Anchor recommendation
 

Hi Folks,

Yes searching through the old threads I see lots of discussion on this subject, but the examples and responses are many and I didnt see my situation so thought I would see where we go with round xxx ;-)

Our current boat is a Formula 270 BR, and a pretty heft boat to be sure, and the anchor situation I am most interested in is fair weather anchoring at the sandbars, not overnight or high wind or anything else.

I have a pile of anchors at home from past boats, but none of our past boats were either this long or this heavy.

In the past the best small/medium boat anchor I have had for Winnipesaukee sandbars was a Chene Anchor (a high angle slip ring fluke design) but again, that was not for this class boat.

So any recommendations for something that will work for average day sandbar anchoring in this class boat is appreciated. (hoping for something that will fit in the anchor locker in the bow,,,)

Also how much rope for this boat (thinking 1/2" double braid unless there are other thoughts)

Clearly I am hoping/expecting for the weather to change and the virus to pass,,,

Thanks for any advice you care to share!

Take a look at the 20-lb Seachoice black vinyl coated river anchor for $30.68 from walmart.com, delivery to store included in price.

It's like a three pronged, 20-lb, vinyl coated anchor with a flat rest bottom that should set two of its three large prongs into the lake bottom set by a tug on the anchor line.

It's available in 10-15-20 lb sizes, all similar.

I like Fortress anchors.

I use an FX7 on my 220 Sun Deck in FL sand.

An FX11 looks like it could work for you.



https://fortressanchors.com/selection-guide/

Use what you have
 

Sounds like pretty low strain achoring. I take what you have on the shelf and try it a couple of times before spending any money. You might want more rode for the bigger boat, or more chain so you don't take up so much space at a sandbar. For emergencies, like engine quits and you're blowing into rocks, I'd think about heavier tackle, but that would be off topic.

Had a 2286 Tritoon that was like a sail in the wind and the free danforth “style” anchor that came with the boat new stunk. Wouldn’t hold in the slightest breeze.
Then ishoot308 on this forum turned me on to the “DIGGER” anchor.
Problem solved! Nice piece of engineering that works! Check them out!
That said, the “Digger” off the bow and the little stinky danforth off the stern and we were good to go in any breeze! Of course the more chain and longer rode you use will have a better holding effect. Trial and error.

Digger Anchor
 

I second the Digger Anchor. I have had great luck with it.

I have a Cobalt R7 and I use an 8lb Mantus and waych everyone else slide by:)

Out of curiosity, how do you like your R7? I've been eyeing the R7 for a few years now... Curious for both positive and constructive feedback.

In your searching here, you may have found my copious research/reviews about Mantus anchors some years ago.

During that process, I bought 8' and 12' Mantus anchors to try and ended up keeping the two 8' ones for my 20' tritoon (bow and stern for sandbars). I sold the 12' to a guy with a 26' something-or-other and he loves it—just toss it in, pull on the line to set, and tie it off.

Everyone I've recommended Mantus to, and everyone I've ever met who uses them, have been thrilled with how well they set and hold. In fact, I made a joke last summer about how I should carry extras with me to sell when going to sandbars.

Godspeed!



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I got tired of the "Danforth drag" and purchased the 8lb Mantus 4 years ago.
It really is a "set it and forget it". I just give it a little backdown and it's like I'm
tied to a mooring.

I think you should size and select your ground tackle for high winds, just in case. It's cheap peace of mind in the whole scheme of things. More chain is always better.

I anchor overnight often and have a Rocna Vulcan on my boat. It's incredibly good. It's quite similar to the Mantus already mentioned and I imagine it performs the same way. The Vulcan sets instantly and the boat stops dead as soon as it sets. I describe it as "almost violent" and warn guests when I am am setting it.

If anyone enjoys research, this guy tests a bunch of anchors: https://youtu.be/l59f-OjWoq0.

His ultimate decision-making is a bit different than mine, but he shows them all in action.

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Interesting video. Thanks for posting. Summary seems to be for most anchors, proper scope is very important, followed by some skill at the actual setting.

Yes, but he does say the Mantus is "the fastest and most reliable setting anchor maybe in the world." His only reason for not choosing it is that it's not "beefy."

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Less anchor, more chain!

I suppose the 40#+ anchors in that video are not being hauled by human hands.

My Fortress weighs 4# and has a 5# chain on it.

