• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Sonata Sailing

National One-design Cruiser/Racer

  • Home
  • About the Sonata
    • PBO Review
    • YW Review
    • History
  • Contact
  • Join Us
  • Events
  • Association
    • Committee
    • Constitution
  • Newsletter
  • Sonata Map
  • Racing
    • Class Rules
    • Documentation
    • IRC Racing
    • Fleets
    • Race Reports
  • Hints and Tips
    • Sailing Tips
    • Gear Tips
    • Buying tips
    • Other Tips
  • Sailors’ Yarns
  • Suppliers
  • Archives
    • AGM
    • Press Articles
    • Forum Archive

Anchor Size

7th July 2009

Tom Harrison

7th July 2009 at 9:31 AM

We need to buy an anchor for Out of The Blue and I was wondering what size people carry? This is to actually anchor the boat with not to convince race officials that we have an anchor!

I was thinking about 5-6kg with 5mtrs of chain, plus warp. The boat is used on Windermere which is rocky muddy on the bottom. Max depth we’d anchor in probably about 30 feet.

Tom

George Jack

7th July 2009 at 5:13 PM

Hi There,

Although you do not want to convince any race officials,

The Class Rules state:

C.5 PORTABLE EQUIPMENT

C.5.1 FOR USE

(a) MANDATORY

3. One anchor of not less than 6 kg in weight together with a minimum

2m of 4.5mm chain and with not less than 20m of line of not less

than 10mm in diameter.

It would be prudent to have the above as a minimum to keep the boats equipment within class rules for if you ever sell it.

I have not anchored a Sonata yet so sorry I can’t be of more practical assistance.

Regards,

George Jack.

Tim Owen

9th July 2009 at 10:58 PM

Hi Tom,

There isn’t a simple answer – heavy isn’t a guarentee of holding power – the design is more important, and there are now dozens of new designs about! I have a big heavy plough type anchor around 11Kg with lots of chain that is a real pain to haul in, and an aluminium Fortress anchor of 3.2Kg with a 5m chain and a 30m weighted rope that is a joy to use.

In sand or mud I’d back the Fortress any day – I worked with fishing boats that anchored literally a few feet off the beach in strong onshore winds to tiny Fortress types in Mexico without problems. You just need to be careful to make sure it’s set properly, which is easier with a light anchor. On rocks you may be better with a different design – ask locally – but there nothing will be 100% reliable.

Tim Owen

James Dargie

20th July 2009 at 8:36 PM

This website has a useful description of Shackle sizes, chain diameter and rope diameters for anchoring as well as describing how to calculate the scopee of chain needed:

http://marinestore.co.uk/page/mrst/CTGY/an…nd-accessories/

I went for 30m of 7mm chain and 30mm of 12mm rope in the end.

Filed Under: Archives, Forum Archive, IPB Archive

Primary Sidebar

  • Home
  • About the Sonata
    • PBO Review
    • YW Review
    • History
  • Contact
  • Join Us
  • Events
  • Association
    • Committee
    • Constitution
  • Newsletter
  • Sonata Map
  • Racing
    • Class Rules
    • Documentation
    • IRC Racing
    • Fleets
    • Race Reports
  • Hints and Tips
    • Sailing Tips
    • Gear Tips
    • Buying tips
    • Other Tips
  • Sailors’ Yarns
  • Suppliers
  • Archives
    • AGM
    • Press Articles
    • Forum Archive

Site Search

Copyright © 2023 The National Sonata Association