Fortress anchor performance in reversing current

[SailorGreg]

I have a Vulcan 55 and a Fortress 85 on the bow. I bought the Fortress for soft mud but have rarely used it. The Vulcan has done fine but occasionally takes forever to set in soft mud.
On the ICW the typical soft mud anchorage also has a fair amount of current. So my question is, for those of you who have experience using a Fortress when swinging to the current, how well does it perform in setting and resetting every 6 hours in soft mud and current?
Thanks,
Greg

 

[psneeld]

My bet is if it is set well, unless in a storm induced flow rate on a reversing current, it my never break free until you power it out.

My 60lb Manson Supreme never has has a problem with reversing ACIW current swings, why do you think the Vulcan is having an issue?

 

[ranger58sb]

I never had problems with a Fortress and reversing currents. Usually very difficult to break it out after an overnight...

-Chris

 

[SailorGreg]

Never had a problem with the Vulcan not resetting. But have had some issues getting an initial set with the vulcan in soft mud. Just curious about the Fortress before I rely on it.
Did once have a Rocna not reset after a cold front wind reversal. Turns out, large clod of sod stuck in the hoop when it broke free so couldn’t reset. One of the reasons I moved to the Vulcan.
As to the Vulcan, somewhat more hesitant to set in soft mud than the Rocna, est I can tell, so thinking about using the Fortress as primary in those situations, hence the post.

 

[bayview]

With rope rode I had them sail in current before getting to the bottom. With chain it probably would not happen.
My question is why a lightweight anchor on that boat? What is the benefit of lightweight?

 

[DavidM]

The one problem with Fortress and other Danforth style anchors is that in a reversing current the chain can get wrapped around the anchor. After several reverses you have a blob of chain holding you in place, not the anchor.

I saw this at Jewell Island in Maine. When the guy in front of me pulled up his anchor he had at least 20' of chain wrapped back and forth. It took him an hour to sort it all out.

But once set in one direction you can't beat a Fortress for holding power to weight ratio.

David

 

[SailorGreg]

my thought with the Fortress was all about performance in soft mud, not the fact that it also happens to be light. With the ability to carry two anchors in a ready to deploy state, my thought was to have two different types of anchors with different performance regarding bottom type. For our usual anchoring in the Bahamas, the Vulcan has been great.

 

[SailorGreg]

At the risk of creating thread drift to my own OP, and after mentioning that the Vulcan has done well in the islands, I will add an anecdote.
We were anchoring in the Bight of Acklins. Area was reputed to be a thin layer of sand over hardpack. Finally got anchor to hold. Dove on it but water was pretty murky. Looked like it was about half buried. Since there was nowhere to drag but forever out into the bight I figured it was good enough.
That night it blew 30G40 knots all night. Anchor held fine. Out of curiosity, I dove it again in the morning so I could get the photo, below. What I think happened was on the original set the anchor plowed up enough sand to make it look like it was half buried. With all the weather overnight, the loose sand was scoured away, leaving the not-so-great set. But it held all night, even with some pretty good swinging and wave action. Points for the Vulcan.

 

[Ski in NC]

I've anchored with the Fortress hundreds of times in mud and sand. Never a problem, but usually only one or maybe two tide reversals as we tend not to stay any one place very long.

 

[O C Diver]

To the OP, I'm curious what your scobe with the Vulcan and before that the Rocna was? Wondering if part of your issue with the Vulcan setting in soft mud is scope related.

Ted

 

[SailorGreg]

As to my technique w/ the Vulcan, I usually "test" the hold at 6:1 and if the anchor grabs, then I attach the snubber at 7:1 and back down to confirm the set. To "test" I am just letting the current move us, or am in idle reverse.
I suppose I could try letting the anchor "soak" as some suggest, but I haven't found that to be particularly successful, plus, I dont have the patience.
And I have no complaints with the Vulcan, just looking to gain insight on the Fortress as I dont have much experience with it.

 

[Comodave]

Did you try the Fortress with the mud angle on the anchor? I know you can change the angle of the flukes but I have never tried it and was wondering if it does make a difference or not.

 

[SailorGreg]

Did you try the Fortress with the mud angle on the anchor? I know you can change the angle of the flukes but I have never tried it and was wondering if it does make a difference or not.

I just moved it to the “soft mud” setting. The instructions say this is for soft mud only, but nearly doubles the holding. Not sure when I will get to test it.
We are at Cumberland now. Just had a squall/ front pass over. Mid 20’s, gusting to 40 and the Vulcan held just fine. I have never had it release after a set, regardless of conditions.
We have been here for a few days so I suspect most of the chain never even pulled out of the mud.

 

[Comodave]

If you ever get a chance to test it, please post the results. I always wondered if it mad a difference.

 

[mvweebles]

San Francisco Bay has some strong currents. Danforth style anchors are frowned upon due to fouling on a reversing current. Legend goes that the road will wedge between the shank of the flukes and get jammed thus preventing reset.

I watched a 30 foot sailboat drift off in a reversing current off China Camp several years ago. Chatter was he had a Danforth down, but who knows if that's true.

