Our anchor is a 110 lb Bruce (genuine) (60 ton boat) which we have used since 1996 and about 35K miles of cruising on a all-chain rode of 1/2" BBB.
We have had twice had the anchor chain wrap around the up-sticking side claw (the anchor tends to set on it's side) and pull the anchor out causing us to drag. We have dragged in a squall on rare occasions. But 99% of the time it has done well for us. They say a swivel is the weak point on the system but we have had a swivel for all this time without failure. I have thought about eliminating it and might do so yet. Never use a stainless swivel with a galvanized chain. The swivel will be dissolved. Our anchor doesn't work well when fouled, as on: ball of mud, ball of kelp, a big rock, wire rope (cast off fishing gear in Gloucester), lobster trap (also in the anchorage [no warp or float) in Gloucester), various sunken trash, and it's own chain. Norm S/V Bandersnatch Lying Gloucester MA I've used a 20-kilo Bruce-type > claw with no problems to this point but am aiming to prepare for more > wind and different anchoring conditions where I'm heading. > _______________________________________________ Liveaboard mailing list [email protected] To adjust your membership settings over the web http://liveaboardonline.com/mailman/listinfo/liveaboard To subscribe send an email to [email protected] To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected] The archives are at http://www.liveaboardonline.com/pipermail/liveaboard/ To search the archives http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] The Mailman Users Guide can be found here http://www.gnu.org/software/mailman/mailman-member/index.html
