I probably asked this before but, I need more input.

I lost my danforth on my last trip this season. (thats why it was my last trip). I have refurbed my windlass and I'm starting to think of what type of anchor to buy this coming season.

Danforth/Fluke anchors have always worked great, but when they hook into pot line forget it. Also they do not store well on bow rollers, and I have to push it off when dropping (kinda a pain).
A guy here at work uses CQR spade anchor, (very expensive).
I have seen some cheaper claw anchors. These will drop off the roller and store well, BUT.......what I have been reading is spade or claw anchors do not hold well in soft/mud bottom, which is mostly what I have around here, (except near the rockpiles). I am afraid a spade anchor will not hold well in rocky areas, and i sure don't want a release of anchor when I'm 30-40 feet from jagged rocks. If they drag in soft bottom, I will surely hook into a pot line, but with the spade design I "should" be able to bring the boat around the up-current side and spin it free of the pot line.
release anchors are an option, but I have not found one that will fit on my roller and do what I wnat at the same time.

let me know your experiences/opinions.
thanks,,, V.

Van,
For all around use IMHO the danforth type is best. Rig it like I told you on the other thread. Also get youself a ball and ring set up, you can still use it in conjunction with the windlass for "normal" retrivals, but if you get hung up, you can cleat off the rode and put much more pressure on the anchor than you can with the windlass.

yea, but i don't want to bring more "stuff" on board, if i go with a danforth again, I might just drill a hole in the heal, and tie a light line with a small bouy (which would float straight up) to it so if its stuck I can pull it up from the heal, free it, then use the windlass.
But again i am now adding another 60-100 feet of (light) line, but its another thing i dont want. Or i'm adding a ring and ball, and those balls aren't small either.

I really am interesting in opinions of other types of anchors and how they perform, for me the danforth has those other drawbacks i mentioned.

Thanks.

Van,
I may have posted this before, but rig your danforth breakway style, w/ the chain attached to the heel of the anchor then use zip ties to run the chain along the shank, so when you put pressure on it (w/ the ball or windlass) the ties break and the anchor slides out easily...

Also, dont need a huge ball/ rig... we use ~18lb danforth with 10' of chain and our ball rig is a big high test dogsnap over the line (have to pull a bit faster because it doesnt catch the anchor like the ring) and a medium sized fender... floated the anchor AND a lobster trawl last week with this (knew the F'er felt heavy:mad: thought I was getting weak for a min) with no problem... IMHO, it's the only way to go... especially this time of year when the bow is a sheet of ice :eek:

my $0.02
Bryan

Van,
If you have a bow rail the ball and ring won't take up any room at all. Just put the ring on the rail, take a couple of turns around the stanchion with the line and clip the line to the ball, everything will stay right there until you need it. A lot less room than a small float and couple of hundred feet of 1/4 inch line.

Agreed,
Still I wonder if a spade type anchor would be easier to release by just driving around the other side, there is no spot for the line to get stuck in other than the main bend. I just don't know if it will hold well enough in the muck I anchor in, and I don't want to find out the hard way. Again the danforth is old reliable, but don't roll off the bow roller without a push, that means walking around the cabin and kicking it. A spade anchor is designed to fall off rollers, but if don't hold where I want it ain't worth it.

As for releasing a danforth, those ideas are great, but first I need to pick a type of anchor. Those release methods should work on any kind of anchor.

I've been researching anchor holding powers in some websites, but I need to find one done in muck, mostly they are in sand or hard bottoms.
What they do is let out equal amounts of rope for each test, time the set the anchor while they power slowly, then power hard and measure max load. Its a good comparison between anchors, but not a comparison to the type of bottom.

Thanks again
Keep em' coming

Go with a Danforth, best all around anchor, if you go w/ one only good in Muck you'll be screwed if you want to anchor on hard bottom or a rockpile....

Come on Van you know the answer========all the money you have invested in your boat ///
Carry both ,, I have a large danforth with 600 ft of line /// I also carry two graplings===no worries ,I lose one I still have another for the rest of the trip=when i get back I buy another ===cheap money in the scope on expenses//////////




;)

Yeah forgot about the grapling.. ours is made of rebar welded togethor and bent into shape, if you straighten it out pulling in you can bend it back easily....
Tog were out there before the storm still... though yesterday was slow, glad I didnt skip woork to join :D
Bryan

Grappling I have, I make my own out of wrought stainless steel, (get the stock through work and weld it here too.... shhhhhhh)that way it is ductile and can be bent back many times. Best of all absolutely NO RUST !!!!!!
I have made 3 sizes over the years and have the perfect one for my size boat. The grappling I use off the stern as a second anchor when i am near the rockpiles, keeps the boat in place nice.

Lots of good suggestions, but what it seems so far, is no one here uses a spade or claw type anchor. Except the guy I work with, but he dont fish, just anchors near beaches and drink martinis......

So based on info gathered, Danforth it is (with some modifications)........:D :D ,

I'll explain later, but lets say I should not have too much trouble with pot lines !!!!!;) ;)

sharpening those inside blades on the danforth huh? " the danforth scissors" :laughs:

Shhhhhhhhhh.....;) ;)

There is a very good anchor called the fortress. http://www.fortressanchors.com/

These are awsome and have tested the best. I don't have one but have been on boats with them and they are excellent.

those fancy SS spade or weird anchors you see in the boatshows are made to look nice...not hold a boat. Actaully they do work fine but most are designed for a soft mud bottom.