Bruce/Claw Anchor

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Love MACs
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Bruce/Claw Anchor

Post by Love MACs »

First of all I have missed u guys....have been away for almost a year due to wife's medical condition. We both just lost interest in everything and our lives were consumed by "what if". Now got our heads back on track and realized we are wishing our lives away and missing out on the "now" good times. To that end, after a year of dry dock we will get DREAMCHASER back into her slip next weekend 8) I am in the mood for a new anchor, after a bad storm on the water the last time we were out for the wk. I want a Claw/bruce anchor but in researching I keep reading that it wont fit with an ordinary bow roller (may Scratch the boat) :?: I even called West Marine and they recommend a special roller...longer one.

Just wondering for those that have/use them, did u get a special kind of bow roller? Or is this some kind of hype or bad information????
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robbarnes1965
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Re: Bruce/Claw Anchor

Post by robbarnes1965 »

No advice other that I love my Danforth. Has held in everything so far. I have seen gear test reports showing that in some situations a Bruce/Claw can be a bit better but the Danforth can even lie flat in the anchor locker if you organize well.
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Divecoz
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Re: Bruce/Claw Anchor

Post by Divecoz »

05 M My Claw has been carried in the bow roller for 7 years
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Russ
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Re: Bruce/Claw Anchor

Post by Russ »

My claw fits nicely on the bow roller. I think it's a 22lb one.
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Re: Bruce/Claw Anchor

Post by Ixneigh »

Delta. It's probably better then the claw anyway -dodges thrown items- since it's less inclined to suddenly pull free in certain bottoms. It fits fine on the oem roller. Place a bit of heavy vinyl white tape to prevent minor scuffing.
I carry the 22 but may upgrade to the 34 now that I have a windlass. Overkill for most users. The 22 is good.
After yanking claws several times I dont use them any longer.
Ixneigh
Avoid the rocna for the same reason.
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Re: Bruce/Claw Anchor

Post by vkmaynard »

HIGHLY recommend the 16.5 lb Lewmar Bruce Claw in our NC area. It grabs immediately and resets just as fast. Have not dragged once even with 35+ MPH switching winds. No delicate anchoring maneuver to set, just chunk overboard and you're done.

We have a roller that it will fit on but have not installed it yet.

We gave our 22 lb Danforth to a friend who was able to drag it.

Our 7 lb Fortress is also not reliable but great for a second anchor.

Victor
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Re: Bruce/Claw Anchor

Post by Kittiwake »

Like Victor above, I use a 7.5 kg Bruce-style as my primary anchor, and am very happy with it. I carry a slightly smaller one as a spare but have never used it. The holding ground on BC's coast tends to be sand and mud ... with hefty tidal action.
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Phil M
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Re: Bruce/Claw Anchor

Post by Phil M »

Ixneigh wrote:Delta. It's probably better then the claw anyway -dodges thrown items- since it's less inclined to suddenly pull free in certain bottoms. It fits fine on the oem roller. Place a bit of heavy vinyl white tape to prevent minor scuffing.
...
Place the vinyl white tape where? On your mac? on the roller? on the anchor?

My danforth fits nicely into the anchor locker after a few minor adjustments, but my bruce hangs from the front railing. The bruce will scratch the gel coat if I leave it on my oem bow roller.

Phil M :macm:
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Re: Bruce/Claw Anchor

Post by Divecoz »

Phil....... IIRC I just drilled another Hole for The "pin" an inch or so back on the shank and all is fine..
I went out to see what I had done...
The Claw was set in the stock Factory Roller . It has BTW 30' of chain.. I positioned the Claw so it would clear the bow and marked it through the roller with a pencil.. I drilled the hole DONE.. Locker Hatch holds the chain in place and there by holds the shank of the claw..
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Re: Bruce/Claw Anchor

Post by Kittiwake »

Divecoz wrote: .... The Claw was set in the stock Factory Roller . It has BTW 30' of chain..
..... Locker Hatch holds the chain in place and there by holds the shank of the claw..
Um, good points: I too use at least 30' of good chain between the Bruce claw and the nylon-braid rode.
For travelling, the shank of the Bruce lies nicely in the stock anchor-roller channel ... with the claw part hanging down in front of the anchor roller itself (shank resting on the roller). The tip of the claw would indeed scratch the prow gel coat; except that I bind the shank to the anchor-roller channel with 2 bungee cords. I find that 1 ( or 2 - depending on how optimistic and laid back you are) short bungee cords wrapped snugly around the Bruce shank and anchor-roller channel hold the Bruce quite nicely from sliding back to contact the prow. As Divecoz says, the anchor-locker lid, closed over the chain, helps hold the whole thing in place. The result is snug yet not entirely rigid.
Kittiwake
ps. Kittiwake is a 26M ... but my recollection is that the anchor support at the bow is similar on the 26X.
Last edited by Kittiwake on Tue Mar 20, 2012 12:45 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Bruce/Claw Anchor

Post by Obelix »

Hi Divecoz,

Could you please post pictures of your set-up :?:
I am contenplating for some time how to fit a Bruce or Claw on the existing bow-roller of my :macm: but it appears to be a pita to install a longer bow roller. :?

Obelix
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Re: Bruce/Claw Anchor

Post by Divecoz »

Sorry Obelix .. I have yet to set up another off-site Photo bank.. so I dont post pictures..
My Roller is Factory stock ( I have the longer one too hummm and as of yet have never installed it. Yes it looks to be a PITA to do)
But drilling the Anchor shaft /shank is easy. Set that Anchor on the roller.. with the shaft /shank level with the deck ( and that doesn't have to be anywhere near perfect) Use a pencil to mark the shank by pushing it through the capture pin holes .. What I actually did MYSELF was.. I drilled from both sides with a 1/8" bit about 1/2 way through.. Took The Anchor down and drilled All The Way Through with a 5/16" Bit ... The hole is a little too big and I did that on purpose.. Its me up there and most often, I am alone and I wanted to be able to get the anchor up and set and locked as quickly as possible..
I have a SS Pin to Lock The Anchor in place.. Its on a SS safety wire so I dont lose it.. Drop It! OOppss Oh Dang.. bet ya, I dont have anything in my pocket to fix this!!
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Re: Bruce/Claw Anchor

Post by pmcco »

I got a 22lb claw after Victor suggested it for our first trip to Caplook out two years ago. but leave it to me to wait until the last minuet to get any thing and the smallest one they had was the 22lber. a bit over kill, but I did not drag an inch. the po made a roller and the claw fits nice in it. the boat came with a Fortress 7 and have not tried it yet but will start to have it as a spare.
Patrick
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Re: Bruce/Claw Anchor

Post by Ixneigh »

White tape on the hull

I have a short line from the eye on the anchors shank that I tie to a small cleat. That keeps the anchor snug. I tie the anchor to the roller as Well if it going to be rough sailing. I have fifty feet of high test 1/4 inch chain and a heavy rope leader of thirty five feet. I also have an add. Coil of line ready to bend on if need be.
I like the delta because it works pretty well in hard pan coral as well as sand and mud.
They could be better made, though. Note to Simpson Laurence. The rocna has an acceptable finish.
Go study it and then copy it.

Ixneigh
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Divecoz
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Re: Bruce/Claw Anchor

Post by Divecoz »

Why would you need or want to anchor in Coral??
Ixneigh wrote: I like the delta because it works pretty well in hard pan coral as well as sand and mud.
Ixneigh
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