Modifying A Sarca Anchor?

[Little Hooker]

Hi raiders,

This is my last straw with my sarca anchor and my last hope b4 this anchor gets the booted from its job.

Been usin a electric winch with 4mtrs of 6mm chain ( which is the recommendation) with a No.2 anchor ( 5.3 ally cabin) for yrs now and its has finally drove me up the wall

This anchor wont bloody hold the bottom in most cases unless it hooked up to a rocky or reefy area. If the winds pick up i might as well back up my rods and go home as its gettin bloody dangerous, i cant even have a nap cause of the fear of my boat ended up at NZ when i wake up Its so fusstraing to anchor next to a same size boat that uses a normal sand anchor and hold the bottom while i try like 3 times and finally move up cause i keep on drifting.

Ive read on the internet that it fails cause of dropping down the anchor to fast, when it hits the bottom the chain gets tangle around the anchor therefor it doesnt sit properly. Ive tried a controlled drop by usin my hands but most times i would have to pull it up again and again if the tide or the wind is strong.

I was hangin out a rose bay ramp not to long ago and saw this twin hull 6.5mtr glass boat with a modded sarca anchor... the bloke actually bent the tip of the anchor too almost 90 degrees. I can almost see what his tryin to achieve makin the anchor digging down fast and deeper??? Never got a chance to ask him how it holds up...

Should i be tryin this engineer this anchor or should i jus chuck it in the big and use my plough i got hiddin somewhere!! I will call south pafic and see if there winch can handle more then 4mtrs of chain jus by out of chance this could help in any way.

Help?? or some comforting words about how crap these anchors would be great

[Geoff]

Here is a post that may be of interest.

http://www.fishraider.com.au/Invision/index.php?showtopic=28539

Also , whilst the rule of thumb for the chain length may be about the same length as the boat the other is the amount of rope released should be around 3 times the water depth.

This applies to any anchor not just Sarca

Geoff

[kingpig]

Hi Mate.

I have a No2 Sarca on my Stessl plate alloy boat. Mako 5.3 with 115hp engine. It holds me in all conditions. I dont think your chain is long or heavy enough. I can just throw this anchor over and not hold the rope at all and it grabs. I never use it on reef as it hold to well.

I also see people who do not allow enough rope out so the angle of the rope is very steep. I allow about two time the depth minimum.

Cheers

Kingpig

[brickman]

post a pic up off the anchor or maybe try reversing as you drop the pick

cheers gary

Edited March 30, 2010 by brickman

[Little Hooker]

Yeah im thinkin it could be the length or jus not heavy enough the only reason for beenin that length is the company recommends usin that length. I actually rang them this morning jus to make it clear and the bird claims no more then 5mtrs OR anchor and chain cant be over 20kg or the winch will over work and shit it self. Goin to pull out the scales tomorro and see how much extra i can add on the 4mtrs.

Ive tried many lengths of rope but it doesnt matter it still has problems holdin in most case. Ive anchor at reefs b4 and some times get stuck aye.... but the trip release does its jobs! except for that one time where my anchor got really really stuck and from the big swell actually snap my 14mm rope!!!! lucky i had a mate on board with his spear fishing gear with him and had to dive down 25mtrs to recuse it .

I always reverse when i drop her down but she jus wont stick in windy conditioins.I will post up a pic of the set up tomorrow but i dont think its any different from any other electric winch setup.

[Little Hooker]

Well today weight up the anchor and chain it bearly hit 9kg which to my surprise is pretty light! Im not sure why they would recommond usin such a short length in the first place. So i went out and brought my self another 6mtrs of chain which takes the totally weight too roughly 15kg. So i got a buffer from the max 20kg rating they have. So in totally 10mtrs of chain plus a sarca anchor if this doesnt hold im goin to shoot my self

Heres are pic of the set up b4 the extra chain.

[brickman]

i hear your frustraion i've never seen the anchor in the pic before but i wonder if the shovel section chould be longer with a slower tapper for more penatation into the sand just a thought let us know how the extra chain works out i think with the extra length it should be all good

cheers gary

[Little Hooker]

brickman, thats what i mentioning in the first post with about the shovel section beenin modified. Might jus get the hammer out and bang it a few times to give it more of a angle. But yeah i will give it b4 i doin any futher changes!

cheers, Vi

[BUSTER 1]

Well today weight up the anchor and chain it bearly hit 9kg which to my surprise is pretty light! Im not sure why they would recommond usin such a short length in the first place. So i went out and brought my self another 6mtrs of chain which takes the totally weight too roughly 15kg. So i got a buffer from the max 20kg rating they have. So in totally 10mtrs of chain plus a sarca anchor if this doesnt hold im goin to shoot my self

Heres are pic of the set up b4 the extra chain.

Hooker I have the same anchor and looks about the amount of chain but my chain is heavier than yours,mine works great in all conditions or bottom ,I do let it drop slow and it works every time,,my boat is 5mt Seafarer

Cheers Garry

[Little Hooker]

Well jus came back from the entrance and by jolly me the anchor actually did it job in windy conditions YAY only probably up there that the current isnt that strong if any current at all.....Hopping to try it in the harbour or the bay durin this windy to really test her out.