STAINLESS ULTRA ANCHOR

[TNLI]

I've been looking at all the new versions of the classic cheap and simple Brugal anchor, and every one I've looked at has some kind of problem, I thought about a new or pre abused Spade, but the yellow paint falls off and they rust. Then I took a long hard look at the Excel, but alas found a clip from Steve of SV Penope that shows it not resetting correctly. I don't mind an anchor refusing to set, but it must reset correctly, so strike 2. Then I finally found the drop dead georgous looking sinless steel ULTRA, and I finally realised that I had found the best anchor to work alongside a bronze Herreshoff if I can find a good used one. Steves clip is good, but what did it for me was the fact the magnet stuck to the hollow shank, so my new anchor list for all bottoms, (Sea bed), types listed as pairs, (Different rodes):

Old generation from last circumnavigation:
BRUCE and genuine steel CQR for normal anchorages.
CQR and folding copy of a Herreshoff, (Similar to an Admiralty fishermans but better in mud), for deep water short scope situations.

New generation for offshore lifeboat under construction.
Stainless ULTRA and bronze HERRESHOFF, (1200 quid for a 17lb anchor).

Both anchors are expensive, but you appear to get what you pay for with that pair. Alas I can't afford either unless I can find a donor. The real difficult one is the genuine bronze Herreshoff, as they have a big back order. Mission impossible on the used sites.
Tested: the new style Ultra Anchor - Yachting Monthly

Ultra Anchor Testing. Anchor Test Video #75. - YouTube

18-12_Ultra vs. Rocna Anchor - what is the best anchor (sailing ZERO) - YouTube
I don't like the Rocna and Steve also has a low opinion of it, I do like the Spade BUT the yellow paint falls off and it rusts, so good but a Mk 2 is needed.

Ultra Anchor Review by Real Boaters & Ultra Swivel Reviews (citimarinestore.com)

Picture of 2KG dinghy Herreshoff:

 

[vyv_cox]

I am surprised it attracts to a magnet. The website says it is 316L, firmly austenitic.

Good luck finding a used one. Not many users sell them on, I never heard of a dissatisfied owner.

 

[Bouba]

The last time I looked at an Ultra....the swivel alone was €500

 

[TNLI]

The last time I looked at an Ultra....the swivel alone was €500

Yep, so the Ultra is going to cost roughly the same as a new bronze Hereshoff. Only seen one for sale though Sothebys in London. The estimate was the same as a new one. I can get my present bad folding copy of an early, (1800's), Mk 1 Herreshoff.

One thing I like about the Ultra is that it seems to work in cobblestones and rocks, although steve did not do a real test in rocks. The Bruce will work in cobblestones and rocks, BUT is useless in weeds and does not hold as well as a CQR in mud and sand. The CQR is hopeless in cobblestones and if it gets a hold between 2 rocks will get jammed. The good thing is that any anchor that fails to hold is a safe anchor as it's sending you a message that what you are trying to use it for, or the scope is wrong. It's the general purpose and fast set and reset of the Ultra that is impressive. Most other NG or OG anchors have some kind of achillies heel weak point. The Herreshoff was used as a general purpose anchor and Luke are making the copies, but a copy is a copy.

Pic of my dee water short scope anchors. The folding grapnel is not much good, so I'm going to sell it some time. I will probably keep the undersize fishermans, for fishing. I plan to go back to fishing for people once I finish the build and testing, and on station lifeboats do a lot of hanging around potential trouble spots, some of which have good spots, (Wrecks or rubbish dumps), for fishing. Dragging is not an issue, so the bar type fishermans should be good for that, as I can probably unbend it at full power if it jams.

