Need Quick Anchor Advice 37C with Tower lost Danforth 22S

[hcalmar]

Quick anchor advice needed for a 1979 37C with tower which I think weighs in at 34,000 pounds. I apologize in advance for not simply searching old threads but I am in a bit of a hurry.
My Story.
I do not anchor much, preferring to rent a mooring $55 in Watch Hill, Rhode Island (Napatree) when we overnight. Not that conditions are bad, all sand, but with the current and prevailing wind you turn around a lot at night and the place is packed with folks on short rodes. I have 20 feet of heavy chain but the rest is line and if I put out the 75-90’ I would be comfortable with - I get in everyone's way.

Yesterday I had to be off the mooring at 11, and so we drop the hook, a Danforth 22S, 25lbs which holds 1600 pounds and 80 feet of line. It held well all afternoon in 10 to 15 kn winds. In the evening we get ready to pull up to head back to Stonington. Communication between my wife and I is a little rusty this early in the season and she had us plowing ahead pretty fast. By the time I signaled for her to stop we were well over the line which I could no longer hold and I tied it off. The anchor frees up, I hauled up the line and to my surprise all that was left was the long shank. The stock had rusted free. My wife was pretty upset but I saw it as a blessing. It could have rusted free overnight in a big blow. Of course I failed to inspect it at the start of the season and the crown is hidden by my bow pulpit so I never realized how rusted it was. Anyway.

Recommendations? I have an old windlass and haul the thing up myself which favors the Danforth or the Delta but I am interested in recommendations from folks with a Hatt my size or one with similar windage. Thank you in advance. Hal

 

[Avenger]

My 36C is probably a bit lighter than your 37 and I only have a 1/2 tower, but I'm using a 22 lb Danforth-type and it hasn't given me any issues except the time I tried to pick up a bridge with it. Anchor type mostly depends on the kind of bottom you're anchoring in. Around here (southern LI) the Danforth seems to be preferred. So I'd say if it was working for you before, aside from the mechancial failure, just replace with same.

 

[jim rosenthal]

Get a Fortress; they weight less, but you have a lot of chain, and they don't rust.

 

[hcalmar]

And the FX 23 -rated for my boat 39'-45'- is only 15lbs. Seems light.
I understand Fortress recommends less chain than normal?

 

[Avenger]

I had started this thread tongue-in-cheek, but a lot of good information came out of it. If you read through it rsmith has some comments about Fortress anchors near the end:

http://www.samsmarine.com/forums/showthread.php?16119-Need-An-Anchoring-Expert

You do understand that they're lightweight because they're made of Aluminum, right?

However, depending on your useage thay may be suitable.

 

[Pascal]

An FX 23 is too small for a boat your size with tower. Windage is more important than weight.

Holding power of the FX is hard to beat but like all Danforth they don't reset reliably on a wind or current shift.

I m a big fan of the Bruce/Claw. I ve anchored many time in LIS including Stonington, Fishers, thimbles, pt Judith, and more and the bruce never let me down

 

[jim rosenthal]

You would need at least an FX-37- this size reliably held my 44 Striker, and saved it in an emergency. Yes, Fortress may recommend less chain, but this makes very little sense at all to me. What anchor performs better with LESS chain? If anyone can explain this, I'm keen to hear it.

 

[motoryacht lover]

Funny this thread came up. I was at Cape Lookout this past Sunday when a nasty thunderstorm came through. We were anchored with a Fortress 55 (with mud palms) with all chain rode. I had a 160 feet of all chain rode out in 20' of depth. We were pointing at 12 oclock when the storm hit and turned to 9 oclock. Right away we started dragging so I started the engines and my wife manned the helm while I tried to get the anchor up by hand (windlass reversing selonoid went out). Long story short we started churning bottom and then the wind blew us over deeper water and I finally got the anchor up and then powered to deeper water. Anyway I am in the market for a new anchor and I am hearing bruce and Rocna. My boat is a 54 Viking and weighs 70,000lbs and I am thinking in terms of a 110 Bruce. So apparently weight is as important as style. I will keep the Fortress but will not rely on it as a primary anchor. If I was asleep my boat would probably still be at Lookout now. Also I let out about 100 feet and hooked up a bridle and backed down on it then let out 60 more feet and still dragged right away. I heard wind speeds in the area were from 60mph to 90. I can't say with certainty what they were at Lookout so maybe I am being to hard on the Fortress but I don't feel good about the fortress now.

