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Well, the Canada store just called me and delivered the bad news. He said after the Tr*mp tarriffs-- which were not included on the website pricing for international, it would be an additional $400!!... So, I canceled the order. They said if I'm in the area I can buy one and bring it back, but I...

Thanks for the note (and niceties). And damn you ;) because I’m trying to find reasons NOT to use the lonestar winch, including saying I’m eventually getting a windlass! I communicated by online messenger with their Texas group and the parent company in Australia, and ultimately decided the only...

(Thanks, Bob.) Spade USA (in Florida) reconnected with me and confirmed that no, he does not have any S60s in stock, lying around, demo units, or on the new shipment in port. He said the tarrifs were too much to bring any in, and is not anticipating considering ordering more until August. He...

By the way, I spent a few HOURS last night looking into chains, trying to find a "trusted' (repeating myself: trust is earned, not anointed) high quality hot dipped galvanized ISO Grade 43 (/G4) high test 1/4", made in North America... and failed. Peerless bought ACCO a while back, and there are...

I know, I know :) When my wife and I were getting married, we wrote our own vows that included a few "I promise to... I promise to..." items, which we each had to come up with as a surprise, and then the two sets would have a mirrored structure. They were nice and personalized things about being...

I just bought a bunch, figured I'd share here if anyone is looking. This is half price, a little less ($1.59 at West Marine, $1.44 at others). https://defender.com/en_us/new-england-ropes-8-plait-nylon-line I bought a 20' piece, and two 300' pieces. Free shipping, tax, $490 total, comes this...

PS- picked up a copy of (the now 69th edition; 70th due out October '26) Chapman's Piloting & Seamanship at your encouragement to someone else on the forum... (whistle)... isn't exactly a light daytime read! (even with the 1500 color photos-- lots to pay attention to in a small space...

Very neat you lived all this stuff. I was reading about that earlier in one of my books-- how in big storms and waves the weak links can quickly become the cleats, fasteners, backing plates, and even the fiberglass (and CE hull ratings etc)-- and found the whole thing neat. Makes you appreciate...

Thanks. I suppose it's worth adding that I'm not doing it in doubt or in fear, but in trying to learn for myself about anchoring, where things go wrong, and where people's strong opinions are made and/or changed, and then share it for anyone else curious enough to read words these days. I saw so...

Well, Spade USA called me back and it does not appear it will work out for me. They import from Europe and the tariffs are crushing him. He said they were much higher than he expected on the batch in port right now, and he does not believe it will make sense to have any more brought in. That is...

Completing the exercise (can you tell I'm a former high school teacher?), initially the anchoring charts said (pasting from above but adding in 45 knots): Loads on a 20' and 30' sailboat (either side of the "/" below): 30 knot wind: 360 lbs / 700lb 45 knot wind: 720 lb / 1400lb 60 knot wind...

I also just bought a Fortress FX-11 for backup anchor, $244 after tax at West Marine ($229, same as Defender). I opted for this over the FX-7 (my original plan) because the FX-11 could serve as a backup bow anchor on my 22 whereas the FX4 could not, and the Mantus 2.5 dinghy anchor could serve...

Waiting to place Spade order today (phone only; closed over weekend), but in the meantime I just bought a Mantus 2.5lb stainless steel dinghy anchor which I'll also use as stern / shore anchor in good conditions. Folding rollbar, great tested performance, trusted brand. $105 (+$40 shipping, with...

I’m not saying it isnt corrosion, but what makes you think it is? Could be battery, trim piston fluid, barnacles, prop/skeg weeds/junk, etc?

[second half] Then it came down to size and shape-- something to help tie break. They're both rated for our boat size and anticipated storm loads. Physically, the Mantus M1 Performance size: From bottom of tip to top of shank on the Spade, the "D" is 315mm = 12.4 inches. From bottom of tip...

The Viking anchors are testing as the best overall anchors anywhere right now. This not only from Goodwin / Panope testing, but also how Mantus has incorporated some of their designs, and anecdotal forum/group evidence. So to answer the question, "what is the best anchor", knowing it could be...

Thanks. I’m trying to vacuum up all that I can from as many trusted people & places I can, so I don’t need to revisit it for 20 years beyond implementation learnings. If I do that for enough parts & systems & strategies, I ought to have a great running start when I wander beyond home waters. No...

Great. I started my narrowing down by copying Steve Goodwin's table above into Claude (AI) and having it convert it into a color-coded spreadsheet (1=red --> green = 5). I focused on what was important to me personally where and how I'd be using it, and got my final 3 to then price-out. But out...

From that book... loads on ground tackle, 20' sailboat / 30' sailboat, anchored in SAND with moderate protection, and freedom to oscillate (there are other methods to test, in the book's appendix, but this was from the table). Moderate protection was defined basically as between good and poor...

While I'm at it, I have a good book recommendation, "Anchoring: A Ground Tackler's Apprentice" (subtitle: Basics and Beyond) by Rudy and Jill Sechez. Link here: https://www.waterwayguide.com/ship-store/product/9/anchoring-a-ground-tacklers-apprentice Unlike most "I sailed a lot and thus am...