It 's interesting re-reading this thread - lots of interesting discussions every time anyone mentions anchors!

I 've ended up in the camp of one big modern anchor for all duties - 80lb Manson Supreme on a 44ft boat.

Dick: When I first purchased Toodle-oo!, she had a Spade of similar size. I can say that my own experience echos Daria 's and the theoretical test above - in that it was much more susceptible to dragging if less scope was used when compared to the Manson.

I ended up selling the Spade in favor of the Manson (which I 'd experienced on my previous boat) though I wish I 'd kept it as a back-up... I 'm now thinking of getting an Aluminum Spade as a back-up that could be deployed if needs be from a dinghy...

Bill Balme

Daria, Interesting. I am largely much more of a fan of field reports such as yours than any of the various tests that publications periodically indulge in.
Looking for your reply lead me to see that there are multiple pages for some threads that I was unaware of (computers are not my area of expertise by a long shot) which meant that some of the items I addressed had already been commented on.
My apologies. Dick

Hi Dick,
In one of the better comparative tests of anchors published in SAIL magazine in October 2006, the effect of scope on holding power was evaluated. That test showed that the holding power of the Spade was excellent at 5:1 but significantly reduced at 3:1 scope. That was not the case for the Rocna, Manson Supreme, Fortress or Wasi(Bugel). Anchor tests always have their own issues but we have found that more scope is better for the Spade in our own experience.

We all know that more scope is better in general and we normally would never use less than 5:1, but sometimes (crowded anchorage, deep water) there is no other choice. I agree that the Spade is an excellent anchor. This finding is just something to be aware of.

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Vice Commodore, OCC 

Hey all,
Some thoughts on deploying 2 anchors:
One consideration that leads me to suggest that one should lean towards seldom deploying 2 anchors is the occasional need to up anchor and move in the middle of the night under adverse conditions. I attempt to anchor any time we overnight ready for gale conditions with only one anchor and I always know a bearing for departure from the anchorage. In 3 -10 minutes (depending on scope) I can be free and gone (faster if I do it by hand which I had to do a back wrenching time on the Thames River 2 years ago). With 2 anchors, quick departures becomes far more difficult.
Handling 2 anchors in adverse conditions can also be dangerous.
Deploying anchors in a “Y” formation is an invitation for dragging boats to “funnel” into your bow and get pinned there making considerable damage likely and extraction dangerous to people.
Far better to devise your primary anchoring system to be robust enough to rarely call for a second anchor.
My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy

Hi Daria,
Has anyone else documented your observation that a Spade needs more scope than a Rocna to set? I pay a good deal of attention to ground tackle and anchoring techniques and this is a new observation to me.
I am uncomfortable with casual asides of a critical nature from those whose advice will likely be heard and followed without an attempt at balance. Many casual readers will read your statement:
We have aboard and use the Ultra as our primary and the Rocna as our storm anchor. We also have the Spade but find that it needs more scope than the other two. (After all, we write about anchors and anchoring so we have lots of them.)
As an endorsement of Spade over Rocna. You may mean that to be the message, but there are some concerns over Rocna’s design (and occasional problems in action) that leads many thoughtful sailors/experts to endorse a Spade over a Rocna.
That said, I believe both to be superb anchors, far more effective than older generation anchors.
My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy

Great the pictures are back on! Below is the Moistessier method

[attachment=63]image.jpg[/attachment]

If send me the diagram by email I will work out how to save it on the Forum.
Simon
Simon@medex.org.uk

I 'm a better sailor than an artist. I hope the sketch I have drawn explains the anchoring method. Unfortunately the image is not loading to this message. If you would like the image email me and I 'll send it along.

Use whatever anchors your comfortable with and are appropriate for the circumstances.

Easy Go has a junk rigged schooner sail plan and tends to wander around quite a bit in strong winds in an anchorage. I have found that the Moistessier set dampens that somewhat. I 'll often put a second small anchor over the bow roller on its own chain to the depth of the water plus another fifteen feet. This drags around the bottom and stops the boat from wandering as much. If the wind shifts it is easy to raise and allow the boat to swing.

Easy go, great idea. Much like a tandem anchor setup but better because it doesn 't attach to the crown. Still achieves 100:1 scope between the two anchors, doesn 't it? I 'll have to re-read Moitessier 's books. I have to say though that I 'd rather use two scoop anchors rather than a Bruce or a fisherman or a plough.

Vice Commodore, OCC 

To be clear, the smaller Bruce is set in line with the main bower?