 

[Pascal]

The problem with danforth is that the flukes often get clogged with mud and grass when they are pulled off the bottom by a shift and they won't reset.

We used to have a 110 Bruce on the boat I run and one of the only 2 places it dragged was during a 40kts + storm at cape look out! But the 110 was marginal for a high windage enclosed FB wide beam 70 footer. Since then we upgraded to a 176 lbs Bruce which is the right size for that boat

On a 54, the 110 bruce should be fine.

Even when the Bruce started dragging, it was not a fast drag as with a clogged Danfirth but a slow controlled drag. Which is a lot better!


That said, I ve heard good thing about the Rocna although i don't think it is worth the significant price difference

 

[Boatnut]

My 36C is probably a bit lighter than your 37 and I only have a 1/2 tower, but I'm using a 22 lb Danforth-type and it hasn't given me any issues except the time I tried to pick up a bridge with it. Anchor type mostly depends on the kind of bottom you're anchoring in. Around here (southern LI) the Danforth seems to be preferred. So I'd say if it was working for you before, aside from the mechancial failure, just replace with same.

I agree, stick with hwat has worked for you, and your comfortable with. If I am caught in weather I'll use a bimini set up with 2 anchors anyway. If there is a blow 2 is better than one IMHO.

 

[Pascal]

In a blow i find one oversized anchor to be a lot better than 2 since if needed you can easily haul that anchor up and move the boat. Getting 2 anchors up in rough weather is a lot harder and you risk catching one of the road with a prop

There are no bad anchor out there, although some work a little better than others in some bottom. The key is to pick the right size, at least one size up, preferably two, from the manufacturer s chart

 

[hcalmar]

I appreciate the advice and the decision is turning out to be more difficult than I expected, principly because I have to haul it up (and 20' of heavy chain) with my 53 year old back. Looks like the 25lbs danforth I had was really to small though managable. The fortress is light but not good for overnight with a wind/current shift. I really need something under 30lbs that can turn.
Hal

 

[Boatnut]

If you don't have one, perhaps a windlass is something to consider.

 

[hcalmar]

I have an old Galley Maid capstan.

 

[Boatnut]

I guess I am really lucky, I have not had a problem retrieving 2 anchors, and I have been caught in pretty hard blows. One anchor versus 2 anchors I see as a personal choice. A bimini setup works excellent where tide and current changes are servere. Good anchoring is not only for bad weather, I like to sleep without worrying as much.

 

[Pascal]

it's a much more complex set up. for starters you need 2 rollers which few boats have, and the ability to easily switch rodes on the WL. most boats aren't set up that way.

plus, with a Bahamian mooring, only one anchor really works at one time since one is up current, one is down current so, you still need a properly oversized anchor to sleep well!

 

[krush]

http://www.captfklanier.com/articles/art29.html

Anchoring 101?

 

[Boatsb]

You have to be kidding. Here we go again, your way is the only way as usual, just like the inverter thread. Of course a properly sized anchor would be used, duh!, no matter how many you put out. There is no perfect anchor that will work, in all conditions. Propper anchoring technique is manditory, and even then it's not foolproof.

For crying out loud GET OVER IT!!!

Send me some popcorn. This could get interesting.

 

[Vincentc]

Send me some popcorn. This could get interesting.

Or tiresome.

 

[Boatnut]

You are absolutely right, my reply was not in good taste. Scott would you do me a favor, and remore it as well.

Thanks much