Excellent! Absolute TOPS, your tests! (little suggestion to bring your excellence to intergalactic proportions: metricate...) Anybody choosing & buying an anchor after watching these tests should donate 10% of the anchor price to SV Panope!
Hello guys Ancre achetée en début d'année, utilisation en méditerranée (sable - usually sand) et elle est merveilleuse !!! Merci pour ce test qui a guidé mon choix, bonne continuation
So in a nutshell : buy the proper bolt, buy one size up if you need more 'performance' in soft grounds. What a great anchor. I concur with the request for a visulalisation of the anchors on the roller. I'm trying to decide between the Vulcan(sadly no real comparison, for the one tested is a 55..) the mantus M2 45, and the Ultra. SADLY the later one is not capable of connecting with your chain without their special swivel.. (small hole in fluke) I'm awaiting your results of the big M2 with great anticipation. Thank you so very much!
Who started off trying to figure out a great way to anchor their boat and ended up watching a ton of anchor tests? ME! That would be ME! Excellent tests as usual.
you say the bolt has dug into the galvanizing, it's not so bad cause it doesn't rotate on said bolt, but it is a common issue where the threads will elongate/grind//wear out the holes on other equipment/stuff especially if something does rotates on it. I'm thinking most specifically of snow plow mounts, when people put in bolts instead of smooth pins they really should have included a shoulder bolt, so said hole doesn't wear out quickly; you can also just get a longer bolt with an actual shoulder and just trim it the required length and treat the end of it
Thanks Steve. Great test, some impressive results. Seems a high performing anchor. The result of 2’s in the soft mud makes me wonder how a 9kg/20lbs Vulcan anchor would perform.
I cant wait to see how the larger M2 goes!! I've recently bought a cruising boat, 33ft, 1300lbs, in Puget sounds, it has a Bruce and I've been geeking out on your excellent research while I'm deciding, definitely leaning towards a mantis at this point. Thanks for all your work! I thought about the increase sea life at your testing site, and wondered if you're tilling it and some how inadvertently improving soil conditions... unlikely but possible.... more likely weather cycles.
I too have a 32 foot cruiser got it 10 months ago it’s in Channel Islands harbor. Also came with a Bruce. Im geeking out on these videos as well and was leaning towards mantus m2 like you but now I’m not so sure, spade seems good as well. Very hard decision.
@@renny9879 I went with a viking 30lb, I've been happy with it. It hooks in very aggressively. I've not had any issued apart from a few galvanizing chips... but no rust. They've probably fixed that by now. Spent the night in 20kt a couple weeks ago. Mantis is great too by all accounts.
The back of the anchor fluke is bent upwards; it should be bent downwards to avoid acting like the aeroplane wing flaps pushing the nose up during take off, when the Mantus M2 is moving in soft mud. I recall the bent upwards back of the fluke of the Rocna contributed somewhat to that anchor’s poor performance in sandy mud. I wonder if the Mantus M2 would perform better in soft mud if the rear of the fluke was bent downwards to help the anchor dive down during movement in soft mud. A minor criticism (or suggestion) of a high quality robust anchor.
Ross, you are correct about the Rocna. It did do better (excellent) in the soft mud after the fluke was pounded flat. If I had a spare M2 AND had the consent of person(s) who donated it, would be happy to pound it flat and give it a try.
I reallly want the 55 . Mantus had a 20% off coupon last year I don’t usually bother but 20% on a $700 anchor is a chunk and the shipping is so high . I just ordered $750 rode so I guess $800 in an anchor will use my stimulus up. Seems they would give your subscribers a discount coupon. I know wishful thinking. Keep up the good work love the videos. I’m hoping the video on the big one comes out before I order mine
Awesome to see these tests. I am also really interested to understand if a roll bar has any real advantage. Do the anchors ever end upsidedown, do they just right themselves when setting. Mantus M2 test would be of interest. Thanks again for all the testing. Cheers
Gordon, For anchors that are designed with one, a rollbar is essential because without one, they will not self right in the event they become inverted. Careful deployment might result in an upright anchor nearly everytime, but this cannot be assured. Also, in 180 degree wind or tide change, anchors can sometimes flip over onto thier backs. Anchors that are designed without rollbars usually have ballasted flukes and specially shaped shanks in order to self right.
