Whats the best stern anchor

[KAM]

Just wondering what people think is the best type of anchor to use from the stern when mooring bow first to rocks. Assuming there's no stern windlass. Just had a problem retrieving ours.

 

[Bouba]

I suspect that most just use whatever spare anchor they have...but if I was going to buy one, I would get an aluminum one with no sharp edges...just to make life easier deploying it from the dinghy

 

[vyv_cox]

The vast majority of liveaboard and long term cruisers use a Fortress. It has all the attributes needed: light and easy to handle in the dinghy, rapid set when dropped into the water, powerful hold when pull is steady from one direction, works well on rope warp with minimal chain.

The other flat steel anchors such as Britany, Danforth have most of these but not the light weight.

Worst thing to do is use some old castoff that does not set first time (especially if it traps your fingers on launching)

 

[KAM]

Worst thing to do is use some old castoff that does not set first time (especially if it traps your fingers on launching)

You mean like a grapnel. It was bloody difficult to retrieve. Not deploying from a dinghy. Why would you do that when mooring bows on to a rock.

 

[Tranona]

You mean like a grapnel. It was bloody difficult to retrieve. Not deploying from a dinghy. Why would you do that when mooring bows on to a rock.

Common in the Med to go bows first to the beach/rocks, then row the stern anchor out in the dinghy. also useful at anchor to set a stern anchor to orientate the boat to the wind - again from a dinghy.

Assume you are dropping the stern anchor then going bows to the rock - much the same as is common in Scandinavia and as Vyv says the Fortress is the anchor of choice. Can be difficult to break out though. Using a grapnel suggests you were not laying it in a soft seabed.

 

[RJJ]

You mean like a grapnel. It was bloody difficult to retrieve. Not deploying from a dinghy. Why would you do that when mooring bows on to a rock.

IMHO the grapnel either will be difficult to retrieve, or will fail to grip.

 

[johnalison]

When we bought our boat in Sweden 20yr ago almost everyone used a Bruce as stern anchor. I wouldn’t be surprised if it hasn’t changed in that time. We have a Bruce that came with the boat and the 10Kg job works fine for this on an anchor reel. When stowed in a locker it takes little space because other stuff can be shoved within its fluke.

 

[Bouba]

You mean like a grapnel. It was bloody difficult to retrieve. Not deploying from a dinghy. Why would you do that when mooring bows on to a rock.

I think that you miss the point....nobody is going to buy a stern anchor just to moor ‘bow on to a rock’......if you are going to buy one it will be for anytime that you want to lie straight....so it will spend a lot of time in a tender just to get it right....so I repeat, aluminum with no sharp points

 

[KAM]

nobody is going to buy a stern anchor just to moor ‘bow on to a rock’

I am. A lot of boats in Scandanavia don't have a bow roller or bow anchor at all. Some don't even have tenders.

 

[Refueler]

I am. A lot of boats in Scandanavia don't have a bow roller or bow anchor at all. Some don't even have tenders.

I have a UK setup boat and the lack of pulpit gap is a pain. The Stemhead roller is hardly used for anchoring as most in Baltic is lines out from bow (port / stbd) and a kedge dropped from stern as approaching trees / rocks / marina pontoon.

I have a small 5kg copy of an AC14 ..... with about 2m chain - then Anchorlina reel. This holds my 4ton 25ft'r nicely.

Previously I had a Fishermans which previous owner had as spare in the locker. That actually never dragged when I used it before changing for the easier to handle AC14

For those not familiar .......... AC14 stands for Admiralty Cast pattern 14

Just love it ...

 

[Bouba]

I am. A lot of boats in Scandanavia don't have a bow roller or bow anchor at all. Some don't even have tenders.

Ok.....fair enough...but perhaps a better question should have been, ‘what’s the best stern anchor for the Baltic?’...otherwise we can only advise you from our own experience....

