"Steve, what can you offer in that regard?"
I want to disclose that I have a business interest in Super MAX and I will not discredit the performance of another anchor nor their company. I got into this business because I love to anchor and I want to see more boaters choose the anchoring option. I want boaters to have an anchor and complete ground tackle system they are confident in and rely upon. All I hope is that when folks do their research on anchors, we are in the conversation. If that happens, I am confident in the performance of our anchor. However, to each his own. I, of course, will promote the performance of the Super MAX and I believe our success will continue to grow as more and more find out for themselves how successful it sets, holds and keeps you safe.
"Some consider it a mud anchor."
That can be fair or unfair. Soft mud and ooze are perhaps two of the most difficult seabeds to get an anchor to set and hold in. So if the Super MAX is considered a mud anchor, that is good that it holds in these difficult seabeds. However, to think that the Super MAX does not work in firmer seabeds is not accurate. The design of the fluke, the sharp fluke points of seabed entry, the fluke/shank/weight distribution design puts the anchor at rest on the seabed in the attack portion so the first pull on the rode starts the seabed penetration process. The pivoting arm Super MAX can be adjusted from a narrow angle sand setting, similar to other anchors that are designed primarily for sand. However, the operator also has the ability to adjust the fluke-to-shank setting to a medium angle for a mud setting or to the 45 degree setting for the very soft mud or ooze setting. Therefore, the large fluke area of the Super MAX works well in mud but equally well in other seabeds.
The CQR, Delta, and Bruce were excellent anchors in their day and they were state of the art when first introduced. Their design has been examined and used in the development of the new generation anchors of today. The new generation anchors have evolved from these prior designs and that is good. New generation anchors are a little misleading because these anchors are not "new" (meaning a couple years old). Many of these designs are a few decades old so not so new. However, the Super MAX, ROCNA, Manson Supreme, Ultra, to name a few, have some similarities in common that the older anchor designs to not:
1. Larger fluke area
2. Self righting for the seabed attack position
3. Flat or concave fluke design rather than designs such as the "plow convex" design.
4. Shank designs that promote deep penetration into the seabed rather than inhibiting penetration.
5. Use of higher yield steel than in prior designs.
6. Fluke points that are designed for immediate seabed penetration at the initial moment of pull.
The use of any of the above mentioned "new generation anchors" will generally provide a stronger and more consistent hold and a deeper penetration into the seabeds they were designed to perform in than the more traditional models. Each anchor has its strengths. If you match the strength of that anchor with the areas you will anchor in, set it correctly according to the manufacture, and lay out the proper scope for the depth/seabed/weather conditions, you should be pleased and satisfied with your anchor selection decision. A key here is setting correctly. No anchor, regardless of their "performance rating" will function even adequately if not set properly. Among the anchors I listed above, I believe a "less than satisfactory performance" of any anchor has more to do with operator decisions than on anchor design.
A live aboard on a "sail assisted trawler" who is known by many on various email list-serves has repeatedly stated that it does not matter if your anchor can "beat" another anchor. He states, "the only thing you need is to have your anchor and ground tackle beat Mother Nature." If one anchor is reportedly better than another and when they are deployed and a storm kicks up producing conditions greater than either can hold, I would say neither is better than the other. There are so many factors that come into play in assessing an anchor's performance:
1. Ease of setting and the ability to set firmly and quickly.
2. Ability to have deep penetration into the seabed without anything to interfere with the penetration.
3. Knowing the consistency of the seabed and planning accordingly and appropriately.
4. Greater protection from significant winds and currents.
5. Oversize. Some anchor manufacturers under-estimate the size anchor needed to properly outfit a boat. I recommend the largest anchor your boat, bow roller, and wallet can afford. I have never heard of an anchor dragging or slipping or breaking free because it was to big!
6. Anchorage geographic characteristics.
Books have been written on this and I have no desire to repeat others. My final statement is that the Super MAX, along with a number of other anchors listed above, can provide a safe, secure anchor experience if the anchoring process is done correctly and proper sizing is used. I certainly hope that folks will choose Super MAX anchors but I made a commitment when I purchased this company that I was not going to bash another company's anchor and only promote the benefits of our anchor for the customer to choose from. There are testimonials from actual users of the Super MAX that speak to its performance and all are encouraged to read these. I have recently sold anchors to boaters who had competitor's models and are now very satisfied and loyal to the Super MAX. I choose not to publicize the reasons these folks gave for their dissatisfaction with another anchor. I do not know if these are accurate or not. I suspect that is had more to do with operator decisions rather than anchor designs. I help my customers maximize the effectiveness of the Super MAX and I stand behind them with support and advice long after they make their purchase.
Steve