J.M. REINECK & SON 12/15/2022 3 8 5 T h o m p s o n S t . , H a l i f a x , M A 0 2 3 3 8 • P h o n e , 7 81 - 9 2 5 - 3 312 E - m a i l , s a l e s @ B r o n z e B l o c k s . c o m • W e b s i t e , h t t p : / / w w w . B r o n z e B l o c k s . c o m 3 HE R R E S H O F F ’ S B R O N Z E 3 -PI E C E F O L D I N G S T O C K A N C H O R S Licensed by the Hart Nautical Collections at M.I.T. ~ Authorized by the Herreshoff Marine Museum. After centuries of evolution, culminating with Herreshoff’s refinements, “The genuine Herreshoff anchor is a truly wonderful creation and has yet to be improved upon for all-around use.” * Perfected by Nat Herreshoff over many years, these anchors have been widely copied, but never duplicated from Herreshoff drawings until now. The 7½ pounder was standard equipment on the famous Herreshoff 12½s, and used by Captain Nat on his 5730 pound Alerion III. They are ideal for small boats because they are quick-setting, light, easily handled, fold flat for storage, can be carried near the compass without affecting it, and they will not stain your belongings because they do not rust. We manufacture them in manganese bronze, a bronze alloy that is nearly equal in strength to cast iron. On the 7½ lb. Anchor, the stock is secured by threading it into the shank (shown at right) for easy, fast, neat and secure setup with no loose parts. The 17 lb. anchor stock is secured with a key. The versatility of these anchors is unparalleled. They penetrate weeds and hold well in sand, mud, or rocky bottoms and unlike most modern anchors, will not bring up large clumps of mud and weeds, and are easily cleaned. Because these anchors don’t need heavy, messy and hard to handle chain to get them to set, they are much less likely to damage decks (and your hands) when brought aboard. And if the weight of the chain needed by others is considered, ours exceeds the holding power of many others pound for pound, are more easily stowed and you will never pinch your fingers again. Our 17lb. anchor, tested in Practical Sailor’s, Jan./01 Anchor Reset Tests, ranked 8th out of 17 for Holding Power (pound-for-pound) in sand, beating both the CQR & Bruce, and 6th in Setting. (More testing to come.) No wonder these anchors continue to be the choice of knowledgeable sailors worldwide! VIDEO: How to Anchor a Boat, Part 1: Anchoring a Small Powerboat VIDEO: Anchoring a Boat — What's the Best Boat Anchor? Danforth vs. a Yachtsman Anchor * Maynard Bray and Carlton Pinheiro, Herreshoff of Bristol, Brooklin, ME; WoodenBoat Publications, 1989 7½ lb. Length 25”, width 16”, palm width 2½”(Shown Above) $675 + $40.00 shipping (USA) 17 lb. Length 29”, width 18½”, palm width 3 5 /16” $995 + $50.00 shipping (USA)
PLUS VAT AND SHIPPING TO BLIGHTY

Reply to Cox about the stainless:
Only the main part of the anchor is 316L, the hollow shank is some other type of magnetic SS as was demonstrated in the You tube test clip I can't seem to find.

Not sure if you get a free swivel from Jimmy Green, but I suspect not:
Ultra Anchor | Ultramarine (jimmygreen.com)

 

[Bouba]

Yep, so the Ultra is going to cost roughly the same as a new bronze Hereshoff. Only seen one for sale though Sothebys in London. The estimate was the same as a new one. I can get my present bad folding copy of an early, (1800's), Mk 1 Herreshoff.

One thing I like about the Ultra is that it seems to work in cobblestones and rocks, although steve did not do a real test in rocks. The Bruce will work in cobblestones and rocks, BUT is useless in weeds and does not hold as well as a CQR in mud and sand. The CQR is hopeless in cobblestones and if it gets a hold between 2 rocks will get jammed. The good thing is that any anchor that fails to hold is a safe anchor as it's sending you a message that what you are trying to use it for, or the scope is wrong. It's the general purpose and fast set and reset of the Ultra that is impressive. Most other NG or OG anchors have some kind of achillies heel weak point. The Herreshoff was used as a general purpose anchor and Luke are making the copies, but a copy is a copy.

Pic of my dee water short scope anchors. The folding grapnel is not much good, so I'm going to sell it some time. I will probably keep the undersize fishermans, for fishing. I plan to go back to fishing for people once I finish the build and testing, and on station lifeboats do a lot of hanging around potential trouble spots, some of which have good spots, (Wrecks or rubbish dumps), for fishing. Dragging is not an issue, so the bar type fishermans should be good for that, as I can probably unbend it at full power if it jams.

