[Rhodes22-list] Go-To Anchor

[David Bradley]

Bill, is the Fortress aluminum anchor that fits in the bow pulpit fitting
the FX-11 (7 lb.) or the FX-7 (4 lb.).  I had thought it was the FX-11.

I'm sure Fortress has a reason for their numbering scheme -- I just can't
figure it out.

Thanks,

Dave Bradley


On 1/14/06, Bill Effros <bill at effros.com> wrote:
>
> I set up my anchor rodes with and without chain.  As noted last year I
> had more than a dozen anchors on board at one point.  I set up hardware
> so that I could quickly snap things together and take them apart.  I
> expected to be mixing and matching all summer.  I have anchors and rode
> all over my boat.
>
> I was very surprised, at some point roughly half way through the summer,
> to discover that I kept coming back to the same set-up over and over.
>
> My Go-To anchor is a 2 1/2 pound Guardian (made by Fortress, but the
> less expensive model), fully assembled, with floating anchor rode (3/8"?
> 1/2"? -- I'm not sure), no chain, pre-spliced eye, stored in a
> Rubbermaid container under a cockpit seat, not fastened to anything at
> the bitter end, deployed from the stern, tied off on a stern cleat, set
> from the stern, then walked to the bow.
>
> I have removed all vinyl clad anchors from my boat except for the
> "bullet" anchors which are essentially nothing more than shaped lead
> covered with vinyl.  They weigh 15 lbs each, and can be used as kellets
> or paper weights.  So far they have only been tested as paper weights
> and they are more than adequate for this task.  The cladding completely
> defeats the design of pointy or sharp edged anchors by blunting the
> points and the edges.
>
> My Go-To anchor is always on board, and always at the ready.  It is easy
> to deploy and easy to retrieve.  It always sets properly, and has been
> tested in the most extreme conditions I would ever use an anchor.  It
> has never come close to starting to deform, and has always been more
> than adequate for holding our boat.  It often comes up clean, but if
> not, a couple of dunks is all it takes to make it like new.  There
> hasn't been any corrosion.  I don't take the time to wash it off after
> use, I just put it back under the seat.  I have 2 guardians; the Go-To,
> and another, disassembled, in the Laz. and a Fortress FX-7 on the bow,
> detached from anchor line in the bow tray.
>
> I also have 3 folding grapnels of different sizes, and a "sand screw"
> for beaches.
>
> As mentioned previously, I have never had the need for anything more
> than the Go-To, and doubt I ever will.  I plan to experiment next summer
> with variations on "Bahamian" anchoring where you set multiple anchors
> at different angles from a single point on board so that when the wind
> shifts you drop off one anchor and pull on another.  I believe this set
> up is stronger both in terms of rode and ground tackle than a single
> anchor and rode with the same rating.  From Ben and Bob's accounts of
> hurricane anchoring, and what I have read, I think I would set multiple
> anchors in hurricanes and then quickly get off the boat.
>
> I kept going for the Go-To because it is so easy to handle.  I still
> have plenty of anchor rode with chain, but it always comes up dirty, so
> I pick the all rope rode, given my druthers.  The only thing I like
> about the chain is that it provides a warning before the anchor breaks
> out of the water.  What I don't like is that you can't "feel" the bottom
> the way you can with an all rope rode.
>
> Bill Effros
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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--
David Bradley
203.253.9973
dwbrad at gmail.com