Tartan37.com

Hello fellow Tartan 37 owners. I am a new member and own Tartan #421, Sailsman. I cruise and race locally in Stuart Florida. I hope I can help others out in the future and appreciate your opinion about my situation.

I am in the process of upgrading my ground tackle and anchor which I know can get the eyes rolling at this old topic as well as generate a lot of discussion. My wife and I hosted a party for our local sailing club at our house last weekend and I asked 10 cruisers the same question. I received 10 different answers and they were all correct, for their boats at least.

Now I want to see what you all can recommend. I have a 35 lb CQR on 30 feet of 3/8 chain with 200 feet of 5/8 nylon rode. I am considering moving to the 44 lb Rockna with 150 feet of 5/16 HT chain and braiding(?) the 200 feet of 5/8. I was also considering 100-125 feet of 3/8 chain but am concerned that might be too much weight. My question is more about the weight in the bow. I'm interested in what others have for their ground tackle than what anchor your using. I realize my racing performance will suffer somewhat but I'm more concerned about cruising weight than racing weight.

Also interested in windlass experience. I'm pretty well sold on a vertical unit and have seen many Lewmar and Maxwell options. Haven't checked out the Lofrans units yet. Velara on another page where I posted this question had a great suggestion to add a wash down pump so any details on size etc. also appreciated. Thanks so much for your feedback. I'm still learning how to navigate around the site and will try to keep future questions more succinct.

Jesse

Anchors are like opinions, everyone has one.

Any of the newer style anchors (spade) are very good. Had a Delta for 15 years, and bent it up. Bought a Manson Supreme 35lb, I use 20ft chain and 5/8" 300ft dbl braid rode. If you club race you don't want all that chain (weight) on the bow of a T-37. I also only have a rope capstan.

Ground tackle: I think much depends on how you intend to use it. I have a 35 lb CQR and carry three other anchors that I have had out maybe twice in 25 years including two years in Central America and the Pacific and Atlantic coast of the US. If you are going to cruise Florida I would recommend a little more chain than you have as a minimum. I carry about 180 feet of 5/16th BBB chain and another 200 feet of 3/4 nylon in case there is a hurricane. I have only dragged twice: once when I set in a submerged garbage bag and another when I tried to set on a sunken concrete slab in Mexico. I generally put out 120 feet in 20 feet of water and let out more if the weather comes up. I once had a three day 25 to 30 blow in Florida with short chop--I had my second anchor ready to go but did not need it. I think that giant anchors and "new generation" anchors do not substitute for setting technique and laying out enough scope in the proper direction, it is also important that the anchor can reset itself (something the magazines do not usually test) but the marketing folks have sold people that buying a particular anchor will save you regardless of technique. My view is that technique and rode matter--as long as you have a point in the bottom and some caternary you will stay put. Chain is important to get the caternary and that is more important than any particular anchor. You need to make your own decision, but you do need chain where there are stones or coral (chafe) and you need something that will penetrate the bottom with a point---I am not a fan of Bruce anchors as they are OK in sand but do not penetrate well--all the others work well enough. Danforth cannot be beat in mud. CQR is still a great all around anchor Rocna spends an enormous amount on marketing--but they seem to be a kind of shovel on the bottom to me and do not seem to bury themselves deeper as they get tugged. Great if you just want to bring up a sample of the bottom however.

Most of the vertical windlasses will be fine if you want to get the anchor up and down (you need power down). Most of those windlasses will not last long if you back down with the rode on them or if you cinch the anchor in the roller very tight. You also should not use them to break out your anchor--snub the anchor or put on the chain stopper and drive forward over it to break it out. Always use a nylon snubber for backing down and install a chain stopper between the bow roller and windlass to take the load off the windlass. The bearings will not take it. Dont ask me how I know this. I am not a fan of foot switches as they corrode and malfunction eventually and it is not a nice thing to discover when you need them to work. I suggest a remote control (or two) for it will be something you will really appreciate if you do any amount of anchoring.

Comments like mine generally start an anchor war of contrasting opinions. You have had one opinion.