Vulcan anchor - am I the first?

[Dipper]

My old 25lb plough anchor on my Seawolf 26 started to rust so I've been looking round for a 'new generation' anchor to replace it. None of the roll bar ones would fit in my anchor locker. The Spade was an obvious choice but the 10kg size seemed to have rather small flukes and was only suitable for 'coastal cruising'. The next size up was 15kg which is too heavy for me.

Then I came across the Rocna Vulcan and a cardboard cut-out of the recommended 9kg size looked as though I could get it in my anchor locker. It's arrived today. I have to say I'm impressed with the quality and the design looks well thought out. The fluke area looks enormous for the weight. Unlike my plough, when I tried to drag it across my lawn it started to dig in almost immediately.

Time will tell whether it was worth the money but it does look promising.

 

[dgadee]

My old 25lb plough anchor on my Seawolf 26 started to rust so I've been looking round for a 'new generation' anchor to replace it. None of the roll bar ones would fit in my anchor locker. The Spade was an obvious choice but the 10kg size seemed to have rather small flukes and was only suitable for 'coastal cruising'. The next size up was 15kg which is too heavy for me.

Then I came across the Rocna Vulcan and a cardboard cut-out of the recommended 9kg size looked as though I could get it in my anchor looker. It's arrived today. I have to say I'm impressed with the quality and the design looks well thought out. The fluke area looks enormous for the weight. Unlike my plough, when I tried to drag it across my lawn it started to dig in almost immediately.

Time will tell whether it was worth the money but it does look promising.

No, I got mine last week. Took boat to supplier's pontoon and tried out a Rocna 15kg but the shank was too long, and the Vulcan was a better fit (though I am just about to try it out properly). He said there is a shortage of 15kg Rocnas and that there were very few Vulcans about either. Spade was just a tad too expensive for me.

 

[Dipper]

So it's just the two of us Dgadee.

I fitted mine on the boat today and was very surprised to find that it easily went into my anchor locker. It took up much less space than my 25lb CQR. In fact it went in so well, I could nearly get my CQR in on top. I haven't tried the Vulcan yet. I was going to anchor off Weymouth beach but the wind was from the wrong direction. I'm glad I didn't try or I would have been in the surf.

 

[dgadee]

So it's just the two of us Dgadee.

I fitted mine on the boat today and was very surprised to find that it easily went into my anchor locker. It took up much less space than my 25lb CQR. In fact it went in so well, I could nearly get my CQR in on top. I haven't tried the Vulcan yet. I was going to anchor off Weymouth beach but the wind was from the wrong direction. I'm glad I didn't try or I would have been in the surf.

Must be.

I found that it was much easier to handle than my 20kg Bruce and that it could be brought through the pulpit rails (where the Bruce couldn't) and I now have it in my anchor locker as well. Quite handy - but the large curve in the shank will probably require a different bow roller shape. The present bow fitting has a crack (and most Dehler owners find this happens, it seems) so it needs replaced anyway.

I haven't tried the anchor yet - bad weather came in and I had to leave it untested. Will be back at the boat in a couple of weeks for a test phase.

 

[Dipper]

I used the Vulcan anchor today off Weymouth beach. It was only to try it out in lightish winds but it did what they claim. Once dropped, I couldn't drag it back. The chain was fairly easy to haul up until it was vertical then it came to a halt. After a few seconds, the anchor slowly released itself from the sand and emerged out of the water with half of Weymouth beach on it. It must have been pretty well buried. Looking very good so far. It's even easier to stow than the 25lb CQR and fits my bow roller.

 

[NormanS]

Very strange. I was under the impression that the rocna was soooooo good that it couldn't be bettered.

 

[[2574]]

Very strange. I was under the impression that the rocna was soooooo good that it couldn't be bettered.

Not sure that is very fair. It has been designed or a specific purpose - boats that cannot accommodate the roll bar of the Rocna anchor. Hence new design requirement, not an improvement on the Rocna.

 

[J Neeves]

You would hardly expect them to say that the Rocna design was flawed and this was an improvement as such a statement would simply destroy Rocna sales and volume would take years to build for the new Vulcan. They have known for a decade that the Rocna would not fit specific bow rollers - to suddenly suggest that is the motivation for the new design looks to demand some market gullibility. But maybe Rocna sales have hit their peak and this would be a sensible way to open new avenues.

I have only seen images but the Vulcan looks to take the 25 year old Spade design, update it and simplify production to reduce costs - if they are successful and it improves on Spade then they will offer us a much more sensible concept than an anchor with a roll bar. It has always been a mystery why the Spade design was not updated by the owners of the brand.

Oddly it does appear they are underplaying the marketing of the Vulcan to such an extend that it simply never surfaces - it was released in November and this is the first independent comment so it would be to the benefit of all if Dipper and dgadee keep us upto speed.

For those who are interested http://www.westmarine.com/buy/west-marine--scoop-anchors--P015985708. Those with longer memories will recall that it was West Marine who sponsored the original tests in 2006 (and never let it be suggested they had no commercial motivations) that introduced the Rocna to the wider public. They offer both Rocna and Vulcan (and a host of other designs) but appear to think their new Scoop is the model on which to hang their hat, if the numbers of anchors on the shelves is indicative of how they want the punter to part with their money.

Jonathan

edit: I'm not quite sure why WM called it the 'Scoop' - maybe scoop has a slightly different meaning in America.

 

[noelex]

The Vulcan is an interesting anchor so it is great to hear some user reports. Dipper and Dgadee, thanks for the feedback so far and please keep up updated on its performance.

It is difficult to know if Rocna are downplaying the performance of the Vulcan for marketing reasons, or if their testing has shown that its performance is not as good as the Rocna.

