1975 Grand Banks 32

Just bought a 1975 GB32. One of the first of the Fibreglass ones. It needs a new anchor. Rocna sizing has it at 15kg but I'm considering downsizing to 10kg because it doesn't have a windlass. I'm a daytime, fair weather type cruiser so would the 10kg be OK for a lunch hook?

Welcome to TF Rosco. Re the anchor, all I can say is a lunch hook is about all it would be good for. For my 34foot trawler, I found a 22kg (=45lb) Sarca was perfect, and your boat would do well to not be much lighter for any over-nighting. Remember, you often tend to up-anchor and move, and then re-drop, more often when just day sailing than when seriously cruising.

My suggestion is to save up as soon as possible for an electric windlass, and go at least mixed rode of 100ft chain then brait, or better still all chain, (maybe what came with the boat is ok anyway), and enjoy anchoring instead of it being a real chore. When we moved out of a series of sail boats into power, the lowering and raising of the anchor by just flicking a switch, as opposed to doing it all manually, as you are contemplating, was the BEST thing EVER..!

I don't think you will find many people who will say "No problem, go with a smaller anchor."

That said, a few ideas:

1. Fortress Anchor. These are aluminum and very lightweight. They can be disassembled so are easy to carry. A 'Danforth" style anchor, they are not as versatile as the Rocna. But they do well in many situations.

2. Manual Windlass. Installing the cables, controls, and battery for a windlass can really add to the cost. If you're only anchoring occasionally, a manual windlass might work fine. Muir makes a windlass that takes rope and chain, the Lofrans is chain only.

3. Give the small Rocna a try. Back-down on it and see how it holds in your area. It sounds small.

4. Work-out and build upper-body strength (kidding).

Good luck!

Peter

Congrats! I like the Fortress idea - very light for their holding power - the weakness is re-setting after a wind/tide shift, but that's not an issue if you're just anchoring during the day.

I had a 20kg Bruce with 40' of 5/16" chain and no windlass on our previous boat, a Beneteau First 405 40' sloop. It was about the maximum that I could manage. The weight of the chain is important too - going with a higher tensile strength but smaller diameter link can help reduce the load (e.g. G4 vs G3) as well.

I like simplicity as a goal - if you aren't sure that you need a windlass, try to do without! And lifting weights is a good idea regardless!

Thanks for the input. In the end I went for the 15kg Rocna, 8 metres of chain, and 60 metres of 12 mm 3 strand nylon rope. Should be OK for local cruising.

How deep is your typical lunch anchor area.

I’ve been in your situation for many years w a 30’ Willard.

Used many anchors from 13lbs to a 35lb old anchor. They all worked. The most significant problem I encountered was setting problems. Choose an anchor w stellar setting abilities like a SARCA. A used Claw is at the bottom of scale $ as probably the cheapest. But you may find an old Danforth for $15. Newer anchors are clearly better.

For a lunch hook a 10kg Rocna would be fine.
But cruising in fairly benign conditions w the Rocna will be fine also.

However the anchor is a very significant piece of safety gear. If you loose power for whatever reason you really NEED your anchor and conditions may well be nasty. Deep water winds or whatever. Your anchor may keep you off the beach if your anchor line is long enough. My rode is 400’.

I have up-graded to a capstan but I’m regretting I didn’t get a windless. Buy a winch. Or if you want to save money and have a strong arm get a “back and forth” manual windlass.

But get a windlass.

Rosco2018 said:

Thanks for the input. In the end I went for the 15kg Rocna, 8 metres of chain, and 60 metres of 12 mm 3 strand nylon rope. Should be OK for local cruising.

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We used the 15kg Rocna on Ebbtide and never had an issue.

Congrats on your new boat.

Rosco2018 said:

Thanks for the input. In the end I went for the 15kg Rocna, 8 metres of chain, and 60 metres of 12 mm 3 strand nylon rope. Should be OK for local cruising.

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That should do the job. Is the bottom muddy, sandy. rocky? Strong current?

Typically anchoring in 6 to 10 metres, mud or sand, not much current.

If you can handle more chain, you should have more available. With some shackles, it could come in handy if conditions change.

Size matters o'night or lunch hook.

I would suggest a 35H Danforth as well as a 12H Danforth for lunch...

