Hi Al

If you haven't yet figured out why your question elicited no answer, it's
because I exhausted the List on this topic earlier this month. Go back to
the earlier threads and you'll find a wealth of material.

However, the short answer to your question is that the Danforth sets best
in sand and mud and worst in grass. Its fluke design simply does not
encourage it to penetrate the grass to get to a bottom where it can grab.
There seem to be several popular but local variants on the Danforth that
purport to do a better job in more difficult circumstances, but the jury is
still out.

Ploughs (plows?) are better but not perfect in grass because of fluke
design and, no less important, weight, but some aren't as good in mud as
the Danforth. Each of the plough types has its legion of fans.

The Super Max, according to everyone who uses one, is the absolute best mud
anchor there is. The company says it's also good in grass, but a couple of
users have had different experiences. I didn't care for its unattractive
appearance nor the fact that it's fiddly. Its stock angle must be manually
adjusted for different bottoms, and its setting action appears to be
particularly sensitive to scope.

The Delta has the advantage of simplicity, but I simply couldn't believe
the company's claims that a 22 pound model would be adequate for my 15 ton
boat. A couple of locals who have them claimed they drag, even in sand.

The really knowledgeable members of the List all said that every boat
requires a range of anchor types and sizes to meet differing conditions.
Those who REALLY cruise seem to also carry a heavy, knock-down fisherman
for the times when nothing else works.

After all the advice and taking into account the singular fact that the
vast majority of serious cruisers in my area carry either a Bruce or a CQR,
my choice was the 44 pound Bruce - the recommended size for my 41' boat.
However, when I bought one it wouldn't fit on my double bow roller which I
didn't want to tear out. So I returned it and purchased a CQR which does
fit, and I took the Lists' collective advice to go up one size from the
recommended 35 to a 45. It's now my main anchor, and the original Danforth
remains in its chocks ready for use as a lunch hook or stern anchor. I'm
keeping an eye out for a used Luke or something similar as an emergency
brake, and still have to purchase a new, larger and longer rode, after
which the existing one will become a spare. Slowly but surely.

Cheers, Garrett

Nice summary but there is one that you haven't mentioned. It's ugly
as sin, couldn't possibly fit over a bowroller but the trawler that
came into the marina the other day swears by it. Says it's called a
"Bullwagga" and sets and holds anywhere. It's apparently named after
the mountain where the guy lives who invented it: "Bullwagga
Mountain" somewhere in the Northern U.S. If I wouldn't have seen the
thing with my own eyes, I'd believe someone was pulling my leg. But I
did see it, sitting on the foredeck of a substantially looking boat.

Garrett

Have you or anybody you know used the West Marine Claw.

Looks pretty good to me. Looks like it would grab grass.
.
Captain Al Pilvinis

"M/V Driftwood"--Prairie 47
2630 N.E. 41st Street
Lighthouse Point, Fl 33064-8064
Voice 954-941-2556 Fax 954 788-2666
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