It should be rembered that Spade have released a roll bar anchor similar the Rocna. The SeaBlade. I suspect they have sold very few. The cynical might suggest the main purpose of the Seablade is for marketing reasons. "We produce a roll bar anchor, but recommend the Spade". Rocna's comments may be returning the favour?

Anyway it makes sense for a manufacturer to cover all bases. Roll bar anchors will not fit a significant number of boats so the Vulcan is an obvious extension to the range.

I hope the Vulcan is as good as the Spade. The Spade is an excellent anchor, but is not readily available in many markets it is also expensive, particularly because it cannot be re-galvansied. This gives it a relatively short life for someone like me who anchors full time.

Rocna have had plenty of time to study the design of the Spade. Lets hope they have come up something as good.

Spade's Seablade (Spade's photo, not mine. I have never even seen one):

 

[Dipper]

For those who are interested http://www.westmarine.com/buy/west-marine--scoop-anchors--P015985708. Those with longer memories will recall that it was West Marine who sponsored the original tests in 2006 (and never let it be suggested they had no commercial motivations) that introduced the Rocna to the wider public. They offer both Rocna and Vulcan (and a host of other designs) but appear to think their new Scoop is the model on which to hang their hat, if the numbers of anchors on the shelves is indicative of how they want the punter to part with their money.

Jonathan

edit: I'm not quite sure why WM called it the 'Scoop' - maybe scoop has a slightly different meaning in America.

That Scoop anchor looks positively home made compared to the Vulcan anchor.

My anchoring 'trial' was of course very limited. Setting the anchor was perhaps a better guide in that I only have a single cylinder 9HP engine and two bladed folding propeller so I couldn't exert much force on the anchor and yet it still set easily. I've never felt much resistance when retrieving my plough anchor - I just notice a bit of extra weight as it leaves the sea bed. The Vulcan felt like it had fouled an underwater wreck it was that solid and then it slowly let go.

 

[noelex]

The photos of the West Marine "Scoop" looks more like a Manson Boss to my eyes although I have not seen one in the flesh.

 

[KellysEye]

>My old 25lb plough anchor on my Seawolf 26 started to rust so I've been looking round for a 'new generation' anchor to replace it.

If you are happy with then it will be cheaper to have it re-galvanised. I anchored with a CQR just over a thousand times and if it set properly there are no problems.

 

[vyv_cox]

and if it set properly there are no problems.

That's why there are dozens of videos on You-tube showing them dragging across the bottom. Desperate owners are prepared to try almost anything to get them to set, like this, for example -

 

[KellysEye]

>That's why there are dozens of videos on You-tube showing them dragging across the bottom.

I've snorkelled around 100+ anchorages and about 80% of CQR's are lying on their side and haven't been set. If the skipper is stupid enough not to set it then it's bound to drag. If you have a French boat in front of you it will always drag down on you they never set their anchor and neither do most American charterers.

 

[Daydream believer]

when I tried to drag it across my lawn it started to dig in almost immediately.

Time will tell whether it was worth the money but it does look promising.

Oh, That's it !!!-not satisfied with killing sea horses, you are now having a go at earth worms.

You yuppie yachties are just ruining the environment

 

[J Neeves]

The next thing we will know will be some 'do goody' interest group wanting a ban on the use of anchors on garden lawns.

Jonathan

 

[Harpsden]

I've had the new Vulcan fitted for over a month now but only got the chance to anchor with it for the first time this week. I thought some more feedback might be helpful.

I didn't get the Vulcan so that it would hold me secure at an over-night anchorage in high winds and so on instead I wanted an anchor that would set very quickly in crowded anchorages, hold well without having to let out lots of chain and cope with a change of tide without it having to reset itself as the tide turned. The Vulcan looks like it will do all those things. I have the 15kg version with a 36 foot Beneteau Swift Trawler.

On Wednesday when we did anchor (benign conditions and good muddy bottom) the anchor set virtually immediately. As it was the first time I had used it I also attached a trip line which I was letting out by hand so I know exactly when it reached the bottom and began to pull against the chain and line. In three meters of water I let out about fifteen meters of chain in total and it never moved over the best part of an hour). Before lifting the anchor as a final test I put the engine in reverse (425hp at tickover) and again the chain just tightened but with no drag that I could detect. For recovery we moved gently forward taking up the loose chain and as we came over the anchor it lifted and came straight up.

So for my use on a first outing it did everything I wanted. I'm looking forward to using it a lot more.



Harpsden

 

[vyv_cox]

I suggest that tickover in astern is doing nearly nothing to test the anchor, even with 425 HP! My trials show that it takes my puny 27 HP engine 2500 revs to exceed the strength of pull generated by a force 6 wind. I cannot suggest what revs are needed for such an excess of power as yours but some trials would give you confidence that the anchor still holds in a lot of wind.

 

[Garold]

I've used my new Vulcan anchor twice; in studland bay for a day mooring and in Poole harbour overnight.

Both times I set the anchor using a gentle burst of reverse and both times it held firm. In Poole harbour it did dig deep into the mud in Poole harbour really quickly and came up with about 50kg of mud attached.

I've had a Rocna and a spade on previous boats and so I am interested to see how this new anchor performs. I bought this one because it fitted the bow roller well, the shank seems shorter than most other anchors and my previous Rocna never once let go.

So, looking forward to some idyllic anchorages this season.

Garold

 

[cindersailor]

Any update on the performance (or otherwise) of the Vulcan anchor? I am tempted by one to replace my delta which I am starting to loose confidence in following a couple of dragging incidents, amazing how it interferes with a restful night!