I can attest to the difficulty of setting a Fortress unless set in relatively calm conditions, even with a soft mud bottom.
It was one of 2 anchors I used when I anchored out in a local creek during Hurricane Irene's visit to NC in 2011. I set it and a bigger Danforth (~50 lbs) in calm water at about 50 degrees apart and both held without difficulty as the storm passed with barely Hurricane force winds. Boat was unscathed but had rotated at least once around the anchors as the wind veered. Both anchors were set well and took a bunch of work to release. OTOH, in a severe T-storm which blew the water out of a dock I was trying to reach without a motor, the Fortress refused to grab the bottom with 10-12 feet of chain and over 200 feet of rode in ~ 5 feet of water. Since the boat was being pushed by the wind (no sails up), it was moving toward some covered docks and my crew and I could not get it to set--it evidently was sliding over the bottom without the points digging in because we were moving a little too fast. After some serious 'swearing' and a few prayers as Water Phantom headed toward the covered dock, I realized that the storm had pushed so much water out of the creek I was in that I was now in about 4 feet of water. Then it hit me---I screamed above the howling wind and rain to my only crew to "...DROP THE ...DAMM CENTERBOARD..." When its ~ 1000 lbs of fin shaped lead hit the bottom--we stopped like we had hit a rock and did not move while the storm continued for about 15 minutes. When it passed, I saw a wave front coming into the creek about 2 feet high which restored the water depth but my board still held. A few minutes later, the sun was out and a friendly powerboat came by and towed us to the dock--centerboard up of course. Like a lot of things in sailing, when you really need an anchor or a knife, you need a REAL anchor or a REAL knife, not something that might do the job but something that HAS to do the job. Charlie Nelson Water Phantom 1995 C&C XL/kcb Oriental, NC cenel...@aol.com -----Original Message----- From: Syerdave--- via CnC-List <cnc-list@cnc-list.com> To: C&c Stus List <cnc-list@cnc-list.com> Cc: syerd...@gmail.com <syerd...@gmail.com> Sent: Sun, Aug 28, 2016 8:56 pm Subject: Stus-List Anchor test - recommended lunch hook/kedge? Quite a pair of testimonials... And some interesting replies. Based on the replies here and much of what I've read online, there is little point in having a danforth type when a larger and smaller rocna, delta or Bruce type would cover both bower and kedge applications. What does surprise me is the hype around the fortress, which many find troublesome or impossible to set in certain conditions. (As I did) Will play around with mine a bit more, but will certainly invest in something more consistently reliable. Thanks. Dave. From: David Knecht <davidakne...@gmail.com> To: CnC CnC discussion list <cnc-list@cnc-list.com> Subject: Re: Stus-List Anchor test - recommended lunch hook/kedge? Message-ID: <5573f535-4e2d-4734-8a4d-c1d071051...@gmail.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" I recently had my first anchor test. We were in Coechles harbor on Shelter Island overnight and a 50+ knot squall blew through at 2AM. I have a Rocna (I believe it is the 27 lb) with 20? of chain and I had about 70? of line which is about 6:1 in that area. I was one of the few boats that did not drag out of about 20 in the anchorage. It was nerve wracking to try to monitor, but now I have a great deal more confidence for the next time. I would also set an anchor watch next time so I could monitor my position from the cabin. I was concerned that I would have trouble getting the anchor up the next morning (still blowing 20+ and no windlass) but it came right out when we motored slowly forward. The only problem I have is that the Rocna does not fit under the bow pulpit because of the large hoop. I was considering putting it in the anchor compartment while racing, but when I realized I could not take it off without disconnecting it from the chain, I decided to leave it in place. Dave Aries 1990 C&C 34+ New London, CT From: David Knecht <davidakne...@gmail.com> To: CnC CnC discussion list <cnc-list@cnc-list.com> Subject: Re: Stus-List Anchor test - recommended lunch hook/kedge? Message-ID: <5573f535-4e2d-4734-8a4d-c1d071051...@gmail.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" I recently had my first anchor test. We were in Coechles harbor on Shelter Island overnight and a 50+ knot squall blew through at 2AM. I have a Rocna (I believe it is the 27 lb) with 20? of chain and I had about 70? of line which is about 6:1 in that area. I was one of the few boats that did not drag out of about 20 in the anchorage. It was nerve wracking to try to monitor, but now I have a great deal more confidence for the next time. I would also set an anchor watch next time so I could monitor my position from the cabin. I was concerned that I would have trouble getting the anchor up the next morning (still blowing 20+ and no windlass) but it came right out when we motored slowly forward. The only problem I have is that the Rocna does not fit under the bow pulpit because of the large hoop. I was considering putting it in the anchor compartment while racing, but when I realized I could not take it off without disconnecting it from the chain, I decided to leave it in place. Dave Aries 1990 C&C 34+ New London, CT _______________________________________________ This list is supported by the generous donations of our members. If you like what we do, please help us pay for our costs by donating. All Contributions are greatly appreciated!
_______________________________________________ This list is supported by the generous donations of our members. If you like what we do, please help us pay for our costs by donating. All Contributions are greatly appreciated!