J.M. REINECK & SON 12/15/2022 3 8 5 T h o m p s o n S t . , H a l i f a x , M A 0 2 3 3 8 • P h o n e , 7 81 - 9 2 5 - 3 312 E - m a i l , s a l e s @ B r o n z e B l o c k s . c o m • W e b s i t e , h t t p : / / w w w . B r o n z e B l o c k s . c o m 3 HE R R E S H O F F ’ S B R O N Z E 3 -PI E C E F O L D I N G S T O C K A N C H O R S Licensed by the Hart Nautical Collections at M.I.T. ~ Authorized by the Herreshoff Marine Museum. After centuries of evolution, culminating with Herreshoff’s refinements, “The genuine Herreshoff anchor is a truly wonderful creation and has yet to be improved upon for all-around use.” * Perfected by Nat Herreshoff over many years, these anchors have been widely copied, but never duplicated from Herreshoff drawings until now. The 7½ pounder was standard equipment on the famous Herreshoff 12½s, and used by Captain Nat on his 5730 pound Alerion III. They are ideal for small boats because they are quick-setting, light, easily handled, fold flat for storage, can be carried near the compass without affecting it, and they will not stain your belongings because they do not rust. We manufacture them in manganese bronze, a bronze alloy that is nearly equal in strength to cast iron. On the 7½ lb. Anchor, the stock is secured by threading it into the shank (shown at right) for easy, fast, neat and secure setup with no loose parts. The 17 lb. anchor stock is secured with a key. The versatility of these anchors is unparalleled. They penetrate weeds and hold well in sand, mud, or rocky bottoms and unlike most modern anchors, will not bring up large clumps of mud and weeds, and are easily cleaned. Because these anchors don’t need heavy, messy and hard to handle chain to get them to set, they are much less likely to damage decks (and your hands) when brought aboard. And if the weight of the chain needed by others is considered, ours exceeds the holding power of many others pound for pound, are more easily stowed and you will never pinch your fingers again. Our 17lb. anchor, tested in Practical Sailor’s, Jan./01 Anchor Reset Tests, ranked 8th out of 17 for Holding Power (pound-for-pound) in sand, beating both the CQR & Bruce, and 6th in Setting. (More testing to come.) No wonder these anchors continue to be the choice of knowledgeable sailors worldwide! VIDEO: How to Anchor a Boat, Part 1: Anchoring a Small Powerboat VIDEO: Anchoring a Boat — What's the Best Boat Anchor? Danforth vs. a Yachtsman Anchor * Maynard Bray and Carlton Pinheiro, Herreshoff of Bristol, Brooklin, ME; WoodenBoat Publications, 1989 7½ lb. Length 25”, width 16”, palm width 2½”(Shown Above) $675 + $40.00 shipping (USA) 17 lb. Length 29”, width 18½”, palm width 3 5 /16” $995 + $50.00 shipping (USA)
PLUS VAT AND SHIPPING TO BLIGHTY

Reply to Cox about the stainless:
Only the main part of the anchor is 316L, the hollow shank is some other type of magnetic SS as was demonstrated in the You tube test clip I can't seem to find.

Not sure if you get a free swivel from Jimmy Green, but I suspect not:
Ultra Anchor | Ultramarine (jimmygreen.com)

The Uktra is supposed to be the bee’s knees in sand...the more you pull the deeper it digs. Unfortunately it’s superyacht looks come with a superyacht budget

 

[noelex]

The shank of the Ultra is now made from the stronger 318NL duplex stainless steel. The rest is 316L.

The shank design was changed due to some early bending problems. Some extra internal webs added to the shank and I believe that at this stage they also altered the shank material from 316 to 318, but this is not entirely clear.

318NL is magnetic, but despite this it is stronger and has better corrosion resistance than 316. It is also more expensive.

I have never seen any rust on Ultra anchors, although there are sometimes some dents on the shank. The shank material is quite thin.

