My father has cruised the Hauraki Gulf for some 70 years. His theory on anchors was that you needed only about 10ft of chain on an anchor - as any more made it too heavy to retrieve.
Yes, he got away with it a lot of the time. But as soon as the wind came up - day or night - he was off. Dragging through the bay. Dad was adept at recovery, and was the first to set a second anchor. Meanwhile the rest of the family all had bets as to when he would take off on yet another tour of the bay.
I relate this story to Ned Wood, Vice President of Manson Anchors. His eyes roll. He's heard it all before,
'People don't seem realise that an anchor is a safety device', he says. 'They put it out and hope it holds. Often it is all that lies between them and losing their boat.'
'No different from a lifejacket', he adds.
Wood makes good point.
Anchors have two uses - the most frequent is to give safe holding in your favored bay or fishing spot. The other is your last line of defence when all else has failed and you have to stop your boat drifting, maybe onto nearby rocks, until help arrives.
The back page of the Manson brochure has an anchoring chart on it - setting out the boat length, anchor weight, chain size and warp length for a given size of boat in a given wind strength.
It's very interesting. The sort of thing that would have given my mother many more restful nights, while anchored in iffy weather conditions.
Feedback from sailors, particularly those who have cruised to some rather remote locations is testament to both the quality of the Manson product and the reliance sailors place in their anchor.
'We have recently returned from a five month cruise of Stewart Island and Fiordland' says Marty Vose of the yacht 'Makani'. 'Not once did our Manson Anchor let us down. We even spent a night anchored off Nugget Point on the east coast of Southland with winds in excess of 70 knots and whilst we did maintain an anchor watch all night it was not needed as we did not move an inch.'
'I was concerned that perhaps the 50lb may have been a bit light for my yacht which is 41 feet and weighs 17 tons but after that trip plus a Marlborough Sounds trip before that, I confess I am totally sold on your anchors and would not hesitate to recommend them to anyone.'
Small beginnings
Manson Anchors was founded by Kerry Mair in 1972, after the former foreman at A & G Price decided to make an anchor for his own boat. The private job soon became a serious business.
Manson Anchors built their first Superyacht anchor in the 1980's, for Sensation, and that set the West Auckland firm down the path of certification.
Lloyds Register certification is now at the heart of the business.
New Zealand sailing fans from the 'Plastic Fantastic' 12 Metre era will be familiar with the service offered by Lloyds Register. At the Marten Marine and McMullen and Wing yards, the 12 metres were constructed under the eagle eye of a LR surveyor, Jamie Course. His task was to certify the construction process and materials that went into the construction of the revolutionary fibreglass 12 metres, the first that had ever been built.
That certification was later used to refute the many claims and challenges from Dennis Conner and friends, that were made in the 1986/87 Louis Vuitton Cup in Fremantle, when KZ-7 made the Challenger Final after winning no less than 38 races on the trot.
So it is with anchors. Every Manson anchor is built to Lloyds Register specification - that includes many elements: the design itself; the materials used must come from approved mills; the weld specification must be approved; and the individual welders must also hold the requisite LR certification.
Anchors weighing more than 56kg must be individually tested in a special test bed at the Manson facility and the holding witnessed by a Lloyds Register surveyor.
'It is quite a different process from ISO certification', Ned Wood points out. 'Each and every anchor we make has to achieve Lloyds Register certification. Anchors are safety devices, and owners should look for the marks that give confidence in the product they are going to use with their boats which are often worth in the hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars. '
From tinnies to superyachts
Following that first anchor built by Kerry Mair in 1972, Manson Anchors have expanded into a full range of five anchors, used by everything from a 3 metre tinnie to Superyachts over 140 metres long.
Since the initial Danforth, another four anchors have been added to the range. The Plough was introduced in the late 1970's, followed by the Kedge in 1985, the Ray in 1998 and the Supreme in 2004. Three more will soon follow, the Ultimus, Hidden and Racer are either being launched or will be in the next month.
Along the way the company also formed an engineering division, which was responsible for much of the marina dock construction around Auckland including Bayswater Marina and the Viaduct Harbour. In 2004, the engineering business was split away from anchoring division - in turn purchased by the second generation. Steve Mair, is now managing director of Manson Anchors
Although Manson only have a small percentage of the Superyacht market at present, their market share is growing because of their commitment to fine design and engineering, and the Lloyds Register certification process.
Finished anchors ready for galvanising. While anchors may look rather simple, the design, quality of materials used and standard of welding is critical. - Richard GladwellClick Here to view large photo
'With the Supreme, for instance, it is geometrically reliant on high tensile steel to stop the shaft from bending,' says Wood. 'If an anchor were produced (or copied) to that design without the use of high quality materials, it would fail - and probably at a time when you least need an anchor failure.'
A Supreme story:'We've been cruising the Caribbean for many years now. The last seven years we've been live aboards. As with most sailors we started long ago with the 'State of the Art' Danforth anchor. It was a decent anchor but not good for all sea bottoms. In mud or soft sand it would slide out rather easily. We eventually graduated to the CQR.
'Good holding but man could it hurt your fingers if they got in the way of the swivel head. It took lot's of experience and patience to properly set it. However once set it tended to stay put. For our next and of course larger boat we went to the newly designed Bruce anchor as a primary. Once again a very decent anchor but you were never quit certain where you would wind up in setting it. As time went on we added the new fangled Delta. The combo was excellent but a lot of work especially if you were in an anchorage that tended to have currents that caused you to make 360s.
Extreme conditions can occur anywhere, you need to be certain that your anchor will hold, and certainly not break. -
'Up until this October were very contented with our Delta and all chain. When time and rust compelled us to buy a new anchor we took a chance on your very strange looking Manson Supreme. At the Annapolis Boat Show we watched a demonstration of how well it set.........'instantly'! My wife, the Admiral loved dropping the stainless Steel model and setting it in the long demonstration sandbox.
