Actually this story is more about the chain than anchors. And all obervations are infuenced by the weight of your yacht, deep or swallow anchoring, multi hull and a few other parameters.
Take our SW1260, supplied for a circumnavigation, she weighs, all in, about 26.500 lbs or 12.000 kg and is in most tables a 42´ heavy. Calculations and reference tables are done with 30 knots, 7 bft, wind.
Light | Medium | Heavy | Chain | Weight /m |
---|---|---|---|---|
46’–50′ | 41’–45′ | 37’–40′ | 5/16″ or 8mm PC/BBB/HT | 1,4 kg |
51’–60′ | 46’–54′ | 41’–48′ | 3/8″ PC/BBB ~ 10 mm grade30 or 5/16″ G4 ~ 8mm grade43 | 2,1 kg 1,4 kg |
( Light, Medium, Heavy)
Maxwell HRC8 Windlasses
The standard windlass is a Maxwell HRC8 which is able to handle 5/16″ BB, 5/16″ ISO G4, 8mm DIN 766, 8mm ISO 4565. For 10mm, 3/8¨ chain a H10-model is necessary.
Chain Length and Grade
Oké let’s start with the basics, old fashion is a 7 to 1 ratio on chain length to depth. With modern anchors, it’s 3 to 1 for calm and or swallow anchoring up to 5 to 1 for a rougher, deeper anchoring, is oké. So the upgrade from Seawind to 80 mtr is on a lower limit. I prefer 100 meters of chain.

I think that the standard chain Seawind offers is Grade L aka PC/BBB/grade30 and again on the lower limit. In my opinion grade43 should be the standard and I prefer grade70. See the table for strength and weight and prices. (In Holland, prices in Q1 2022)
grade (8 mm) | WLL in kg | BLL in kg | gewicht kg/m | €/m (ex VAT) |
---|---|---|---|---|
30 | 820 | 3250 | 1,4 | 8,47 |
43 | 1200 | 4400 | 1,4 | 7,77 – 9,83 |
70 | 3200 | 7000 | 1,4 | 9,87 – 20,50 |
50-60 (RVS 316) | 3000 | 6200 | 1,4 | 37 – 40 |
30 (10 mm) | 1275 | 5100 | 2,3 | 11,61 |
So my strategy is upgrading to the Seawind option of 80 mtr standard chain. It will last a year. Afterwards I would order 100 mtr (DIN 766, Ø 8 x 24 mm) chain grade 70 or 43. Far stronger and enough length for my sailing area, the Pacific. Buying a 8 mm higher grade chain is always less expensive than upgrading to a HCR10 Maxwell and 10 mm chain, grade 43.
Anchor
Modern plow or scoop anchors (Excel, Delta, Spade, Mantus, Manson perform well compared to an older plow like CQR or a claw anchor like a Bruce or a Danforth anchor like a Fortress.
I would strongly advise to upgrade from the standard 45 lb CQR anchor to a 48 lb Sarca Excel No 5 galvanised anchor. The Excel anchor is well known for its good initial setting on a relatively short chain and its holding power. The big question is what is the right size anchor, I find this article on the UK site of Jim Green helpful.
LOA (mtr) | 10-12 | 12-15 | 15-17 |
Weight (ton) | 3,5-7 | 7-15 | 15-21 |
Sarca weight (kg/lb) | 16/35 | 22/48 | 30/66 |
Sarca type | 4 | 5 | 6 |
I am comfortable with the Sarca Excel #5 and find it a balanced solution with a Maxwell HCR8 windlass and a 8 mm chain, grade 43.
We opted for the secondary anchor, a nice 35 lb Delta to be used as stern, tandem or temporary anchor.
Other important stuff
Buy an anchor swivel, always a pleasure to position the anchor on the bow roller. Most swivels attach directly to the anchor, using a bit of blue lock-tide. On 8 mm chain you use a 10 mm swivel. Almost all modern swivels like Mantus, Ultra, Lewmar are stainless steel and corrode your anchor and chain. Swivels are expensive. Rex Francis, designer of the Sarca Excel is not a fan of swivels because of lesser resetting of the anchor and lateral forces breaks swivels. Something to think about.



Buy the Anchor Bridle, it´s not an option. To release the tension of the chain from the windlass, you need an anchor bridle. I prefer nylon double braided because of its quality to stretch and flex.
Length indicators, 1 white tie wrap = 10 mtr of chain, 2 tie wraps etc. Or buy any fancy indicator.
Have a 8 and a 10 mm high quality Bow shackle with you. Always handy when something brakes. I also like a Kong Stainless Steel Universal Chain Lock



And I always carry a spare chain hook. A RVS hook will get bent and forged one breaks.
The only thing about the Excel anchor that I do not like is the shape of the shaft just above the fluke – the is nothing to prevent the chain wrapping around the shaft is the anchor is not fully dug in (which sometimes happens I.e. when there is a rock or boulder in the bottom). When the chain gets wrapped around the shaft the anchor will not hold any longer. This once happened to me with a Bruce, I was not amused then!
I have owned 2 Seawind 1260’s and am now waiting on a 1370. A few corrections – I think you will find the actual weight of a 1260 closer to 13,000Kg. That was what both my boats weighed after they had been delivered – and with all rigging, sails & a dinghy.
I put Sarca Excel #6 on both boats. Absolutly fantastic anchor – never dragged once. One of my boats had 8mm chain and the second 10mm – which was required for charter work in Sydney harbour.
Strongly recommend you look at a Mantus Chain Hook for attaching your bridle to the anchor chain. Its super strong and very easy to attach. I have broken several other types of hooks – and thats not fun when its blowing hard. https://www.mantusmarine.com/m2-chain-hook/
Phil
Is a standard 1260 really that heavy ? It’s advertised as much much lower!!
Also, I have a Sarca #5 I think (22kg). I purchased a second hand #7 (36kg) for North QLD tides. Have I wasted my money? Is it too much?