Rocna or similar anchor for 45 Viking

The conversation tool doesn’t seem to allow me to attach a photo. Send me your email address through the conversation tool if you want to keep it private, or post it here, and I’ll email you a photo. Note that I also used a Mantus S1 swivel, which is the most robust swivel that will fit through the pulpit slot.

So I figured out my photo posting problem. Here's the 55 lb Vulcan with a Mantus S1 swivel. It worked, but as I said in a previous post, the size was a little awkward and the pulpit bounced more than I liked when lowering the anchor. Smoother coming up since the chain stays seated better in the gypsy when retrieving. If the holding of the 44 isn't adequate I'll switch back to the 55 next season. And I guess try to sell the 44. My theory on going with the 44 is that Delta recommends a 45 for my size boat, and the Vulcan is supposedly a better holding anchor than a Delta of similar weight, and I've always been happy with correctly size Deltas on my previous boats, so..... The Vulcan chart that recommends a 55 lb is based on 50 knot winds in a poor holding bottom with a 6 foot wave surge, possible conditions but very unlikely to have all 3 happens simultaneously in the upper Chesapeake without some type of warning.

My windlass pulls the anchor into the position by itself so that the roll bar meets the underside of the pulpit as the picture shows. My wife usually deploys and retrieves the anchor. We do not have a swivel so far just a shackle. It occasionally comes up the wrong way but she just lowers it a foot or two and it straightens itself out. Once she had to let more out so chain would untwist as we had been at anchor for about 3 days and had a lot of swing. One other time she had to wash off some clay before it would straighten. Overall not an issue and rides on the pulpit well. As the roller is mid pulpit there is not as much strain as there would be with a roller at the end of the pulpit. We use a safety cable to take the strain off the windlass but I have used bridle on another boat.

The 53' Viking convertible I purchased came with a 60 lb hinged CQR with 100' of Chain and 200' of 3/4' Nylon. So far, I have had no issues in winds to 25-30. I anchor mostly in Sand around Long Island. It does take a little work to get it to sit nicely on retrieval but seems to fit fine. I hope its sufficient if I get hit with some heavy weather, but I'm usually tied to a dock.

I’ve given this some thought, for my situation. But that being said I really like this post being that we are all in the same boats so to speak.
I did some searching here on YF on this topic . Lots of good information and personal options on older posts, along with this post.
First thing I’ve learned, it’s not so easy just to change out one particular anchor to another.
Current pulpit size and design, roller size and design, windless size and design all come into play.
**** , nothing is easy!

It would take a few modifications for me and my finally aged vessel, to completely change out anchors to a different design than I currently have, Danforth the basic old steel one .
I sure was interested in the different kinds talked about in this post, but I’m sticking with my Danforth.
Bread, no crypto, $$$ is always a consideration for me.

Me and Dan have a good relationship, it does what it’s told , stays put when up on the boat, lays flat under the pulpit and is aesthetically pleasing ..Lol…

So , all in all I would get the same Danforth I have now as a replacement.

I also have an Ideal windless, but it’s not so Ideal with the Capstan I currently have . Rope only , no chain . Need to change that out one day.
Have to break set with boat motors…then pull up by hand .
But I always do that topless to showcase my muscles!

For those that have been following along I installed a 44 lb (20 kg) Vulcan today and it's a much better fit than the 55 lb (25 kg) that I returned after concluding that its a little too big for my pulpit. I posted a photo of the 55 lb in a previous post. The 55 would have worked, but it didn't seat quite all the way using the windlass (I had to pull it into final position by hand), it made the pulpit bounce excessively, and it could jam in the pulpit slot if it came up squarely sideways (the eye was slightly wider than the slot if it hit it sideways). The 44 lb Vulcan has none of those issues. Its seats securely in the rollers/slot using only the windlass, it's self turning if comes up sideways or backwards, and the pulpit bouncing when deploying is less severe. I bought the boat (44' Viking MY) in November so all my diddling with anchors didn't start until December, meaning I've only tested these by lower/retrieving in the slip. Next season will tell if the 44 lb is adequate to prevent me from dragging all over the bay. Here's some photos of the 44 pounder.

I like the splicing on your safety lanyard. I, too, don't have a chain stopper and lasso my anchor to my windlass. I put the Vulcan on my boat, 40,000 lbs dry weight sedan cruiser and she is good to go. I am always in sand on a river. It is the Columbia river and year round current is the real deal. Weather not as much as I don't like storms whilst cruising the river... I don't know what the dry wt. of your boat is but just another 44lb Vulcan happy user. I use the pre rigged bridle from Mantus Marine as well.

gr8trn. How do you like the Mantus bridle. I bought a medium bridle with 5/16 hook but have never used it. It is pretty good sized and I have the same pulpit as Viking44MY. I haven’t been able to figure out how to deploy with my anchor and chain having the roller in the middle of the pulpit as you can see from the pictures above. Does your ride go over a roller at the end of the pulpit?

I have given thought to swapping for the small size which I think has a smaller 1/2 in line and a smaller shackle attaching the bridle to the chain hook. I would still have to figure how to bring the arms of the bridle to my bow cleats.

Posting to try and show how roll bar rides on now pulpit

The anchor has been on the boat for several years and the previous owner who bought the anchor anchors out a lot each summer. I have not seen any real problems with it up against the pulpit and it rides well in 6-8 ft seas. Ask me how I know.

Anchors and anchoring has always been a matter of personal preference and experience. Always lots of opinions out there. Aren’t we all glad that is the case. It would be awfully dull if we all agreed on one solution. We have such a variety of boats, holding grounds, tides or not as well as wind conditions in our anchorages. Such are the challenges of this part of boating.
It is great to have a forum for us to discuss this and share our own experiences. I know that sounds an awfully lot like a cliche or just speaking the obvious.

Thanks for posting the photos. They are super helpful. One of the several reasons I traded in my 55 lb vulcan for a 44 lb vulcan was because the end of the shank where the swivel attaches is just slightly wider/taller than the width of the pulpit slot. So if it came up squarely sideways it would jam and if it came up backwards it could not flip once the tip made it into the slot. The 44 lb vulcan has a slightly smaller tip that does not create this issue. After looking at your original photo and in a fit of winter boat OCD I download the templates for the Vulcan 55 lb, the Vulcan 44 lb and the Rocna 55 lb. It turns out the the Rocna 55 lb has the smallest shank end of the 3, slightly smaller than even the 44 lb Vulcan. So other than the aesthetics of the roll bar and the bumping of the fiberglass on the bottom of the pulpit the 55 lb Rocna is a better fit than the 55 lb Vulcan. Something I never would have expected. So my plan is to stick with the 44 lb Vulcan for a season and see if the holding is adequate. I often hold 4 or 5 boats in a raft up so it will be well tested. If I don't trust it I'll go the the 55 lb Rocna and sell my Vulcan. Thanks again.

You should be fine with the 44. That’s why it fits the boat, it’s the appropriate size anchor for your vessel.
Again , scope is your friend, no matter the anchor.
You should have no problem with that anywhere on the Chesapeake, except an oyster bed! Lol
They don’t hold so well, and they do exist ! And that goes for all the shells that were dumped overboard buy commercial oystermen.

If that Ideal Capstan goes missing , I’m telling you right now , I didn’t take it !
Lol.
Sure is what I need for my not - Ideal set up.
Next winter….I’ve got other projects to deal with this winter.
Projects = time and $$.
Always have Peter Gabriel tune DIY handy whilst I work away on the boat for personal inspiration. Lol, just helps me.