Anchoring

[Ixneigh]

I just put a bid on a 50 lb Luke anchor. I will use this as a portable mooring for even I stay somewhere for a few weeks. Comes apart in three sections for easier storage.
Ix

[Boblee]

This subject comes up fairly regularly but as to fortress or danforth style anchors I wouldn't use them for anything but sandy bottoms and even then would be worried about dragging.
We use a Sarca as the main anchor and a Rocna as the second anchor when needed (everything except lunch type stops)
Personally think the Rocna might be better but most of the new generation anchors of this type are good.
Re anchoring technique, every set for us is different unless we anchor in the same place all the time and even then it will depend on time and variable conditions but the major concern in most places is resetting with a change of tide or wind and both our anchors are excellent.

[BOAT]

I used that ROCNA once and it was great. The only thing is that I had a hard time getting it out of the mud so I tied a line to the roll bar on the RONCA and tied the other end to a plastic milk jug so I could find the line later and when it was time to pull up the RONCA I pulled on the milk jug line and it came right out of the mud!

[Russ]

Hmm.. I have no experience with mooring anchors other than professional helix ones.

The Luke Anchor is modeled after the traditional Herreshoff fisherman's anchor. It works extraordinarily well on rocky or coral bottoms, and bottoms thick with kelp and other marine growth.

Seems so old world to me.



Post your experiences with it.

[BOAT]

Try the RONCA one russ, I think you will like it. We used to have a lot of trouble with anchors dragging in Mexico and a guy who was staying stuck with a rather small anchor caught our eye and he showed us what at that time was a new anchor, (new to us), called a RONCA. We tried it and it was great. I plan to get one for 'boat' before I go to Smugglers Cove, but I recommend the milk jug line to get it out if your in mud!

[Tomfoolery]

The Luke Anchor is modeled after the traditional Herreshoff fisherman's anchor. It works extraordinarily well on rocky or coral bottoms, and bottoms thick with kelp and other marine growth.

Seems so old world to me.

The pic in your post made me go looking for the reason why most Herreshoff anchors have a stock with one end bent at 90 degrees, but with the ball on each end. And I found the reason. Closing in on 60 and never knew this. Always wondered.



And here's the answer.



Well, DUH!

[BOAT]

The anchor pictures don't look like the one I remember, I guess I am thinking of some other kind of anchor - I'm pretty stupid about anchors but this is the anchor i was talking about:



We tried this one and it worked real good for us. I guess everyone is different.

[Russ]

The pic in your post made me go looking for the reason why most Herreshoff anchors have a stock with one end bent at 90 degrees, but with the ball on each end. And I found the reason. Closing in on 60 and never knew this. Always wondered.

That's interesting. I guess I always noticed that bend but never really gave it much thought.
Duh, now I know why the bend.

[Tomfoolery]

The anchor pictures don't look like the one I remember, I guess I am thinking of some other kind of anchor - I'm pretty stupid about anchors but this is the anchor i was talking about:

Boat - Russ was responding to a post by Ixneigh about using a Luke for a mooring anchor, and those pictured are the Herreshoff (or fisherman's) anchors which inspired the Luke. Two separate topics at once.

The one you posted, the Rocna, is a great anchor, IMO. I'd be using one if I could store it on the bow, but that's problematic on an . So I'm sort of stuck with a Danforth knockoff, which I intend to replace with an aluminium Fortress, which fits in the bow anchor locker.

That style does well in sand and sand/mud mix that I usually encounter. But the largest that fits is the smallest they make (size "7"), though I may be able to cut the stock shorter on the next size up (the "11") and make it fit. The cheap-o Dutton-Lainson the boat came with doesn't like to set even in easy bottoms.

But that Rocna (and the similar Mantus and Manson Supreme) are great anchors for the bottoms they're intended for, from everything I've read.

[Boblee]

I used that ROCNA once and it was great. The only thing is that I had a hard time getting it out of the mud so I tied a line to the roll bar on the RONCA and tied the other end to a plastic milk jug so I could find the line later and when it was time to pull up the RONCA I pulled on the milk jug line and it came right out of the mud!

Yeah boat that is recommended but I have never bothered, thats why I prefer the Sarca as the main as you just take up slack, drive over it and let the chain slide to the rear.
Mind you I have kept the Rocna and the Sarca will go with the boat as the roller is made for it.

[Ixneigh]

I yanked a rocna out of grass twice. No more for me. Yanked a delta too, which had been pretty reliable. All this with 70 feet of chain. The Luke seems to be doing ok. It's heavy and needs to be "catted" instead of going on the roller. Certainly not for everyone.
Ix

[BOAT]

Yeah, I have a fortress anchor in the bow locker and that's ok I guess, but when I go to Smuggler Cove on Santa Cruz I will have one of those ROCNA guys right in the motor well transom. I will use it as my stern anchor and I ain't gonna slip! I seen to many go on the rocks at Smugglers Cove. Not Me. I like to anchor ass into the waves with 'boat' because it seems to dance less when it's windy. I proved it with an anchor alarm once off the coast of Del Mar. The boat moved less with the stern pointed out to sea towards the swells and the bow turned towards the beach. There are never any waves coming over the motor well so I figure it's safe. Makes it nice at dinner time too because you can see the sunset better. On that ROCNA I will always use a milk jug - it's too hard without one.

[DaveB]

I noticed you have a MacX.
I just installed the URM2 bow roller on my Macx 1997. Have the Fortress 11 on it all the time.(5/16 chain 20 ft)
Trick to install the URM is to super glue the washer to the lock nut and grip it to a visegrip so you can reach the trubolts on deck while someone tighen on deck, use 3m4200.
Fiberglass is 3/8 inch thick 1-1/2 inch from forward chain plate.
Use 12 inch extension removable running lights for deck mounted.
My old anchor that is my second now is a 13lb Danforth with 1/4 chain 30 ft. ( it is mounted on the bow rail as a second)
Much easier hauling up and much better holding with the Fortress.
Change out running light wires and change cleats to Stainless steel and tighted rail bolts.( wires use trailer wire, color coated and much better than lamp cord originally used.
Dave,
UPDATE:
Shocked no X owners responded how to do this upgrade. The URM2 mounts with 3 tru bolts next to the chainplate, allows the fortress 11 anchor to snug in tight to roller and 1 inch away from hull. Perfect fit and end of anchor is 1 inch forward of open hatch.
Forward running light is replaced with a deck mounted fitting that is attached to a quick release 12 inch high running light. This is stored down below and only used at night.
The forward Port and Starboard light is run with one bulb, but has a push botton on top to activate white light on bow for deck vision.

[Three Gypsies]

We moved our green and red navigation lights to the side of the boat .
They are mounted between the side windows and the front windows .
It wasn't easy running wire to them , but its doable .

I mounted an anchor mount roller off the bow , at a slight angle to accommodate
the mount for the bow guide wire .
This has made anchoring so much easier and a place to stow the anchor when under way .
I have second anchor mounted on the railing .
I notched the anchor locker hatch to allow the rode to come out of it .
I originally installed one of those access hatches that the rode could run thru but it didn't work well
at all with our shallow anchor lockers .

[Ixneigh]

I now have a fifty pound fisherman anchor as my primary anchor. The windlass is handy to get that up off the bottom but instead of going on the bow roller, it gets catted on the starboard side of the hull. It sounds awkward but the system I've worked out seems to function ok. I wouldn't recommend it for normal operations for anyone though.
I work during the day and no longer want to maintain a mooring. This was after I drug a delta, rockna and Bruce at various times.
Ix