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I'll try taking the hoop off the roller. Do you then replace it? I kind of like having it there feeling the anchor is more secure if we were to get into heavier weather underway.

It seemed odd taking the bail off at first, but since its been off I can't see any reason for it except to tie a spinnaker to IMO mine was just aesthetics for peace of mind. The anchor is not actually held on by it or even down unless you were to turn turtle.

Seapup wrote:..... The anchor is not actually held on by it or even down unless you were to turn turtle.

True in most cases but some people sail in a lot worst conditions than we try to and in those conditions I could see the anchor jumping out of the track and then bouncing on the side of the boat. With it there that can't happen.

Being out longer times where weather windows can't be picked to sail in I'd like to keep mine for that 'just in case' situation that I kind of get anal about . I am going to look at possibly making it easier to remove thanks to your suggestion ,

Sumner

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Our MacGregor 26-S

Our Endeavour 37

Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida

Mac-Venture Links

Sumner wrote:

Seapup wrote:..... The anchor is not actually held on by it or even down unless you were to turn turtle.

True in most cases but some people sail in a lot worst conditions than we try to and in those conditions I could see the anchor jumping out of the track and then bouncing on the side of the boat. With it there that can't happen.

Like when the boat is taking green water over the bow (not just spray), and that force can easily push an anchor up off the roller. I can't imagine taking my out in those conditions, though.

yup, knew there was a nice exotic name for the setup
i have spent multiple days on anchor with this setup- and having read about the twisting potential, i made sure i use a good anchor swivel- and have a spare in the boat too!
and never had a problem with the twisting.
the only problem i had the very fisrt time i tried it, was that i set the anchors, and allotted the rodes to match the depth, then on the shallow end i had extra rode, so coiled and hanked the excess, and tossed it in the water , and that sure got in the way
so now i just set out my full rode- a clean uncluttered setup, just means i have more scope and better angles now! especially on the shallow end!
a few extra feet to pull in the morning- but thats ok, cos i am fresh and well rested

funny, when i was writing up the splurb i was thinking of you Bob- and your similar conditions!

for me the biggest conundrum was getting everything setup...easily
this is how i do it
1.scout the underwater profile with the depth sounder/chart/chartplotter, and get a plan!
2.usually try and set the deep hook first- do it all from the boat
3. at end of rode, attach the swivel,( well it actually stays on there all the time!)attach the small scotchman (float)
4.take my bowline , through the shackle and back to the deck cleat.
5. jump in the dingy, with the five gallon pail of 2nd anchor rode and chain, and anchor
6 attach the bitter end to the shackle, then row away, paying out the rode, then the chain, and when i get as far as i can toss the anchor overboard.
7. i have set the second anchor in as little as a foot or two of water, or even right on the beach
8 then back to the boat, and set the second anchor

there is a wee bit of slack in the system, but the boat doesnt travel very far!

to up anchor, drop one rode( with scotchman attached!!!!!) collect the other anchor with the mac, come back hook the scotchman ( boat hook) and up the second anchor!

the anchor roller setup, that i have made- but not installed yet, has a bolt/pin through the top most forward point- securing the anchor, the eye end of the anchor slides under a bail- its not going anywhere

Personally I think the Fortress 11 is the best anchor for a MacGregor. It fits in the 26M anchor locker along with 200' of rode, and its held fast in every bottom I've ever put it in. Here the bottoms are mud and sand, and the Fortress does excellent in sand.

I've slept on the hook for up to a week with it swinging around 180 degrees every day and never had any drag whatsoever. I've anchored on the windward, open ocean side of Catalina overnight in significant waves and slept soundly with my anchor alarm never going off. I've never used it in a weedy bottom; I"m not sure where those bottoms are, I suppose rivers. In the muddy, sandy bottoms common to bays and the continental shelf, it's pretty ideal. In rocky bottoms its the chain rode that really does the work, and I've had no trouble there either.

So I bought a Fortress 23 for the new boat. It's too light to automatically fall with the electric windlass

Anyway, this article had the best anchoring advice I've heard: If you can't get an anchor to set, switch anchors.

mastreb wrote:Personally I think the Fortress 11 is the best anchor for a MacGregor. It fits in the 26M anchor locker along with 200' of rode, and its held fast in every bottom I've ever put it in. Here the bottoms are mud and sand, and the Fortress does excellent in sand.

I would agree with that, but I don't believe it fits the anchor locker, which I believe is a bit smaller. I was eyeing the FX-7 for my Mac, as the Dutton-Lainson Danforth knockoff that it came with is very difficult to set. The 7 will fit the locker.

