Another anchor wuestion

[Tony Meola]

OK I am getting tired of bending shanks on my Danforth anchors. I lost the original anchor about 3 years ago a Nd replaced it with one of the new Chinese made Danforth. I used to out all kinds of pressure on the old one and the shank never bent. Now three years later I am down 3 a anchors.

Before I go out and spend $200 on a high tensile Danforth, I was wondering if anyone has experience with them. Are they better than the regular Danforth or do the bend just as easily?

I know some of you have Fortress anchors, but then again will it also bend easily?

They are bending when we retrieve them, and some side pressure is applied as we run up on the anchor. By the way the issue happens when we are anchored in water just under 10 ft.

Also anyone know the best way of straighting theshank? I tried but only added a new bend. I was thinking maybe an auto body shop that straightens frames

[Navatech]

OK I am getting tired of bending shanks on my Danforth anchors. I lost the original anchor about 3 years ago a Nd replaced it with one of the new Chinese made Danforth. I used to out all kinds of pressure on the old one and the shank never bent. Now three years later I am down 3 a anchors.

Before I go out and spend $200 on a high tensile Danforth, I was wondering if anyone has experience with them. Are they better than the regular Danforth or do the bend just as easily?

I know some of you have Fortress anchors, but then again will it also bend easily?

They are bending when we retrieve them, and some side pressure is applied as we run up on the anchor. By the way the issue happens when we are anchored in water just under 10 ft.

Also anyone know the best way of straighting theshank? I tried but only added a new bend. I was thinking maybe an auto body shop that straightens frames

What anchor is best for you is also a function of what kind of bottom you drop the hook on... FWIW, my Berty came with 2 anchors... A Danforth anchor (rigged as a spare) and a Delta (plough) anchor rigged as the main anchor... But then again, most of the anchoring around PR, USVI's and BVI's is mostly in sand with some rocks...

As for your troubles with the newer Danforth anchors, it's the bean counters!... Steel is the only place where you can cut costs on an anchor... And if you cut material from the "wings" you lose weight (one of the main parameters for an anchor)... So what's left is cutting material from the shank... Also, the manufacturers want to sell more anchors... If they build a product that lasts for "ever" they have 1 (or 2 at most) sales per boat...

What I would do is straighten (it doesn't have to be perfect) the shank and then I'd weld a piece of rebar on either side... To get a good weld you'll have to remove most (preferably all) of the galvanizing where the welding is done... Then, after the welding, get it to some place where they'll do hot dipping galvanizing...

[Yannis]

Tony,

I have a Delta as my primary anchor mounted on the bow on a windlass and 60 meters of 8 mm chain. Awesome anchor. Digs ok in the sand and is also good in rocky botoms. I have experienced numerous Danforths before but either because they were not originals or because on a rocky bottom they are sometimes very hard to take up, you are bound to bend them. I also have an aluminum fortress as a second one, the one I drop from the stern when I moor bow in. Excellent anchor (beside its outrageous price) but I should add its only for sand and some very little rock as this one would certainly bend if you start pulling hard. Consider that this fortress has only 3 meters of 10 mm chain, all the rest is rope and if left for a few days it submerges completely, to the point its very hard to lift by hand - remember its an aft anchor without a windlass.
I would stay away from the Bruce anchor as it is sometimes impossible to free from rock.
Do you have a windlass? Do you have only chain? Do you, as Nav says, cruise in sandy bottoms? All these are important parameters when choosing an anchor.

[Dug]

I love the Fortress, but its made of aluminum.

Its lighter, but it does not sink as well. It "swims" more as a result. If you are anchoring in a location with heavy current, or deep water it makes life much more difficult.

the high tensile will be stronger...sadly.

Dug

[Yannis]

An anchor without a chain at least 3X the boat length layed on the bottom, plus the depth, is purely decorative.
No anchor can hold if its not "secured" on the bottom by enough chain. The wind, the current, the waves etc just ask for yet more chain.

[Dug]

Yanks, I was assuming sufficient chain.

The chain sinks faster than the anchor and then it can get tangled in the chain. I have seen that happen.

That is the down side of the Fortress.

It is light which is good, But it does work especially well in shallower water!

[Tony Meola]

Thanks guys. Looks like I may just have to try the hi-tensile danforth.

I would gladly pay 30 to 50 bucks more for an old style Danforth before they got sold. Those anchors were tough.

The reason I have not moved to a Fortress is for the reasons Dug said. It does sail in deep water, and adding a lot of chain defeats the purpose of a lighter weight anchor. All Trade offs.

