What size anchor?

kunyang

kunyang

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OK, now last year a guy at the Folly reconned my anchor looked a mite small. This year, after several repair jobs ie welding, I realise that it might break up if I really need it in a blow and I think I'll get a new one. So what size anchor should I have. The yacht is a Halcyon Clipper, which weighs around 6000lbs (so I believe). with a length of 7.7m. My present Anchor is a CQR but I should weigh it (no pun intended) as I don't really know the weight of the thing.

Dave
 
A 10Kg anchor of most patterns would be considered ample. This has the added bonus of being relatively easily handled - one of the many benefits of having a smaller boat!

We use a 10Kg Spade as the main bower on our Albin Vega, which is a similar size and weight when in cruising trim. You might also want to consider cheaper high holding power anchors such as the Oceane (cheap cousin to the Spade) the Delta (used by the RNLI) or the incredibly ugly but solid SARCA.

Whichever you choose, lots of chain is important . . .

All IMHO - anchoring threads usually raise a bit of dust on here.

- Nick
 
Well my Contessa 26 which is very similiar has a 25lb CQR ......oversized like most things on the boat. Strong tides where I sail so like to have a big hook !
 
Interested in what people are using>>>

Have a look at the YBW poll we did on the forums a little while back, might give you something to think about....

Anchor Poll
 
I'd agree with Webcraft except for the SARCA.
The SARCA is no-where near as good as the others or any other for that matter and would my choice only if there was no other anchor (or even heavy bricks) available.
 
Re: What size anchor? Biggest / heaviest you can handle

Simple answer .... The biggest you can handle reasonably.

Regardless of tables .... an anchor needs to be heavy and benefits from a reasonable length of chain as well ... the pitiful short excuses for chain on some boats and then to rope rode are ones I avoid anchoring near to ...

As to type .... many use Delta, CQR or spade ... the fact is get the heaviest you can handle.

Mines a CQR .... its a pain to get through the pulpit and is heavy ........... BUT - I am reasonably confident that it will hold in most conditions and as yet hasn't let me down .....>

29-7-99020.jpg


Here is anchored on hard sand / pebble beach .... she held and if you look closely - you can see anchor under the boat ... this picture IMHO shows the advantage of chain rode ... even though while boat was a float before grounding out - the wind / swell etc. was pulling at the boat quite strongly and she stayed put only swinging to the rode ....>

DSCF0205.jpg


Good luck.
 
A 25Lb CQR on all chain would make an excellent set up. One pound per foot is about right for a plough anchor. The CQR has the benefit of proven reliability over many years, has a swivelling stock which assists with resetting at the turn of the tide or when the wind shifts, and is good in most bottoms, except heavy weed.
 
Re: What size anchor? Biggest / heaviest you can handle

have you run out of pics of the missus? this too has to be one of most over posted pics on the internet. Take some new ones!
 
Piccies ....

Considering the re-runs of vids that come up on here - my over-posted anchor piccie is least of the worries ........ /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Hows this one then ... SWMBO and friend at boat .... >

Liga-sept-2005-025.jpg


/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
Re: Piccies ....

Now its funny you should say that ... as we do have a young lady who is rather tasty .....

9mayprasnik2005014.jpg


Lady at the back second from left ... Extreme left is my wife, then Liala ... then my wifes mum .....
Twin sister is the one with leather jacket and Soviet Army hat ... (her hubby behind her ...)

Names Liala .... speaks no english though !!!!
 
Re: Piccies ....

Oh she can talk ok .... /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
Re: Piccies ....

+does+ she, err, is she.

Never mind! Give me her telephone number and I'll learn the lingo quick! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Weight of a CQR anchor

A genuine CQR has its weight, in pounds, embossed on the "I" section shank, along with the words "Genuine CQR" and either "Pat. No XXXX. Made in Scotland " or, in the case of a very old one, "Patent applied for".

A plough anchor which does not tell you its weight is not a CQR. Some imitation CQRs are not much use, so it is worth being clear about this.

Having said which, it was Eric Hiscock's opinion that a CQR under 25lbs would not always cut through weed to dig in, so he reckoned this was the minimum size for reliability. I've got a 10lbs one on a 16ft launch and it has always worked perfectly, but maybe I've been lucky.
 
CQR vs Plough ....

Most copies of the CQR use the same angles, sizes of plough / shank etc. and are just as good but cheaper.

But there are some that the casting is suspect and can lead to failure. It has been known for some cheap copies to literally break on hitting a rock or being dropped on the dock. This is casting failure possibly due to voids in the cast etc.

A CQR is drop-forged and not simply cast ... giving it its "Unbreakable" Guarantee .............. now I'm not sure if that Guarantee is still issued ... haven't bought a true CQR in years !!
 
Re: CQR vs Plough ....

I'll stick with the real ones. Unless you can put a copy alongside a real one, which most sellers are none too keen on, it's hard for amateurs like me to see the differences in shape and weight, and the idea of a casting does not appeal. They last a very long time - Mirelle's 25lb CQR kedge is "patent applied for", has been re-galvanised once, twenty years ago, and is still good. If they are used for years on end the pin will wear down but this is rare.
 
I tend to agree with Hiscock, any anchor needs to be around 30 lb / 14Kg to start to dig into a difficult sea bed. Once watched a 16ft inflatable drag a 10lb CQR in a light breeze.
Diving down to the anchor the pull was horizontal with all the chain was on the sea bed, but the anchor lacked enough weight at the point to dig into the stiff mud.
Have had good experiences with Bruce anchors of 15 - 30kg and lousy experiences with lighter ones - they held for a while then break out, could be they are not big enough to get into the stiffer holding.
Personally, I will not ship a main anchor of less than 15kg on any cruising boat, but this is only based on 20 years plus experience of coastal cruising, with most nights at anchor.
 
Agree with Webcraft and then with GMac. You need an anchor of around 10Kg / 22lbs.

Disagree with js48. The "benefit of proven reliability" is no reason to select an anchor; this is like saying you would choose a bow and arrow for a weapon as it has a nice track record. The CQR may have been a good choice back in 1933 when it was designed, but things have moved on. This article might be of interest.

Agree with Mirelle wrt genuine CQRs vs plough copies. Then I must say I disagree with small_boat_champ's following comment. The use of cheaper construction methods is not the only problem with the copies; they usually take other shortcuts in order to reduce costs, and in our experience the originals are usually the best in terms of performance. That applies to Bruce as well as CQR.

Having said that small_boat_champ is quite correct about poor casting. Be very careful with cheap imports (usually from Asia). Bruce have some blurb about this on their website - of course it's biased, but even as competitors we have to agree.
 
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