Where Do I Start? New Anchor Thread...

[langstonelayabout]

This popped up on a Facebook advert the other day:

https://www.ultramarine-anchors.com/anchor

Not that I'm particularly looking to replace my £50 10kg galvanised Bruce anchor with a £1150 12kg shiny anchor, but has anyone any experience of these and are they any good?

 

[Quandary]

Why do you ask?

 

[noelex]

It would be nice to see a few more examples, but my impression is that it is a very good anchor, although not quite in the excellent category.

The Ultra is in the same category as the Spade and on paper looks to have a few refinements that should improve on the impressive performance of the Spade, but it just does not seem to have the brilliance of the steel Spade, in my view.

The Ultra is a beautiful anchor. Nothing comes close to the sweeping form and perfectly polished stainless. It is also a very practical anchor with no concerns about having to regalvanise in the future. The warranty covers bending and seems to work well in practice.

It is a very expensive anchor, but I have heard of some deals, at least in Turkey, that make the price quite reasonable for a stainless anchor.

You can see in this photo the puffs of sand that are given off as this Ultra anchor very slowly moves backwards. The scope was only 3:1 in reasonably shallow water (4m), but this is an example where I would have expected better:

 

[wully1]

If it's that good, why has it ploughed a furrow in the sand?

Our Rocna bit hard into the sand on 1st set anchoring on two occasions this week bringing the boat up with a fairly decent snub/indication of setting. Other boats on Bruce and CQR types struggled. Repeatedly.

To be fair though, although I could see the anchor in 6 meters, I couldn't see if there was a furrow. Doubt there was.

Seems an awfae expensive Ultra anchor.

 

[Leighb]

Is that eelgrass that is being destroyed in that photo?

 

[noelex]

Is that eelgrass that is being destroyed in that photo?

The seahorses are running for cover .

 

[pmyatt]

This popped up on a Facebook advert the other day:

https://www.ultramarine-anchors.com/anchor

Not that I'm particularly looking to replace my £50 10kg galvanised Bruce anchor with a £1150 12kg shiny anchor, but has anyone any experience of these and are they any good?

They are absolutely bloody outstanding! A friend of ours has one on his 55ft Nordhavn trawler yacht to replace a 150lb CQR-type plough. On the first occasion they deployed it, in Latakia Harbour on sand, they laid the anchor and backed up at normal speed - and promptly knocked two of the crew off their feet as it bit so quickly. I saw an underwater video that they did later and it always bit hard within one metre.

 

[Neeves]

They are absolutely bloody outstanding! A friend of ours has one on his 55ft Nordhavn trawler yacht to replace a 150lb CQR-type plough. On the first occasion they deployed it, in Latakia Harbour on sand, they laid the anchor and backed up at normal speed - and promptly knocked two of the crew off their feet as it bit so quickly. I saw an underwater video that they did later and it always bit hard within one metre.

I've used one, loaned, its a brilliant anchor every bit as good as the Spade, galvanised or stainless. The Ultra sets quickly and holds tenaciously. The shank is hollow and it is suggested helps the anchor to self right, along with the lead in the toe and self righting shank. The buoyancy of the hollow shank might help it in soft substrates to better self right.

They has some early issues, many years ago, with bent shanks and put in a lot of effort to beef up its strength. As well as being a hollow box section is is now actually made in 2 halves, each side is a box and they weld the 2 sides together - quite neat (and a lesson Spade could adopt).

They are usually seen on ritzy MoBos or fancy yachts, commonly paired with stainless chain as they have a high bling number.

They have been Classification Society tested (ABS) and meet demands for a Super High Holding Power anchor (so match Supreme, Spade, Rocna, Excel and Fortress for hold and have been Proof Tested for strength).

Jonathan

 

[Monique]

I've got the 35 kg one on my bow (Amel Super Maramu 53 footer) been very effective especially with 100Meters of 10 MM chain.... lots of chain is good.

Sets within inches of touching bottom. Got a good deal (in Turkey)

 

[ripvan1]

I thought that stainless anchors could have issues with crevice ? corrosion. If that is the case beware cheap copies I would think.

 

[Pete7]

If that's the price for a 12kg anchor I am astonished anyone dare throw them overboard.

 

[noelex]

They are usually seen on ritzy MoBos or fancy yachts, commonly paired with stainless chain as they have a high bling number.

For serious bling you need two. One Ultra is not shiny enough. What happens if you have to use it? Two ensures there is always a backup in case, heaven forbid, you need to drop one in the water .

It is a gorgeous looking anchor.

 

[Neeves]

I always thought 3 of them, joined in some fashion, would make the base for a rather nice coffee table.

