Which type anchor?

[BruceK]

Bruce how have you been using the SARCA in it’s “dosn’t fit state”?
Since it’s small and dense the Excel could be classified as a penetrator. When I pick up the Excel it seems very heavy and it dosn’t take up much real estate.

In this pic of a 21lb Excel and my highly modified Manson Supreme that started out weighing 18lbs. But it actually was supposed to weigh 15lbs. In it's modified state (w 98% of it's original fluke) there appears to be little difference in fluke surface area. But the Excel weighs almost twice as much. And works better by far.

Change of boat in progress, IG36 to Integrity 386, same hull slightly extended by making the swimstep part of the hull. The IG has an open end to the bowsprit, the Integrity does not, I think I need an Excel, though I kept the S/Sarca off the still unsold IG. Lousy market when people can`t travel to inspect and are losing their income.

 

[rslifkin]

With a closed end pulpit, depending on length past the roller, a Mantus may fit, as if the pulpit isn't too long, the huge rollbar will fit over it. But other than that, rollbar anchors are likely out unless the rollbar docks to the bottom of the pulpit at a decent angle (will depend on roller geometry).

Personally, I'd take some measurements of your pulpit, then look at the published dimensions for all of the newer generation non-rollbar anchors out there and figure out what will fit best, give good hull clearance in the desired size, etc. And then look at shank shape to figure out if one will launch/dock better in the roller setup than the others.

When I did that on my boat, I found I was most limited by anchor toe to hull clearance, so I ended up choosing an anchor mostly based on that dimension and went with a 73lb/33kg Vulcan. Most of the other designs would have needed to be smaller to fit. An 85lb Mantus would fit my pulpit, although the shank is a bit long for my windlass placement. The only big issue was pulpit length though. The rollbar would fit over the end, but it wouldn't self-launch or dock nicely, it would have required some manhandling, which I ruled out as an option.

 

[psneeld]

Yes, psn, you're right, and his failures with the Manson Supreme was a bit unusual. My read of it is that he must anchor predominantly in an area with certain types of weed, which are a bit harder to penetrate with the concave fluke of the Manson, and why the convex, (with sharper tip) of the S-Sarca just might give it the edge, (literally) needed..?

I haven't had a problem with weeds, but at some point I guess I might.

At that point, that much weed might prevent any anchor from catching....unless it is some specialty type, possibly not suited for all around use or it is any type anchor that is heavy enough to just crush through everything like grass, oysters, smaller stones, etc....

 

[rslifkin]

I'd generally say the key to weeds is having the right combination of being heavy, having a sharp, narrow-ish tip, and not having any shapes that the weeds will easily clog. So no Danforth / Fortress types. Sharp enough, but not heavy enough, and weeds between the flukes is a problem. If you've got a rollbar, it needs to be large enough not to clog with a weed ball.

And of course, as with anything like this, there's no hard rule. There will always be some type of weed out there that's just about impossible and either requires something very specialized or where nothing will really get a good bite.

 

[Nomad Willy]

BruceK wrote;
“The IG has an open end to the bowsprit, the Integrity does not, I think I need an Excel.”

The Excel may be less effort to obtain but one could just shorten the pulpit (I think) and use the SARCA but then you’d probably need to put an anchor on the boat for sale. Bright side is that the SARCA would probably be easy to sell. I despise bow pulpits so know nothing about them but it would seem that if you cut the pulpit back to the bow roller retaining enough structure to support the bow roller it should be easy to do and work just fine. But the yacht clubbers may think it looks like a hack job. But then I think most all bow pulpits look stupid in the first place.

I spoze you should get the Excel. It is much better looking if that matters.
I haven’t used the Excel enough to know in what ways it’s better than the SARCA or visa-versa. They both seem to work perfectly but there must be some differences in how they work. My guess is that despite the very different looks they probably work about the same. More people buy the Excel I think but that’s probably because most have bow pulpits and need the Excel because of it. The roll bar issue. With that overwhelming variable one can’t say one is better on the job by how many of each are sold. Yup better get an Excel.

rslifkin,

I'd generally say the key to weeds is having the right combination of being heavy, having a sharp, narrow-ish tip, and not having any shapes that the weeds will easily clog. So no Danforth / Fortress types. Sharp enough, but not heavy enough, and weeds between the flukes is a problem. If you've got a rollbar, it needs to be large enough not to clog with a weed ball.

You may have just described the Excel and what it can do.

 

[Nomad Willy]

Anchor to spend infrequently overnight not in a marina, typically experiencing several tidal current changes in a 2.5 knot current.

So you do anchor out. I’m not familiar w the Delta area but I love the sloughs around here but they are only suitable for small boats.
I would imagine there would be much debris like big tree branches and logs. Also industrial debris. Do you often use a trip line?

 

[Giggitoni]

Foggysail,

What scope ratio do you use with your Manson and chain? Would it help to go 6:1 or 7:1?

 

[Peter B]

I haven't had a problem with weeds, but at some point I guess I might.

At that point, that much weed might prevent any anchor from catching....unless it is some specialty type, possibly not suited for all around use or it is any type anchor that is heavy enough to just crush through everything like grass, oysters, smaller stones, etc....

I think that this might be one of those times when the narrow, delta-bomber, and slightly convex shape of the Sarca fluke allows any weed it does scoop up in the short distance it takes to set, to be shed. Whereas the concave shape of the Rocna and Manson Supreme flukes, which gives them such amazing holding power in virtually any other substrate, might just make the difference in heavy weed..?

 

[psneeld]

With weed I am familiar with, it's getting the tip past just sliding along on top of it...

Any shaped tip, if it can get into the bottom, it will probably penetrate.

No matter what anchor and like I posted earlier....my Manson works in the weed I have encountered...just not sure what it would take to make it not work...and if that same weed patch would repel all types of anchor designs.

I have not had a problem with my Manson digging up a clump of grass and getting fouled.