I do keep some larger anchors below decks, just in case.

yup the fortress fitting the anchor locker is a big plus. but up here we find they dont work that well, most sandy bottoms are covered in eel grass, and slightly deeper will produce prolific kelp forests, and lots of gravel here too- which i suppose the fortress would hold well in.
i saw my mates 70' aluminum power boat, with his anchor , (set up at the head of an inlet, around the dogleg,) drag some 200' that was accumulated over about five days, and just the tide changes did that.
wasnt there, so cant speak to his set or scope etc- but it was an eye opener for me!

when i look at the commercial fish boats up here they all seem to use plows and CQR's- and thats got say something-
i guess anchors are one of those things that are quite site specific.
but the two fact that are common and always comes to the fore are, 1.chain , chain. chain- lots of it and good size, and 2. scope!!!
i do know that having to fabricate anchor rollers etc, is a real pain!

Wayne nicol wrote:the anchor roller setup, that i have made- but not installed yet, has a bolt/pin through the top most forward point- securing the anchor, the eye end of the anchor slides under a bail- its not going anywhere

I did the same thing, it works great. I drilled a 1/2 inch hole through the tip if my Lewmar claw, and the high point of my Lewmar roller. I slip a trailer hitch lock pin through with a bail. The anchor will never leave, even when trailering.

Can you drill the same holes in a stainless steel anchor and roller?

sirlandsalot wrote:

Wayne nicol wrote:the anchor roller setup, that i have made- but not installed yet, has a bolt/pin through the top most forward point- securing the anchor, the eye end of the anchor slides under a bail- its not going anywhere

I did the same thing, it works great. I drilled a 1/2 inch hole through the tip if my Lewmar claw, and the high point of my Lewmar roller. I slip a trailer hitch lock pin through with a bail. The anchor will never leave, even when trailering.

Wind Chime wrote:Can you drill the same holes in a stainless steel anchor and roller?.

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http://www.grainger.com/content/supplyl ... -drill-bit Cobalt (HSCO) is considered an upgrade from HSS because it includes 5-8% Cobalt blended into the base material. This is a great option for drilling into harder steel as well as stainless steel grades.

Start with a smaller bit and work up in 3-4 steps.

I've use HF titanium nitride drill bits on thinner stainless (1/8 inch or less) by blowing a small starting hole with my plasma cutter and then going up bit wise 1/64" at a time. It worked and didn't mess the bits up. The cobalt bits aren't cheap so you might get by with a small one and then use the HF bits to work up,

Sumner

============================
Our MacGregor 26-S

Our Endeavour 37

Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida

Mac-Venture Links

Wind Chime wrote:Can you drill the same holes in a stainless steel anchor and roller?

sirlandsalot wrote:

Wayne nicol wrote:the anchor roller setup, that i have made- but not installed yet, has a bolt/pin through the top most forward point- securing the anchor, the eye end of the anchor slides under a bail- its not going anywhere

I did the same thing, it works great. I drilled a 1/2 inch hole through the tip if my Lewmar claw, and the high point of my Lewmar roller. I slip a trailer hitch lock pin through with a bail. The anchor will never leave, even when trailering.

Like mentioned above...cobalt bits, they are amazing. I used two smaller bits I think the smallest being 1/8. Through stainless in seconds and through the half inch of galvanized anchor in a few more seconds. They are expensive, however I think I used the cheapest bits I could find, just bought the three and they worked fine.

Ditto on the cobalt bits. Bought two, 1/8 and 1/4 to make a hole in stainless stanchions for wires to run through. Started with a punch to mark the hole (i use a spring-loaded punch - so easy). The first hole, oh, i always use a little dip of 3-in-1 oil to cool the bit while drilling, i drilled the small hole and then followed with the larger (keep a touch of oil on it). The second time, i just used the 1/4" to start with and came away with a cleaner hole than the two-step! (Bit had a special tip so i just went for it.) Gotta love the cobalt bits. I bought them as individuals from Lowe's at about $3.00-$3.50 each. Definitely worth the investment!

vizwhiz wrote:Ditto on the cobalt bits. Bought two, 1/8 and 1/4 to make a hole in stainless stanchions for wires to run through. Started with a punch to mark the hole (i use a spring-loaded punch - so easy). The first hole, oh, i always use a little dip of 3-in-1 oil to cool the bit while drilling, i drilled the small hole and then followed with the larger (keep a touch of oil on it). The second time, i just used the 1/4" to start with and came away with a cleaner hole than the two-step! (Bit had a special tip so i just went for it.) Gotta love the cobalt bits. I bought them as individuals from Lowe's at about $3.00-$3.50 each. Definitely worth the investment!

Yea, what he said about the oil. I've learned drilling into SS is not like wood.

I believe if you do it wrong, the heat can harden the steel and make it even harder to drill into. Some cutting oil and proper pressure is key.

--Russ

So once you get the stainless steel anchor and bow-roller holes drilled in order to put a safety pin through, does this area now become susceptible to rust, due to open metal? The stainless steel is just a coating, correct?