We got new ground tackle this winter!

The old setup has been delegated to "backup" duty.

For your viewing pleasure: here's 200' of samson 5/8", spliced to 60' of 5/16" G4, attached to a 45lb Manson Boss with a 7/16" shackle.

All galvi.

I'll mause the shackle once it's on the boat. (The anchor locker is getting a scrub, just as soon as the soapy water won't freeze in there!)

Rode is marked every 30'.

My helper, for comparison, weighs 40 lbs.

What did I miss? What should I have done differently? Come on, it's an anchor thread! I know you've got an opinion!!!

Wrong anchor, wrong chain, wrong rode & a really good looking dog that can splice..........

rochepoint said:

Wrong anchor, wrong chain, wrong rode & a really good looking dog that can slice..........

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Hahaha! Perfect. Exactly what I expected

That splice , although just fine and strong , would never go through my Lofran windlass. I had to do a long splice which only makes 3 braid into 4 braid. 6 braid splice never worked.

It’s probably the scope of the lens of the camera but it looks like the shank has been lengthened. I remember the Boss as having a relatively short shank. But it dosn’t look short in your picture. Did you use a cell phone for the pic?

I assume the plastic bushing is to control abrading the zinc coating.

Gabe, do you have any knowledge about the function of the slots in the winglets?

This is the anchor I almost bought when it was first introduced. I was anti-roll bar at the time. I handled one at a boat show and thought it was a bit light and flimsy. So I bought the Supreme instead.

This anchor nay have the ability to out perform others in that it seems to have more fluke surface area than perhaps most others. The fluke has winglets (or should I say “flukelets”) to more or less insure the substrate that gets on top of the fluke stays there where it needs to be to prevent breakout or dragging.
But few of these anchors were sold. I was disappointed.

There are however, a few here on TF that use them. One skipper in Sitka is very happy w his and has no complaints. So I’d like to hear more about the Boss.

Another difference tween the Boss and Supreme is that the Boss only has one slot at the shank end to attach the rode. I noticed using a different slot changes the throat angle slightly and perhaps that gave some inconsistencies w the Supreme. Couldn’t be much w the great track record the Supreme has.

As another LoFrans owner, I also make a much longer splice, dropping one strand after four passes, dropping another after the next splice, and extending the last for another splice. I have a vertical Project 1000 and turning the corner down the hole jams with shorter splices. It also bears watching as you retrieve, as sometimes the rode can jam into the stripper guide and disassembly is required to free it.

Pretty anchor.
Your dog is anticipating "going cruising" again!!

Arc said:

That splice , although just fine and strong , would never go through my Lofran windlass. I had to do a long splice which only makes 3 braid into 4 braid. 6 braid splice never worked.

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That's a good point. I'm worried about the same thing. Our windlass had trouble with this on the old rode. I'll revisit the long splice option if it is too much

Eric, the shank does seem a hair short, but not as crazy as the vulcan. The winglets you talk about are interesting. I've been pondering them and think I like the idea.

One more for Eric: I'll say the surface area here is crazy compared to the anchor weight. This thing is a monster.

It's not as dense as a lot of other designs so I could see where your concerns come from. I imagine this would be magnified in a smaller model. I'll admit I have (very slight) concerns that the shank is welded into the blade, at a 90 degree, without any real fairing. Seems like a potential weak point. But we bought (debateably) two sizes up and the overall amount of material seems more than sufficient for our 13,000 lb cat.

OldDan1943 said:

Pretty anchor.
Your dog is anticipating "going cruising" again!!

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Thanks, we're both excited. Roughly 50 days till launch if the weather gods cooperate!

I followed this vid. I had to watch it 3 times but I got the exact results.
https://youtu.be/7E6W-Y9gNok

Gabe,
Thanks for the pics. Very good picks. I can see exactly how the winglets are shaped. Was never clear in other pics. I thought the winglet pad was a closed cavity before seeing your pics. I’m very keen on the design of all anchors.

The slot could be a mud control vent .. like on the SARCA anchors. But that spot shouldn’t be heavily prone to mudding .. ??

Yeah, no idea on the holes. I just re read the Manson website trying to figure it out. Nothing there.

They're so small comparatively, I can't imagine they do much of anything. But they cut holes in the steel plate, not a cheap manufacturing task, so there must be a reason....

Ventilation for the back/ bottom of the blade so it can pitch down better?

Attachments for a second anchor?

Mounting points for panope testing camera mounts?:lol:

Suction break. Helps it dig

I would add some safety wire to the shackle. But otherwise looks nice.

Gabe, cheap to manufacture .. punching.

Arc, odd place for suction tho.

Having your dog pee on the anchor assures good holding power fir ever.

Your anchor is too small, it’s the wrong kind and you don’t have enough chain.
That’s my standard answer to any anchor question.
Actually I like your set up. Do you think you’ll ever use the anchor without the stop bolt in the slot?

Why aren't you using a rated shackle or don't they colour code pins in the US?

