BLUEMOMENT

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Anchored in the middle beside a large Dutch aluminium boat. I paid out 20m of chain (in 6m of water) and dug it in slowly with some revs astern before going flat out astern for 60 seconds to check it was bombproof. It was.

In the morning my neighbour got his anchor and was rewarded with a huge ball of kelp. I was greeted with a couple of strands of kelp and the reassuring sight of genuine Canna mud on the anchor.

It is my contention that many who think they are securely anchored in Canna are in fact attached only to large balls of kelp embedded in more still-attached kelp. I think the sharp point with 50% of the anchor weight concentrated there makes the Spade one of the few anchors that even has a chance in heavy weed.

Nick wrote:.
........... I think the sharp point with 50% of the anchor weight concentrated there makes the Spade one of the few anchors that even has a chance in heavy weed.

To quote the lady - "well, he would, wouldn't he?" It is likely that having coughed up the price of a Spade/Rocna/whatever the buyer enters into - "Post-purchase rationalization, also known as Buyer's Stockholm Syndrome, a cognitive bias whereby someone who has purchased an expensive product or service overlooks any faults or defects in order to justify their purchase. It is a special case of choice-supportive bias." (nicked frae Wiki).

A brick on a string would hold in a lot of places!

Just glanced at TOP - I thought cross-posting was a no-no. I demand Webcraft is banned from this website!

marisca wrote:

Nick wrote:.
........... I think the sharp point with 50% of the anchor weight concentrated there makes the Spade one of the few anchors that even has a chance in heavy weed.

To quote the lady - "well, he would, wouldn't he?" It is likely that having coughed up the price of a Spade/Rocna/whatever the buyer enters into - "Post-purchase rationalization, also known as Buyer's Stockholm Syndrome, a cognitive bias whereby someone who has purchased an expensive product or service overlooks any faults or defects in order to justify their purchase. It is a special case of choice-supportive bias." (nicked frae Wiki).

A brick on a string would hold in a lot of places!

I swapped the Spade for advertising on BlueMoment 14 years ago, so no BSS in my case.

My point is that most of those 'anchored' in Canna are in effect being held in place by a brick on a string.

All I know is that the Spade has failed to set precisely once in 13 years, and has never, ever dragged an inch once set.

If you don't have the faith to go full astern on your anchor then you are kidding yourself, simples. One day it may catch you out.

marisca wrote:Just glanced at TOP - I thought cross-posting was a no-no. I demand Webcraft is banned from this website!

I am not aware of any such rule. However, criticising your esteemed Webmeister is of course a no-no and liable to result in swift and dire retribution.

I haven't banned anyone for ages and am beginning to miss the lusty feeling of being crazed by unlimited power.

Nick wrote:

marisca wrote:Just glanced at TOP - I thought cross-posting was a no-no. I demand Webcraft is banned from this website!

I am not aware of any such rule. However, criticising your esteemed Webmeister is of course a no-no and liable to result in swift and dire retribution.

I haven't banned anyone for ages and am beginning to miss the lusty feeling of being crazed by unlimited power.

I would be sad if my dear friend Marisca was banned. You would be able to tell from my laughter when we meet.

Really I only posted to observe that Canna is the site of my one and only properly embarassing anchor-dragging incident in 1991, my first charter as skipper. I have however pulled up CQRs with huge balls of kelp on them a good few times in a variety of locations and given quiet thanks to Neptune that the overnight wind had been moderate. I am hoping to persuade my co-owners that one of these new fangled extra pointy anchors might be in this winter's refit budget.

Green Boat wrote:I have however pulled up CQRs with huge balls of kelp on them a good few times in a variety of locations and given quiet thanks to Neptune that the overnight wind had been moderate. I am hoping to persuade my co-owners that one of these new fangled extra pointy anchors might be in this winter's refit budget.

We used to sport a 45lb. CQR and I can recall 2 occasions when we have tried and failed to set the anchor in Airds Bay just outside our home loch, Loch Creran. One time the ball of kelp was so big that it burnt out the windlass switch trying to haul it back in and the whole shebang had to be hauled in by hand. Since then we've always avoided Airds Bay, but this year we gave it another try and the 20Kg. Kobra set hard, rock hard, on the first attempt and we had a lovely night there.

We're often in Lochaline which has to be considered the anchoring 'milk run', yet for the first time ever this year I saw someone fail to set their anchor. They dragged a CQR backwards through the anchorage (i.e. the entire loch) 3 times and then gave up went to the pontoons.

Best place for a CQR is the boatyard skip.

SteveN wrote:Best place for a CQR is the boatyard skip.

A bit harsh and I know many swear by their CQR, but it's entirely consistent with my own view since I got a Spade.

Derek

Nick wrote:

marisca wrote:Just glanced at TOP - I thought cross-posting was a no-no. I demand Webcraft is banned from this website!

I am not aware of any such rule. However, criticising your esteemed Webmeister is of course a no-no and liable to result in swift and dire retribution.

I haven't banned anyone for ages and am beginning to miss the lusty feeling of being crazed by unlimited power.

Well......?

claymore wrote:Well......?

OK Claysie,

Yer tea's oot . . .

Ye widnae ban Marisca efter yon grand report oan Gone West Heilan'

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When you look at the carp elsewhere it is apparent that everyone is shockingly well behaved on here, even Marisca, giving me little opportunity to use my godlike powers.

Managed to drag my car and 25m chain half the length of pulldobhrhain last weekend. No idea why. Passed 2 other yachts overnight!

mm5aho wrote:Managed to drag my car and 25m chain half the length of pulldobhrhain last weekend. No idea why. Passed 2 other yachts overnight!

What make of car are you using?

Typo, using phone to post. It auto corrects and doesn't like cqrs.

Dragged a cqr.