Need some advice about a new anchor to replace our Manson 30 lb plow anchor. This anchor and a 40 metre chain and 30 metre nylon line just fits in the forward anchor locker. What size anchor should we be considering? Also, what anchor have Cat 34 members found to be an easy fit in the anchor locker. We need an anchor for SE Australia. Sandy, sometimes muddy bottoms. Also for leaving the new anchor in the anchor well while we are club racing...
I use a mantus m1 35lb with 90' of 5/16 and 300' of 5/8 8 plait nylon. If you feel like diving extra deep into the topic, check out SV Panope on YouTube. He does some awesome testing of nearly every anchor out there. The link below is just a summary video to whet your appetite.
https://youtu.be/smgWTtFuk3U?si=SYuCyD7bfx8hJH9Y
35# Mantus M1 for me, 50' chain and 275' rope. Works great on Lake Michigan sand and mud on my 1990. No mods to anchor roller needed. I've developed a lot of confidence in the anchor since I got it.
I'm not sure about fitting the anchor in the anchor locker, but it could probably be disassembled for easier storage, perhaps in the bilge.
From Loose Cannon, a blog I subscribe to:
https://open.substack.com/pub/loosecannon/p/the-cqr-aint-that-bad-after-all-tests-858?r=1s6jc5&utm_medium=ios
Jack,
The 101 Topics has some anchoring subjects. It includes this.
Steve's Anchoring 101
...with 100ft of chain. The rest of the world can debate all they like. When I pull into a place like Bodega Bay at midnight and the fog is so thick I can't see the jetty 50 feet away to make an entrance, I drop my hook in the rolling ocean swells with the surf crashing (Foster says it's like staying in a cheap Best Western beside the highway), and I sleep. And in the morning I have a windlass to pull the beast up and I wouldn't trade it for anything. (I also wouldn't add more chain - this works perfectly in 25 to 30 feet of water - you let all the chain out and you tie off nylon at the preferred scope and don't bother with separate snubbers and chain hooks and all that stuff...)
We have a dual bow roller (see tech wiki) with a Mantus 45# with 180' of 5/16" BB chain with 200' of nylon rode attached which we use as our primary. Used it from Texas to the Bahamas in mud, hard clay, sand bottoms. Works exceedingly well in the hard clay were the delta or Dan forth would not dig in the clay. We have a delta 35# on the other side of the bow roller we use for swing control and Bahamian more. It has 25' of 1/2" chain and 200' of 1/2" nylon rode. We cary a danforth as a spare that we keep in the anchor locker using the holder molded into the starboard side of the locker. All of that fits into the anchor locker. I just carfully lay the roads in two separate coils and it's chain in the center of its coil.
Tech wiki link https://c34.org/wiki/index.php?title=Double_Bow_Roller_for_my_C34
Jack : What are the particulars on your C34 year?. I believe that you are OK with what you've got!!
I have Bruse 30 with 50ft of chain and 150 ft of nylon. I also do like Steve and usually let out all of the chain and 10 ft of nylon (no snubbers!!)
I also carry an extra Danforth 20 deep set with 40ft of chain and 100 ft of nylon.
A few thoughts
Thanks for the advice you guys. My Catalina 34 Mk II is a 1998 vintage. We're thinking of something functional to carry while harbour racing Fits 'easily' in anchor locker) and carrying an extra anchor for cruising. I've got 2 bow rollers which will help...
I looked into this extensively before our trip around Vancouver Island last summer. I came to the same conclusion as Steve on Black Dragon (as referenced by Stu).
We have a C34 Mark 1.25 and opted for a Rocna 15kg, 120 feet of 5/16" G4 chain, and 180 feet of 5/8" 3 strand nylon rode. This was used with a Lofrans Royale manual windlass clone that I paid $200 for on Craigslist.
We typically anchored in depths of 25-40 feet. That usually meant all the chain was out, and the rode could be taken to a bow cleat without needing a snubber. In Sea Otter Cove, a sublime and rather shallow anchorage, we were in less than 15 feet of water. There we didn't use all the chain, and used a pre-prepared 30 foot length of 5/8", 3 strand nylon line for the snubber. A simple rolling hitch of the nylon snubber on the chain held us safely overnight in 25 knot winds. Like Steve, no need for chain hooks or other fancy snubber attachment mechanisms.
We also liked not having all chain rode, both for weight reasons in the bow and because we chose to go with a simple manual windlass. Your own use of your boat and anticipated anchoring needs will ultimately dictate your particular ground tackle set up, but this worked well for us.
Patches
Quote from: Kyle Ewing on February 04, 2025, 09:26:18 PMNo mods to anchor roller needed.
What was the standard roller on a '90? Does your hatch have the raised part to accommodate the shaft of the anchor?
I am trying to see what will fit on my '87 and if there are any good options without changing out the stem fitting with two tiny rollers.
Justin,
These pics show my 1990's anchor roller and locker hatch. The hatch is a single piece. No modifications were needed to fit the Mantus.
Kyle