Anchoring

A forum for discussing topics relating to MacGregor Powersailor Sailboats
Prospect
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Anchoring

Post by Prospect »

Can we start a discussion about anchoring? I have a 2006 26m with a stock anchor. I have never used it and neither did the previous owner. I'm not sure what length the rode is on the boat. How is the stock anchor? Do most users upgrade or is it satisfactory. I don't imagine other anchors would fit in the anchor locker.

Anchoring techniques would be appreciated.

I'm on lake Ontario.
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NiceAft
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Re: Anchoring

Post by NiceAft »

As far as I know, there is no such thing as a stock anchor. An anchor was not included in the purchase of an M. I am the original owner of my 2005 M, the anchor was a separate purchase.

As to what anchor to use, that’s a whole can of worms that has been discussed many times.

I will add info as I check more sources. I am also sure you will get many replies.

I am not going to say what my anchor is, others may, do your own due diligence. I will say you should have thirty feet of chain with what ever your choice is.
Ray ~~_/)~~
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NiceAft
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Re: Anchoring

Post by NiceAft »

Ray ~~_/)~~
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Jimmyt
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Re: Anchoring

Post by Jimmyt »

Prospect wrote: Tue Feb 21, 2023 4:08 pm Can we start a discussion about anchoring? I have a 2006 26m with a stock anchor. I have never used it and neither did the previous owner. I'm not sure what length the rode is on the boat. How is the stock anchor? Do most users upgrade or is it satisfactory. I don't imagine other anchors would fit in the anchor locker.

Anchoring techniques would be appreciated.

I'm on lake Ontario.
For those of us that aren’t lucky enough to be familiar with Lake Ontario, what is the bottom material? What depth will you be anchoring in?

Like Ray says, Macgregor didn’t make anchors, so what type do you have?

Mine is an aluminum Fortress, likely an FX-7. I’d have to check to be sure, so maybe tomorrow I can have a look. Ditto chain length and size. It holds great in sand, which is 90% of my desired anchoring needs. Organic muck, like inside of the bridge at fowl river, just fouls the anchor and breaks loose in a big ball. Now, it’s got to be blowing pretty good to do that. Guess how I know…

Anchor setup should be tailored to your boat and usage (at least the majority of usage), realizing that you may need several different setups to fulfill your needs if you have a variety of anchoring scenarios.

You may get a wide variety of responses.

I haven’t done much anchoring except in sand. Don’t even try in the rivers when it’s blowing. The Fortress is light, fits in my anchor locker, and holds great in sand. Right now, it’s the right solution for me.
Jimmyt
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Cruising Waters: Mobile Bay, Western Shore, Fowl River
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NiceAft
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Re: Anchoring

Post by NiceAft »

Starscream is from Montreal, Read Starscream’s post, it may be of help?

viewtopic.php?p=356715&hilit=Anchor+types#p356715
Ray ~~_/)~~
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kurz
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Re: Anchoring

Post by kurz »

I use the best anchor... Ist is the Jambo anchor
Image

2 of them can be stored in the anchor locker. The 11kg stays at the anchor roller, the 8kg in the anchor locker.
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Be Free
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Re: Anchoring

Post by Be Free »

"What is the best anchor?" is right up there with "How long is a piece of string?". Let's resist the urge to to insist on a "one size fits all" answer and just "testify" as to what works for you and under what conditions.

The best anchor is the one that works on your boat with the current bottom, wind, current, wave action, and tide swing based on how you set it this time. You will always know which anchor is best in hindsight. You can predict a "best" anchor with experience but you you can't know for sure until you pull it up. :wink:

With experience you will find out what works best for your boat in your anchorages under your condtions. As this thread evolves, hopefully someone will describe conditions that are similar to what you normally experience and you will be able to apply that to your own situation. There is no "best anchor" or even "best technique". There are multitudes of opinions and techniques and there are just as many exceptions. Try the ones that apply to you and find out what works best for you.

Where I anchor the bottom is almost always sand or mud. I used an older 8 lb "Danforth" style anchor with 6' of chain and 120' of rope rode. Traditionally, that would be a little small for a 26' boat but I've found it to be perfect for my expected conditions. Everything fits in the anchor locker, it sets quickly and reliably. I've anchored out in every reasonable (and a few unreasonable) conditions and it has only dragged once. In hindsight and after surveying the bottom I don't think any anchor I could carry would have held in that spot and I've never tried to anchor there again.

