victoraspey
regular
Reged: 26/10/2003
Posts: 471
Loc: Emsworth
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I have found fortress anchor and another similiar one (name escapes me) to work really well. Only issue is that they seem to break free when boat swings on tide. Do these anchors bear out claims of being superior? How do they get away with being lighter? How much lighter can they be to obtain the same results.
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UK distributors for tek dek and motorcat boats
www.motorcats.com
www.mcdecking.com
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longjohnsilver
regular
Reged: 30/05/2001
Posts: 6906
Loc: Glastonbury abbey
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I have one on my 30 ton trawler yacht, was in place when I bought it. FX 37, weighs about 20 odd pounds. Took it off 2 days ago for a 80+ pound delta. Now safely stored in the lazarette even though it does appear to be the right size for my boat according to the Fortress peoples web site.
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jkay
regular
Reged: 24/01/2005
Posts: 4041
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Vic
have witnessed the smallest size they make thro a tide change
hold a 27' mobo.Still can't believe it myself 
I still remember taking the pee prior to seeing it work
(bottom was firm sand in the Wash)
cheers Joe
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"It was the crew's fault"
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CraigSmith_RocnaAnchors
regular
Reged: 14/06/2005
Posts: 349
Loc: New Zealand
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Quote:
I have found fortress anchor and another similiar one (name escapes me) to work really well. Only issue is that they seem to break free when boat swings on tide. Do these anchors bear out claims of being superior? How do they get away with being lighter? How much lighter can they be to obtain the same results.
Your assessment is 100% correct - they hold well in straight lines, but do not behave well in many of the other measures that constitute a good general purpose anchor.
This applies to any Danforth style, the Fortress is not alone, and it is down more to the general design and not the fact that it is "light" per se.
The aluminium Spade is probably the best anchor which is both light, being mostly alloy (but also having a lead tip insert), and a good all round anchor. I would recommend this over a Fortress and it should be nearly as efficient in terms of holding power per Kg of weight.
It's a good example too because you can compare it to the steel version of the exact same anchor. In this light, pun not intended, the alloy version doesn't perform as well; its setting performance is hampered and it is significantly weakened in terms of strength and durability.
So the best anchors are still steel, and alloy attempts can work but are compromises. Frequently a smaller but steel anchor would be a better solution, as newer generation anchors offer surplus holding power which can be traded back for weight savings.
Look where the Fortress is on this chart. The FX-37 is around 10Kg (alloy); most other anchors are 15Kg (steel). "Max before releasing", i.e. the tan bars, is the effective measure of holding power.
The black bars, "max pull", is peak resistance recorded. Clearly it is ideal to have "max before releasing" as close as possible to this peak. The greater the difference, the less consistent/reliable the anchor.
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Craig Smith
Rocna Anchors
www.rocna.co.uk
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burgundyben
regular
Reged: 28/11/2002
Posts: 1853
Loc: Hamble
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I've got a fortress, not sure what size, plus about 10 mtrs 3/8 chain and 30 mtrs warp, boat is 28 foot and 4 tons.
I have been anchored and the tide changed many time and she has never dragged that I have been aware of.
Very pleased with it.
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victoraspey
regular
Reged: 26/10/2003
Posts: 471
Loc: Emsworth
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Is the aluminium spade the one that collapses and stores flat. That isthe one I have in which the name escapes me. Seems pretty good to me though I have not used it as much as the fortress and cannot say whether it breaks free when tide turns like the fortress.
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UK distributors for tek dek and motorcat boats
www.motorcats.com
www.mcdecking.com
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CraigSmith_RocnaAnchors
regular
Reged: 14/06/2005
Posts: 349
Loc: New Zealand
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No, well not quite flat.
www.spade-anchor.com
The Fortress comes apart completely.
If it looks the same as a Fortress with two flukes and a straight shank then it's just some other kind of Danforth.
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Craig Smith
Rocna Anchors
www.rocna.co.uk
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jerryat
regular
Reged: 20/03/2004
Posts: 3096
Loc: Nr Plymouth
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Quote:
I've got a fortress, not sure what size, plus about 10 mtrs 3/8 chain and 30 mtrs warp, boat is 28 foot and 4 tons.
I have been anchored and the tide changed many time and she has never dragged that I have been aware of.
Very pleased with it.
Well we have a 32 foot boat and have used our (reserve anchor) Fortress FX16 quite a few times on a variety of bottoms. Like you, never had a problem with it re-setting, but have had a BIG problem getting it out!! Well worth putting tripping line on them to help!
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