Our Mantus anchor proves itself in all conditions at all times

In earlier posts I have recorded our experience of choosing a Mantus anchor and have expressed our wonder at how much better it performed than our old CQR. Now, having used the anchor every single day in all sorts of conditions while rounding Vancouver Island, over the course of a 790 mile trip, I am able to give it a testimonial of the highest order.

Essentially, that darn anchor absolutely amazes the crew of Aeolus. We anchored in every sort of place one could be here in the NW. From shallow river mouths to steep and deep rocky areas, to crowded anchorages with no room to swing and high winds that keep captains up at night, we saw it all. And in every single circumstance we never had the slightest hint of trouble with the Mantus. It held fast every time, and never even thought of dragging, even in soft mud, and it held fast on the first drop every single time.


In fact, the anchoring experience with the Mantus is that we drop the hook, start to back up, and then wait for the hard tug that inevitably comes when the anchor digs in. It will knock you off the bow if you tug back too hard and don't hold on. And when retrieving it, you typically need to be 1:1 before it gives way. I don't find much more mud or kelp than we did with our CQR, and I am more than willing to pay those prices for having an anchor that does the job I want it to do: keep me from moving!!!!!

I don't know about you, but the difference in my peace of mind when knowing I am not going to drag makes a significant difference in my happiness on voyages. I don't worry about it ahead of time. I don't worry about choosing anchorages based on the bottom. I don't worry about whether if I need to drop the hook in a hurry to avoid some danger that it will hold fast. I don't worry about dragging down on somebody else, as I relate in my previous post.

I don't know how else to say it other than this: using the Mantus has removed all worry from my anchoring and I sleep like the dead knowing I am not going to move. No, I don't work for them or have any interest in their commercial success. I endorse the anchor for the same reason I would endorse peanut butter: I love it.

I walked the entire marina at Friday Harbor, WA this past weekend, our home port, and found that over 90% of boats, both sail and motor, still have CQR or Bruce. I understand this, having just switched from a CQR myself, but let me tell you, the difference is so profound that I can't imagine why every captain doesn't change to one of these modern designs. I'm sometimes asked what I think about Rocna or others, and I honestly believe the Rocna and Mantus are practically interchangeable and that several of the new designs are likely to work so much better than the CQR or Bruce that folks should do their own research and make the change.