Which Anchor?

[Tony]

Unfortunately my Delta anchor I had on my last rib wont fit in the locker of my new rib. I have tried a grapel anchor....and it doesn't work on the sandy shores we have here. We usually anchor in calm(F2-4) conditions with a 3-4 knot current.
I guess I could fit up to about 5kg
Please can I have some recommendations

Thanks Tony

[Pete7]

Tony, Anchors seems to be discussed at great length over on www.YBW.com.

Probably the best of the bunch are the new Rocna / Spade or Mansom Extreme anchors rather than the Bruce or CQR, however they come at a price. How they can justify £400 for 10kg of steel dipped in galv is beyond me.

On the yacht we use the Delta which does well in tests and as a spare the Fortress Aliminium also highly rated. Probably a case of borrowing an FX7 and see if it will fit. If not then the Spade which is available from Jersey would be worth looking at. It also comes apart which means it may well fit a small anchor locker.

http://www.spade-anchor.co.uk/

There are a number of copies for Bruce, Delta et al. However the quality is dreadful and whils tthey bear a resemblance there are small differences in shape which may afect the tip weight which is required to get the anchor to dig in.

The Rocna website does have a lot of useful information on anchoring, however just be aware they have been caught modifiying test data to suit there products rather than show the true results from Sailing magazine test

http://www.rocna.com/

Pete

[Mollers]

If you use the search facility on this site you'll find several threads on the subject.

[m chappelow]

i use a small bruce type or a danforth ,both seem to be ok for most sea beds that i come across .

[SeaSkills]

Originally Posted by m chappelow

i use a small bruce type or a danforth ,both seem to be ok for most sea beds that i come across .

I like the Bruce too. Only problem I've had with it was once when it picked up a boulder that was pretty much the same size - the rock wedged itself into the anchor which made it bloody useless and also very heavy to haul it up and sort it out! If the Delta won't fit in your boat though, I don't suppose a Bruce will either, and a flat anchor may be the answer for you - one of the Danforth types.

[mdt]

Originally Posted by SeaSkills

Only problem I've had with it was once when it picked up a boulder that was pretty much the same size - the rock wedged itself into the anchor which made it bloody useless and also very heavy to haul it up and sort it out!

hehehe that is just sodding bad luck. i have one of these and it seams good in most seabeds. but it is a bugger to stow away.

[willk]

I keep a 7kg CQR in the bowlocker* of my 6.5m - I suspect it wouldn't accept a Delta 7kg. The CQR lies "upside down" with the shaft in the V of the hull and the head swings forward and down to one side - it might be worth trying one for size.
______________________________________

* as lockers go - it's a bit of a mystery. It currently contains said 7kg CQR on 14Mx8mm, a 7kg "lunchhook" on 6Mx8mm, 1x25M 8mm braid, 1x15M 12mm nylon, 1x25M 12mm nylon, 1x60M 16mm fisherbloke's nasty green rope and a wee white floatie thing and assorted ironmongery.

Something of a TARDIS really but it helps balance the load a lot!

[codprawn]

If space is that tight you could try a spade anchor or it's cheaper version the Kobra

http://www.marinemegastore.com/produ...-PLA_37695.htm

Just don't buy it from them.............

The Kobra folds and the spade has a removable shank.

Danforth style are great in mud and sand - nothing better - but they aren't much use in rock or mixed ground. The spade type is pretty much the same as a Delta but p[ossibly will fit in the locker.

[jyasaki]

Originally Posted by SeaSkills

Only problem I've had with it was once when it picked up a boulder that was pretty much the same size - the rock wedged itself into the anchor which made it bloody useless and also very heavy to haul it up and sort it out!

FWIW, a similar thing has happened to my Danforth knock-off a couple of times: In one instance, a rock wedged between the flukes and the shank, preventing the flukes from dropping down to grab the bed (i.e. the shank was flat and the flukes were left pointing upwards.) Another time, the hook picked up enough enough kelp to keep the flukes from moving freely.

You also need to be careful in areas where the fluke tip can get caught under something (usually happens on shale substrates); I had one where one fluke ended up bent at a 45 degree angle upon recovery (after a half hour fight to get it loose.)

Other than that, the Danforth works pretty well, in most bottom compositions (it reportedly does fairly poorly in grassy mud bottoms, but we don't have too much of that here.)

jky

[willk]

Originally Posted by jyasaki

Other than that, the Danforth works pretty well, in most bottom compositions (it reportedly does fairly poorly in grassy mud bottoms

Useless for hooking up at Glastonbury then?

[jyasaki]

Originally Posted by willk

Useless for hooking up at Glastonbury then?

Wouldn't know, sorry.

jky