A Stick in the Mud... or rock

8/4/2015

Well, Summer Snow has just completed another epic journey to Desolation Sound and this time ... instead of just fun and frivolity... the crew of Summer Snow conducted some empirical research. This research program came about as a result of our heated technical discussions about Anchors several rendezvous ago! Which anchor? How Big? etc etc. Bruce Anchors seemed to get a lot of positive press so I decided to relegate my CQR to the lazaretto and replaced it with my "spare" Bruce and put together a list of anchorages to try it out. Summer Snow departed on a smoky summer day in a nice breeze and her first target was Montague harbour. This location has been the site of many multiple tries with the CQR. So how did the Bruce fair? It hooked, it held and it even withstood the Norm test (full speed astern - 3 times). We had to drag it out of the mud with the engine to leave in the morning! To summarize... this test continued on mud, gravel, rock and kelp bottoms... the result was always the same. The Bruce hit first time, every time and more importantly never dragged. It held in some pretty stiff gusts in Pendrel (29 Knots). It didn't matter if we dropped carefully and backed away, fished for bottom (with about 35 feet out) bow first or fish for bottom in reverse to stern tie. So far I am 16 for 16. Not fully scientific, but methodical and for me convincing. I think the Bruce will now have a permanent place on the Bow, and the CQR... well it balances out the battery bank.

8 Comments

Mike Wilcox

8/4/2015 12:58:02 pm

What weight is your Bruce anchor?

henry kucera

8/4/2015 02:00:31 pm

I actually have an undersized Bruce compared to the CQR... The CQR is 33 lbs and the Bruce is 10 KG... basically 25 lbs. Most people with a 17000 pound boat would go one size larger (15 Kg). For Summer cruising the one I have is adequate but I may upsize in the future. 300 feet of chain give me a bit of insurance.

Keith Pettican

8/4/2015 01:50:29 pm

Check out
http://www.petersmith.net.nz/boat-anchors/old-generation-anchors.php

Very interesting comments on al types of anchors

Henry

8/4/2015 02:02:04 pm

I would be great to get some feedback from folks with other anchors as well.

Trevor Daroux

8/4/2015 01:54:22 pm

I have two bruce anchors on my CS 27. I anchored for lunch the other day (I only used one anchor), two friends joined me, both hanging off my anchor (a small skiff, and a san juan 24), with a 10 knott wind. No problem finishing lunch, I wouldnt have stayed over night, but the bruce held great.

John Olson - Juno II, CS 33

8/5/2015 09:13:56 am

I received a Rocna 15 for Christmas (actually received two: a Rocna 15 from the Admiral and a Rocna 10 from my parents, which I traded in for new fenders as I thought the 15 would be safer). I anchored in 25-30 knot winds off Sidney Spit last week, it grabbed the bottom right away and didn't move an inch until I attempted to pull it up and leave a day and a half later, at which point full engine power and muscles I didn't know I had were called into action to free us, there was more than one set of binoculars watching what I assume was a pretty good show - especially with the bathtub sized ball of mud and clay that came up with it. My Christmas list this year is already made: a windless.

Previously had a 7.5 KG Bruce which was a little light and didn't let allow for a full nights sleep as I'd be up constantly checking.

The anchor is attached to 75' of 3/8" chain and 250' of 5/8" nylon 3-strand.

Ron Windrim

8/13/2015 06:46:37 am

Member of CS group. Unable to login. Using email address above, please send login credentials.

Faith link

4/24/2019 04:08:28 pm

Great blog Henry!

A Stick in the Mud... or rock

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