For me, the aluminum fortress that can be disassembled is a great second or third anchor on a small boat. But I would not use it in conditions where a full 180 was expected. But the holding power in sand and mud is excellent so tough to ignore

Peter

 

[rslifkin]

In very soft mud, you can probably get the fortress buried deep enough that fouling it with the rode is unlikely.

 

[Nomad Willy]

In an anchor test by Practical Sailor mag they did a veering test and the Fortress didn’t break out. Just rotated around.
The West Marine “deepset ll” fliped over bachwards.
This was in 2002.

I would think any Danforth type would break out backwards and do a flip in a Steve G’s reversal.
I have an old high performance Dan w forged flukes and a very skinny forged shank. Never tried it though. 22#

 

[catalinajack]

I boat mostly in areas with soft mud, primarily in the Chesapeake with an 88# Manson Supreme. I stopped immediate strong power-setting after several instances of just dragging the anchor through the goo. The first time it happened we were at Cumberland Island. I just quit dragging backwards, let the anchor settle in the mud, then checked the set later. It held just fine.

As to my technique w/ the Vulcan, I usually "test" the hold at 6:1 and if the anchor grabs, then I attach the snubber at 7:1 and back down to confirm the set. To "test" I am just letting the current move us, or am in idle reverse.
I suppose I could try letting the anchor "soak" as some suggest, but I haven't found that to be particularly successful, plus, I dont have the patience.
And I have no complaints with the Vulcan, just looking to gain insight on the Fortress as I dont have much experience with it.

 

[psneeld]

In an anchor test by Practical Sailor mag they did a veering test and the Fortress didn’t break out. Just rotated around.
The West Marine “deepset ll” fliped over bachwards.
This was in 2002.

I would think any Danforth type would break out backwards and do a flip in a Steve G’s reversal.
I have an old high performance Dan w forged flukes and a very skinny forged shank. Never tried it though. 22#

Wouldn't that flip happen only if the rode was off the bottom? Otherwise it would only experience a twisting moment.

I have seen MANY Danforth style anchors with bent shafts, so I have a feeling than a well stuck Danforth usually won't flip unless very short scoped. (Like in many of. Steve's videos).

 

[tallswede]

I have a 40 something Danforth. I'm on Galveston Bay most of the time. That sucker is tough to break out of the mud we have around here. I too have seen many Danforths with bent shanks. So far i have never had this one break out but did have a smaller one break out on my sailboat. it wouldn't reset because it had a big hunk of oyster reef and mud stuck to it. It probably wouldn't have broken out if I had more chain and more scope out but this was early in my anchoring out life LOL.

 

[FF]

The Danforth "S" anchors are great lunch hooks the "H" series for a more robust overnight anchor.

The "S" are great mounted on mailbox posts .

 

[jclays]

If you ever get a chance to test it, please post the results. I always wondered if it mad a difference.

Comodave
I have a traditional steel Danforth. Several years ago I too was curious . I have soft mud in our bay.
I measured the slot in the crown of my Danforth and calculated how much more I had to open the slot on the anchor’s crown. I opened the slot so that the shank opens up the fluke angle to 45 decrees Just like the Fortress mud setting.
The modified Danforth grabs immediately and really holds hard.
This is now my mud anchor.

 

[Comodave]

Comodave
I have a traditional steel Danforth. Several years ago I too was curious . I have soft mud in our bay.
I measured the slot in the crown of my Danforth and calculated how much more I had to open the slot on the anchor’s crown. I opened the slot so that the shank opens up the fluke angle to 45 decrees Just like the Fortress mud setting.
The modified Danforth grabs immediately and really holds hard.
This is now my mud anchor.

Interesting and good info, thanks. I have an FX-37 as my backup anchor.

 

[nightowl2]

Fortress

I've anchored with the Fortress hundreds of times in mud and sand. Never a problem, but usually only one or maybe two tide reversals as we tend not to stay any one place very long.

I had the dubious pleasure of weathering the huge Philippines typhoon in 2017 behind an island called Busuanger, town of Coron, top of Palawan island. I deployed my main anchor--a 15 kg Bruce with a 12.5 kilo Danforth tied in front of it with rope. 50 metre chain. I also deployed a No 37 Fortress and 200 feet of rope, on the other roller. I'd exchanged my smaller Fortress with my brother and shipped it to Asia for this type of situation. Glad I did, about 250 kilometers/hr recorded ashore--- less in my bay!!
Except those in the mangroves ( including a friend) I was the only yacht left in the anchorage next morning, the rest were scattered on the beaches, including quite a large brigantine on a mooring, who had barely prepared at all! My friends wife went ashore to the nearby hotel for safety, only to have the roof torn off her hotel room. I also had the "pleasure" of 6 Philippino seamen from a capsized Banka join me about midnight, mid storm, in the lull They managed to float down to me one by one on a rope connected kayak. Sadly, one of the crew was lost inside the hull. 2700 died that night in Philippines!
So, Fortress's do work well and I was fortunate the bottom was solid mud. No way I'd have survived without it. Still have the boat----Selene 38, superb,,now in Turkey.