If your going to do much anchoring a used manual windlass might be worth the effort .

The SL 555 has long been considered the best but are expensive even 40 years old.

There is a Chinese copy that seems OK.

What’s the difference between a Dan. H and a Dan. S ?

Nomad Willy said:

What’s the difference between a Dan. H and a Dan. S ?

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H stand for high tensile. I think they use a chromoly instead of plain carbon steel.

Edit. Yes 4130.

Nomad Willy said:

What’s the difference between a Dan. H and a Dan. S ?

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Eric! I’m surprised at you. I thought you were our resident anchor expert.

The H, high tensile, has a forged shank and the flukes are T shaped in cross section.

The S, Standard, has a shank cut from flat plate and the flukes are cut from flat plate. They are then bent into an L shape cross section.

The High Tensile is physically a lot stronger. I can’t remember for sure but I think the H fluke edges are ground sharper for better penetration.

Rosco Welcome aboard! When you get a boat buck or two install an electric winch that you can control from the bridge. It will change your life.

As an alternative get an anchor wench. The anchor wench will probably cost a lot more but they are nice to look at. The draw back to an anchor wench is you can’t control them from the bridge, or anywhere else for that matter.

Nice boat Rosco - some of the places around Repulse Bay and Stanley look like great places to explore. You could always just tie up to the Jumbo for Lunch. No hook required.

Would this be a good application for a kellet ?? Instead of adding chain that increases the weight that the OP has to haul up by hand, a kellet could divide the weight into seperate pieces. Then he raises the kellet....and then raises the anchor & chain.

Check the Rocna’s dimensions before committing to buy if your GB has the “through the bow pulpit “ type anchor roller. I bought a Rocna for my GB36 and the roll bar hit the end of the pulpit. That’s one of the main reasons why Rocna brought out their Vulcan series w/o the roll bar. I ended up selling my Rocna & buying the Vulcan - holds just as great as the Rollbar version. On my present boat , upgraded to a spade even better but more $$.

The 15kg Rocna is perfect for that boat if your waters are anything like the East coast of the US.

Like yours, my 1977 GB 32 came with no windlass, but a 33lb Bruce. The first improvement I made was a windlass (Simpson Lawrence), proper bow roller and a 15kg Rocna with 30' of chain and lots of nylon after that.

This held us perfectly for 1200 miles of the ICW and cruising on the Chesapeake. If you want to spring for a higher quality windlass you can, of course, but so far, so good for us. The Rocna is as good as the Max I had on my previous boat, a 33-foot sailboat, and better than a Bruce or Delta. That's high praise.

In 55+ years of cruising, I have come to dislike Danforth type anchors. They hold beautifully until the current or wind changes in the middle of the night. Then, you're off to sea (or shore) again.

-- Tom

Fits okay.

Does the anchor hang off the end of the pulpit or does the shank come up through the pulpit? If it hangs off the end, Rocna is a good choice. If the shank comes up through the pulpit, consider a Vulcan. It will hang better.

anchoring

Rosco2018 said:

Typically anchoring in 6 to 10 metres, mud or sand, not much current.

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I don't know your age but trust me, buy a good electric wench now. If you keep the boat you are going to have to have one eventually and down the road they will cost more than they do now. If you get one now, you'll spend less than you ever will in the future and you'll have it for all those years to enjoy.
Even if you are young and strong, one bad pull with your back and shoulders in the wrong position and you'll have a lifetime of pain and problems to show for it. Believe me. Get an electric wench.

Bryant said:

I don't know your age but trust me, buy a good electric wench now. If you keep the boat you are going to have to have one eventually and down the road they will cost more than they do now. If you get one now, you'll spend less than you ever will in the future and you'll have it for all those years to enjoy.
Even if you are young and strong, one bad pull with your back and shoulders in the wrong position and you'll have a lifetime of pain and problems to show for it. Believe me. Get an electric wench.

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I think you meant winch..? I suspect electric toys of dubious purpose are not really suitable material for this forum.

Win h

Peter B said:

I think you meant winch..? I suspect electric toys of dubious purpose are not really suitable material for this forum.

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Lol. Yes, I meant winch. Must have been watching a pirate movie while I was posting.