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Ever Use A Bruce Anchor?

Capt. Max

Member II
I just got a bruce anchor and wonder how well they work.
Would love to hear you think about these strange looking anchors.
 

EGregerson

Member III
bruce

I like it. I didn't care for them back when because of their reputation in anchors tests. But i finally realized that they do the best in mud, which is what we have here in the chesapeake region and a lot of the icw. And when they turn direction with the tide they do better at re setting than the cqr or danforth, altho the danforth gets the best marks for straight away strength, like for a storm anchor. There are newer high priced anchors that tout performance features but i know nothing about them. I'm very happy with the (relatively inexpensive) #33 Lewmar claw and a 22# danforth for storms/currents. Make sure the weight is appropriate for your displacement and a use reasonable amount of chain (i think they say 6' min).
 
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Frank Langer

1984 Ericson 30+, Nanaimo, BC
We love our 22 lb. Bruce anchor on our E30+. It holds well in most seabeds and we have never dragged anchor with it. It cannot break, is easy to store on the bow roller.

Some of the newer anchors may have an advantage based on test results, but I am very happy with our Bruce anchor.

Frank
 

u079721

Contributing Partner
Our main ground tackle on our E38 was a Bruce 33 with about 20 feet of 3/8" chain. Over 300 nights at anchor in the North Channel and we never dragged once. So I would have to say we were satisfied.

That being said, I have to admit that I was a bit bothered by all the test reports in which the Bruce did quite poorly. But it was a very common anchor on the Great Lakes, and everyone seemed to like it. If we'd lost it I would have replaced it with one of the newer designs, but fortunately that never happened!
 
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Mindscape

Member III
Like out Bruce

We've used our Bruce in Lake Michagan with no problems so far. Only one night in storm conditions, but no issues.
 

Tom Metzger

Sustaining Partner
Bruce (claw) anchors get high marks on Lk Champlain, and are what most people in my marina buy for the 27 -40 foot boats. I've had no problems in 14 years with mine.
 

footrope

Contributing Partner
Blogs Author
I was concerned, too, about the reports of the Bruce having poor results in the beach tractor pull tests. I have a 33 lb Bruce with 60 feet of 5/16 chain and it holds well in our Salish Sea mud. It is harder to set when there is some eel grass to contend with. I have not been in a blow at anchor with this setup yet. But, I hope to be someday.

I have a hunch that the pull tests would be more informative if we could send in our own configurations and get the results of the tests in sand and mud. I need to devise a way to measure the force on the rode onboard my boat in real conditions - which would be quite useful against the generic tractor pull tests. I'm guessing a big old spring scale and some steel cable would do the trick. Use it like a snubber.
 

Sven

Seglare
We went with a 22# Bruce for La Petite after seeing what all the professional workboats around here use. Never had her drag the few times we anchored.

We put a 44# Bruce on Senta but lost it when we worried about line chafe on the bottom during a lee shore night of terror and cut the line for the safest exit. We replaced it with a 66# Bruce.

After getting into an argument with a Rocna snakeoil salesman I vowed never to buy one even of we were going to anchor in a soft bottom. I think if you go back some years you'll find that the Bruce design rated quite high in anchor tests, until a bunch of new patent anchors with astronomical prices showed up and the tests suddenly didn't like the Bruce design.

As for how to chose the size remember "if they don't laugh it isn't big enough."



-Sven
 
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