Rich,

I caution everyone that the Spade is not the best in soft mud. I don't
know what it is about it but it has to get down past the mud into
something more solid. This is one place where the CQR beat the spade in
the Practical Sailor tests. I think it is the difference in geometry.
The CQR sets by dragging forward and down so it must continue to sink
while the Spade drags forward much less as it sets. It evidently finds a
level it is comfortable in and stays there.

I ran my own test in my pond which is about 24" of soft organic mud over
Georgia red clay. Tested an S80 against a 35# CQR and a 33# Claw. The
CQR set first try and held to about 800#. The first 3 tries on a 5:1
scope we could not get the Spade to grab. It broke out at about 250#
and brought up a wad of rotten leaves. Next we tried to set at 7:1 and
it held to over 850#. When we broke it out we could see traces of red
clay up to the front of the shank. This runs counter to what I usually
do; set on a 3 or 4 to 1 and let out to 6 or 7:1 if needed. You might
try setting long and then shortening scope but I make no guarantees.

Oddly, I sold a stainless 100 to a power boater in St. Lewis last year
for use on the Mississippi on 3/16 and 5/8 nylon. The bottom of the
Mississippi is liquid mud up to 30' deep and you have to hold against a
constant 3 to 4 knots of current but he has found it to hold great. I
will have to ask him how much scope he is using.

To complicate things, I got a report from a customer who was in Luperon,
DR. Sold him a steel 140 and he is using all chain. That has to be the
nastiest mud bottom in the Caribbean but he was full of compliments. Go
figger.

Rich Hampel wrote:
I have a 44# steel spade on a 24000 boat. I use 25 ft. of 5/16 chain
followed by 3/4" three strand
This anchor will hold extremely well and reset itself in a microsecond
.... except in soft mud.
Even after initially setting scope at 10:1 and letting the anchor
'settle-in' , it just plainly wont hold. Ive read several posts from
other who seem to have no problems with soft mud and a spade. Any
suggestions?

PING - Glen Ashmore do you have a drawing or list of the lead /
critical lead angles for this anchor - maybe the dimensional angles are
'off' on this particular one.

--
Glenn Ashmore

I'm building a 45' cutter in strip/composite. Watch my progress (or lack
there of) at: http://www.rutuonline.com
Shameless Commercial Division: http://www.spade-anchor-us.com