Anchors & TEST Results of New Generation Anchors EXCELLENT & Important

[Joe Kern]

I am interested in how the sentinel is used as well. 

Our first night at anchor on the boat after we got her in November we ended up in 30 knt widns plus a good 2 knot current and a nice keel wrap that I am not sure how I got us out of.  I would like to avoid that experience again.

[Stu Jackson]

Joe and others

A search on sentinel found this:  http://c34.org/bbs/index.php?topic=1943.0.  Scroll down to get to the sentinel discussion from Ron Hill.

It covers a lot of material on anchoring, too, some of which adds to this discussion.

[Randy and Mary Davison]

Jerry,  I also use exactly the same setup as Ron, including a 20 pound sentinel.  The sentinel can be a pain in wind shifts as it will wrap the sentinal line around the rode.  On the other hand, it really makes a difference in holding power, especially in deep water.  We've only dragged two times in 8 years with this boat.  Both times were in fairly shallow water with really soft mud and swirling winds.  The Bruce almost certainly would have reset but both times we were on the edge of a shelf and it ended up hanging straight down - scope of .5!  We drop the sentinel about half the depth of the water.

As we've worked further north in Brithish Columbia, I've noticed most folks using all chain as depths are often 70 feet with strong winds fairly often.  Even that 35 feet of chain looks pretty short and a scope of even 5 to 1 puts you into other boats or the beach.  I'm thinking of a chain gypsy for the windless.  Right now we just hoist the chain on the standard drum.  Works OK but makes a lot of noise when you're tryinig to get away early!   Nylon and chain rodes don't coexist very well in a tight anchorage so we need to make the change.

[Ron Hill]

Howard : I usually put out about 15ft of pennant for the sentinel.  If anchoring in 15' of water I'll put out 20" of sentinel.   

[Ray & Sandy Erps]

I'm not sure of the etiquette on resurrecting old threads, but I thought it better than creating a duplicate thread.  I've been anchoring for about twenty years now with a wide variety of anchors on several different boats.  Last summer and fall I did a considerable amount of research on anchors in preparation of an upgrade.  I'm a thrifty person (cheap) who likes to get the most bang for my buck.  I was leaning towards one of the new generation anchors, either a Spade or Rocna.  I settled on the Rocna design and bought a knock off called the Manson Supreme.  I bought it last fall and when I put it on the bow roller next the the 35 lb CQR it was immediately apparent that the Manson had more surface area that gets buried in the mud.

Winter finally broke hear in February, so we've been out a few times and I just wanted to share our experiences with this new anchor.  WOW!!!   I used to worry whether our anchor would set on the first try or not.  Now I worry whether we'll be able to get the anchor back up after setting because it sets so firmly.  My previous anchor experiences have been with Danforths, a Bruce, a CQR, and a Navy type anchor.  This Rocna copy sets fast and deep.  Last weekend when we pulled it back up, there was evidence that the anchor buried all the way over the shank and a couple of links of chain.  When I set it, I applied full reverse to dig her in, something that used to cause our Bruce to drag.

Anyway, I can't say that this new anchor is a pretty anchor but it's a darn good one.  I think the Rocna website has some video of their anchors being set on the beach next to a Bruce and CQR.  Up here in the PNW, Bruces, Danforths and CQR's appear to be the old standbys.  Deltas are starting to show up on the docks and I think we'll be seeing a lot more of these Manson Supremes/Rocnas in the future.

Regarding the use of a sentinel.  We used one quite a bit in crowded anchorages with our mixed chain and rope rode.  It worked well for us, especially when the wind was calm.  It's my understanding that their influence is negligible when the wind really picks up though at which time you really need to rely on a well set anchor.

[Mike and Joanne Stimmler]

If anyone knows of a source for Bruce anchors please post it. I have a Bruce 22 and would like to also get a 33 but have been told Bruce is no longer making anchors for the recreational market

Mike

[Stu Jackson]

Mike, shortly after the time that Jerry started this thread, he did some research and reported this on availability of Bruce anchors: http://c34.org/bbs/index.php?topic=2955.0

[Ron Hill]

Mike : I saw a Bruce 33 in Bacon's in Annapolis last weekend.  It's used, but in good shape.   

[Mike and Joanne Stimmler]

Thanks Ron and Stu, thanks for the info.
I had heard rumors that a company in Canada is taking over production of Bruce anchors but haven't been able to find any solid information on it.
Ron, how can I get in touch with Bacon's? Do you have any contact info?

Thanks,
Mike

[Stu Jackson]

Mike, Ron comes and goes, and is not always here daily.  I just did a Google Advanced Search on Bacon's Annapolis and got some hits, why not try that approach?

[Bruce & Sandi L]

I use and love a 35lb Delta on 150 feet of 5/16 BB chain and 100 feet of 5/8 nylon. In two years of cruising in the Sea of Cortez it has never moved more then a few feet in some difficult conditions. It has been in sand and some mud, and some shallow sand on top of shale. We had a night of 40 to 50 knot gusts coming straight into an ancorage, with about 3 to 4 feet of chop. Waves almost breaking over the bow at anchor, and a rock wall behind us. We decided to move to a safer place, but in the mean time the anchor held. We have experenced the famous "La Paz Waltz", with 4 or 5 knots of current running one way, and 20 to 30 knots of wind running 180 degrees to that, and then the tide changes and you go the other way with the wind. Here I think the anchor moved a few feet when it reset, but we were in tight quarters for three days, and we would have noticed any lengthy drift. I have seen a lot of boats down here with both a Bruce and a Delta on the bow, but I am not sure what kind of bottoms each anchor is preffered in.

We have an electric windless, but I have weighed it by hand in 35 feet of water just to make sure I could do it if the windless gives out. If I had a lot of time I would rig up to use a sheet winch, but in a rush I can to it, although I am probably in better shape then the average 65 year old.

[John Langford]

Mike,
What about the Lewmar Claw which is the same as a Bruce but very reasonably priced. My understanding is that the Bruce patent ran out and they stopped production because of the availability of cheaper clones. See: http://www.lewmar.com/webcat/features/anchors.html

[Ray & Sandy Erps]

Here's that Rocna knock-off next to a CQR.

[Wayne]

Get plenty of chain--better too much than too little.  My boat came with only 20 feet of chain, and getting my anchor to stick in SF Bay mud was pretty iffy-usually took a second or third try.  I replaced with 75' to chain, and now I hold nicely, even in tight conditions where I'm not putting out as much scope as would be preferred.  Having a little more chain than is necessary makes life soooo much easier!

[Mike and Joanne Stimmler]

I finally found Bacon's phone number but when I called they couldn't find the used  Bruce 33. Maybe they sold it. I am considering a Danforth type that will fit in the anchor locker so that I have two diferent type anchors available. Does anyone know what size will fit? Later I may consider a CQR or Delta as a third anchor. I know the CQR's are expensive, are they worth it?

Mike