Steve, thanks for the reply. My current anchor has a roll bar which gets in the way of our prodder. So best to replace with an anchor designed without one and "touch wood" it behaves as designed. That's again for the tests. Cheers
I downloaded the file from Mantus and printed off the 17 lb anchor then I taped the prints together to make a template to check the size on my bow roller. Spade gives measurements for each of their anchors. The Spade measurements are bigger than the Mantus so I was impressed with the results of your test of the M2. I would be interested in how much fewer weeds hang up on an anchor with and without the roll bar. There has been a lot of comments on what to list in the results but listing everything allows people to discard the results they are not interested in like price is irrelevant to some people. Thanks
Hey Steve, you can't include tip weight, price, galvanising, and perceived strength in "best performing anchor", price could make it best value with lower performance. Just be careful about the difference between "best anchor" and "best value anchor" and "best performing anchor" - they're all very different things. Cheers.
Steve: A couple of times, in this video, you mention that this size Mantus M2 "would be good for a (particular size boat)..." I am boat shopping and learning all I can. Your videos are fascinating! Have you ever thought about mentioning in your videos, while testing a particular size range of anchor, what size boat would typically use that size anchor? Also, I read a lot about sizing up one, or two, for extreme conditions. Is this true for most modern anchors as well? I'm not looking for a specific type recommendation, just a idea of what size boat requires what size anchor (range). I've been to manufacturers websites and looked over their tables for day anchoring and overnighting. Still a bit confusing. If you can help us newbies/wanna-be's better understand what to look for, I know that I would definitely appreciate it. Thanks Steve for all the great content! Stay safe!
Nate, I agree with you that anchor sizing can be confusing. First, there is no right or wrong answer as different people will have vastly different technique, risk tolerances and most importantly, different circumstances. Perhaps, the greatest unknown is SEABED TYPE. I have found the performance of an anchor to vary by as much as 10 times depending on seabed type. Some sailors, that have very accurate knowledge of their anchoring conditions may be able to downsize thier anchor and never have a problem. In the region where I anchor, it is often impossible to know the seafloor conditions. Also, I like to anchor in very very small coves, thus requiring very short scope. These factors cause me to lean toward heavier anchors. My response here only scratches the surface of your question. I hope it helps.
@@flygoodwin Thanks Steve for the response. I live in Michigan, so I would be learning How-to anchor on the Great Lakes. My bucket list is the completing the Great Loop. There are a lot of Rocna rollbar lovers on the Loop. The boat that I am looking at is a Ranger Tug R-29 (33', 10,500 lbs). I have been trying to figure if I should be following your 45lb chart or stick to the 20lb "battle of the anchors" lol. Either way, I will continue watching everything you put out. Thanks for doing this work. I agree, I think I want to go big (heavy) Just as long as the windlass will handle it. Keep up the great work!
I've bee looking to understand what my 37' 15000lb sailboat actually needs for anchoring and I don't have good idea of what's needed for a given wind force. The information you provide is wonderful and I can see the work you've put into it, but without context of what I actually need doesn't help me much in deciding if I need an upgrade or not. As a comment, when I really need maximum holding power I'll always use a scope of between 5:1 - 7:1 using 120' of chain then nylon. Your tests seem to always use 3:1. I'm sure a few degrees of pull angle will certainly make a difference. Also, I've never seen the wind change 180 degrees and pull a reset directly over the top at 3knts...maybe it can happen but in my experience as the wind changes direction it tends to swing the boat around. Would you consider making a video that would help understand what kind of forces are created on boats at anchor to help make your test results more meaningful. I recognize there are a lot of variables involved but but trying to get some understanding of what forces a boat creates is the first step to making a discussion on what anchor is needed.
Interesting. I have to say I have avoided the M2 simply because my brain couldn't get over the much shallower angle of the shank, almost pointing down from the anchor. To me it feels like the anchor would be too flat to really dig in, and any slight upward movement of the chain would simply pull the anchor out. Also, why do you not use a rotating shackle? I always have had them, thinking they're totally necessary in cases of boat rotation, or is that wrong?
