Stainless Anchor 5 year lifetime

Daverw

Daverw

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I’ve just been watching YouTuber gone with the wynns, they have just been sent a Epilson 32kg by Lewmar to try, nice pieces of kit, however they state that they recommend that stainless anchors are replaced every 5 years, never heard this before and sounds like full sales cra*p to me.


 
There is minimal evidence that stainless anchors are any better than the galvanised version. For large anchors, oil rig anchors, it has been shown that a polished, or smooth anchor surface, fabricated rather than cast) allows the development of more hold - but at our size I don't think you will tell the difference and some testing offers collaboration. Unless the shank of the stainless anchor is made with a metal with a high tensile strength, say a Duplex steel, then often the stainless version will not be so robust (the shank might bend) as the galvanised version - I say this in the hope that reputable modern anchors now incorporate shanks of a high tensile steel in their gal anchors. One factor leading to a loss of performance of a stainless anchor - there is no stainless commercially available with the strength of the best HT steels and in order to provide the stainless anchor with the same strength as its galvanised big brother the stainless anchor could improve shank strength with a thicker shank. Increased shank thickness reduces performance.

Stainless anchors are bought for their bling value where money is not an issue. With frequent use some of the bling value will be lost - unless you have crew that periodically can re-polish - as cruise ships paint their anchors at every opportunity.

When you consider the market for stainless anchors - the suggestion has merit - keeps the bling value up.

I'm not aware of anyone previously suggesting that a stainless anchor be retired (at all) as a result of a loss of performance (or strength) - but am willing to be educated.


I need to get out more - I find it strange that Lewmar have chosen Gone with the Wynns (no disrespect to the Wynns) to test their anchor - I've never heard of the Wynns - but have heard of Yachting Monthly and Vyv Cox.


:). I'm more than happy that Lewmar recommend stainless anchors should be replaced every 5 years. As far as I can ascertain it will improve the bottom line of Lewmar which (dreams spring eternal) might benefit the riff riff, like me, with stainless anchors subsidising other products. It might move pennies from the super rich to the less rich and it might result in the development of business in cheap, seldom used, second hand stainless anchors for the aspirational. :)

Frankly I think money invested in a stainless anchor is a complete waste that might be better spent investing in decent malt whisky. :)

Jonathan
 
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I cannot think of any reason why a stainless anchor should be replaced after such a short life. Welds are perhaps the most vulnerable area in a fabricated anchor but there is plenty of knowledge about the prevention of sensitisation. I learnt about it at college, so it is hardly new!
 
The first use of stainless type steels - or at least non-magnetic steels - was for high performance aero engines during WW1. IIRC WO Bentley had something to do with it!

Poppet valves in piston engines get very hot, change direction often and move very fast.

The materials and equipment available today along with the knowlege stored away in books, computers and human minds should mean an anchor could be made to last a very long time, certainly longer than five years!

IMHO, of course :)
 
Looking at the video the suggestion was that it related to broken bolts in their boat....thus proof that s/s was a dangerous thing...(that then begs the question why would you get a stainless steel anchor)
Also why would you believe anything from a guy that attacks his anchor with a pair of adjustable wrenches?
 
pandos said:
Looking at the video the suggestion was that it related to broken bolts in their boat....thus proof that s/s was a dangerous thing...(that then begs the question why would you get a stainless steel anchor)
Also why would you believe anything from a guy that attacks his anchor with a pair of adjustable wrenches?
Click to expand...
Congratulations on getting that far in the video. A minute and a half was enough for me, during which there was no mention of anchors.
 
Skip to 4:19 and you will see the present from Lewmar, also not bad present at £2045.00

they lost their underslung locker and liferaft whilst crossing to NZ and blamed it on fixings.
 
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When I watched it I though it was pretty clear that Lewmar had suggested the life issue and that they didn't necessarily believe it. They made it very clear that they're keeping the old one too and they didn't give any praise to the new anchor as they have not tried it.

All seems above board to me, and in their defence they did lose the raft box due to stainless bolts, as confirmed by the manufacturer previously who have since changed how they attach them.

Lot of people on this thread looking for something to hate...
 
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