For most of our Great Loop voyage I have considered upgrading our 2003-vintage 40 pound Delta main anchor. I should have acted sooner, but yesterday I finally bit the bullet and bought a 55 pound Rocna.
The Rocna anchor design was developed in 2004 by a sailor who had cruised more than 100,000 miles and wanted an anchor that would set, and reset if needed, more reliably than anchors he had used until then. The most noticeable change was addition of an odd-looking semicircular “rollbar” that helps the anchor turn over and get in position to set as soon as it hits the bottom. There were other improvements including setting-skids and a sharp tip to quickly bury the anchor into the seabed.
In the Great Loop and long distance cruising community, Rocna anchors (and others like them) have a cult-like following. A number of Loopers have told me their Rocna anchors ALWAYS set the first time, without exception. I can’t say that about R&R’s original main anchor. In fact, because R&R’s main anchor tended to drag, the few times we have anchored overnight I was uncomfortable until I had put out a second anchor. Alan and Marti will remember from our St. John’s River cruise how the main anchor chain and the second anchor line twisted around each other overnight, making it very difficult to retrieve the anchors the next morning.
So yesterday while we were in Port Huron, I contacted Tony at Great Lakes Marine Outfitters to talk about Rocna anchors. He is a practicing lawyer with a side business offering marine supplies and a high level of service. We reviewed Rocna‘s sizing chart and agreed that the 55-pound Rocna model 25 would be a solid choice for R&R, based on boat length and weight.
Tony then said that he could deliver the new Rocna anchor to our boat on “fairly short notice.” Knowing that we planned to leave the next morning, I asked what that meant, and he replied that he could deliver it that same afternoon. I was impressed and asked him to do it!
With a good help from Ray and Dianne on Radian Journey, I disconnected the old anchor, marked the anchor chain in 25 foot increments with multicolored zip ties, and connected the new Rocna to the chain. I look forward to trying out this new toy in northern Michigan anchorages!
For more information about R&R’s anchoring gear, check out this page.
Annie said it was so great to see you! We were waiting for a photo op!
Now that you have the anchor taken care of carpeting has moved to the top of the list….right? You can pay me later Rhonda.