Danforth or Bruce anchor for quicksilver 430 tidal estuary?

The Bass Stalker · 28 April 2015, 19:58

I'm sure this has been asked lots but i have a very specific area and conditions.

I've had my quicksilver 430 for about 5 yrs now and been using my mates alluminium danforth with about 4m chain. Works pretty well, but having nearly lost it a couple of times and knowing its worth about £100 i thought i ought to get my own!

The estuary runs at about 2 or 3knts and it can be hard gravel or mud, 10 foot fast flowing over a bank or up to 50 foot. Holding bottom can be difficult!

The ally danforth is very light and probably has 30cm paddles, overall 60cm. I don't think its lightness helps it bite in sometimes.

My mates 25foot avor has a big bruce anchor and obviously holds most places.

So my question is, whats best, which should i go for, and what weight?

Although a danforth folds flat, when its in a bucket it's awkward shaped, so tends to sit loose on the floor, where as a bruce would sit in it better.

My temptation is to try a 4.5kg danforth, but wonder if a bruce would suffice? Or heavier?

Advice please?

jwatson · 28 April 2015, 20:42

2 kg Bruce & 3 m chain holds my 3.8m sib pretty well. Certainly not £100 worth!

The Bass Stalker · 29 April 2015, 07:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by jwatson

2 kg Bruce & 3 m chain holds my 3.8m sib pretty well. Certainly not £100 worth!

Thanks. How tidal is that and what depth? Made me feel sick when we wung at high tide and got it stuck! Started thinking about sacrificial anchors for that spot but at £20 off ebay that is as good as.

Any other experiences with a big sib in strong currents?

paintman · 29 April 2015, 08:53

Not a SIB, but I use a 7kg danforth type with 3 metres of chain on a 17' dory. Holds in mud & sand without problem.
(I also have a small grapnel home-made out of reinforcing bar for rock use - the prongs are thin enough to bend when stuck.)
How are you rigging yours? When fishing I have the end of the chain attached to the bottom of the anchor & the chain then runs up the shaft & is attached to the top of the anchor with cable ties. If stuck, the cable ties break allowing you to pull the anchor out backwards. If I'm leaving the boat unattended then the chain is attached to the top of the anchor in the usual way.
This may be of interest: A Boat Anchor and Chain Buying Guide | eBay

The Bass Stalker · 29 April 2015, 09:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by paintman

Not a SIB, but I use a 7kg danforth type with 3 metres of chain on a 17' dory. Holds in mud & sand without problem.
(I also have a small grapnel home-made out of reinforcing bar for rock use - the prongs are thin enough to bend when stuck.)
How are you rigging yours? When fishing I have the end of the chain attached to the bottom of the anchor & the chain then runs up the shaft & is attached to the top of the anchor with cable ties. If stuck, the cable ties break allowing you to pull the anchor out backwards. If I'm leaving the boat unattended then the chain is attached to the top of the anchor in the usual way.
This may be of interest: A Boat Anchor and Chain Buying Guide | eBay

Thanks. Good link too.
My mate who i fish with a lot would kill me if i got a 7kg one. Sounds pretty heavy so not suprised it holds well. I wonder how much difference the weight of the anchor makes? I can see I'll end up buying several going smaller and smaller until they won't hold but don't want to waste money.

I haven't done the cable tie thing yet as there is no eye on the bottom. Will do it with the one I buy, not sure how many ties you need and what size ones? Will probably have to be trial and erro.

Johnscubanut · 29 April 2015, 10:09

As mentioned previously. Attach chain to top eye if fitted, the holding at the front of anchor if not you may have to drill hole to make one. Then heavy duty cable ties securing chain, we use around 5 along the length of shaft. The general size is 1kg anchor weight per metre of boat. So for yours would be 4-5kg. I prefer the Bruce/claw type, not had a problem holding as long as enough line paid out of course! Securefixdirect on ebay supply the anchors for around £30!! Hope this helps?

Chris A · 29 April 2015, 10:46

A 2kg bruce with a couple of meters chain should be fine. It's not so much the weight of the anchor but the amount of warp. Generally speaking in calm(ish) water you want 3 times depth and up to 6 times depth in fast flowing water. The diameter of your rope will also play a big role, especially in deep fast flowing water. thinner means less drag but not to thin to make pulling it in difficult, cutting into your hands, 5mm for a sib is ideal.

We paddle out over slack and anchor up in the Mersey with 1kg bruce and 1,5m chain using 2mm braided line for anchor warp. It holds a 19ft kayak in 8 knots of tide. On my 3.8m Aerotec I use 5mm of 40m rope and 2kg bruce with chain and hold fine in 35ft with a flow of 3knots on one of my marks where I anchor for tope.

As Johnscubanut says, connect the chain on the top eye and cable tie at the shaft end, I only use one cable tie but take a few spare incase a trip it. Never lost an anchor this way, should mostly be recoverable if you snag, trip it then pulling it up from up tide

Last Tango · 29 April 2015, 12:33

Yep.
Bruce anchor every time.....if they'll hold oil rigs in place then they're good enough for me.
They have a hole for a tripping line but in 45 years of boating I have never had one snag.

The Bass Stalker · 29 April 2015, 13:20

Great advice, thanks. Think I'll try a bruce out for a change, its just what weight now. I want to go 2kg ish but not sure that will hold but pretty sure a 4.5 kg would. But don't want to carry bigger than necessary for the next few years.

There is nothing worse than when out fishing dropping anchor 100 yards up from a bank where you know there are fish, ready to drop yourself back quietly, and then not hold bottom and drag a damn great plough through the lot!

paintman · 29 April 2015, 18:09

OK it's an Oz site, but a few suggestions here giving boat length:
Anchor Marine

The Bass Stalker · 29 April 2015, 20:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by paintman

OK it's an Oz site, but a few suggestions here giving boat length:
Anchor Marine

think oz boats work the same, lol. All good reading, thanks

Last Tango · 29 April 2015, 22:04

Another guide with more optimistic figures.

Anchor weight guide

As you say this one is recommending 2KG for a Bruce type (twice that for other types) but I'd go a bit bigger. 4-5KG is still pretty easily managed.

The Bass Stalker · 29 April 2015, 23:56

Thanks again. Didn't mean last mssg to sound so sarcastic having read it back, it was supposed to be funny. I genuinely love reading all this nurdy stuff. There is obviously quite an art to it. I think for fishing you need to be very efficient, else you end up in the wrong place though!

Very tempted by a 4.5/5kg bruce for a change. The other thing my mate suggested was try with the 2kg one and if it struggles then wrap some lead around it to help it dig in which i thought wasn't a bad idea. Lead is rather expensive though these days!

Last Tango · 30 April 2015, 10:17

I'd use heavier/more chain or run an "angel" down the line rather than wrapping lead round the anchor but to be honest, seems like more hassle than it's worth.The bigger anchor will buy you peace of mind and you can spend your precious time fishing instead of b*gg*ring around with ground tackle

paintman · 30 April 2015, 15:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Bass Stalker

Thanks again. Didn't mean last mssg to sound so sarcastic having read it back, it was supposed to be funny.

No problems, that's how I took it

The Bass Stalker · 30 April 2015, 20:29

Decided to go for a 2kg bruce having moved a 5kg carton today, and thought it would be a killer pulling that up with chain etc. I've been managing with a near weightless aluminium danforth for several years so pretty sure it will be good. Was only £15 posted so no great shakes. With it i ordered 40m of 6mm nylon rope for £11.60 and no postage, so should be sorted.