Anchor Recovery

[islander99]

Hi,

I am waiting for delivery of a Warrior 165,can anyone suggest what size fisherman anchor I will need, I am guessing about 3 kilo.I would also like some advice on anchor rope and size of chain,so that I can use bouy recovery system (bouysize?). I pressume chain should weigh heavier than anchor. Does anyone know where to get a ring that splits to go around anchor rope(12mm polyprop?),

or is there any other way.I would be very grateful for comments or ideas.

 

many Thanks

Islander

[great white]

Hi

 

there are several warrior 165 owners in the Club so I will allow them the long answer.

 

But I for one would not use a fishermans type anchor, there are much better patterns than that available at reasonable cost. you may also wish to use a better rope.

 

Please remember that the anchor and warp are an important part of the boats safety equipment, and as such should not be something where anything will do.

 

if you let us know where you fish, depths and on what type of bottom, our advice can be more procise.

 

Charlie

 

 

[Afishionado]

Hi,

I am waiting for delivery of a Warrior 165,can anyone suggest what size fisherman anchor I will need, I am guessing about 3 kilo.I would also like some advice on anchor rope and size of chain,so that I can use bouy recovery system (bouysize?). I pressume chain should weigh heavier than anchor. Does anyone know where to get a ring that splits to go around anchor rope(12mm polyprop?),

or is there any other way.I would be very grateful for comments or ideas.

 

many Thanks

Islander

Are you local to Poole? If so come round and have a look at my anchor set up.

 

I would recommend a Bruce type anchor as being more handy to use than a fishermans though. And set it up so that it can trip and turn upside down if it gets really set into something

 

Don't go to mad on the chain as you have to haul it in as well as let it out

6' to 12' is enough 1/4" or 3/8th" dia chain. I bought SS off ebay as it's kinder on the hands (smooth) and seems to keep the deck cleaner.

 

I use a very big SS carbine hook to clip the float line to the anchor line. The stopper that one fixes to the anchor line can be made out of a big SS ring with a length of SS rod welded across one side. The 4" ring was

[Paul D]

These people ( one of our site sponsors ) do an anchor retrieval ring complete with buoy.

 

Anchor Yanka

 

For a Warrior you will need this one I believe :-

 

Anka Yanka attached to a H/Duty 50

[islander99]

Charley and Mike,

Thanks for your input,I am fishing from Yarmouth on the IOW, normaly fishing to the south of the island.I had a bruce anchor before and it let me down on big shingle even with plenty of chain, fisherman anchor has never dragged.even with fisherman always attach chain to lower end of anchor and tie to top as a trip. This has never failed me, so I might need some convincing that a different anchor would work even better. Although I think I will stick with the fisherman,what weight bruce would you recomend.

 

Many Thanks

Islander

[Newboy]

I use a 5kg on Sweet Honey (over 20'). I've found she will drag in the Solent (mostlt gravel and shingles) if the tide is fiece.

 

Otherwise I have no problems with it other than I keep losing them.

 

However, I would think chain should be a lot heavier than mentiuoned. It should be at least the length of the boat, so 165 should have 16' at the minimum, heavier a\nd it would help to set the anchor better.

[Adam F]

Islander - I have a 165, and would recommend a 5kg Bruce, 16' of chain and at least 300' of 12mm qoctoplat rope.

 

Their are several very long threads on this forum re. anchor warps, use the search engine on the top toolbar.

 

In 2 years of owning the boat I have never had the 5kg Bruce slip and it recovers everytime - it also stores neatly in the front anchor hatch.

 

Adam

[Seamouse]

Lookfar runs a 7.5kg Bruce and about 20' of chain on 12mm polyprop. Even so, out on the Spoils in a tide there's times when she'll just steadily drag through the gravel and not grip.

If you are happy with a Fisherman,s and don't mind storing the hulking great thing, then I'd say why not? You'll want at least 7.5kg if you mainly work south of the island. In general though, the Bruce is quite good and it does at least fit in the front locker out of the way. If the budget allows, stay away from polyprop rope though. The tendency to float can give problems at slack water. 10mm is easily strong enough but as already said, 12mm is nicer on the hands.

 

Steve

[Adam F]

Steve,

 

I have seen you comments on the 7.5kg before - As I mentioned I have never had an issue with my 5kg. Considering the exact matching of our set-up I wonder whether the polyprop rope is a factor? Many of our 20' plus boats in the club run a 7.5kg - the 165's are only 16' so a 5kg should be ample. We regulary fish south of the island and over to the west in 3/4 knot tides and provided enough warp is let out then it holds fine.

 

Adam

[Coddy]

Hi

 

I have a Warrior 165 as well and use a 5kg Bruce as my main anchor, I do have however a small fishermans anchor of a about 3kgs as a back up or in rough ground.

 

Both have worked great.

I also use blue polyprope rope as my anchor warp and providing you are aware that it floats, I have never had any problems.

 

As Adam has said, there have been various opinions on this thread previously but in the end it horses for courses.

 

Coddy

[Bob F]

The Chandlers in Christchurch are selling the 5Kg Bruce copies at a special price of

[Maverick Martin]

The Chandlers in Christchurch are selling the 5Kg Bruce copies at a special price of

[Paul J]

your not going out with frank are you?

