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choosing the right anchor for a viking 44

Discussion in 'Technical Discussion' started by noxbisi, Jan 12, 2011.

  1. noxbisi, Jan 12, 2011
    #1
    noxbisi

    noxbisi New Member

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    i have had great responses from this site recently and so i once again would like to seek some answers to a question of how much anchor do i need for my boat. it is a 44ft Viking aft cabin, its high aft section tends to catch the wind so there is probably a bit more drag than the average sports fisher and its tonnage is somewhere around the 30 tonne mark. at present the boat has a danforth sand anchor which caused me some grief on a recent trip as it dragged even with a long chain let out. i will buy a replacement anchor but find myself confused by the types, delta, plough etc and knowing what weight i should choose. any advice would be most gratefully received.
  2. K1W1, Jan 13, 2011
    #2
    K1W1

    K1W1 Senior Member

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    Hi,

    Danforths are not bad anchors, What was the condition of the bottom where you had this dragging problem?
  3. Capt Bill11, Jan 13, 2011
    #3
    Capt Bill11

    Capt Bill11 Senior Member

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    What type of bottom do you do most of your anchoring in, sand, mud, rock, coral, etc.?

    I like Rocna anchors myself. For your size boat look at a Rocna 40.
  4. noxbisi, Jan 13, 2011
    #4
    noxbisi

    noxbisi New Member

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    thanks k1w1 and capt bill. i live in the tropics and bottom varies depending on proximity to tidal estuaries and reef. on a recent trip to Yule Island the conditions varied from tidal mangrove esturaies to mixed coral and sand bottom. there were 3 other boats on the trip and all managed to set their anhors easily and quickly but my anchor dragged in almost all conditions. i let out sufficient chain to maintain the correct angle but on one day i was forced to rope up behind a smaller boat in order to hold as my anchor kept dragging. that was a mud bottom outside the mouth of a mangrove swamp and river. likewise my anchor dragged on other sites where the other boats held firmly. all others had either delta or plough anchors and appeared to have no problems. i have seen a rocna in australia but at almost 1500 dollars its a big investment and i wondered if something else may do the job. do you think i need a 40kg anchor for a boat my size or something smaller? many thanks for your responses.
  5. Capt Bill11, Jan 13, 2011
    #5
    Capt Bill11

    Capt Bill11 Senior Member

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    You could of course go with something smaller and/or something cheaper.

    I guess it boils down to how much your boat and your piece of mind when anchored out over night is worth to you.

    If you don't want to spend the money on a Rocna look at the Manson Supreme.
  6. Pascal, Jan 13, 2011
    #6
    Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    i'm a big fan of the bruce aka claw... i know bill will disagree with me on that one :) but i've use them from Nantucket all the way to the bahamas and find them good in a variety of bottom.

    on the 70 footer that i run, I'm uising a 110 pounder which has held in mud up to about 40kts sustained. above that (again sustained, not gust) is was reaching the limit of the anchor holding power but in all fairness 110lbs on a skylounge 70 footer (high windage) is not storm anchor level.

    that anchor is being replaced by a 176 Bruce (arriving this week) and the 110 will become the back up anchor.

    scope is obviously critical, i rarely use less than 7:1 unless i dont' have enough room, then i set the anchor with longer scope and shortened it up when it's set.

    Second on my list is the fortress... it's a dnaforth but has more holding power than most danforth. the downside though is that it will not reset on the tidal or wind shift.

    on a 45/50 footer, I'd use something in the 50/60 lbs range, I think the bruce comes in 66lbs size.

    and as much as i agree with Bill's comment about the price of the anchor vs the price of the boat, the price of the claw/bruce makes it pretty attractive and ahrd to beat, yet i've had exclllent results with it.

    at the bottom of mylist are Deltas and CQR. they may hold pretty well in rocks and rough bottoms, or grass, but have less power in mud than the Claw or FX.
  7. Ormond Bert54, Jan 13, 2011
    #7
    Ormond Bert54

    Ormond Bert54 Senior Member

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    Something to also consider is the cost of making the new anchor work with your existing bow pulpit, anchor rollers and windlass. The 88 lb Rocna that I purchased for my Bertram 54 would have required pretty extensive modification in order to properly accomodate that huge anchor. For instance, the length of the shaft on a larger anchor can be so long that when it's touching the chain gypsy of the winlass it's still dangling a foot off the bow pulpit.

    Right now, I have a Fortress 55 and going to a larger anchor could quickly cost upwards of 5 boat bucks.
  8. Capt J, Jan 14, 2011
    #8
    Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    The Fortresses are garbage compared to a real Danforth. They are just not heavy enough (weight) In heavy holding or high winds the flukes will bend and cause the anchor to become unhooked. If you let them out too fast they spin in circles as they drop tangling the chain and never hook. The real deal Danforth is a good anchor. With a proper amount of scope and chain, it is pretty hard to beat for an all around anchor.

    I've also used a Bruce considerably, but it would not be my first or second choice. It resets far too often if there is a wind or current shift, and it takes a LOT of scope with all chain for it to solidly set.

    I've never used a Rocna, but a lot of people seem to love them. 1 thing I have found with anchors over 30 lbs, is that if you look around enough, you'll find someone selling a used one in good condition pretty cheap in comparison to buying a new one.
  9. noxbisi, Jan 14, 2011
    #9
    noxbisi

    noxbisi New Member

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    i am back in australia for a few weeks so i have the chance to check out a range of options. lots of great advice and i will at least be better informed now about what i should look for. many thanks to all who responded.
  10. Fireman431, Jan 14, 2011
    #10
    Fireman431

    Fireman431 Senior Member

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    Have you looked at the Quickline Ultra? I have viewed all of the videos on it and it seems functionally impressive as it's appearance.

    Check the other YouTube videos as well. I don't have the web site link, but I'm sure you can Google it. There is a detailed sheet on the site that indicates which anchor should be fitted for your vessel.

    I'm going to drop the coin on one before the summer.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ys0tEs7d3Uw
  11. CSkipR, Jan 30, 2011
    #11
    CSkipR

    CSkipR Member

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    Anchors

    I have a 43 Cabo sportfishing boat that had a Fortress on it. The anchor would not hold in a mud or sand bottom with the current running. Switched to a Delta plow and it works great compared to the Fortress.