Thanks Dick,

Would you share a link to your article when not too busy?

As you know I’m taking the cowards route and buying two Rocna anchors, while complying with manufacturer’s 50knot wind recommendations for insurance purposes.

My boat’s fully laden weight is 10T and I purchased the 20kg anchor. My secondary anchor only for emergency >force 10+ wind usage, will weigh less at 15kg.

My investigation provided this following data on boat length, boat weight, anchor weight and recommended chain;



For me this data seems to be subject to anchor design versus boat length and weight. So this data is a little too complex for me to determine the relationship as linear or exponential 🤔

Hope this helps with your anchor weight and chain review and looking forward to reading your updated article.

Grateful for your feedback and ongoing support.

Fair winds,

Sonia
SY Salacia

+x

 

Simon Currin - 25 Jan 2023

Dick,

Yes, we have saved weight in the chain (moved to high tensile 10 years ago) and went for a 100 lbs anchor and have no regrets. It should be easy enough to measure whether the relationship is linear or exponential so the data must exist.

Simon

+x

 

Dick - 24 Jan 2023

Hi all,
It is my take that weight in the anchor does more to enhance ground tackle effectiveness than weight anywhere else It is also my casual observation (in no way buttressed by facts or evidence I am aware of) that increasing weight in the anchor increases effectiveness in ground tackle effectiveness not linearly, but exponentially.
So, I had a new thought on how to think about weight in the anchor. Mine is a 77-pound Spade: used ~~10 years. My previous Spade was 66 pounds (used 8 years) making for an ~~17% weight increase which would be a nice linear increase in ground tackle effectiveness, but not dramatic. My experience (and this is the really casual observation) is that the 77 pounder is more than 17% more effective: it is exponentially better. I am not sure if there is anything in the literature to validate this (or otherwise).
I went with a bigger anchor as I anchor in marginal and remote areas. That said, even if you are not going to Greenland or the fjords of Norway, 10 extra pounds on the bow in your anchor will likely make little noticeable difference in sailing performance, but might make a difference in anchoring security.
Interested in reactions to my random thoughts.
My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy

Hi Simon,
Yes, I think for a widely wandering and adventurous boat such as Shimshal, that is the way to go. Elsewhere in the Forum, I believe, I have posted my article on choosing chain where I make a case for choosing chain primarily for its strength, rather than weight, and that the catenary of chain disappears when you want it most: in a gale: so weight in chain is less or not at all important. This is when pounds added to the anchor makes a big difference. and makes for a far more effective ground tackle system.
Too many cruisers, in my observation and opinion, worry too much about weight in the bow or expense when choosing such an important, mission critical, piece of gear.
My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy
Ps. Had dinner last night with Brian McVickers who is well and planning to crew on a boat doing an W to E NW passage in a year or two.

+x

 

Simon Currin - 25 Jan 2023

Dick,

Yes, we have saved weight in the chain (moved to high tensile 10 years ago) and went for a 100 lbs anchor and have no regrets. It should be easy enough to measure whether the relationship is linear or exponential so the data must exist.

Simon

+x

 

Dick - 24 Jan 2023

Hi all,
It is my take that weight in the anchor does more to enhance ground tackle effectiveness than weight anywhere else It is also my casual observation (in no way buttressed by facts or evidence I am aware of) that increasing weight in the anchor increases effectiveness in ground tackle effectiveness not linearly, but exponentially.
So, I had a new thought on how to think about weight in the anchor. Mine is a 77-pound Spade: used ~~10 years. My previous Spade was 66 pounds (used 8 years) making for an ~~17% weight increase which would be a nice linear increase in ground tackle effectiveness, but not dramatic. My experience (and this is the really casual observation) is that the 77 pounder is more than 17% more effective: it is exponentially better. I am not sure if there is anything in the literature to validate this (or otherwise).
I went with a bigger anchor as I anchor in marginal and remote areas. That said, even if you are not going to Greenland or the fjords of Norway, 10 extra pounds on the bow in your anchor will likely make little noticeable difference in sailing performance, but might make a difference in anchoring security.
Interested in reactions to my random thoughts.
My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy

Dick,

Yes, we have saved weight in the chain (moved to high tensile 10 years ago) and went for a 100 lbs anchor and have no regrets. It should be easy enough to measure whether the relationship is linear or exponential so the data must exist.

Simon

+x

 

Dick - 24 Jan 2023

Hi all,
It is my take that weight in the anchor does more to enhance ground tackle effectiveness than weight anywhere else It is also my casual observation (in no way buttressed by facts or evidence I am aware of) that increasing weight in the anchor increases effectiveness in ground tackle effectiveness not linearly, but exponentially.
So, I had a new thought on how to think about weight in the anchor. Mine is a 77-pound Spade: used ~~10 years. My previous Spade was 66 pounds (used 8 years) making for an ~~17% weight increase which would be a nice linear increase in ground tackle effectiveness, but not dramatic. My experience (and this is the really casual observation) is that the 77 pounder is more than 17% more effective: it is exponentially better. I am not sure if there is anything in the literature to validate this (or otherwise).
I went with a bigger anchor as I anchor in marginal and remote areas. That said, even if you are not going to Greenland or the fjords of Norway, 10 extra pounds on the bow in your anchor will likely make little noticeable difference in sailing performance, but might make a difference in anchoring security.
Interested in reactions to my random thoughts.
My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy

Hi all,
It is my take that weight in the anchor does more to enhance ground tackle effectiveness than weight anywhere else It is also my casual observation (in no way buttressed by facts or evidence I am aware of) that increasing weight in the anchor increases effectiveness in ground tackle effectiveness not linearly, but exponentially.
So, I had a new thought on how to think about weight in the anchor. Mine is a 77-pound Spade: used ~~10 years. My previous Spade was 66 pounds (used 8 years) making for an ~~17% weight increase which would be a nice linear increase in ground tackle effectiveness, but not dramatic. My experience (and this is the really casual observation) is that the 77 pounder is more than 17% more effective: it is exponentially better. I am not sure if there is anything in the literature to validate this (or otherwise).
I went with a bigger anchor as I anchor in marginal and remote areas. That said, even if you are not going to Greenland or the fjords of Norway, 10 extra pounds on the bow in your anchor will likely make little noticeable difference in sailing performance, but might make a difference in anchoring security.
Interested in reactions to my random thoughts.
My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy