It's big and it's ugly but it is great

I have for some time been considering changing our 110lbs CQR Plow anchor to something else. I have had concerns which have grown with each anchoring about the ability of our anchor to set quickly and hold as the winds kick up. The CQR is a hinged shaft to plow and was a big improvement in its day. But it does have some decided disadvantages all of which I have experienced in one form or fashion. On the "bright side" it was SS and looked really nice.

It will take sometimes up to 60 feet to set which in a crowded or narrow space is problematic. We have also dragged in some windy weather and it will not reset unless you raise it and set it straight down again. Err. In my mind at least I have come to think of it as a fair weather anchor that on a summer night in light winds works well; otherwise you need to be extra vigilant on anchor watches. Here is a video of a set example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmGAckf69pE&feature=related

This past Friday I had a new Rocna 55 (121lbs) galvanized anchor put on  (http://www.rocna.com/our-story/features-of-a-rocna/ )  It is a bit bigger on the ugly side but to me it is a thing of beauty. It is designed to set quickly and deep. The roll bar helps align it to the proper position to set quickly.We are traditional when anchoring, we deploy a minimum of 7:1 scope, meaning 7 feet of chain for every foot of depth. We use an all chain of rode and we set snubbers.  Snubbers are ropes we attach from the bow on the port and starboard side hawser holes which are then are attached to the chain. They act as a shock absorber as the boat swings on the anchor and takes the stress off the windlass. Tomorrow we will depart Ft Lauderdale City Docks on New River and travel to Key Biscayne Bay for an anchorage followed by an anchorage in either Rodriquez Key or Channel Five Bridge area then Marathon anchorage and ending in Key West.

 The weather looks to be good with winds from the SE and seas will be fine for running down Hawks Channel all the way to Key West. This gives us a great opportunity to put this bad boy anchor to the test and hopefully sleep well at night.

It boils down to give me a big, heavy ugly anchor any day over a nice looking hull ornament. The business end of the bow is meant for anchoring other wise we would stay at a dock!