'End of story, we bought the 60 lbs. version and have been cruising with it since early November. It's great! It sets immediately in almost seabeds and stays put even in very stiff blows. It fit very well on our anchor roller and drops with ease.
'Aside from it being the best anchor we've ever had aboard there are two small problems. The Supreme sets so fast and securely you can get whiplash when the boat just stops as the Manson digs in. We really love that though.
'Secondly, in crowded anchorages I need to be on the look out for anyone anchoring above our anchor. This anchor can not be pulled out from the side or easily on VERY short scope. I've taken to using an anchor maker for that reason.
Thanks for developing an anchor which for us has become a traveling mooring.'
From: Admiral Toby and Capt. Jack Glassman, SV Invictus
Would you be confident your anchor could handle this?
Video and audio shot with the wind estimated at 80 Knots at Punta Delgardo in the Magellan Straights. A confident owner/skipper holding using a Manson Supreme. His comment 'I did not budge an inch!'
Manson Anchors certified by Lloyds Register :
Anchors used in Superyachts have to be put through the full Lloyds Register certification process and earn the Lloyds Register approval which is stamped on each anchor.
'This includes specification of welding procedures and schedules - all of which are checked in London. The welding process is also certified and the individual welder is certified. With anchors and the standards we require, it is not possible to do machine welding,' says Wood.
It is not a quick or a simple process to get an anchor from design concept to Lloyds Register approval and production - usually the process will take six to 18 months. Necessary when it is realised that even a 20kg anchor is required to hold more the 100 times its own weight.
Tank tests for anchors?
Model anchors are the first step in the design and prototype process at Manson Anchors - Richard Gladwell
Like with the America's Cup design process, the anchors are tank, or rather beach tested early in the process. The process usually starts with a model anchor - initially put through its paces in the test pit at Manson, and then followed up with further tests on a beach or behind tug boats with calibrated load cells.
Often the need for a new anchor design arises from new anchoring systems which are deployed on Superyachts. Manson are well aware that for all the fine design and engineering, an anchor spoils the lines of a beautiful Superyacht, and yacht designers are constantly trying to improve design aesthetics without compromising anchoring practicality and safety.
The usual solution is to try and make the anchor fit better into the space available, often by using stowaway or retractable arms. Stainless steel anchors are also sometimes specified for Superyachts.
'Some come to us with the design of the anchor,' explains Wood. 'Or, the yard will just tell us the required weight of the anchor for the size of yacht.'
Replacement of anchors on imported production yachts forms a significant part of the Manson Anchor's business. 'Overseas, yachts rarely anchor in the way we do in New Zealand.'
'The anchors provided in production yachts are not adequate for our cruising areas. Designers always want the smallest possible anchor, but you can't beat the safety of having a big anchor.'
'We had a testimonialfrom one owner who had changed to one of our anchors, the Supreme, and soon after had successfully ridden out a 92kt storm off Whangaparapara, on Great Barrier Island.
'He became a quick convert to the Manson range,' Wood adds.
'Typically a production yacht will arrive in New Zealand with a 25lb anchor which we would change to one double that weight,' adds Wood. 'There is no sailing from marina to marina, in New Zealand, as there is overseas.'
Manson Anchors come with a lifetime guarantee. If there is a problem with an anchor, Mansons evaluate it at the factory - but Wood says they only get one anchor back through this process out of the 15,000 that Manson manufacture annually.
Feedback from the ultimate test-tank forms an important part of the Manson commitment to its customers as follows:
A Plough story: Graham McKenzie and Ellie Glazer cruised their 44ft Mummery design 'Innocenti' around the world and reported:
'We have just completed a six and a half year circumnavigation and are now thinking about our refit for our much travelled 'Innocenti'. In reviewing the status of our inventory we realised that one significant piece of equipment - our Manson Plough - has served us far better than we ever imagined'. says
'We purchased a 45lb Manson Ploughin 1992 to compliment our 100 metres of 8mm high tensile chain. At that time our understanding was that this combination would be more than adequate for most anchoring requirements but we fully anticipated there being anchoring conditions which would require a different anchor.
'Our secondary anchors have been a 40lb Danforth and a 35lb 'no name' plough type
'In the six and a half years we have travelled more than 45,000 miles, visited 26 countries and have anchored at least 1000 times.
'We have yet to use any other anchor than our Manson Plough. It has been totally reliable in thin coral sands, in mud, and in the treacherous grasses of the Mediterranean. Most of our cruising mates changed their anchoring tackle after disastrous anchoring experiences in The Med. Many were using locally made anchors. We never needed to consider a new option.
'The Manson also coped well in areas with strong tidal flow, such as the amazon with it's 7 knot current. We have had the chain re-galvanised twice in the course of our travels but the anchor is only just requiring attention.
'Thanks to you folks at Manson for an anchor that has truly passed the test of time... and distance.' McKenzie concluded.
The Manson Racer:
The latest addition to the Manson range will be the Racer, designed for owners who want to reduce weight aboard racing yachts without compromising holding power.
Constructed from aluminium to the usual exacting specifications, the blue anchor is no gimmick, and will result in a weight saving of 5-10kgs, depending on the yacht size, and numbers of anchors carried.
For safety reasons the chain weight, size and length cannot be reduced. However Manson are confident that the lighter weight will not compromise holding ability, as stated in yachting racing rules and safety regulations
And given Manson's track record and quality standards, coupled with Lloyds Certification, you can't doubt them.
Check your anchors and gear against the chart below. For more in formation on Manson Anchor's range see www.mansonanchors.comor download their brochure on anchor types suitable for your boat by clicking here
Flinders Reef, QLD
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