Dolph, >I think because >the yaw and therefore the surface area exposed to the wind was less that the >load on the anchors was also reduced. Right on. The impulse load at the end of each yaw cycle is a significant part of the "factor of ignorance", i.e., safety factor built into the mfg. and ABYC recommendations. Van Dorn and Earl Hinz discuss the magnitude - but I don't recall any measurement backup to estimates. I've mainly been researching the para-anchor dynamic loads, because a cat on a bridle has so little yaw that the wave dynamics dominate. I wish I knew how to estimate the additional dynamic load from both yaw and wave action. With enough homework one can get a reasonable box around the wind drag without going to empirical load-cell measurements. I had a somewhat lengthy email discussion with naval architect/engineer Guy Buchanan about the dyanmics - not sure I'm a lot smarter on this than before <g>. It was pretty technical. If anybody is interested I'll post the dialog here. >I have a problem with two anchors on one rode, deployment and retrieval. Our >anchors are heavy, 75 and 66 lbs for the two main anchors. Nice big anchors! BTW, my homework indicates the Bruce is about 42% as efficient as your CQR. I.e., equivalent to about a 28lb CQR. Said another way a Bruce must be about 2.5 times as big. At that size they are neat anchors, swift setting, self-stable - but, wow, heavvvyy. >Perhaps you have developed a simpler method of deployment? Sooner or later I'll turn up that article I mentioned about "easy" tandem anchor and Bahamian moor rigging, etc. Anyway, it is done by using windlass & bow rollers on both anchors - no dink heroics required. But a couple of intermediate steps are required. In brief outline, you lower the outer anchor using a utility line connected say 3-ft from the boat-end of it's chain. Set it. Retrieve the end of chain via utility line on windlass, then shackle the chain to the inner anchor - more on that issue below (that's why you want some loose chain not under load), transfer load off utility line to the inner anchor rode, release it, then deploy and set the inner anchor. Does that help? BTW, I don't remember the source of this idea, but it makes sense to me. That is to use a self-stable plow-type as the inner (like a Delta, Bruce or Spade, preferably not a CQR), then a lightweight-type as the outer (like Fortress). The rationale is that if the inner starts to drag, it "prepares" the bottom for deeper penetration by the outer anchor - the latter having the highest holding power per unit weight. This is one possibly good role for a Bruce only in that it is stable and drags under relatively low load without surfacing and resetting. Personally I would rather carry around an equal weight of an efficient self stable anchor so I don't need the tandem rig except for severe conditions - above 55 to 60kn. You can probably deduce I don't carry Bruce anchors anymore <g>. They exhibit a "stealth" drag mode when deployed in the usual sizes (unless they hook on something foul - they are pretty good hooks). One (maybe two, would have to search for the reports) boats I know of were lost in our patch over the last 2 years because of this dangerous combination of low holding power and stealthy dragging. One uncertainty I have about the tandem rig if one connects the outer anchor to inner anchor's trip line hole (like on a Delta). Which is the configuration I've seen most commonly diagramed I think. Suppose the outer anchor is well set, but the inner anchor is arrested by the linking chain before it sets. When the s.. hits the fan and the outer anchor starts to drag, can we be confident the inner anchor will set properly when restrained by the link chain? A possible way to sleep better about this one is to connect the linking chain to the inner anchor's shackle or to the chain ahead of shackle. >We use a 3/4 inch three strand nylon snubber I like your whole ground tackle rig, anchor complement (except the Bruce, just to be a nag). If your DSPL is less than say 40,000 lbs., I would speculate that you would be happier with more like a 3/8 3-strand snubber. Or maybe the Hazellet or climbing rope, ... It'll be interesting to see what you think after you read the Jan PS article on Spade et al. Perhaps you'll consider selling the Bruce for a Spade or Max or... >We have not anchored in hurricane conditions but we have ridden out a >Tehuantapeccer on one hook on a muddy bottom. We have also ridden out high >winds on a reef anchored in loose sand at first on one hook and then on >two so we could get some sleep. Good on yuh, as the Kiwis would say! And I hope you never see conditions that stressful again. Cheers, Steve ------------------------------------------------ Stephen C. Darden Email: darden@xtra.co.nz Adagio Marine Ltd. Fax: 649/4037-213 P.O. Box 161 Voice: 649/4037-801 Russell NEW ZEALAND