At 9# all in I can haul it all day.

I might have missed it in the video but the Fortress has two different shank angle positions available.

One position is for, I forgot and another for, I forgot that too, but it comes with instructions.

I bought it in 2014 so it was the first year for the R7 and other than a few small things that were related to a new engine (430hp volvo) it has been flawless! We can put 10 adults on it very comfortably and still break 50 with it and everyone loves the fold-down swim step

I'll throw in my vote as another happy Mantus user here on our lake.

It sets hard and fast, and holds well here in the lake.

I never thought an anchor could make much of a difference, but this one surprised me.

PS Here's my original research thread, in case you didn't find it.

https://www.winnipesaukee.com/forums...ad.php?t=21050

(A comment on forum...tone: notice the difference between the response to my multiple anchor posts four years ago and my recent jetski ones.)

Godspeed, and let us know what you decide on!

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Tried a bunch on my Donzi26zx.....

Best by far is the FORTRESS.... Expensive, but they work awesome!

Woodsy

I got a box anchor from Parafunalia in Gilford a couple years ago. Used in on my Cobalt 262 and R5. Worked great and set easy in sandier bottoms. Folds up, comes with a nice thick bag, easy to store. Fortress Anchor is my backup, I switch back and forth depending on bottom.

Closing the loop on this one, dug out several old anchors and bought 2 new ones.

Neither of the 2 new were recommended here, the decision to try them was based on a combination of trying what I had, some research and an interest in the odd,,,

Of the older anchors was several standard Danforth in different sizes and weights including a vinyl coated one that has never set well in the 2 boats I have tried it on. I also have one of those delta digger style anchors. Mixed results overall with my existing anchors.

The 2 new anchors were fluke slip ring style.

The first and least expensive was a Dutton-Lainson 15 E at a crazy low cost of $17.00 direct from the manufacturer. Hooked it up with ~3' of chain and 100' of 1/2' double braid rope, and once set, we didnt budge! I was surprised how well this really under whelming looking anchor held our well over 7000 LB boat.

Then I was talking to someone about the anchor I had used on my Caravelle, a Chene CH-35 saying I wish they offered a bigger version, and he said he knew they were a small company and to call them, maybe they will make a one off model. So I did and they informed me they had just introduced a new model that was the same size as the CH-35, but it was weighted on the flukes by adding extra material on top of them and it was marketed towards big tri-toons. So curiosity got the better of me and I bought one. What an odd anchor,,, But I have to say it works! At ~$80.00 I'm not sure it works better than the $17.00 Dutton-Lainson 15 E slip ring, but I never expected either to be as good as they are. At the moment I am using the Chene Tritoon anchor just because its so weird and I feel like I need something better than a $17.00 anchor to hold a 27' Formula, but in truth the damn $17.00 anchor held rock solid,,, Go figure.

Mostly anchoring at the West Alton or Paugas Bay Sandbar's or just east of Governors Island bridge, so not the most demanding test, but that what has worked best so far. :cool:

I recently needed to anchor for 4 days in 70 feet of water and wanted to be ready for bad weather, so I added 300 feet of 8-plait rope to my 200 foot 5/16" chain anchor rode. That 8-plait rope is really cool stuff and if you are in the market for some new rope for your ground tackle, give it a look. It's very supple and does not twist in a windlass. It also lays flat in a rode locker and does not seem to have any memory. I bought it at Defender in CT, a fantastic store that's worth the drive.

I'm not a fan of double braid rope in an anchor rode, it does not have enough stretch IMO, and can transmit excessive shock loads back to the boat. I use an 8-plait snubber with a Mantus chain hook when I let out less than 200 feet of rode. It has a nice amount of stretch and softens the motion nicely.

Clearly you are using your anchor totally differently and I have no doubt your recommendations are correct for that application.

We make very limited use of an anchor, good weather daytime short duration use at sandbars and coves and thats it, no plans ever for any other anchoring with this boat.

I suppose I could find myself not prepared if I had a sudden engine or drive failure in an unexpected storm, but thats the only other case I could envision for us.

And so my selection was based on that narrow planned usage.

My next option was going to be a Digger, it looks very interesting. The only reason I didnt start with it was some reviews warned about problems with sand/dirt in the mechanism, and my planed anchoring is only in sand and mud. I still remain interested in it.

Here is a picture of the Chene Tritoon Anchor.