There are a multitude of conditions where this would be the absolutely worst configuration of anchor, chain, and rope. Evaluate all recommendations against your situation.

My technique is to drop the anchor and pay out rode until I get to my desired scope. I tie the anchor rope off and let the boat continue to drift until I feel the anchor begin to set. I put the engine in reverse and idle against the anchor for a short time. If it is still holding (and it almost always is) I increase the throttle until I am confident it is set well.

I'm normally anchoring in 5' to 15' of water and I try very hard to find spots that have no other boats anywhere near them. Because there are seldom any other boats around I don't have to worry about my swing radius or the "Mac Dance" that most of us experience at anchor if there is any significant wind. That could be a problem if you are anchored near another boat that does not swing in a similar manner.
Bill
2001 26X Simple Interest
Honda BF40D
"If I were in a hurry I would not have bought a sailboat." Me
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kurz
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Re: Anchoring

Post by kurz »

Well, I think it is easier.
The best anchor is that, that is good in most of grounds, and that will grab soon after it came out by turning wind.

For this reason : JAMBO...
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pitchpolehobie
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Re: Anchoring

Post by pitchpolehobie »

kurz wrote: Wed Feb 22, 2023 12:08 pm Well, I think it is easier.
The best anchor is that, that is good in most of grounds, and that will grab soon after it came out by turning wind.

For this reason : JAMBO...
I looked into the Jambo it was near impossible to get in USA. Unsure about our northern neighbor. I believe it's European.

I think we'd need to know more about expected conditions to give specific recs on anchor systems.

Personally if I was starting from scratch now knowing what kind of conditions I would anchor in my 26X...I'd buy a quick connect Mantus M1 8lb with 30ft of G43 anchor chain and 150ft of 1/2inch twisted 3 strand ñylon rode. That's for lake Erie and inland OH mostly sand and mud conditions and should be good for 35 to 50mph wind which is still more than what I'd want to be in.
$350 ...but buy once cry once. That system 'should' fit in the 26x anchor locker if stored neatly.

https://www.mantusmarine.com/product/8- ... us-anchor/
2002 MacGregor 26X: Remedium
Tohatsu 25HP
Cruising Area: Inland Ohio, Lake Erie
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Russ
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Re: Anchoring

Post by Russ »

pitchpolehobie wrote: Wed Feb 22, 2023 6:08 pm $350 ...but buy once cry once.
LOL

That's about right.

Looks like an excellent anchor.
--Russ
Prospect
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Re: Anchoring

Post by Prospect »

pitchpolehobie wrote: Wed Feb 22, 2023 6:08 pm
kurz wrote: Wed Feb 22, 2023 12:08 pm Well, I think it is easier.
The best anchor is that, that is good in most of grounds, and that will grab soon after it came out by turning wind.

For this reason : JAMBO...
I looked into the Jambo it was near impossible to get in USA. Unsure about our northern neighbor. I believe it's European.

I think we'd need to know more about expected conditions to give specific recs on anchor systems.

Personally if I was starting from scratch now knowing what kind of conditions I would anchor in my 26X...I'd buy a quick connect Mantus M1 8lb with 30ft of G43 anchor chain and 150ft of 1/2inch twisted 3 strand ñylon rode. That's for lake Erie and inland OH mostly sand and mud conditions and should be good for 35 to 50mph wind which is still more than what I'd want to be in.
$350 ...but buy once cry once. That system 'should' fit in the 26x anchor locker if stored neatly.

https://www.mantusmarine.com/product/8- ... us-anchor/
How long does it take to set it up and ready to use. It say that it's spring loaded and no bolts needed. I'm asking because there are times that you need to drop the anchor NOW (lee shore or motor failure).
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pitchpolehobie
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Re: Anchoring

Post by pitchpolehobie »

Prospect wrote: Thu Feb 23, 2023 6:10 am
pitchpolehobie wrote: Wed Feb 22, 2023 6:08 pm
kurz wrote: Wed Feb 22, 2023 12:08 pm Well, I think it is easier.
The best anchor is that, that is good in most of grounds, and that will grab soon after it came out by turning wind.

For this reason : JAMBO...
I looked into the Jambo it was near impossible to get in USA. Unsure about our northern neighbor. I believe it's European.

