I was not happy with the stock Catalina Danforth-type anchor. I have had quite a bit of experience with Danforth-type anchors on previous boats going way back, including new versions in the form of a Fortress on my previous catamaran. These anchors work really well in mud, but are unreliable in sand and not effective at all if the bottom is rocky. I want to be able to anchor in open roadsteads up and down the coast and so needed a more modern anchor design.
I did a lot of research (again), and spent a lot of time watching videos made by Steve Goodwin at https://www.youtube.com/@Panope. What an amazing resource - thank you Steve for all of your work! I settled on the Mantus M2 as it was highly rated across all bottom types, ironically less so in soft mud. However, my main anchoring issues in the past have been on rocky bottoms, and I wanted an anchor that was reliable on rocky bottoms even it the performance in mud was not stellar. For example, on several trips to Drakes Bay in my last boat, I had spent much time trying to get a spade-style anchor to hold in the rocky matrix there (I had a spade-type and a Fortress on that boat).
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| Mantus M2 with optional Anchor Guard fitted |
I ordered a brand new 25lb M2, 60 feet of G43 hi test 1/4" chain, and 250 feet of 1/2" New England ropes three strand. I went with the 25lb because I can haul it up without the winch in case the winch stops working. A 25lb anchor is technically a little undersized for an 11,000lb boat. However, there is an ongoing debate on the degree to which traditional anchor-weight guidelines are overly conservative. There is an emerging opinion that the traditional guidelines reflected anchors with relatively low effectiveness and that were thus dependent on dead weight, rather than holding power. More modern designs (may not) need as much weight and may even be more effective in smaller sizes. The load tests carried out by Steve Goodwin suggest that 25lbs will be a workable size for my Catalina (I am not advocating that anyone else should use this size). If I was going on a lengthy voyage, I may consider taking a larger anchor stowed. The 25lb anchor has since worked out to be more than adequate for most conditions, and has held aggressively in several circumstances with very high loads (5 knot tide plus high winds).
The 1/4 inch G43 Hi Test is rated at 2,600 lbs working load (7,800 lbs 3:1 breaking load); the New England three strand line is rated at 7,500 lbs tensile (breaking) load. I used 1/4" G43 because that is the correct chain sizing for my winch gypsy. For a boat the size of the 320, 5/16" chain would be desirable - however, the 1/4" G43 Hi Test has a higher working load than the regular 5/16" BBB chain (1900 lb working load, 5,700 lb breaking load) which is commonly used on many boats.
The M2 did not fit very well on the standard Catalina anchor roller without help. It is too nose heavy and flopped around on the roller. So I ordered and installed the Mantus Anchor Guard which makes all of the difference. This style of anchor is awkward to stow (due to the nose heaviness) and I have finally perfected the technique of manually pulling the anchor the last few feet into place on the anchor roller - trying to use the winch often caused violent gyrations in the last few feet as the anchor orients to the anchor roller. Once stowed, I keep the anchor firmly in place with a lashing from the end of the anchor to the pulpit, and a lashing over the shaft where is has leverage to balance the nose weight of the anchor. The anchor is very stable, even in heavy conditions, when lashed in this manner.
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| Line lashed through two bow shackles for extra security when it gets bouncy |
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| Lashing to Pulpit |
Installation of the Anchor Guard had its own complications. Because the main mount is the spindle bolt for the anchor roller; tightening the bolt sufficiently to secure the Anchor Guard also had the effect of locking the anchor roller in place.
Anchor roller turns freely on sleeve. Anchor Guard mount is tight.
The video shows how the roller can now turn smoothly on the tube spacer with the through-bolt and Anchor Guard attachment firmly tightened on the bow roller assembly. This was solved by drilling out the center of the anchor roller just enough to provide clearance for a stainless steel sleeve. The sleeve is slightly wider than the roller, and takes the side load when the spindle bolt is tightened to secure the Anchor Guard. Now the whole mounting is tight and secure, and the anchor roller turns easily on its spindle.
I feel that this is a worthwhile upgrade, and the M2 has held firmly in a range of challenging locations e.g. overnights at Drakes Bay, and among the kelp at Ano Nuevo. The M2 is definitely not the right anchor for all conditions - I have had it refuse to set several times in the soft silt at China Camp (Marin) for example. If I had an unlimited budget, I would have an M1 for the soft mud of the Bay, and the M2 as backup for rocky bottoms along the cost. However, it performs adequately in most mud bottoms with plenty of scope.
Costs:
$345 25lb M2 galvanized inc. shipping and tax (Mantus Anchors)
$137 Anchor Guard Starboard Medium inc. shipping and tax (Mantus Anchors)
$237 60' 1/4" Peerless ACCO Grade 43 Domestic High Test (not inc. tax and shipping) (Defender)
$110 250' 1/2" New England Ropes Premium Nylon Three Strand White
(not inc. tax and shipping) (Defender)
$4 1/2" x 4.5" 316 Stainless bolt (McMaster Carr)
$27 3/4" OD 1/2" ID (0.120" wall thickness) 316 Stainless Tube x 6" (McMaster Carr)
$10 3/4" drill (Amazon)
$870 Total (minimum)
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