On Tue, 12 Jul 2005 00:15:20 GMT, Jere Lull wrote:

In article ,
Gogarty wrote:


The Fortress is marvelous when it digs in. It doesn't always. Its
light weight can cause it to fly over the bottom but its design
really makes it dig in once it strfats to set. Recently our windlass
has been on the blink putting the Delta 35 with all chain rode out of
business. (We could free-fall the anchor but getting it back would be
far more than this back could endure.) So we used a Fortress FX-11 on
ten to one rope rode and it held our 16,000 lb O'Day 37 perfectly.
Had a hell of a job breaking it out. We also have an FX-23 as storm
anchor. It has 40 ft. of chain and can be managed without a windlass.
To answer your question, The Fortress has tremendous holding power in
most bottoms but not weeds. The angle of the flukes can be changed
for use in soupy mud.

The flying and difficulty in breaking out are problems that the Fortress
shares with the Danforth, from which it was derived. Though either would
be adequate for the Chesapeake most of the time, I have relegated such
to secondary use after trying out the SPADE. Doesn't fly, is much easier
to break out, and won't trip out in a wind shift.

Thank you Gentlemen.
I have a German friend who has been cruising for over 20 years. They have a
bugelhof (I know that I have the spelling wrong) which is simply a straight
non-pivoting shank welded to a triangle at about an angle of 45 degrees. It has
a hemispherical 1/2 rod hoop on top to ensure it flips over. They held in plus
80 knots winds on Elizabeth reef off Australia. They swear by it. I have a
workshop template for it back aboard my boat. I have since seen a lot of German
boats with it.

Peter H