US SAILING - Safety At Sea - Safety Studies - 1995 Anchor Study - Summary and Comparisons
US SAILING

Safety At Sea Studies - 1995 Anchor Study - Comparisons



SUMMARY OBSERVATIONS PUGET SOUND TESTS, SITES 1, 3 AND 56

AVERAGE HOLDING POWER

FX 37 3,263 lbs.
Performance 35 1,724 lbs.
CQR 45 1,304 lbs.
MAX 17 1,268 lbs.7
Delta 35    801 lbs.
Bruce 44    496 lbs.

The results are slightly skewed in favor of the anchors tested with the higher horsepower boats.  In a few tests the CQR, Delta and Performance 35 were not dragged because of limits on the horsepower of the boats setting those anchors.  Nevertheless, the averages give a reasonable picture of relative holding power.

Wing Point and Jefferson Head are not included as being generally foul ground.

COMPARISON WITH OTHER ANCHOR TESTS

A summary of the West Marine San Francisco mud tests of 1990 and the 1990 Biscayne Bay sand tests reflects the following.8

Type

Weight

San Francisco Mud Results --Average

Slack Line

Florida Sand Test Averages 9

Bruce 44

46

280

0

1883

CQR 45

47

440

4

3350

Delta 35

33

502

4

N/A

H-1800

33

725

4

3700

FX 37

20

825

2

7580

MAX 38 10

38

800

0

N/A

Comparison with Columbia River tests11 in sand bottom.

Average Observations

Anchor

Cable Tension
to Drag

CQR 45

437

Bruce 45

305

Luke 50

186

Dan Hi Tensile 25

849

Lightweight 25

809

Three other anchor tests are summarized in Appendix 2.  They provide an interesting comparison.  They confirm that the Bruce style generally does not perform as well as the CQR or Danforth types.  The MAX anchor tests at Pensacola indicate that at least on those tests which were commissioned by Creative Marine, the MAX out-performed the FX 37, CQR 45 and Bruce 44 consistently.

CALCULATED RODE TENSION IN WIND AND WAVES12

The following is Bob Smith's analysis of the force applied to sailboats of different sizes in wind and waves based on observations in the Columbia River.  See "Anchors Selection and Use" 2d ed. (1983).

WIND VELOCITY - KNOTS

21

24

27

30

33

36

39

42

45

48

51

54

57

60

63

LENGTH OF BOAT IN FEET

21

46

60

76

94

114

135

158

184

211

240

271

304

339

375

414

24

60

78

100

123

149

176

207

240

275

313

354

397

442

490

540

27

76

99

126

155

188

223

262

304

349

397

448

502

560

620

684

30

94

112

156

192

232

275

323

375

430

490

553

620

691

765

844

33

113

148

188

232

281

333

391

454

521

592

669

750

836

926

1021

36

135

176

224

276

334

397

465

540

619

705

796

893

995

1002

1216

39

158

207

263

324

392

465

546

634

727

827

934

1048

1168

1293

1427

42

183

240

305

376

455

540

633

736

843

960

1083

1215

1355

1499

1655

45

211

275

350

431

522

620

727

844

968

1102

1243

1395

1555

1721

1899

48

240

313

399

491

594

705

827

961

1101

1253

1415

1587

1769

1958

2161

51

271

354

450

554

671

796

934

1085

1243

1415

1597

1792

1998

2211

2440

54

303

397

504

621

752

892

1047

1216

1394

1586

1790

2009

2239

2479

2735

57

338

442

532

692

838

994

1166

1355

1553

1767

1995

2239

2495

2762

3048

60

374

490

623

767

929

1102

1292

1501

1721

1958

2210

2480

2765

3060

3377

63

413

540

687

845

1024

1215

1425

1655

1897

2159

2437

2735

3048

3374

3723

66

453

592

754

928

1124

1333

1564

1816

2082

2370

2675

3001

3345

3703

4086

69

495

647

824

1014

1228

1475

1709

1985

2276

2590

2923

3280

3656

4047

4466

72

539

705

897

1104

1337

1586

1861

2162

2478

2820

3183

3572

3981

4406

4863

Factor

0.104

0.136

0.173

0.213

0.258

0.306

0.359

0.417

0.478

0.544

0.614

0.689

0.768

0.85

0.938

                                                                                                                                                               13
ANCHOR CABLE TENSION = (LENGTH)2 X FACTOR.  SCOPE OF FIVE BOAT.  VEERED 30-DEGREE TO WIND.  TABLE VALUES ARE FOR SLOOPS OR CUTTERS, ADD 15% FOR YAWLS, 25% FOR KETCHES AND SCHOONERS.

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