Anchor Choices ???


B

bobkaf

New member
I want to replace my Formula 45 anchor. Any suggestions since the mounting bracket is set up to hold the specific anchor it comes with?

I have my boat in the great lakes and the anchor doesn't hold in our cold hard bottoms. I read about other formula 45 anchor stories online and how owners tend to find it holds really well but sometimes see a guy like me who can't get the anchor to set anywhere and suspect these are northern boaters working hard bottoms. i rarely had a problem with my previous Searay standard plow anchor and I could sleep well. I went looking for anchor comparisons and I found multiple tests, even a scientific study, and the bruce style anchor in test after test is one of the very worst anchors. And there are a few anchor brands that come out on top all the time with holding power that is almost ten times stronger in hard sand and bottoms. Specifically Mantis and Rocna amongst a few others. Even in soft sand, these other style anchors have 3 to 4 times the holding strength. I was also looking at the Ultra Anchor, another plowish style anchor that looked interesting.

I have no confidence whatsoever with this Bruce anchor. Seriously... zero. Unless I can snag it in a rock, I always throw out my 12 pound fluke and I'm not kidding it does a better job holding than the Bruce because it dives down. It's not an issue with most 45 owners I'm sure because most are on the ocean in the south working soft bottoms and even without the holding strength performance characteristics of most other anchor styles, it's a good enough anchor, a more stylish anchor. Here is a link to multiple studies: https://www.petersmith.net.nz/boat-anchors/independent-performance-testing.php
 
I totally agree - I swear by a Delta (plow) anchor and would love to change to one, but for the design which prevents it. Subscribing to this thread.

Jeff
 
The bruce anchor works just like the Delta plow anchor. Are you sure you are letting out six times the depth of chain? This is the main reason anchors fail to hold. If you are anchoring in 40 feet of water, you must let out 240 feet of chain to get the anchor to hold.
 
honest god, I got so fed up once I let out 140 feet in 4 feet of water figuring if the anchor won't hold, the weight of the chain will and that didn't hold and I even set the anchor by hand. It's so useless. I usually anchor with about 2 inches of clearance to the bottom - so just over 3 feet. I usually go for 7 to 1. Also, I think the ratio is supposed to be from the top set point on the boat, not the depth of water. The Delta in performance tests show double the holding strength of the Bruce. The Bruce has no teeth to cut thru the bottom like a Delta, it just works like a parachute which is fine in soft bottoms.
 
Yep, the stock Bruce type anchor is all but useless in hard sand, I carry an extra Fortress anchor for such situations. Unfortunately the 40PC bow (and probably other Formulas) is designed for specifically for the Bruce and wont easily accept another anchor.
 
I love the Bruce because I'm in rock, tree stumps and ruff stuff, all good. Also know not to even try in areas when there is mud or sand, just no good.

Your in soft stuff, so you need a plow and at the least a danforth, but IMO plow would be best. Be nice if boaters could change anchor types ease, depending on the bottom type, but that's another dream.

Maybe an all around is close to (not exactly) the old Navy anchor. It has flukes and weight which can take it deep it needed, but enough stuff to hold on rocks.

The bad thing about a anchor which holds real well, is it can get hung. When hung your not going to move which is GOOD, Your not going anywhere soon the BAD, and its going to cost to get it un-hung the UGLY
 
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