The pulling force (rode) does not follow the geometric shape of the shank (shank could be shaped like a pretzel). What matters, is the position (spatially) of the chain attach point with respect to the fluke. I have been anchoring boats for 40+ years and have never needed a swivel. I do not use a swivel because a prefer the most simple/strong solution. Other people/boats benefit from using a swivel. I have no first hand experience with this phenomena.
Hey Steve, great video as usual. Unfortunately the results weren't in my favor .. . Lol, I was hoping it would do better in soft mud so I could use it as my second anchor. I would be looking at the 25lb anchor, do you think the extra weight would make enough of a difference that it would be comparable to my primary anchor the 25lb Viking ? Cheers Robin
I believe that pound for pound, a Viking will have higher holding in soft mud than a Mantus M2. I have found a near perfect correlation between "thin fluke/rollbar" anchors doing better than "ballasted fluke/non-rollbar anchors in Soft Mud. Opposite in the Sandy Mud.
Steve , the Set Screw should a bolt . Screw by there very nature are subject to shear stress and corrosion at the root of the threads . Very bad engineering practice. What is common with mantis.
Have you considered a column for how the various anchors stow on bow rollers? I would rather see this practical information rather than tip weight that counts for little. What is the purpose of scoring tip weight? If the anchor performs well who cares about tip weight. Rocna anchors can be hard to secure on many bow rollers. They need lashing down when bashing to weather. A Spade doesnt. It would be nice to know how other anchors stow. In addition, some of these large anchors will catch a lot of sea on the bow roller in rough conditions. I know of anchors that have come lose on bow rollers due to stowage problems. These are useful practical considerations
Tim, regarding bow rollers, I am planning a test of "self launch" ability. I'll look at "stowing/securing" also - thanks for the idea. I believe tip weight to be a substitute for testing in difficult to penetrate seabeds like hard sand and heavy weed. Perhaps, after completing those tests the tip weight will be irrelevant. See my "Seaweed Penetration" video #80.
@@flygoodwin with all due respect, I am not sure tip weight alone will predict behaviour in weed or seagrass. Sharpness of the point will make just as much difference when penetrating seagrass. Why not just stick to what you are testing rather than predicting what you havent tested? Love you testing
@@timevans8223 If I had to choose between 2 anchors that were equals in every way except for tip weight, I would choose the higher tip weight every time.
@@flygoodwin we sail in the Caribbean. Sea grass is common. The ability to penetrate seagrass is important. Tip weight/sharpness of the tip are important. Would a blunt tip with high tip weight penetrate seagrass? Only testing would tell. We know our Spade copes better than most anchors in seagrass. A head to head test in seagrass would be great but relying on tip weight only to assess this isnt the same as testing.
@@timevans8223 I agree completely that the tip weight is a poorer measure than testing. But I feel it is better than nothing. Eventually, I will travel further afield and find these seabeds. Spade has a higher tip weight than most anchors. Yes, it is also fairly sharp.
Your comment seems unfair. Not sure if you are joking. Anyway. He is trying to find anchors that are the least prone to dragging and failing so people will choose anchors that do not drag and so boats do not get shipwrecked with diesel and oil spillages, etc.
Hi, thanks for all info and testing! I bought an 25 lb Mantus M2 and it fits perfect in the anchoring storage of my Jeanneau Sun 2000.
I've been waiting for your test of a new Mantus M2 model. Really great test again, thanks!
Excellent! Absolute TOPS, your tests! (little suggestion to bring your excellence to intergalactic proportions: metricate...)
Anybody choosing & buying an anchor after watching these tests should donate 10% of the anchor price to SV Panope!
Good stuff, thanks! Funny little animation at the end, nice touch.
Hello guys
Ancre achetée en début d'année, utilisation en méditerranée (sable - usually sand) et elle est merveilleuse !!!
Merci pour ce test qui a guidé mon choix, bonne continuation
Thanks to Emma for the cute animation at the end. You made my day!