 

[BabaYaga]

In a Scandinavian setting of mooring in ’natural harbours’, you typically do not get to choose bottom substrate, anchoring depth or scope. The anchor has be able to deal with a lot of variability = a good all-rounder.
As mentioned Bruce or copies thereof has been a popular choice for many years. Reasonable grip in most substrates, except perhaps soft mud.
Myself I have been using for almost 20 years an aluminium Spade as stern anchor, which I have been very happy with. Great grip and easy to lift over the rail. Most people use a few metres of chain, but I only use polyester warp - no issues, wear had been minimal.
Down side of the alu Spade is that it might fail to grip in cases when the scope is very short. Ease of handling outweights this, in my view.

 

[Adios]

It occurs to me you're not going to stay bow feet of a rock in strong wind are you? So holding power doesn't need to be extreme? I just bought one of these which might have much more than its rated staying power

Mantus Dinghy Anchor. Extreme Holding Test. Anchor Test Video #91 - YouTube

after trying loads of gradually more expensive small boat options including the Fortress Guardian G-5 which kept failing to set. Not had a chance to try it yet but I have high hopes again. It better bloody be good at that price. And last a lifetime. Easy to dismantle and stow.

 

[Neeves]

I am. A lot of boats in Scandanavia don't have a bow roller or bow anchor at all. Some don't even have tenders.

Many Scandinavian boat have all the ground tackle in the stern, roller, anchor, windlass (and as you say - no bow roller). They commonly have the 'type' of anchor on the stern as we, you and I, have on the bow. They also have planks, passerole, designed to allow access from the bow to shore (rocks). In many respects Med mooring is 'similar' and in fact if the kit was installed on the stern could be used in the Med for a bow in mooring. You are quite correct many Baltic boats have no ground tackle on the bow - proving there is not one single right way to anchor.




If you deploy a Fortress using a sheet winch you can set the anchor quite deep - and then it will be very difficult to retreive by hand as the setting tension will need to be similar to the retrieval tension - and your winch can develop much greater tension than you (which is why you have a sheet winch). It is even more difficult to retrieve from a dinghy - as the dinghy will heal and you can be in danger of sinking. But really you chosen location should be to leeward of the shore (you will have short shore lines or you will need your dinghy to get ashore) and the stern anchor is simply to steady you NOT to stop you being driven on shore. Thus the anchor does not need to be power set, though you might need to shorten the anchor line as it sets by itself. Note that the above anchor has an all rope rode, though many Baltic yachts use mixed rodes. There will be a windlass in the transom locker - or they use a sheet winch.

You commonly cannot Baltic moor stern in - because your rudder will foul the rocks.

Bruce are very common Baltic, stern, anchors. If you are Baltic mooring then you would deploy from the deck as you nose into shore, but you really someone in a dinghy with the shore lines (so your dinghy is in use and cannot be used to deploy the stern anchor - unless you have really good and competent crew). I would use whatever anchor is appropriate for the seabed, Bruce are more than adequate for this application in mud. I'd say Bruce was the most common design I saw - in a very limited visit. You do not need the lightness of the Fortress (and I saw not one Fortress on the transom in the Baltic) and the best choice would be an 'NG' anchor different in design from you primary - and then if you lose your primary you have a back up (so it should be the same weight/size). I'd also carry a Fortress anyway - you may have different occasions when you want to deploy from a dinghy. If weight is an issue then Anchor Right and Spade both have aluminium versions of their anchor and Viking also offers a light weight anlternative (which I suspect is cheaper than either an aluminium Excel or Spade. I would not use a dinghy anchor, especially a Mantus (its reputation is based on hype and little substance). it sets very shallow and does not develop the hold you might need for a yacht (it will drag easily). If the wind changes slightly you will need the hold as the windage of a yacht with a beam wind is a disaster waiting to happen (and then 2 stern anchors set in a 'V' or fork might be an idea)

If you define your 'need' in more detail you will enjoy more detailed replies.

But anchor types - you will not go far wrong with the usual list - Rocna, Supreme, Excel, Kobra, Spade, Viking (with Viking, Spade and Excel offering you weight savings)

Jonathan

 

[Neeves]

And for those that don't mind reading.

