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Anchor size and type for F36
Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2012 9:03 pm
by Struts and Rudders
Hello all,
I have purchased my windless,pulpit and anchor chute.
Can someone with practical experience provide me with a recommendation on anchor weight and style that works.
We intend to do quite a bit of on the hook time so holding power will be very important.
Thank you,
SRD
F36
Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2012 9:07 pm
by captainmaniac
Anchor style required depends on the type of bottom you will be trying to anchor over. If there are a lot of different bottom types, you may need to carry 2 or more anchors and use the right one based on bottom.
West Marine has an 'advisor' that explains a bit further.
http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/st ... ght-Anchor
Not sure for the weight of an F36, but for my F32 (and typical bottom type) I use a 13lb Danforth. Typical wave, wind, or current conditions for your area may also dictate that you go bigger on the anchor to improve holding power against the additional forces.
Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2012 9:19 pm
by prowlersfish
16lb Danforth works well for me
Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2012 10:41 pm
by aweimer
prowlersfish wrote:16lb Danforth works well for me
I've got a 25lb on mine. Would hold a cruise ship it seems. ZERO issues holding, so hard that i have to pull it out with the engines at times.
Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2012 11:38 pm
by rossjo
I have Fortresses on 3 different boats. I bought 1 size oversize on all 3, and have plenty of chain ... works well with the mud palms in our Carolina pluff mud.
Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2012 12:12 am
by Struts and Rudders
I found this and could not resist the deal.
This will be my primary anchor and will also have a 12 danforth on deck as a secondary.
Thanks
SRD
F36
http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?pat ... Id=3332233
Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2012 6:08 am
by ready123
You will be more than happy with that anchor. I have used Bruce/claw style anchors for years and always sleep well on the hook..... just make sure to back down on the set and you will too.
Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2012 8:32 am
by jimbo36
I agree with ready123, I have the same size on my F36. But, I couldn't resist the Stainless steel one. This type of anchor holds well in mud, ooze, weeds, sand but don't try anchoring in rocks with any style anchor, except a grapnel for lunch.
Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2012 8:44 am
by rossjo
SRD,
You didn't say where you plan to anchor, but I seem to remember you're up near Myrtle Beach. In South Carolina, we anchor
inshore in mud:
West Marine's 'Selecting the Right Anchor' wrote:
Assessing Bottom Conditions
Anchors need to develop enough resistance in the seabed to withstand the environmental forces on the boat—the wind and the waves. An anchor’s ability to develop resistance is entirely dependent on its ability to engage and penetrate the seabed. In all of our anchor tests, including our biggest and best documented 2006 program, there always seems to be one undeniable conclusion: the selection of a suitable bottom for anchoring is a much more critical factor than the design of the anchor. So how do you choose the right anchor design? You must take expected bottom conditions into account. Here is an analysis of potential options, based on the seabed:
Sand: Fine-grained sand is relatively easy for anchors to penetrate and offers consistently high holding power and repeatable results. Most anchors will hold the greatest tension in hard sand. Pivoting-fluke anchors and non-hinged scoop anchors are the best types in sand. The Rocna performed excellently in our anchor tests in sand.
Mud: Mud has low shear strength, and requires anchor designs with a broader shank–fluke angle and greater fluke area. This allows the anchor to penetrate deeply to where the mud has greater sheer strength. Mud is frequently only a thin layer over some other material, so anchors that can penetrate through the mud to the underlying material will hold more. Fortress anchors have greater holding power in mud because they can be adjusted from their standard 32° to a broad 45° fluke angle.
Rock and Coral: Holding power is most dependent on where you happen to drop the hook, rather than the type of anchor. Plow-shaped or grapnel-type anchors, with high structural strength to sustain the high point-loads, generally work the best. These anchors include the Claw, CQR, Delta, Rocna and Supreme.
Shale, clay, and grassy bottoms: Tough bottoms for all anchor designs, with the weight of the anchor, more than the design the most important factor in penetration and holding power. CQR, Delta, Rocna and Supreme anchors are thought to be good due to their ability to penetrate the vegetation. However, these conditions have a high probability of false setting, due to the anchor catching on roots and protrusions, rather than something solid.
The Fortress excels in MUD, where the Bruce (or Lewmar in your case) is the weakest because it cannot penetrate deep enough into the mud to hold:
Pull: 280lb, 440lb, 725lb, 725lb, 734lb, 2,175lb
San Francisco Bay, CA, April 1990
http://www.fortressanchors.com/AnchorTestMud.html
Here are all the Fortress test in various bottoms:
http://www.fortressanchors.com/anchor_tests.html
Verified by E. S. Maloney, author of “Chapman Piloting, Seamanship & Small Handlingâ€, (often called “The Boater's Bibleâ€).
Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2012 9:33 am
by Struts and Rudders
Thanks for everyone's input.
Sounds like you need one of each style to be covered completely.
We're going to travel and hope to encounter all types of bottoms (LoL)
I hope between the claw and danforth we will be happy on the hook.
We tend to drop two anchors even our 22' MasterCraft at the lake, so I imagine that trend will continue.
Our windless has a capstan too so handling two anchors will be no issue.
Thanks to all who responded to this thread.
SRD
F36
Using two anchors?
Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2012 11:04 am
by ready123
Struts and Rudders wrote:We tend to drop two anchors even our 22' MasterCraft at the lake, so I imagine that trend will continue.
Ooooh an opportunity for the good old two anchor discussion
I am not a believer in two anchor deployment generally unless under specific conditions, and especially not with different types.
Which anchor is doing the holding? When the load moves from one to another what happens? Any chance this on and off loading will tend to loosen the anchor's hold
Now I do accept the theory of deploying two ahead @ 45 degrees while in strong wind situations (though I prefer to add scope on my single Bruce) and also the Bahama style, which each usage tends to maintain constant load on both, or one then the other.
When we are done here we can move on to multiple anchors when rafting 4 or 5 boats
Can you tell the Admiral and I are in full retirement and living aboard with time on our hands
On the Tennessee river for the next 6 months then on to FL and the Bahamas before returning to Ontario for Summer 2013 then do it all over again and again
Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2012 1:10 pm
by rossjo
The most difficult part of staying on the hook more than 3-4 hours is tidal change.
Our tides here have a 6' range. Its less in S FL and the Bahamas, but can really be much worse up north.
I've never come loose at night, but I never sleep well on the hook.
Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2012 1:43 pm
by alexander38
I've been using a Delta in the bay since we got a big boat, and the only time I ever had trouble with it holding was in Urbanna on a short road.....
ran a ground once
and it dug in so good that I was afraid pulling anymore on it I thought it was going to rip my Goode wench off the bow...and I've got a witness...and Jeff now owns that detla..witch is for a 41' boat...I went with a S/S for a 58' 35 lbs I think...on 30' of chain and 5/8" road..
Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2012 10:26 pm
by rossjo
Ruined a big Danforth at the Jetties once. Brought her home, but she's bent beyond use and I don't have a big enough press to straighten her out (I've left plenty more out the with smaller craft).
I don't send the Fortress down when there are rocks.
Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2012 9:30 am
by DOUBLE R
Down here we mostly have sand. My F26 had a 10lber and 12 foot of 3/8 chain and would drag a bit in seas. My 20 footer has a Hooker 13lb (danforth style) with 6 foot of chain and it does not budge an inch! I have seen both first hand while diving as we always go up and down on the anchor line. Yesterday, I actually dropped the anchor in the same hole in the wreck that i managed to foul hook a few weeks ago. What are the chances!!!
Oh and we did 24 knots out and back at 5.4 gph burn!!!