 

[NormanS]

I'd better get this in before the mods close this thread.
I don't know what size the OP's "cobblestones" are, and would like to know. He ranks a genuine Bruce, but they are very poor in small boulders which just happen to fit the anchor. A genuine Bruce is my normal anchor, but I am aware of this drawback that they are quite capable of picking up a stone, ruining their grip.
With the use of a fishfinder and common sense, I make as sure as possible that I don't anchor in stones, weed, or rocks. I maintain that how and where anchor is used, is every bit as important as its design.

 

[vyv_cox]

The shank of the Ultra is now made from the stronger 318NL duplex stainless steel. The rest is 316L.

The shank design was changed due to some early bending problems. Some extra internal webs added to the shank and I believe that at this stage they also altered the shank material from 316 to 318, but this is not entirely clear.

318NL is magnetic, but despite this it is stronger and has better corrosion resistance than 316. It is also more expensive.

I have never seen any rust on Ultra anchors, although there are sometimes some dents on the shank. The shank material is quite thin.

I checked their website, which says 316L, but of course may not have been updated. 318 makes a lot of sense.

 

[noelex]

I checked their website, which says 316L, but of course may not have been updated. 318 makes a lot of sense.

They don’t make much fanfare about the use of the superior duplex stainless steel for the shank. I suspect because they were originally 316 and they don’t want dealers with older 316 models to have trouble selling them, but this is just speculation on my part.

This brochure lists the construction accurately:

https://www.toplicht.de/media/pdf/c0/5d/44/1196-035-Brosch_re-En.pdf

This photo I took a few years ago at the Dusseldorf boat show shows an Ultra anchor cut in half. You can see the extra webbing that was added to strengthen the shank and the lead filled cavity.

https://imgur.com/LvqmH8d

 

[TNLI]

I'd better get this in before the mods close this thread.
I don't know what size the OP's "cobblestones" are, and would like to know. He ranks a genuine Bruce, but they are very poor in small boulders which just happen to fit the anchor. A genuine Bruce is my normal anchor, but I am aware of this drawback that they are quite capable of picking up a stone, ruining their grip.
With the use of a fishfinder and common sense, I make as sure as possible that I don't anchor in stones, weed, or rocks. I maintain that how and where anchor is used, is every bit as important as its design.

Ask Steve of SV Penope as he did the tests. The Bruce is not as good as a fishermans or Herreshoff in rocks. Some folks like to be able to anchor offshore in mixed type sea bed areas, and some anchorages have mixed sea beds. If you go exploring interesting islands or coastlines, you can easily end up needing to anchor up in dubious holding including kelp, so it's good to have anchors like the Ultra or Herreshoff that make that possible.

Rock/Boulder Seabed. Anchor Test Video #145 - YouTube

Ooops! The CQR won with the Fortress a close second and the Rocna last, BUT Steve did not include any more serious fishermans anchors in the test. An Admiratly pattern fishermans or a Herreshoff would have won if they had. Alas an Ultra was not in the test.

 

[john_morris_uk]

Rock/Boulder Seabed. Anchor Test Video #145 - YouTube

Ooops! The CQR won with the Fortress a close second and the Rocna last, BUT Steve did not include any more serious fishermans anchors in the test. An Admiratly pattern fishermans or a Herreshoff would have won if they had. Alas an Ultra was not in the test.

Your categorical assertion that a fisherman’s or Herreschioff would have walked the test is nothing short of outrageous. It’s a guess out of thin air.

 

[TNLI]

Your categorical assertion that a fisherman’s or Herreshoff would have walked the test is nothing short of outrageous

You are correct, a fixed grapnel would have done well, BUT, unlike the Herreshoff they are useless in sand or mud. The SS Poseiden is a real good example:

PS: Just noticed the bad spot welding job at the base of the arms. If you spot weld SS it will eventually fail from metal fatigue. I've has that happen to a rudder head locking plate, although it took a few years. The shear strength of the incomplete welds is very questionable, but I'm going to need to get some SS gas welding done for a net deflector beam under the rudder that joins into a longer galvanised or powder coated mild steel ballast beam. So once I get rid of or sell my red folding grapnel with a black bag, I will buy one and get it correctly gas welded.

 

[john_morris_uk]

You are correct, a fixed grapnel would have done well, BUT, unlike the Herreshoff they are useless in sand or mud. The SS Poseiden is a real good example:

The only reason to use that sort of anchor is so you can bend it and pull it free when you’ve finished fishing.

