Rocna Anchors Demonstration and Comparison Testing

See for yourself the setting performance of the Rocna, as well as experience how it compares to other anchors.
This extended footage includes commentary from the designer of the Rocna anchor, Peter Smith, who talks about his experiences with anchoring, why he designed the Rocna and the background behind the comparison testing.

[@steadmanuhlich6734]

Impressive and persuasive demo.

[@wcresponder]

Love your demonstration video's, The icing on the cake for a non-sailor like me would be an animation or actual footage of the release of the anchor. Still great work. If I was buying a boat I'd outfit it with one of these from your work. Cheers.

[@IxnayMalarkavitch]

Well I have yanked a rocna 22 out of muddy grass. 30 feet of 3/8 chain. 50 feet of 5/8 three strand. Parked in about three feet of water got hit with a pretty good squall. High freeboard light 26 footer pulled it right out and drug it 200 yards before I recovered it in the driving rain and powered the boat against the wind into the lee of some mangroves. I hooked the tree roots with the anchor to wait out the storm. That's not the first time I had issues in this area. I have done the same with a Bruce. Once clogged with a ball of grass and mud they will not reset. Currently I use a 50 (!) pound yachtsman in this area for secure anchoring. Most others are on moorings made of cement block or old car motors. Deltas work well in that they plow slowly but don't seem to get clogged and pop out of the bottom. Hard pan coral was also a problem for the rocna and any anchor really. After thinking about my problems with the rocna I decided that smaller rode might have helped. 1/2 inch , and lighter chain. That would add shock absorption that the 5/8 woukd not. I used and still use 5/8 not for strength but for abuse and chafe resistance.For sand and mud the new generation of spade type anchors are far better then the cqr and danforth and even the fortress that I don't care for much at all, though I do have a large one as an extra anchor, disassembled in a locker.

[@MrCaptbear42]

having used a claw previously I know that once it sets it holds nicely in sand and mud, it did have trouble setting at times. However, I lost my claw and was in search of a new anchor, after a lot of talking to various friends and reading a ton of info on the net I choose the Rocna. I can attest to its quick setting, its important to go slow as with all anchors, once it sets it stops the boat. Just to test its set I have allowed the weight of the chain to pull the boat toward the anchor and settle, then once again in reverse full power and didn't move. My biggest test for the anchor was anchoring one night in a 10 knt south wind, woke up to 15-20 out of the north, later blowing 27 knts. The boats relative position remained about the same. In the night the boat did a 180 and the anchor reset and held in moderate winds.

[@gonefishing1939]

I love this anchor!, I have watched and carefully studied a ton of anchor comparison tests and The Rocna is the only one that fits everything i need from an anchor. I was very close to buying a plow style anchor in case i ever decided to plant patatos. It seems there very good at turning the sand over but not much on digging in deep and holding its set. I only wish i could purchase other systems for my 364 Catalina that fit the quality and durability as my Rocna. It is by far the best bang for the buck of any of my safety gear. If anyone has any other products that i may be interested in, Please leave me a comment, Thank you.

[@totalkaos6969]

this is real nice, Maybe you can help out on making some for the offroaders,and utvs, smaller versions and compact. I would sure get one for that, I use to have a boat and tried all others, nothing works. Next boat, ill consider buy this one. Thanks for this demo

[@toryisland29]

Any particular reason why you didn't show the results for the Spade anchor which was among those at the beginning of the clip?. It consistently comes out on top in tests in France. (No personal interest in any anchor maker.)

[@RocnaAnchors]

The main point is to visually compare the new generation Rocna design to the old styles, where major differences are easy to demonstrate. It is still the case that most boaters worldwide are stuck using the old plows and claws. You are correct in implying there is little difference to be seen between the Rocna and Spade, and that the Spade is consistently at the top of independent testing. Peter has a compilation of independent testing here some of which include the Spade: www.petersmith.net.nz/boat-anchors/independent-performance-testing.php

[@Gobblegooper]

nice. gr8t vid

[@boatingscandinavia9120]

It looks to me as they tested the other anchors in dryer soil than the rocna, aswell I'm a little curious looking at how he struggles to get the rocna anchor back up from the soil. That could be a problem on the water when you don't have the oppertunety to actually digg the anchor back up... I do see the potential to the rocna anchor however I would like to see a test with similar conditions for all anchors, preferably underwater so it could be pulled the natural way more than if you use a truck. This test doesen't look fair to me.

[@RocnaAnchors]

The plow and claw start at the same position relative to the water line, and because they do not set end up dragged farther up the beach to drier sand. Re retrieval, this is a 10 kg (22 lb) anchor which has borne over a tonne of force. This would be unusual, but anyway a boat for which this is a suitable size will not have too many issues recovering it. These beach demos are intended to illustrate the behavior discussed. Independent testing is always preferable to manufacturer own-testing, and we would encourage you to treat all biased 'testing' with skepticism. Peter has a compilation of independent testing here: www.petersmith.net.nz/boat-anchors/independent-performance-testing.php