Green pin Van Beest are our go to shackles.

https://www.nobles.com.au/en-au/product-catalogue/green-pin-grade-s-safety-pin-bow-shackles

A soft eye spliced into the onboard end of the anchor line will give a place to tie a line to the bitter end.

If you need to disconnect quickly it gives an easy place to tie a fender or life jacket.

Simi 60 said:

Why aren't you using a rated shackle or don't they colour code pins in the US?

Green pin Van Beest are our go to shackles.

https://www.nobles.com.au/en-au/product-catalogue/green-pin-grade-s-safety-pin-bow-shackles

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Color coding depends on the shackle manufacturer. For Crosby shackles, as an example, their grade A shackle has a red pin, but their stronger grade B shackle has a silver pin. I remember seeing other grade A rated shackles with yellow pins.

HopCar said:

Your anchor is too small, it’s the wrong kind and you don’t have enough chain.
That’s my standard answer to any anchor question.
Actually I like your set up. Do you think you’ll ever use the anchor without the stop bolt in the slot?

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Yes, we've a bad habit of wreck diving and snarling our anchors. We lost and recovered the same anchor twice, only to loose it finally the third time. We'll plan to use a wreck anchor, but in a pinch, I'll feel better about it when this goes in the water.

FF said:

A soft eye spliced into the onboard end of the anchor line will give a place to tie a line to the bitter end.

If you need to disconnect quickly it gives an easy place to tie a fender or life jacket.

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Good thought. I was thinking I'd just tie a rolling hitch using lighter line, but the ability to clip a buoy on quickly is a good thought.

Food for thought: The shackle pin will "freeze" tight and make it almost impossible to remove.
I put anti-cease on the treads of my shackle pin and rely on the safety wire to keep the pin from backing out.
Also, if one as all chain rode, as I do, put a length of line between the chain end and the chain locker so, if necessary, one can divorce the boat from the anchor quickly. The length of line should, IMO, be long enough so one can cut in while on deck.
This can be accomplished without a divorce lawyer too!!!
300ft of 5/16in chain weighs 480 pounds. (1.6#/ft) One might have to attach a couple of floatation devices to the chain end if you hope to find it again. SMILE

rslifkin said:

Color coding depends on the shackle manufacturer. For Crosby shackles, as an example, their grade A shackle has a red pin, but their stronger grade B shackle has a silver pin. I remember seeing other grade A rated shackles with yellow pins.

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This one was easy enough to nab at the local store. I've fit a shackle that is two sizes larger than the chain. 7/16" vs 5/16" with a WLL ratings of 1.5 tons (3,000lbs) on the shackle and..... 3,900 lbs for the chain..... Can that be right!?!

I didn't expect that. I assumed that since the shackle was so over sized, it's WLL would blow away the chains rating. Now I need to go find a "high capacity" shackle. This is a great thread! I'm glad we're critically analyzing everything.

I use Crosby shackles. The 7/16” 209 has a WLL of 1.5 tons. The 209A is 2.66 tons.

Gabe n Em said:

This one was easy enough to nab at the local store. I've fit a shackle that is two sizes larger than the chain. 7/16" vs 5/16" with a WLL ratings of 1.5 tons (3,000lbs) on the shackle and..... 3,900 lbs for the chain..... Can that be right!?!

I didn't expect that. I assumed that since the shackle was so over sized, it's WLL would blow away the chains rating. Now I need to go find a "high capacity" shackle. This is a great thread! I'm glad we're critically analyzing everything.

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Sounds like you've got a grade A shackle. Shackles are usually rated in metric tons though, so yours is likely 3300 lbs WLL. A grade B shackle will be significantly stronger. With my 5/16" G43 chain, I'm using a 3/8" Crosby G-209A (grade B) rated at 2 metric tons (4400 lbs) WLL. The standard grade A Crosby G-209 is rated at 1 metric ton in that size. For 7/16", the difference is 1.5 tons vs 2 2/3 tons WLL. With 5/16 chain, make sure the 7/16" shackle isn't binding in the chain, as that's at the upper limit of what can fit (and may be a bit tight). A 3/8" shackle fits nicely.

"We lost and recovered the same anchor twice, only to loose it finally the third time."


We use a trip line & float ball attached to the anchor crown , so far has saved our butt.

rslifkin said:

Sounds like you've got a grade A shackle. Shackles are usually rated in metric tons though, so yours is likely 3300 lbs WLL. A grade B shackle will be significantly stronger. With my 5/16" G43 chain, I'm using a 3/8" Crosby G-209A (grade B) rated at 2 metric tons (4400 lbs) WLL. The standard grade A Crosby G-209 is rated at 1 metric ton in that size. For 7/16", the difference is 1.5 tons vs 2 2/3 tons WLL. With 5/16 chain, make sure the 7/16" shackle isn't binding in the chain, as that's at the upper limit of what can fit (and may be a bit tight). A 3/8" shackle fits nicely.

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Yep. Grade B is needed. The 7/16 is tight, but doesn't bind. I like it because it has more reach - the front of this anchor is pretty deep. Time to head to Brooks Industrial...