Anyone care to share their views on Bruce vs plow anchors.Oh, and what
weights are effective. My interest is in one for my 25 Coronado

Bob Swarts

Robert or Karen Swarts wrote:
Anyone care to share their views on Bruce vs plow anchors.Oh, and what
weights are effective. My interest is in one for my 25 Coronado


IMHO the Bruce anchor is more effective in a wider range of bottoms than
the CQR or plow type. Plows work best in sand, or grass over sand/mud.
They don't like soft mud or gravel or big rocks or hard pan. That said,
we carry a CQR on oversized chain because where we cruise (the
southeastern US coast) there is a lot of mud & sand; plus it came with
the boat.

Another strong point for the Bruce anchor is that it will set very
quickly, ad it will reset if the boat swings around 180 to a shift in
wind or curret.

You could get by with the 16.5# Bruce on 25' or chain, but I'd get the
22# one. It's only nominally bigger & harder to handle but the added
holding power would be good security.

Fresh Breezes- Doug King

I'd buy the Spade A-80. I've had one for quite a while, having sold my
16.5 Bruce. It's better and works on everything but heavy grass.

Capt. jeff

Search the internet for anchor tests. You"ll find several sites with test
data describing setting results and holding power in various types of
bottoms.
Gordon
obert or Karen Swarts" wrote in message
...
Anyone care to share their views on Bruce vs plow anchors.Oh, and what
weights are effective. My interest is in one for my 25 Coronado

Bob Swarts

I've done this, but as most of the tests caution, the behavior of anchors in
real life may differ significantly from what the tests show. This is what
prompted my question.

Thanks to all of you who have responded thus far. Hope more will continue to
contribute.

BS

"Gordon" wrote in message
...
Search the internet for anchor tests. You"ll find several sites with test
data describing setting results and holding power in various types of
bottoms.
Gordon
obert or Karen Swarts" wrote in message
...
Anyone care to share their views on Bruce vs plow anchors.Oh, and what
weights are effective. My interest is in one for my 25 Coronado

Bob Swarts

On Thu, 20 Jan 2005 09:48:17 -0800, "Robert or Karen Swarts"
wrote:
Anyone care to share their views on Bruce vs plow anchors.Oh, and what
weights are effective. My interest is in one for my 25 Coronado
======================

On a boat that size I'd use a 12 or 13 pound Danforth as a primary
anchor unless you routinely anchor in a weedy bottom. As a
secondary/storm anchor a 25 pound plow, Bruce or Spade would be
appropriate. They all have their plusses and minuses but I would rate
the Spade at least half a notch higher than the others based on my
experience. For light weight and sheer holding power it's really hard
to beat a well set Danforth however.

hint: bigger is LOTS better.

anchor weight = 10x chain weight, despite what bathtub sailors tell ya.

On Fri, 21 Jan 2005 20:08:41 -0500, Wayne.B
wrote:

On Thu, 20 Jan 2005 09:48:17 -0800, "Robert or Karen Swarts"
wrote:
Anyone care to share their views on Bruce vs plow anchors.Oh, and what
weights are effective. My interest is in one for my 25 Coronado
======================

On a boat that size I'd use a 12 or 13 pound Danforth as a primary
anchor unless you routinely anchor in a weedy bottom. As a
secondary/storm anchor a 25 pound plow, Bruce or Spade would be
appropriate. They all have their plusses and minuses but I would rate
the Spade at least half a notch higher than the others based on my
experience. For light weight and sheer holding power it's really hard
to beat a well set Danforth however.

That size Danforth will work for a 25' sailboat with the caveat of the issue of
resetting. Danforths will almost never reset if the wind or tide direction
change. On the other hand they have about the greatest holding power for their
size in mud or soft sand. \

I have a 26' sloop and have 22#, 25# Delta, and two 13# Danforths (on is rigged
as a kedge for deployment from the cockpit). I sail in the Chesapeake, which is
known for shallows and mud.

I would not carry just one anchor, always have a spare. Either a Bruce or a
Delta/CQR would be a good primary, with a Danforth as a backup for
weekend/coastal sailing. Long distance cruising needs more.

No one anchor suites every situation because the bottom is not the same
everywhere.

JJ
James Johnson
remove the "dot" from after sail in email address to reply

On Mon, 24 Jan 2005 11:09:47 -0500, Harry Krause
wrote:

Gene Kearns wrote:
On 22 Jan 2005 01:48:46 GMT, (JAXAshby) wrote:


hint: bigger is LOTS better.

anchor weight = 10x chain weight, despite what bathtub sailors tell ya.


Absolutely. Figure on an all chain rode and an anchor that
weighs..... what?


10,000 pounds minimum, and that's just the lunch hook.

=============================================

Jax says you shouldn't use an all chain rode. He learned that from
the navy and merchant marine. Apparently they have had problems
losing their catenaries.

My grandmother would have had an answer for losing your catenary. She
would have said: "Where did you last leave it?" She was just full of
wisdom like that. If I had a mishap as a kid she would always say:
"If you hadn't been there, it wouldn't have happened?"

How do you argue with logic like that?

genie, as usually, didn't know give phuck about what was posted.

**if** he had, he would know 10# _extra_ weight in an anchor = 100# extra
weight in chain, as far as holding power goes.

but then, genie, doesn't have a clew what an anchored boat does when the wind
picks up.

Gene Kearns wrote:
On 22 Jan 2005 01:48:46 GMT, (JAXAshby) wrote:


hint: bigger is LOTS better.

anchor weight = 10x chain weight, despite what bathtub sailors tell ya.


Absolutely. Figure on an all chain rode and an anchor that
weighs..... what?


10,000 pounds minimum, and that's just the lunch hook.