You can see the material added to the flukes (on top of them)

It is a pretty sharp edge design compared to many other anchors. Not enough to cut you, but clearly not soft and rounded design.

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/26/74...ff292a7d25.jpg

It seems to penetrate well and bit hard, but is also easy to retrieve due to the slip ring design.

All I can say is so far so good. Your results may vary,,,

Below is their marketing description:

Chene Anchor Tritoon Boat Anchor

The Chene Anchor Tritoon Boat Anchor features a unique shank configuration unlike any other anchor on the market. This Chene anchor rotates a full 90° degrees, allowing the flukes to penetrate deeply with a full 45° set. This 45° angle provides 4 times more holding power than other slip-ring anchors, and as a result, the Chene Anchor Tritoon Boat Anchor requires 70% less anchor line and performs best with an approximately 2:1 line-to-depth ratio. The unique slip-ring design also allows easy retrieval. The solid steel construction brings more durability, along with a zinc coating that helps protect against the harshest environments, even saltwater. Perfect as temporary mooring for swim rafts, shore moorings, and docks. 15"L x 15"W. Manufacturer's lifetime limited warranty.

Manufacturer model #: CH-35-DLF.

Unique shank configuration
Rotates a full 90°
4 times more holding power than other slip-ring anchors
Requires 70% less anchor line
Easy retrieval
Solid steel construction
Zinc coating
High performance in any environment, even saltwater
Perfect for swim rafts, shore moorings, and docks

A 2:1 scope is unreal if true! Weight rating must go down at that scope...

Dan

A couple interesting things I note in their description: 4x more holding power than other "slip ring" designs. Probs allows them to say that in comparison to Fortress. Also, the 2:1 rode is pretty awesome if accurate.

The anchor we started with/that came with Boatie Two was a slip-ring Danforth style that was HORRIBLE. The Mantus I replaced it with has anchored every time, first time, and holds for hours in even the most choppy and windy conditions. In fact, I'm most impressed when we're in open water and swing and it resets without any noticeable slide—maybe the best sell over Danforth style anchors (that I've used).

Glad you found your perfect anchor—it's nice to not have to worry about anchoring!

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Digger way to go
 

Digger anchor is the way to go I use it the same way as Hillcountry . Digger anchors need no chain rode and they way it brakes open will save you from having leave one under a rock or log. This goes along when you boat near Green Basin.

Not quite sure I found my perfect anchor, but so far it seems to do what I need it to do.

Boating accessories are a fascinating study, what peoples preferences and experiences are is good reading to me. Much better than the political dust-ups we see way too often.

Not saying we should not be discussing and debating political matters, I just get frustrated that you cannot express an honest opinion in opposition to someone else's position without risk of personal and nasty attacks.

For some reason we seem to be able to debate our preferences for boats and boating matters with a little less volatility.

Well sometimes,,, :rolleye2:

I cant fully confirm 2:1, but I can say I have been successful on a lot less rope than I have with other anchors.

I think the Fortress Anchors have some capability to reconfigured to have a similar deep fluke angle for use in sand and mud.

No comment about using the Fortress in rocks or downed trees/logs, but the slip ring anchors have always come out for me without too much trouble.

Again, they are not for everyone and/or every situation, but so far they seem to work well in Winnipesaukee mud and sand for light duty day anchoring.

For whatever that is worth to anyone,,,

Oh, and I seem to recall Digger making similar claims about not needing a chain and allowing for a 4:2 scope (which I assume is the same as 2:1) That said, I still use a chain on my Chene anchor.

I have a Fortress anchor with 5' of SS chain on my Edgewater center console.

The boat is used exclusively in the ocean.

I am so paranoid about losing the expensive Fortress anchor and chain that I carry a slip ring anchor to use on rocky bottoms like those at the Isle Of Shoals.

The Florida boat has two Fortress anchors but it is all sand there.

The Winni boat has one too which works well but the mud sticks to it enough to have me troll it backward to clean it before bringing it back aboard.

https://books.google.com/books?id=gO...nchors&f=false

"Chapman's' may be helpful.

Laughing as I think I have spent more time cleaning the mud off anchors than the time it takes to pull them up. You would think the process of pulling them up would be enough, but that is never the case for me,,,

We often idle forward for a good distance with the anchor dangling to clean mud off the anchor and chain. Other boater have often yelled "your anchor is still out!" when we do this.