Studland drag

The 35yrs experienced Skipper Castaway has proclaimed the ‘uselessness’ of a Bruce anchor. Yet to repeated questions as to the essential question of his anchor weight and rode, he has evaded an answer.

The forum might make their own conclusions.
 
I have confined my bruce to the hold after it dragged one time too many. I have gone back to a danforth. In my area, medway, it's mostly mud and some sand. The bruce is the only anchor that has dragged, come out, and when it has come out failed to reset. All other patterns I have had over the years, danforth, cqr, brittany. fisherman and even home made ones have been fine. All like for like weight wise and on all chain.

My conclusion is that the bruce is the worst anchor made.
 
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Nowadays, I consider Puilladobhrain as a temporary anchorage or one waiting the tide in good weather only. Reason? Mainly because it has become so popular that the once excellent seabed has now become so ploughed up that holding is now 'poor' to 'reasonable' and I wonder if Studland Bay is in danger of becomeing too popular and therefore a victim of its' own success?



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I too have had problems recently in Puilladobhrain. I got some very funny looks in Tobermory recently when I mentioned this, so I'm glad I'm not the only one to have noticed a deterioration in the holding.
 
This is really interesting. I've had bother there too, with the anchor coming out when motored back on (after being allowed to settle, then gently & slowly built up revs) when I didn't think it should have. My solution is now to give it more scope, but given how crowded Puilldobhraoin gets most summer weekends, I can see that causing other problems...

I think aja's point about the bottom getting ploughed up is spot on. Is there anything that could be dumped on chewed up mud to encourage it to consolidate a bit?
 
concrete, old tyres, old anchor chains, electricity cables. They all provide good holding, but don't do much for retrieval of your anchor! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
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concrete, old tyres, old anchor chains, electricity cables. They all provide good holding, but don't do much for retrieval of your anchor! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[/ QUOTE ]Never heard of a tripping line? - VERY useful for retrieving your anchor when snagged on cables, chains etc. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Never failed to recover a fouled anchor . . . . yet /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif
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"Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity"
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Castaway,

I'm not trying to stir things here, but Teredo did have one point in his Q's which is worth pursuing.

Not everyone is aware that each anchor has a different minimum scope to depth ratio, below which it cannot develop its best holding power. The range judging from comments made on this forum is between 3:1 to 6:1, though I've never found any which do their best with less thatn 4:1.

"Do their best": 22kg size able to hold 50hp nominal in full reverse. I know this test is equivalent to holding my vessel in 40kt winds. Scale this for your own anchor size/HP.

Better still, test to find out the critical scope for your own anchors. Crudely, give it 6:1, full reverse, then try again with ever shorter scopes til it drags.

I'm pretty sure the Bruce needs more scope than the Delta, though I've only used the Bruce so that's a guess.
 
The forum will most likely draw the conclusion that that you are a sad so and so with nothing better to do that get on your high horse.

Your last reply demanding to know more about my anchor and chain was at 1735 yesterday (05th) and its is now 0900 (6th)... Hardly evading your question I think! And as I finished work last night at 23:30 and restarted this morning at 07:00 some of us actually have other things to think about in our lives than this forum.

I really do not want your advice ..and I think you are rude in your line of questioning. I use this forum for pleasure and well founded advise which I may on may not take depending on my own judgement.

Nick
 
Jim

Just to put this to bed.. I use a 15kg Bruce with 200ft of 3/8in chainI generally use scope to depth 4 to 1 as a guide but given sufficient space I will use the entire 200ft

My point really is that the bruce does not even start to dig in, where my old Delta would given me no problem. As far as using full reverse..not a chance!

Scientific? No I guess not but I spent 5 years with the old anchor and 2 years with the new one in the same waters and I have no doubt which I prefer.

Regards Nick
 
Anchored last year for two 2 days - everything fine then for no apparent reason we dragged on day 3 - possible someone snagged my anchor but I'll never know. Anchored this year and held fine - snorkeled and checked anchor (CQR) which had buried its self completely in the sand.

Be careful running astern while not moving as I came a cross a yacht a few years back that disturbed a piece of weed attached to a large stone - stone wedged itself between prop and hull stopping the engine dead. Guess he was unlucky but it made me think !
 
Most of the popular spots inside Poole Harbour get a layer of shells or something that stops CQR type anchors setting early in the season - till the bottom has been broken up by a few danforths. In Studland Bay it's usually easy to see the weed patches and avoid dropping your anchor into them. Coming from the East we usually arrive close to LW so drop the hook in about a meter. Not much weed close in.
 
Abusive now, what a pity.

You declare an anchor 'useless' that many yotties use with satisfaction, which inspired me ask the question of how you are using yours?

That seems to have upset you - you have my apology.
 
No Mr Castaway, I think you were abusive in writing that I need a life?

Let's summarise. You declare an anchor 'useless'. I am surprised as I use the same anchor successfully. I ask how you use the anchor. You decline to answer but ask my qualification. I tell you I have no qualification but repeat the question. You decline to answer but get upset and abusive. I apologise.

So where are we after all this?

We await to learn of your secret anchoring technique.

It ain't gonna happen is it?
 
I think I said you were a sad so and so actually...certainly nothing you have droned on about since in an increasing boring and confused manner has made me reconsider.

Now I will let you come back and say something else pointless which I will ignor. That way you will get the last word in as well.

By the way you dont have to be so formal, you can call me Nick.
 
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