J/30 Class Association Forums J/30 Forum The Boat, Sails and Equipment Anchor advice?

I have been using the standard 20lb Danforth anchor that came with the boat for the last year here in the Hudson River and have not had any problems. But I am about to go for a week of cruising in Long Island Sound and wondered if anyone has experience of the adequacy of that anchor for conditions in the Sound. Do most people use the orginal anchor? or what is the accepted wisdom about what the best anchor for general cruising with the J30?

I have cruised the LIS with a Danforth 12H. The only holding problem that I have experienced was with weeds at the Duck Island Roads. Deploy adequate scope. Consider chafing protection at the chock.

Consider timing your departure so that you pass the Battery just as the current turns north (1.5 hrs. after the Narrows). You'll have current pushing down the Hudson and up the East River and out the Sound. If we depart from Nyack four hours before the current changes at the Battery we get 12 hours of favorable current.

Duck Island Roads is a ruthless test of anchoring. Nasty mix of weeds and scoured hard, hard sand.

Back in the 70s, when my parents had a Pearson 30 and cruised between NYC and Marblehead every summer, we used a 12H, and never had a problem. A 20 would seem more than adequate. (but of course, your milage may vary)

As Feriation has observed, scope is your friend. Also remember that with a Danforth, getting the anchor dug in is vital, so backing down is also your friend, especially in areas with dubious holding ground.

Of course, anchoring isn't in our racing kit bag, except in foul current an no breeze, so I'm somewhat out of practice :-)

- David

I would recommend the Danforth Fortress, I think I have the model FX 16 which is the largst that will fit in the anchor locker.

Have used it for several years, worked great in all conditions, with sustained winds to 35 and gusts to 45. In fact it just kept me snug at Pt Jeff this weekend with 20 to 25.