 

[NormanS]

TNLI, For the third time of asking, precisely what do you mean by "cobblestones"? What size are they, and why on earth would you choose to anchor on them?
Get yourself a fishfinder, and save yourself (and us) a lot of grief.

 

[TNLI]

The only reason to use that sort of anchor is so you can bend it and pull it free when you’ve finished fishing.

Only did that with cheap homemade rebar grapnels when commercially fishing off the North West coast of Gran Cannery, (Skipjack Tuna), for sardines, octupus and mackerel. We used the mac's to chum for Tuna offshore. Some yachts did anchor off a few of the beaches North of the last marina, Peurto Mogan, in mostly mixed holding with volcanic sand opposite some of the isolated small beaches. Used a steel Danforth opposite the beaches and a pair of grapnels near the shore. There is real sand off the South coast, but the holding around most of the Canary Islands is rather iffy and mixed without much weed. Debris nearshore in the form of lost fish traps and the odd small wreck can be an issue. Monster stingrays and the odd Hammerhead or Blue shark released, although one private German boat owner did develop a way of soaking Hammerhead stakes in vinegar and then smoking them, as they taste of bleach normally and are only of interest to idiots shark finning.

Retrieve a Fouled Anchor and Tips to Prevent Snags in the First Place – Anchoring.com

 

[sarabande]

Let me try and help TNLI out with a bit of basic geology.

There are a number of scales of sizes for the various grains, pebbles, cobbles , etc to be found on the sea bed. Here's an International scale.

It is evident that a 'cobble' might jam one model of a Bruce, but one might need a 'boulder' to jam a larger anchor. Thus one can only say that "Bruce anchors jam in cobblestones", if one defines the size of the Bruce, from which one can derive the size of the 'maw' of the anchor and relate that to the sea bed type .

Apologies for the column in the table which shows inches. As that excellent physicist Gauss said, "The needless precision of accuracy..."

 

[TNLI]

TNLI, For the third time of asking, precisely what do you mean by "cobblestones"? What size are they, and why on earth would you choose to anchor on them?
Get yourself a fishfinder, and save yourself (and us) a lot of grief.

Have you seen the videos Steve of SV Penope anchor testing fame has posted, as my definition is based on his You tub clips. The defintion of rocks and bolders is much more difficult.
Cobblestone definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary (collinsdictionary.com)

 

[Binnacle]

TNLI, you were challenged about your rather imprecise use of the word "cobblestones" and were given one of the standard tables of reference sizes. Then you say your "definition" is based on a video and, further, say that "rocks and boulders" are more difficult to define. Your dictionary quote defines the word and not the size, which is the critical property when discussing jammed anchors.

Your arguments (or rather, the verbose and repetitive posts you make) are littered with imprecision, generalities, and unverifiable comments. This detracts from the great practical experience you have in a wide variety of boating activities, and which you could use - apart from anchor posts - in contributing beneficially to the forum.

 

[boomerangben]

The Ultra anchor. I note that there is a round hole in the shank for the connection to the chain. That means you either have to use their fancy swivel or put a shackle pin through it. The latter makes me uncomfortable since any veering will put a large bending moment in the shackle pin and/or the shank at its weakest point (where its depth is reduced by the hole). I’m pretty sure that shackles are not designed for such a loading, although they can take some abuse.

 

[NormanS]

Let me try and help TNLI out with a bit of basic geology.

There are a number of scales of sizes for the various grains, pebbles, cobbles , etc to be found on the sea bed. Here's an International scale.

It is evident that a 'cobble' might jam one model of a Bruce, but one might need a 'boulder' to jam a larger anchor. Thus one can only say that "Bruce anchors jam in cobblestones", if one defines the size of the Bruce, from which one can derive the size of the 'maw' of the anchor and relate that to the sea bed type .

Apologies for the column in the table which shows inches. As that excellent physicist Gauss said, "The needless precision of accuracy..."

Thanks for that precise info. I now know that "cobblestones" won't be a problem for my Bruce, but as suspected and occasionally experienced, boulders are a problem.