So in a nutshell : buy the proper bolt, buy one size up if you need more 'performance' in soft grounds. What a great anchor. I concur with the request for a visulalisation of the anchors on the roller. I'm trying to decide between the Vulcan(sadly no real comparison, for the one tested is a 55..) the mantus M2 45, and the Ultra. SADLY the later one is not capable of connecting with your chain without their special swivel.. (small hole in fluke)
I'm awaiting your results of the big M2 with great anticipation. Thank you so very much!
Who started off trying to figure out a great way to anchor their boat and ended up watching a ton of anchor tests? ME! That would be ME! Excellent tests as usual.
Way to go, Steve,.another great review!
A great service to the boating community.
Thank you for this test Steve, we are about to buy an M2 and this video helped us to decide.
you say the bolt has dug into the galvanizing, it's not so bad cause it doesn't rotate on said bolt, but it is a common issue where the threads will elongate/grind//wear out the holes on other equipment/stuff especially if something does rotates on it. I'm thinking most specifically of snow plow mounts, when people put in bolts instead of smooth pins
they really should have included a shoulder bolt, so said hole doesn't wear out quickly; you can also just get a longer bolt with an actual shoulder and just trim it the required length and treat the end of it
Thanks Steve. Great test, some impressive results. Seems a high performing anchor. The result of 2’s in the soft mud makes me wonder how a 9kg/20lbs Vulcan anchor would perform.
I cant wait to see how the larger M2 goes!! I've recently bought a cruising boat, 33ft, 1300lbs, in Puget sounds, it has a Bruce and I've been geeking out on your excellent research while I'm deciding, definitely leaning towards a mantis at this point. Thanks for all your work! I thought about the increase sea life at your testing site, and wondered if you're tilling it and some how inadvertently improving soil conditions... unlikely but possible.... more likely weather cycles.
I too have a 32 foot cruiser got it 10 months ago it’s in Channel Islands harbor. Also came with a Bruce. Im geeking out on these videos as well and was leaning towards mantus m2 like you but now I’m not so sure, spade seems good as well. Very hard decision.
@@renny9879 I went with a viking 30lb, I've been happy with it. It hooks in very aggressively. I've not had any issued apart from a few galvanizing chips... but no rust. They've probably fixed that by now. Spent the night in 20kt a couple weeks ago. Mantis is great too by all accounts.
Looks like I will be getting the mantus m2
Great video
Thanks again
The back of the anchor fluke is bent upwards; it should be bent downwards to avoid acting like the aeroplane wing flaps pushing the nose up during take off, when the Mantus M2 is moving in soft mud. I recall the bent upwards back of the fluke of the Rocna contributed somewhat to that anchor’s poor performance in sandy mud. I wonder if the Mantus M2 would perform better in soft mud if the rear of the fluke was bent downwards to help the anchor dive down during movement in soft mud. A minor criticism (or suggestion) of a high quality robust anchor.
Ross, you are correct about the Rocna. It did do better (excellent) in the soft mud after the fluke was pounded flat. If I had a spare M2 AND had the consent of person(s) who donated it, would be happy to pound it flat and give it a try.
I reallly want the 55 . Mantus had a 20% off coupon last year I don’t usually bother but 20% on a $700 anchor is a chunk and the shipping is so high . I just ordered $750 rode so I guess $800 in an anchor will use my stimulus up. Seems they would give your subscribers a discount coupon. I know wishful thinking. Keep up the good work love the videos. I’m hoping the video on the big one comes out before I order mine
Awesome to see these tests. I am also really interested to understand if a roll bar has any real advantage. Do the anchors ever end upsidedown, do they just right themselves when setting. Mantus M2 test would be of interest. Thanks again for all the testing. Cheers
Gordon, For anchors that are designed with one, a rollbar is essential because without one, they will not self right in the event they become inverted. Careful deployment might result in an upright anchor nearly everytime, but this cannot be assured. Also, in 180 degree wind or tide change, anchors can sometimes flip over onto thier backs. Anchors that are designed without rollbars usually have ballasted flukes and specially shaped shanks in order to self right.
