T&T: Anchor loyalty

[Randy Pickelmann]

Larry & All,

The first time I saw a Bruce anchor was in the Bahamas in 1977-78.  A few
boats from the UK were sporting them from their bow rollers.  Being a
confirmed CQR guy, my knee-jerk reaction was "what the hell?"  Thirty years
later I'm a believer.

We gave away a #45 SS plow anchor that wouldn't take a set no matter what we
did.  We carry four different anchors aboard Morning Star; a Delta, S/L Claw
(Bruce type), a Fortress and a Danforth.  In the last six years we have gotten
them all wet.  My favorite used to be the Delta until we had a hard time
getting it to set in the soft Chesapeake goo.  We switched back to our former
favorite, the #44 Claw.  Now that we are back in the Keys, I'll probably
switch back to the Delta.  I have an irrational fear of the windlass letting
me down and having to hand pull 100'+ of chain and a #44 anchor!

I remember reading Herb Payson's book about their cruise through the South
Pacific many years ago.  He described a method of anchoring they tried out of
desperation.  This past year Evans Starzinger and Beth Leonard described using
the exact same method in an article they wrote for Cruising World.  They
shackled a Danforth-type anchor and 15' of chain to the eye at the top of a
Delta or CQR.  They deployed the Danforth and let the chain stretch to its
full 15' and then deployed the plow.  The two anchors seem to work in concert
and improve the quality of the set.  The whole is greater than the sum of the
parts.  One of these days I'm going to try this too.

I think that the prudent boater should have several different types of anchors
aboard and be familiar with the characteristics of each.  Then, as they say in
fly fishing, you can "match the hatch".

Regards,
Randy Pickelmann
hard aground in Clearwater, FL
MORNING STAR
lying in Marathon, FL
www.morningstar.talkspot.com