As to Nav's suggestion, I was thinking of asking a body shop if they could straighten it out. I also thought about welding metal to the shank to reinforce it, my brother in law is a great welder so that part is easy, but as Nav suggested I have to get it regalvanized.

But just as i thought we do not have many options, and since I don't have a windless and pulpit for it, a Delta would be touch to store. Since I anchor in mostly Mud and Sand the Danforth style is still the best bet.

[Yannis]

If you drop the anchor with a windlass, the anchor/chain combo go down progressively and so there is NO such thing as the chain going faster than the anchor.
If, on the other hand, you drop anchor and chain by hand, especially when the chain is soon followed by rope, then it is natural to witnesss what Dug describes.
For our waters anyway it is inconceivable to have any length of rope to the main anchor.
It is also equally inconceivable not to have a windlass, simply because what you save from not having one you'll soon pay to the chiropractor.

[matlos]

Tony hi,

As Yiannis says, if you have a windlass its a game changer... I just oversize the anchor. I have 85m (280ft) of 8mm chain and a 45lb (20kg) chinese delta (US$80). There is very little chance of it bending, and will hold very well with about 30m of chain with its weight only.

[Dug]

Tony, I had mine bend a few years ago. I was anchored and got hit by a really big wake by a 40' something sportfisherman who ran by really close. I am fortunate to have the right equipment here at our shop, but I would advise you take to a machine shop. They could just put it in a hydraulic press and bend it back into place. Body shop might have the equipment but a machine shop would definitely. I would advise that they not heat it if possible, as that will wreck any anodizing that is still there.

As for all the other info on chain etc., we here in the US are kinda weird. Everywhere else in the world I have been, there is no rope, but only chain. Here in the US, for what I imagine are many reasons, at least in the NE region, we are about 10-20' of chain and then rope.

Most B31's I know do not have windlass's, due to the lack of bow pulpit. That being said, a windlass is darned nice!

Tony, one more thing, you might try a marine consignment shop. The one in Mystic, CT must have 20-30 anchors sitting there very reasonably priced...

Dug

[mike ohlstein]

I keep four anchors on board. The first is a properly sized Fortress. The second is a 'one size up' Fortress (bought used and cheap), in case I want to use two anchors to stay exactly on a piece of bottom. The third is a rather large fortress for storm duty, and the fourth is a 16' diameter parachute. I also carry an anchor ball, which has more uses than you might imagine.

Six or twelve feet of heavy chain is more than enough for chafe protection and catenary comfort on a nice day with a little current. More than that is unnecessary in calm weather and useless in rough weather, except for just getting the anchor to the bottom.... and if it's that snotty, you're better off with a heavier anchor than a bunch of chain.

And for piece of mind, 5/8" twisted nylon anchor rode is the way to go. The forward locker will hold about 1400 feet of 5/8", and it has a breaking strength that is 55% to 60% higher than 1/2", depending upon whose chart you read.

http://www.petersmith.net.nz/boat-anchors/catenary.php

[Tony Meola]

Windless would be nice. If I am wreck fishing, usually it is not too sloppy and I can hook up with a home made grapnel anchor. Just drag it along the bottom until it grabs the wreck.

The anchor ball is a big help if you don't have a windless, but I have anchored in deep water and if you do it right you can actually float the anchor by keeping the boat moving. Makes it easier to pull in but not as easy as the float.

Yannis I think here in the US we use rope, since we do not usually anchor in areas that have a lot of rocks or coral, unless you down in Florida and south. Pluys, when we are offshore, we can be anchoring in over 600 feet of water. I would hate to carry that much chain around.

Dug, thanks for the advice. I will see if a local machine shop can press it out.

Mike, I have a 28 ft sea anchor. Inherited it from an old friend years ago after he passed away. Back in the early 70's when he bought it they were using cargo shutes as sea anchors. We used to tie two 31's off of it back in the mid 70's when we were offshore overnight. We never drifted more than 3 miles over night. Usually we drifted less than that.

I really need to check it since I have not used it in years and it is sitting up in the bow under the V berth. I have a feeling it is probably shot. After all it is over 40 years old.

[Navatech]

After all it is over 40 years old.

Yeah... But back then they still made stuff to last... Especially mil spec stuff...

[mike ohlstein]

I really need to check it since I have not used it in years and it is sitting up in the bow under the V berth. I have a feeling it is probably shot. After all it is over 40 years old.

http://www.seaanchor.com/seaanchor.htm

[Tony Meola]

Mike

As you can see by the chart that a 28 footer easily holds the Queen Mary in place.