They are absolutely stunning and a credit to the manufacturer. But as a Scot I shudder, fortunately I am never tempted as I don't own a wallet

Monique - I hate to mention this but is your anchor not a bit small and the chain is hardly excessively heavy? How much chain do you actually carry? But it really is a lovely anchor!!

Jonathan

I might add - I'm a fan of small anchors (and lightweight chain).

Edit - just re-read - you carry 100m - sorry!

 

[Monique]

...
Monique - I hate to mention this but is your anchor not a bit small and the chain is hardly excessively heavy? How much chain do you actually carry? But it really is a lovely anchor!!

Hi Jonathan, the 35kg is actually one size up from the recommended weight by Amel (the boat is quite light at 19 tons.... a mate with a Nauticat 515 weighs 29 tons!) The 10 MM chain is the size from original.. the new chain is G70 grade so very much overkill... 100Meter of it with a 50 meter rode at the end... IMO, my setup is good for my RTW...

 

[Neeves]

Monique,

I can only applaud your courage in resisting the pressures to upsize your anchor (and chain) - and from what you say you do not regret the choice. But you do suggest you went bigger than Amel suggested anyway. Do you have one of those monster Omega links from Maggi to act as your enlarged link so as to take the appropriate shackle - or did you simply have large links welded on?

Previously you had thrown me as you implied you own a Bav 46 (which has the same windage as our 7t cat (with its 8kg alloy anchor and 6mm chain) and an undamaged Rocna (the ones made under CMP appear to have been flawless). You possibly only sail a the Amel in the winter

 

[JanLang]

This popped up on a Facebook advert the other day:

https://www.ultramarine-anchors.com/anchor

Not that I'm particularly looking to replace my £50 10kg galvanised Bruce anchor with a £1150 12kg shiny anchor, but has anyone any experience of these and are they any good?

Check out opinion of one Ultra Anchor owner with short video as well https://sailwildling.com/2017/07/07/field-testing-the-ultra-anchor/

 

[JanLang]

I've used one, loaned, its a brilliant anchor every bit as good as the Spade, galvanised or stainless. The Ultra sets quickly and holds tenaciously. The shank is hollow and it is suggested helps the anchor to self right, along with the lead in the toe and self righting shank. The buoyancy of the hollow shank might help it in soft substrates to better self right.

They has some early issues, many years ago, with bent shanks and put in a lot of effort to beef up its strength. As well as being a hollow box section is is now actually made in 2 halves, each side is a box and they weld the 2 sides together - quite neat (and a lesson Spade could adopt).

They are usually seen on ritzy MoBos or fancy yachts, commonly paired with stainless chain as they have a high bling number.

They have been Classification Society tested (ABS) and meet demands for a Super High Holding Power anchor (so match Supreme, Spade, Rocna, Excel and Fortress for hold and have been Proof Tested for strength).

Jonathan

Referring to the anchor bent shanks, since 2016 all Ultra Anchor shanks are made out of 318Dupplex stainless steel (internal supports still remains) and there is no chance to bent this shank if the Anchor is properly selected by manufacturers selection chart. Regards, Jan (Ultra Marine Europe)

 

[Monique]

Monique,
.... Do you have one of those monster Omega links from Maggi to act as your enlarged link so as to take the appropriate shackle - or did you simply have large links welded on? I have the Ultra link.... works a treat.

Previously you had thrown me as you implied you own a Bav 46 (which has the same windage as our 7t cat (with its 8kg alloy anchor and 6mm chain) and an undamaged Rocna (the ones made under CMP appear to have been flawless). You possibly only sail a the Amel in the winter Wrong... I sail The Amel year round

 

[gandy]

One thing I notice is that these fancy designs seem to recommend a heavier anchor for the same size boat. In our case for example Lewmar recommend 6 or 10kg Delta, Spade says we need a 15kg and Ultra recommends 12kg. I wonder how much of the improvement is purely due to the greater weight?

 

[noelex]

One thing I notice is that these fancy designs seem to recommend a heavier anchor for the same size boat.

I think they are just realistic.

There is a lot of pressure on anchor manufacturers to specify small anchors as acceptable. The biggest sales are when anchor manufacturers can can sell as OEM to companies like Beneteau and other large volume manufacturers.

These yacht manufacturers naturally want to fit anchors as small as is reasonably possible. Not only is the anchor cheaper, but the windlass and bowsprit can be reduced in size. An anchor company that is willing to recommend a relatively small anchor is much more likely to win a contract to supply anchors to these large volume yacht producers.

If a customer complains about the anchor size the yacht company can correctly claim that they fit the "recommended size".

There is also the common perception among the boat buying public that an anchor with a smaller recommended size must have superior performance. Strangely in reality the reverse often hold true.

Some of the modern anchor companies have made more sensible size recommendations and I think they should be applauded for this.