I think we'd need to know more about expected conditions to give specific recs on anchor systems.

Personally if I was starting from scratch now knowing what kind of conditions I would anchor in my 26X...I'd buy a quick connect Mantus M1 8lb with 30ft of G43 anchor chain and 150ft of 1/2inch twisted 3 strand ñylon rode. That's for lake Erie and inland OH mostly sand and mud conditions and should be good for 35 to 50mph wind which is still more than what I'd want to be in.
$350 ...but buy once cry once. That system 'should' fit in the 26x anchor locker if stored neatly.

https://www.mantusmarine.com/product/8- ... us-anchor/
How long does it take to set it up and ready to use. It say that it's spring loaded and no bolts needed. I'm asking because there are times that you need to drop the anchor NOW (lee shore or motor failure).
I have the 2.5lb dinghy version I keep in my cockpit for exactly that reason. It takes about 10seconds. It's a spring-loaded pin that's always attached. In fact it's the anchor I use the most bc most of my conditions for anchoring are light wind and sand. It's held my 26x at 15knots with 2ft rolling white caps. I bought it after I saw SV Panope review it on YouTube.
2002 MacGregor 26X: Remedium
Tohatsu 25HP
Cruising Area: Inland Ohio, Lake Erie
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Jimmyt
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Re: Anchoring

Post by Jimmyt »

Just to close the loop, this is the setup I have. Works fine in sand. I use it in shallow water 0-10 ft.

Image
Jimmyt
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Ixneigh
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Re: Anchoring

Post by Ixneigh »

I have a 50 lb fisherman anchor on 70 feet of high test chain and variable length of line if needed.
I have the largest anchor in use by the Mac fleet.
I anchor out all the time. In ten years I’ve never been tied to a dock. I tend to anchor close to shore where dragging could become an issue quickly, the harbors in the Fl Keys can be difficult to anchor in, and I have the tackle to handle the anchor effectively. Plus the system minimizes crud on the boat, as the anchor never come on board.
There is no stock anchor for boats. Only what is needed for your own use.

Ix
"Shoal Idea"
2011 M, white
Etec 60
South Fl.
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rsvpasap
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Re: Anchoring

Post by rsvpasap »

Hello Ixneigh. Your installation of the manual windlass on your 26M is a first class piece of work. I've watched your videos detailing this a couple of times and I'm still amazed at how ingenious this was.

I have a 35 lb Mantus M1 with 30 ft of 1/4 inch G4 chain and 300 ft 1/2 inch double braid rope.
I put a 1.5 inch twisted shackle at the base of the roller furler to accommodate the anchor shank. (I also carry a small fortress style anchor which I have used only once, to kedge off a sandbar.) In my area, PNW, we generally have 12 to 15 ft tidal swings, so it's not unusual to have out 200+ ft of scope. I anchor frequently, at least 100 nights each year, and raise the anchor by hand. Previously, I was a true believer in using a trip line anchor buoy,, but gradually gave it up because it's really not necessary when you have a 60 hp outboard to break the anchors hold on the seabed.

Image

Image



Raising an anchor single-handed in adverse conditions is a nerve-wracking, wet job at first, but you begin to develop tricks and techniques after doing it many times. One of the most useful things I've learned to do is to cinch the rode up as tight as possible and then back the boat out into deeper water, maybe as much as a couple hundred feet, bringing the anchor with you. This gives you more time and distance from the shore to work with.

I also feel peer pressure from the boats around me and the old salt sailors to change the chain from 30 ft 1/4 inch G4 to 50+ ft of 5/16. But after having a chat with Juho Karhu of Alluring Arctic sailing about this, he pointed out that the alleged benefits of the "cantonary effect" are always going to be minimized, and your rode is going to be pulled taut, when you need it most, no matter what size chain you use. Better to have an oversized modern anchor than a lot of heavy chain. https://kb.rocna.com/kb/Scope_vs_catenary

Just pointing out that double braid line stays pliable even if full of dried sea salt. Meanwhile, three strand tends to get very stiff, so stiff it really will not bend to fit in a Macgregor anchor locker. Plus double braid is stronger than three strand.

SV Panope is a wealth of information about anchors and anchoring. I found this video particularly interesting, reinforcing the idea that once you have out 7-1 scope, the weight of your rode is only a minor factor.

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