right for a 30 tonne boat, if you intend to have the capability to anchor in all conditions. I have been using a 121 pound modern design anchor on my 54', 22 tonne boat and it has not seemed excessive.

If you never anchor in bad weather (like a lot of UK cruisers), then you would be ok a size or two smaller. As others have said, the difference between Spade and CQR, pound for pound, is vast.
 
michaelchapman said:
I have a dilemma, because the recommendations based on length and displacement give very different sizes. They do say displacement is the important criteria - I am not so sure. I would have thought the most important thing is windage which would more or less correspond to length.

I have a fair amount of windage for a 52 ft boat - but I reckon if I use the length over the bowsprit, then I will end up with a more reliable figure to use for anchor size.
Click to expand...


The trouble is that its not just windage as some factoring for the boat sheering about needs to be accounted for.

The pull from the windage is the base level, but then if the boat sheers around and snubs on the anchor, then the displacement of the boat can give momentary high loads on the anchor - and this is perhaps what causes an anchor to start dragging.

Presumably you have a windlass on a 52 foot boat - therefore why worry too much about the extra weight and size of the larger spade? If price is a factor (and the big spade is not cheap) then you might have to just live with the fact that in extreme conditions the smaller spade might break out. I suspect that 99% of the time the smaller one will be fine.

I ought to admit that we have a Spade anchor and are very happy with it. We were told that it sticks like glue and we have never been disappointed.
 
michaelchapman said:
In what way too big?

To heavy to be easy to raise?
To big to fit the bow roller? To fit in the locker?
Click to expand...

Too much weight, as in I didn't have a windless and reckon the next size down would have been plenty enough for all anchoring purposes (except maybe a storm anchor for a serious cruiser)
 
vyv_cox said:
I would be astonished if a Spade anchor the same weight as a CQR did not make a significant improvement in setting and holding. Going up a size as you suggest would seem to be more than adequate. This is based only on my reading of many anchor tests and discussions, so speaking to the suppliers/manufacturers would seem to be a good way forward.
Click to expand...

I'm *waay* down the scale (I bought a Spade 60 10Kg - as it was the biggest that would fit in my locker - to replace a 7.5 Kg Bruce), but I can't help feel the that the "Go up a size" line applies more to OE old-style anchors on modernish boats.

(Not tested in extreme conditions but I suspect my deck gear would be the weakest link)

If BenJenBav were to start supplying boat with Spades, then this would partly be moot.

michaelchapman - Are you going to keep the CQR as second-best bower?

A 75lb CQR is similar weight to a Spade 140 - I'd guess that the Spade (more surface area, yada, yada) would be better in most conditions, so a 160 might work - is the 75lb CQR "undersized" by anyone's measure?
 
mcframe said:
- is the 75lb CQR "undersized" by anyone's measure?
Click to expand...
I haven't a clue about sizing anything for a 33T boat but this had crossed my mind given the OP's description of his CQR's track record which might explain why the recommended Spade is actually heavier. My own "new generation " anchor (no names, no pack drill) is half the weight of the plough it relegated but I sleep more soundly.
 
mcframe said:
Is the 75lb CQR "undersized" by anyone's measure?
Click to expand...

Yes - by mine. It cannot hold the boat against a F8 wind when properly set on a reasonable bottom. It is also a right pita to get set properly.

I want to be able to do the french thing - just chuck the anchor overboard with a heap of chain and go to sleep confident that I will wake up in the same place.
 
Cheap Spades?

I think I will probably go for the S200 (if it will fit on the bow roller, not foul the bowsprit etc etc).

Any idea where I can get one cheap????
Or at least a little cheaper than the list price?

Please!
 
michaelchapman said:
I think I will probably go for the S200 (if it will fit on the bow roller, not foul the bowsprit etc etc).

Any idea where I can get one cheap????
Or at least a little cheaper than the list price?

Please!
Click to expand...

I'm told that if you go Jersey to collect, then there's no VAT - once on the boat, unwrap it and tie it on to make it "ship's fixtures & fittings"... ;->
 
michaelchapman said:
I think I will probably go for the S200 (if it will fit on the bow roller, not foul the bowsprit etc etc).

Any idea where I can get one cheap????
Or at least a little cheaper than the list price?

Please!
Click to expand...

Try Fox's, I bought an S120 through them last year at what seemed a good price at the time. You'll have to call for a price though as they only list up to the 20kg sizes on the website.
 
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