Steve, thanks for the reply. My current anchor has a roll bar which gets in the way of our prodder. So best to replace with an anchor designed without one and "touch wood" it behaves as designed. That's again for the tests. Cheers
This must be an easy choice for many! ⚓
I downloaded the file from Mantus and printed off the 17 lb anchor then I taped the prints together to make a template to check the size on my bow roller. Spade gives measurements for each of their anchors. The Spade measurements are bigger than the Mantus so I was impressed with the results of your test of the M2. I would be interested in how much fewer weeds hang up on an anchor with and without the roll bar.
There has been a lot of comments on what to list in the results but listing everything allows people to discard the results they are not interested in like price is irrelevant to some people.
Thanks
Dear Stanley,
Where you found the file Mantus for printer? Thanks for help me in advance.
Awesome! THANKS!
Hey Steve, you can't include tip weight, price, galvanising, and perceived strength in "best performing anchor", price could make it best value with lower performance. Just be careful about the difference between "best anchor" and "best value anchor" and "best performing anchor" - they're all very different things. Cheers.
23:28 he says you’re free to ignore any column that doesn’t apply to you like price and galvanizing.
Yhank you
I just bought a 155lb m2, I dont have it installed yet but I'm hoping for good results....
If this anchor was attached in a breakaway fashion, how would the chain along the shank effect performance? The loose baggy chain has me wondering.
Steve: A couple of times, in this video, you mention that this size Mantus M2 "would be good for a (particular size boat)..." I am boat shopping and learning all I can. Your videos are fascinating! Have you ever thought about mentioning in your videos, while testing a particular size range of anchor, what size boat would typically use that size anchor? Also, I read a lot about sizing up one, or two, for extreme conditions. Is this true for most modern anchors as well?
I'm not looking for a specific type recommendation, just a idea of what size boat requires what size anchor (range). I've been to manufacturers websites and looked over their tables for day anchoring and overnighting. Still a bit confusing. If you can help us newbies/wanna-be's better understand what to look for, I know that I would definitely appreciate it. Thanks Steve for all the great content! Stay safe!
Nate, I agree with you that anchor sizing can be confusing. First, there is no right or wrong answer as different people will have vastly different technique, risk tolerances and most importantly, different circumstances. Perhaps, the greatest unknown is SEABED TYPE. I have found the performance of an anchor to vary by as much as 10 times depending on seabed type. Some sailors, that have very accurate knowledge of their anchoring conditions may be able to downsize thier anchor and never have a problem.
In the region where I anchor, it is often impossible to know the seafloor conditions. Also, I like to anchor in very very small coves, thus requiring very short scope. These factors cause me to lean toward heavier anchors.
My response here only scratches the surface of your question. I hope it helps.
@@flygoodwin Thanks Steve for the response. I live in Michigan, so I would be learning How-to anchor on the Great Lakes. My bucket list is the completing the Great Loop. There are a lot of Rocna rollbar lovers on the Loop. The boat that I am looking at is a Ranger Tug R-29 (33', 10,500 lbs). I have been trying to figure if I should be following your 45lb chart or stick to the 20lb "battle of the anchors" lol. Either way, I will continue watching everything you put out. Thanks for doing this work. I agree, I think I want to go big (heavy) Just as long as the windlass will handle it. Keep up the great work!
I've bee looking to understand what my 37' 15000lb sailboat actually needs for anchoring and I don't have good idea of what's needed for a given wind force. The information you provide is wonderful and I can see the work you've put into it, but without context of what I actually need doesn't help me much in deciding if I need an upgrade or not. As a comment, when I really need maximum holding power I'll always use a scope of between 5:1 - 7:1 using 120' of chain then nylon. Your tests seem to always use 3:1. I'm sure a few degrees of pull angle will certainly make a difference. Also, I've never seen the wind change 180 degrees and pull a reset directly over the top at 3knts...maybe it can happen but in my experience as the wind changes direction it tends to swing the boat around. Would you consider making a video that would help understand what kind of forces are created on boats at anchor to help make your test results more meaningful. I recognize there are a lot of variables involved but but trying to get some understanding of what forces a boat creates is the first step to making a discussion on what anchor is needed.
