Anchor recommendations....?

Can anyone advise on the right size and type of anchor for my 15 footer please. Something that would hold in a variety of terrains would be good. The small folding grapnel style one that came with it is not worth the proverbial fiddlers... Cheers.

Sorted, Thanks DD

What type did you end up going for Pete ? Mines a bruce with a folding grapnel as a back up

Andy

Bruce type anchor for me to :wink:
Steve

On the advice of Donal Domeney, (Thanks again) I will be going for a Bruce style anchor with double the length of chain I was using (which was 2 metres of 14mm) I will try the folding grapnel again with the extra chain and see how/if that works, if not I'll have a grappling hook style thing made up out of the steel rods they use to reinforce concrete etc with.

Interestingly enough, I changed to a Bruce too. I previously used a Danforth type and a comparison of the various anchor tests reveals some interesting facts.

In most tests the Bruce scores very highly on ease of setting. It also does well on a change of pull (140 deg). It does not have a good resistance to drag. It is often recommended to go for a heavier Bruce than normal.

The Danforth has an amazing resistance to drag; from about a factor of 4 over the Bruce. Most of the tests are in sand or mud with or without sea grass.

As someone who doesn't (hopefully!) need a storm anchor, but one sufficient to hold me over a particular mark, the Bruce is a good compromise, bearing in mind it should be pretty good over rock.

The Bruce has an additional advantage: it usually has an additional point of attachment at the 'wrong' end. This is designed to have a separate line to a bouy so that if it fouls, you can pull it up backwards via this additional line. However, I read an interesting proposition in an oldish Australian marine manual. You can make your primary attachment to your chain at the 'wrong' end and secure the chain to the 'right' end with a weak link (I'm using a cable tie). This allows the anchor to set in the normal way. For this to work, you need a decent length of heavy chain so that the setting pull is along the axis of the anchor.

However if it fouls, a strong pull (steaming at full throttle!) will break the weak link and allow the anchor to be pulled up backwards out of the snag. That's the theory, anyway. I'll keep you posted.

The Bruce has an additional advantage: it usually has an additional point of attachment at the 'wrong' end. This is designed to have a separate line to a bouy so that if it fouls, you can pull it up backwards via this additional line. However, I read an interesting proposition in an oldish Australian marine manual. You can make your primary attachment to your chain at the 'wrong' end and secure the chain to the 'right' end with a weak link (I'm using a cable tie). This allows the anchor to set in the normal way. For this to work, you need a decent length of heavy chain so that the setting pull is along the axis of the anchor.

However if it fouls, a strong pull (steaming at full throttle!) will break the weak link and allow the anchor to be pulled up backwards out of the snag. That's the theory, anyway. I'll keep you posted.

I was given exactly the same advice myself, makes an awful lot of sense alright, only issue I have is that this second eye is tiny......, way too small to put a chain link through so will have to use wire or something to create a loop to attach chain to. The whole idea is in principle sound though, should save messing about with buoys etc (not to mention lost anchors!)

I managed to fit a smallish stainless steel shckle (pin) throught he hole at the wrong end. Though smaller than I would have liked, it is easily much stronger than any rope that I might use for the rode.

I learned another useful trick to haul anchor the easy way from my usual charter when visiting the in-laws; he passes the anchor rode through a steel ring tied to a barrel. This is the Alderney Ring. Simply motor away and the barrel lifts the anchor. Easy peasy. I must actually use this idea this year.....Never saw anybody around here use it.

good system Neil. I've seen Damien do this. Works a treat! Better than a barrel is one of those round ball type fenders. Does the same job but won't bang your boat when you move up to retreive it and also doubles as a fender thus taking up less space on your boat. I have two of these which i now attatch when pulling up to walls and stick under the transom when not in use :wink: The raider suits these perfectly with its side and back cleats. :P

Sounds simple alright, with a small anchor-5kg/7.5kg I presume a reasonably sized buoy would do the same thing, must keep my eye out for an unattended lobster pot..... :D

Well, when I said barrel, it was a 15 ltr or so plastic container. Unfortunately, I think my Bruce, at 2.5kg, will be too small. Only one way to find out....it was only 23 euro anyway...

