Wanted: Fortress FX-23 or FX-37 anchor

Seeking Fortress FX-23 or FX-37 anchor:

With 45 degree shank to fluke adjustment angle for soft mud conditions and also having Mud Palm attachments.

I’m in SF Bay Area.

Please PM me if you have a good condition Fortress anchor.

Thanks Art

While I have a smaller version as a spare anchor in the lazaret, unused (well, it does have its merits), I hate the design for pinching my fingers and bringing up a lot of bottom, and would never trust it when experiencing reversals of tidal currents.

Just saying you want an aluminum anchor get a spade. I have had both and suggest the spade much better all around anchor as primary or back up.

eyschulman said:

Just saying you want an aluminum anchor get a spade. I have had both and suggest the spade much better all around anchor as primary or back up.

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TY eys

I checked out Spade anchor website. Watched videos... Looks pretty good. No dealers near by. I called a Dana Point dealer listed on website, got recorder and left message. Where'd you get you Spade?

So far my choice is between a Magnum and a Spade for SF Delta's soft mud bottom. One factor is weight, Magnum FX-23 is only 15 lbs. and it's well oversized for our 34' Tolly.

We shall see!

Fortress is a nice anchor for where you are. Used those and Danforths on various boats over the years out there. Delta work pretty well too. Both do fine in the gentle reversing currents found in most places, though a lot of places you end up using a stern anchor too, straight up or Bahamian moor, as you are often in restricted space in the sloughs.

Spades are not highly marketed in most parts of US a Euro product. They can be ordered direct from net or from some marine supply companies. With their light weight and come apart form they are not hard to ship. A spade in the 15-16 lb range probably good for your boat check with info on spade site. There are two things a spade does much better than fortress Setting and reset after big change in wind or current direction otherwise are similar for any practical considerations.

As a design I like the Spade anchor a lot.

The shank is very light and strong (tubular) welded up fabrication. Knife like leading edge on the shank and ideally shaped concave fluke. Requires ballast though and in the anchor tests I've read the aluminum Spade has done poorly (on a relative basis) so I'd be inclined to get a smaller steel Spade of the same weight. But surface area is very important in mud. I was glad to hear of someone (eyshulman) halving good luck w a Spade. Was hot to get one in the past. There was an anchor test that was conducted in mud only and the old XYZ won that one. At 13lbs it out shone all others.

In the anchor test The top performing anchors were

3-1 Scope;
1. XYZ
2. Hydro Bubble
3. Kingston Plow
4. Davis Talon XT
5. Bulwagga
6. Super Max
7. SARCA

7-1 Scope;
1. SARCA
2. XYZ
3. Super Max
4. Bulwagga
5. Hydro Bubble
6. Bulwagga
7. Fortress

At 7-1 scope all the anchors had 450 to 500lbs of resistance.
At 3-1 scope The Fortress, Danforth Deep Set II, Super Max, Rocna and Spade Alum failed to hold at or above the the 400lb level. At 3-1 scope only one anchor did more poorly than the Rocna.

It's interesting how some shine and fade at different scopes. Of course the best anchor is one that works well at both short and long scopes. So anchors on both lists is a good thing .. like the SARCA, XYZ, Bulwagga and Hydro Bubble. Notice the Plow did well at short scope relative to these other anchors (and a few others that wern't top performers). I know where there is a big Hydro Bubble cheap.

I'll try to post the whole test.

You guys do realize this is a classified ad and not a discussion thread in the Anchor section?

I've got a FX-23 on my bow rail, unused, but I'm looking for a 44 or so Rocna or Manson, or maybe even a Hydro Bubble if you've got one laying around. Seriously though, at only 15 lbs., it's a versatile grabber that's easy to throw off the stern.

CPseudonym, somebody said the A word. That's all it takes to set it off.

No lie Parks. Quick, somebody post a new thread in the anchor section because these fellas are ready to go.

healhustler said:

I've got a FX-23 on my bow rail, unused, but I'm looking for a 44 or so Rocna or Manson, or maybe even a Hydro Bubble if you've got one laying around. Seriously though, at only 15 lbs., it's a versatile grabber that's easy to throw off the stern.

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Stern anchor is exactly what I will use the FX-23 for.

I'm tired of hauling around 30+ lb Danforths and the like with chain-to-line on rear of boat. And, they break loose toooo easy in the real silted mud of SF Delta.

In addition to the EZ to handle 15 lb weight... it's the 45 degree shank to fluke angle and flat Mud Palms on Magnum anchor that really interest me for taking good hold in Delta mud.

As it will be used almost exclusively as a back anchor there is no need to worry about current or wind boat-direction twists that may break anchor loose. Once set in the bottom - all should be good for weekend party/swim at anchor off Islands in the SF Delta.

FX-23 is one size bigger than recommended by Magnum chart... at 15 lbs (only 3 lb heavier than next one down) – no prob!

Happy Boat Anchoring Daze - Art

Art,

The FX-23 is a well battle-tested anchor model that will perform extraordinarily well for you in common sand, mud, and clay bottom conditions.

This model was called "the Champion of All Categories" after a test conducted by Voile, a French sailing magazine, when it held to over 350x its weight which was far superior to the other aluminum and steel anchors in this test.

Here's a short video from this test when this 7 kg (15 lbs) anchor held to 2510 kgs (5,500 lbs). If you happen to know French, please pardon the language:


Safe anchoring,
Brian