So... you're saying this is not the anchor you'd recommend for cruisers that attach camera tethers to their anchors? Because of the fouling potential?
Interesting. I have to say I have avoided the M2 simply because my brain couldn't get over the much shallower angle of the shank, almost pointing down from the anchor.
To me it feels like the anchor would be too flat to really dig in, and any slight upward movement of the chain would simply pull the anchor out.
Also, why do you not use a rotating shackle? I always have had them, thinking they're totally necessary in cases of boat rotation, or is that wrong?
The pulling force (rode) does not follow the geometric shape of the shank (shank could be shaped like a pretzel). What matters, is the position (spatially) of the chain attach point with respect to the fluke.
I have been anchoring boats for 40+ years and have never needed a swivel. I do not use a swivel because a prefer the most simple/strong solution.
Other people/boats benefit from using a swivel. I have no first hand experience with this phenomena.
Hey Steve, great video as usual. Unfortunately the results weren't in my favor ..
. Lol, I was hoping it would do better in soft mud so I could use it as my second anchor. I would be looking at the 25lb anchor, do you think the extra weight would make enough of a difference that it would be comparable to my primary anchor the 25lb Viking ?
Cheers Robin
I believe that pound for pound, a Viking will have higher holding in soft mud than a Mantus M2. I have found a near perfect correlation between "thin fluke/rollbar" anchors doing better than "ballasted fluke/non-rollbar anchors in Soft Mud. Opposite in the Sandy Mud.
@@flygoodwin awesome Steve thanks for the quick response 👍
Need some heavy grass testing.
I could not agree more.
Steve , the Set Screw should a bolt . Screw by there very nature are subject to shear stress and corrosion at the root of the threads .
Very bad engineering practice. What is common with mantis.
Have you considered a column for how the various anchors stow on bow rollers? I would rather see this practical information rather than tip weight that counts for little. What is the purpose of scoring tip weight? If the anchor performs well who cares about tip weight.
Rocna anchors can be hard to secure on many bow rollers. They need lashing down when bashing to weather. A Spade doesnt. It would be nice to know how other anchors stow. In addition, some of these large anchors will catch a lot of sea on the bow roller in rough conditions. I know of anchors that have come lose on bow rollers due to stowage problems. These are useful practical considerations
Tim, regarding bow rollers, I am planning a test of "self launch" ability. I'll look at "stowing/securing" also - thanks for the idea. I believe tip weight to be a substitute for testing in difficult to penetrate seabeds like hard sand and heavy weed. Perhaps, after completing those tests the tip weight will be irrelevant. See my "Seaweed Penetration" video #80.
@@flygoodwin with all due respect, I am not sure tip weight alone will predict behaviour in weed or seagrass. Sharpness of the point will make just as much difference when penetrating seagrass. Why not just stick to what you are testing rather than predicting what you havent tested? Love you testing
@@timevans8223 If I had to choose between 2 anchors that were equals in every way except for tip weight, I would choose the higher tip weight every time.
@@flygoodwin we sail in the Caribbean. Sea grass is common. The ability to penetrate seagrass is important. Tip weight/sharpness of the tip are important. Would a blunt tip with high tip weight penetrate seagrass? Only testing would tell. We know our Spade copes better than most anchors in seagrass. A head to head test in seagrass would be great but relying on tip weight only to assess this isnt the same as testing.
@@timevans8223 I agree completely that the tip weight is a poorer measure than testing. But I feel it is better than nothing. Eventually, I will travel further afield and find these seabeds. Spade has a higher tip weight than most anchors. Yes, it is also fairly sharp.
you tear up the bottom and the life just to make this video! Shame on you!
By showing the entire world what works and what does not work, I argue that my efforts result in significantly reduced ecological damage.
Your comment seems unfair. Not sure if you are joking. Anyway. He is trying to find anchors that are the least prone to dragging and failing so people will choose anchors that do not drag and so boats do not get shipwrecked with diesel and oil spillages, etc.