Luke, How are you arranging your fenders... I was playing around on Sat with three on one side, with a longer rope on the front one that could loop over the cleat on the side of the cuddy, bringing it further foreward but still accessable from the deck. Was also thinking of a bow fender. I'm also taking a bow rope from the front cleat along the side of the boat and in at the drivers side.

Typical trip setup
[img]http://i4.tinypic.com/zwyq0z.jpg[/img]

Good Pic Jim, Thanks.

Neil,
I just use two big ball type fenders. These have a rope passed through and a knot tied in the end to stop them falling off the end. Then i simply attatch each of them to the side and end cleats when i need them and take them off when they are not in use... Short little ropes with a big knot in the end. Very simple and very effective. The fenders themselves squeeze under the transom so they stay in their 'home' till i need them.

Jim,
do you use this anchor for anchoring on reefs? Do you find it pulls out easily? I use a Danforth anchor and have been since day one. i would be interested to hear about other types. I also have a grapnel that folds up. i keep this as a spare as it folds away neatly for emergencies should i lose my main anchor and then need it. What are the advantages of using a Bruce anchor? :P

Something we used to on the commercials is use a smaller weight on the end of the chain between where the rope joins on. we found that the size of anchor is less important as the weight will lift up and down as the boat moves in the swell meaning theres less of ajolt on the anchor. Another trick is to use a tyre between the anchor rope and the main fixing to the boat, (good tip for towing another boat as well) works like a shock absorber. This becomes more important as the boat being anchored/towed inscrease in size.

Howyea Luke,
Yes we use this anchor in all situations. We keep a small foldup as a fall back as well. We have had this anchor for a good few years now and it does the job in all situations. We use a buoy in all but the shallowest of water and the anchor either comes up easily or trips, a trip out is rare. The Bruce is another plough variation. We have a Bruce as well, it's kept in the shed as a spare. A fine anchor but the CQR seems to do better for us (CQR's are relatively inexpensive)
A quick google shows the different types and the pros and cons: http://www.sailtrain.co.uk/anchoring/anchors.htm
We had a Delta years ago but lost it dragging into a wreck. A superb anchor. The genuine article is an expensive piece of kit. Remember, even rigged to trip you can still loose your anchor if the chain gets caught. The chain is all important, as Scara points out the chain acts like a shock absorber between boat and anchor.

Jim.

Thats a very interesting link. I have used the Danforth being on the East coast and not ever needing to anchor on rock and found it excellent for holding bottom. I would be interested in another anchor though for when i tow the boat elsewhere where there are good reefs such as Kilmore. Do you regularly anchor over rock? The idea of it worries me a bit when i think of getting my anchor back. I usuallly lose at least one anchor a year trying to anchor around wrecks. It's a pain i will never get used to. I may invest in a CQR if you recomend them so highly. Have you tried many variations of different anchors? The fishermans anchor looks to me like it would definately get stuck in a rocky bottom even though that is what they are supposed to be for... :?

We, like many others, used go down the switching anchors route. Cheapo grapple for rock and a separate sand anchor. We have used Fishermans, CQR, Delta and Bruce. The Delta was a super anchor. When we lost that one and went to replace it I nearly had a heart attack when I saw the price. We then bought the CQR. At first we were not impressed until we changed to a heavier chain. Superb performance now.

The CQR holds brilliantly on rock. One time in ten the anchor may trip on retrieve. I would stress that we are bouying the anchor up, this eliminates the huffing, puffing, farting and grunting. When you lost your anchor were you bouying it up or pulling?

like an ignorant paddy swine i was pulling but it was stuck fast in a wreck that is well broken up (blown apart by explosives) so pulling from all directions would'nt shift her. I am going for this alderney ring thing now. A much more civilised way to approach the problem... :lol: