Aluminum anchors

J

justgotaboat

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Jun 18, 2009
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31427
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I recently bent my danforth style fluke anchor. I believe I stuck it on a submerged tree and when trying to reverse to release it ... bent it. I have a smaller slip ring lunch hook. In a search for a new Main anchor I've seen aluminum ones of the same style. Has anyone tried an aluminum one? Any opinions?

Thanks
 
Yup. Used them on 40,000lb boats. They held great, but bent a couple of them pretty good after hanging them up and trying to power them out. 870HP throwing 20 tons around will bend the **** out of an aluminum Fortress anchor.
 
I bent a galvanized one once

RWS
 
Used aluminum anchors for years. One for the 36’ twin engine sportfish, the other for the 23’ CC.
 
you reverse to free your Danforth? wouldn't that make it dig in harder?
 
It depends on the bottom. In the Bahamas or hard packed sand, or a grassy bottom they flat out suck. Ditched an FX-55 for a Delta. We used the FX-55 once at Great Sale Cay and all it did was gather a beach ball sized mass of sand and grass that had it bouncing along the bottom.
 
quote:
Originally posted by Gregory S

you reverse to free your Danforth? wouldn't that make it dig in harder?

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I spun 180 degrees and then reversed. Pulling in the opposite direction of which it was set.
 
If you have a windlass the AL anchor offers no advantage. I have used many anchor styles and the danforth patters was the most trouble. They hold well in sand and mud but that's it. If i bought a new anchor it would be a bruce pattern.
 
quote:
Originally posted by pdecat

If you have a windlass the AL anchor offers no advantage. I have used many anchor styles and the danforth patters was the most trouble. They hold well in sand and mud but that's it. If i bought a new anchor it would be a bruce pattern.

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I’m not sure Bruce style will fit in my anchor locker. And I don’t have a windlass. It’s a 2001 sea ray 245 Weekender. The 8 pound danforth I have just barely fits into the anchor locker as is.
 
I used a fortress 55 for years on my boat. Holds well in sand or mud but will clog up with grass and won’t reset if wind or current shifts. Very strong and good anchor. On a small boat without windlass it s perfect

Last year I got a slight bend on a 176lbs Bruce/Claw I have on the 84 I run. Not sure how as It wasn’t stuck or anything but it had been blowing hard that night and the boat was really swinging
 
OK on a 24 you dont have many options and the AL certainly is easier to handle. Go for it just be sure of a good set.

Lots of sand and mud in NJ just avoid the grass and you should be fine.

I once had a Danforth fail to set because a big clam got stuck between the flukes. You never know what will happen.
 
What happened to the practice of pulling forward until your anchor line is vertical then pulling the anchor straight up? That's how I've always done it and it's how we do it on CVN 78 too!
 
quote:
Originally posted by Gregory S

What happened to the practice of pulling forward until your anchor line is vertical then pulling the anchor straight up? That's how I've always done it and it's how we do it on CVN 78 too!

Click to expand...

As long as you’re not hung up on something, works great. Get it up to short stay and take up slack as you can, and you have the full displacement of the boat pulling it loose.
 
quote:
Originally posted by Gregory S

What happened to the practice of pulling forward until your anchor line is vertical then pulling the anchor straight up? That's how I've always done it and it's how we do it on CVN 78 too!

Click to expand...


Tried that. Pulled with all my strength. It felt like I’d have the weight of the anchor. Then come up another 3-4 ft. And then it would get heavier and not come up anymore. That’s why I was thinking a submerged tree. I could feel the weight of the anchor, then it stuck.
 
If operating in areas with trees and crap on the bottom, like some lakes, stanching a trip line to the other end of the anchor with a small float can be an anchor saver.
 
quote:
Originally posted by November Charlie

quote:
Originally posted by Gregory S

What happened to the practice of pulling forward until your anchor line is vertical then pulling the anchor straight up? That's how I've always done it and it's how we do it on CVN 78 too!

Click to expand...

As long as you’re not hung up on something, works great. Get it up to short stay and take up slack as you can, and you have the full displacement of the boat pulling it loose.

Click to expand...


Smaller boats can use Human Displacement, too. I worked with an old Rag-Bagger (that's a sail boater) who would single hand his 30 ft Bennetau. to weigh anchor, he'd get the boat to short stay, tie off the anchor, and walk to the back of the boat - as he moved from fore to aft, back of boat goes down, front goes up, anchor aweigh! Of course, Your results may vary.
 
Thanks for all the hints and tips. Hopefully I’ll remember a few if I get stuck again. I went ahead and ordered an aluminum anchor last night! Thanks for the help!
 
Used to be, not sure if still true, but Fortress will replace any part of one of their anchors that bent. I believe you just mail the bent part to them and they send a new part.
 
quote:
Originally posted by PascalG

If operating in areas with trees and crap on the bottom, like some lakes, stanching a trip line to the other end of the anchor with a small float can be an anchor saver.

Click to expand...


+1

The one time I did not use a trip line, I bent an anchor.
 
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