Know how: Expanding your Anchoring Repertoire

Jonathan

 

[Refueler]

In all the years of sailing Baltic .... I have rarely seen anyone set a stern anchor or bow lines by dinghy.
Near all let go the anchor on approach to the rocks / trees paying out then stopping the boat as it comes up to rocks / trees. Then person steps off with bow lines accordingly.

Odd times - another person from a nearby boat may take the bow lines for you ...

The main reason that Balts use predominantly all rope rode on that stern anchor is purely handling and stowage. The Swedish Archipelago islands ... stays are limited to max 2 nights unless you are in a marina. No-one then wants to be handling heavy tackle so often.
Second - that shelter in the islands can be found in all but the strongest weather - so unlike ie UK - the need for high holding heavy gear is reduced.

 

[BabaYaga]

In fact, to be able to step ashore with the bow lines, is one of the criteria of a ’natural harbour’ in the nordic sense.
The other is to have shelter from waves from at least three directions and also some wind shelter,, hopefully.

 

[KAM]

Thanks. Some good advice there. I've anchored bows to rock several times in Scotland where it's a bit more challenging due to bigger tides but you can choose your spot. It seems much easier here in Norway but as has been said you can't really choose your bottom or depth. We got the last spot on a busy Island Sunday afternoon complete with submarine cable and large audience for our first attemp with the new to us boat. It would seem the criteria for a stern anchor are slightly different. Certainly the ability to give reasonable holding with short scope and resist side loads. We had to drop in 10m depth 20m from shore to miss the cable. I think we may have got the grapnel stuck in kelp as it was almost up and down and still fast. We tried a winch but that didn't help. The anchor wasn't worth anything but we didn't want to cut the cable and foul the anchorage in full view of the locals. The skipper was a diver and he swam down the cable but the weed was too thick. Fortunately the wind got up and we managed to get enough room to swing the bows round between the other boats with the wind and motor away fortunately not dragging the submarine cable with us. Sounds like a small Bruce might be a good idea with some better stern deck gear but will look at the MC14 style as well. Not convinced an aluminium anchor would work with a short scope. We'll probably stop worrying about lack of bow roller for now. I think the grapnel which came with the new to us boat will be relegated for use on grass.

 

[vyv_cox]

Thanks. Some good advice there. I've anchored bows to rock several times in Scotland where it's a bit more challenging due to bigger tides but you can choose your spot. It seems much easier here in Norway but as has been said you can't really choose your bottom or depth. We got the last spot on a busy Island Sunday afternoon complete with submarine cable and large audience for our first attemp with the new to us boat. It would seem the criteria for a stern anchor are slightly different. Certainly the ability to give reasonable holding with short scope and resist side loads. We had to drop in 10m depth 20m from shore to miss the cable. I think we may have got the grapnel stuck in kelp as it was almost up and down and still fast. We tried a winch but that didn't help. The anchor wasn't worth anything but we didn't want to cut the cable and foul the anchorage in full view of the locals. The skipper was a diver and he swam down the cable but the weed was too thick. Fortunately the wind got up and we managed to get enough room to swing the bows round between the other boats with the wind and motor away fortunately not dragging the submarine cable with us. Sounds like a small Bruce might be a good idea with some better stern deck gear but will look at the MC14 style as well. Not convinced an aluminium anchor would work with a short scope. We'll probably stop worrying about lack of bow roller for now. I think the grapnel which came with the new to us boat will be relegated for use on grass.

Answering your last point, we anchored using our Fortress at 3:1 scope Anchorplait in a full gale for several days . Held us very well and was difficult to recover having set so deep.

 

[Refueler]

In fact, to be able to step ashore with the bow lines, is one of the criteria of a ’natural harbour’ in the nordic sense.
The other is to have shelter from waves from at least three directions and also some wind shelter,, hopefully.

Until I started sailing in Baltic - I like many others thought Solent and similar were THE sailing venues ...

I now have metal L brackets designed to lock in crevices in rocks .... dog stakes for screwing into ground .... to take bow lines ... the bow lines have quick links to save having to tie knots. Makes it easy for non boaters to secure.