[islander99]

Thanks a lot all you guys,although you all seem keen on the bruce anchor some of you and I have lound that in fierce tides it drags,to me the means an anchor thats not doing its job. Surely after having taken the trouble to sound out a good bit of fish holding ground the last thing you want to do is have to re-anchor because it's dragged.Looks like i'm sticking with a fishermans unless anyone recommends a plough or CQR.

 

Islander

[blueboatdriver]

I think the advantage of a Bruce anchor is that as soon as you lift the shank end the anchor will normally release its hold, unlike a fishermans anchor which I think will hold the bottom whichever direction it is pulled from, which could cause problems retrieving in any tide. The Bruce is also much easier to stow and with no moving parts to pinch fingers etc, much more user friendly.

 

Simon.

[Newboy]

Why don't you have both anchors? Bruce for general ground and Fisherman or the fortress or even a folding grapnel for shingles. I used a grapnel as spare and used to have a fortress and have found it to be good on loose ground (spade-like so dig in really well) like the solent but totally useless if there are any rocks about.

[Seamouse]

I have seen you comments on the 7.5kg before - As I mentioned I have never had an issue with my 5kg. Considering the exact matching of our set-up I wonder whether the polyprop rope is a factor?

Hi Adam,

It could be the warp, there's no stretch in polyprop so its more likely to jerk the chain up off the deck and unseat the anchor. No doubting that I do get problems though, often have to resort to almost the entire 200m of warp.

Worst day was earlier this year, 120ft over gravel in a force 4 going with a big tide and a whopping great swell. After several 'controlled drifts' the Bruce collected a huge great stone block. Even that didn't stop us dead, but it damn near ruptured my poor crewman who had to haul the beast up.

 

Steve

[Adam F]

What length and guage chain are you using Steve? As Im sure you are aware it is not the anchor its self that actually has the majority of the holding power - you could have a 10kg anchor but if you didtn have any chain this would break free - the chain holds the flukes parallel to the sea bed and creates the holding power.

 

I often anchor is rough conditions in deep water and big tides and have never had the anchor slip more than a few feet when it settles? There must be a reason considering the matched set-ups we both have??

[duncan]

we seem to be getting into some interesting arguments again on anchors!

 

anchoring in loose shingle will require both a significant surface area and a design to 'dig deeper' under load - with this load being applied from the best direction too.

 

some bruce copies are better than others for the latter under these conditions - they are definitely not all the same! additionally as highlighted most claw anchors loose 50% of thier holding once the pull is raised above 20 degrees so they like long heavy chains and big scopes.

 

a large fishermans pattern (not the basic wire hook but one with good flukes) will operate well in these conditions - but it will need to be relatively heavy.

 

a spade or oceane anchor will outperform either on a power to weight ratio significantly in these bottom conditions.

 

seperately to the shingle factor - the chain is primarily in the rode to prevent damage to the section in contact with the sea bed; in most conditions (not too extreme) is has an additional function of helping keep the direction of pull on the stock near horizontal but pound for pound having the weight in the anchor will give a better hold - ie a 5kg bruce plus 5m of 8mm chain to nylon will not provide the same holding power as a 12.5kg bruce to nylon if both deployed at 5:1 scope.

[Afishionado]

The Bruce has an interesting history. First designed in the 70's it's origional function was to anchor oil platforms in the North Sea. The design makes the anchour grip harder into soft sand, shingle, slate beds etc the harder it is pulled HORIZONTALY. Yet release its hold when pulled vertically upwards.

 

I surmise that on the occasions described when a bruce did not hold it was ranged with too short an anchor rope. The pull must be horizontal for a Bruce type to work.

 

Having taken the above into account the Bruce type IMO is the best all round anchor there is.

 

Mad Mike

[great white]

This subject always gets a good response

 

Its about personal choice really

 

but the main factor is to have enough scope of rope out, we fish in deep waters with rough bottom and fierce tides so I am sure that the owners of simular boats have given their anchors a good test.

 

 

if you have had a problem with a bruce it is ether the bottom type or not enough chain to keep the anchor correctly on the sea bed or not having enough rope out.

 

with rope lines you need at least 5 times the depth of water to correctly set an anchor, if you are having problems holding lay out more rope it should dig in.

 

Charlie

[Seamouse]

What length and guage chain are you using Steve? ...

I often anchor is rough conditions in deep water and big tides and have never had the anchor slip more than a few feet when it settles? There must be a reason considering the matched set-ups we both have??

Hi Adam,

I've got 5m of 6mm chain and then another few metres of really heavy stuff. Easily out-weighs the anchor. My Bruce is a cheap copy, might be a little out in its geometry so not turning and biting properly, otherwise I guess I just need to pay out even more warp.

 

Steve

[Newboy]

I've got 5m of 6mm chain and then another few metres of really heavy stuff. Easily out-weighs the anchor. My Bruce is a cheap copy, might be a little out in its geometry so not turning and biting properly, otherwise I guess I just need to pay out even more warp.

 

Steve

Is it

 

Anchor > small chain > big chain > rope

 

Or

 

Anchor > big chain > small chain > rope?

 

If it's the latter, then the wrap might not be horizontal enough.

[Seamouse]

[Anchor > small chain > big chain > rope

 

Or

 

Anchor > big chain > small chain > rope?

 

Rope to several metres of big chain, then 5m of light chain and the anchor. The big chain is big enough to occasionally jam in the Warrior bow roller. That's a fun thing to sort, in a heaving sea with 15kg or so of dead weight hanging off it