Storms, Mud and Sand - Fortress Anchor Tested Long-term 

Agreed!! They are amazing for their weight

You're welcome 😊

When it's really blowing, we get behind our Fortress.

😊 Thanks Josh

Thanks SBS :-)

Nice! However I have bad news about the Honda ... It was recently replaced by a 6HP Tohatsu 4-stroke :-)

Thanks 😊 Usually I use 3 meters of chain.

Thanks! Here's a link on our boat www.distantshores.ca/about-us/the-boats/southerly-49/ And here's one on the lifting keel system www.distantshores.ca/boatblog_files/warning-shallow-water-field-guide-to-identifying-southerly-yachts.php

That is simply amazing! I bet that makes for a good night rest without the rocking about.

Thanks 😊

She is really supported by her enormous strong cast iron grounding plate and sits flat on that. The rudders are very strongly built but just touch the sand and do not support the yacht.

Yes this is the fx23. We also have a fx37

Lonnie, yes Discovery Group are now building the Southerly line of boats. We normally keep the keep down at sea especially when sailing up wind or on the beam, but downwind we usually raise it partially. In these videos crossing the Atlantic we surfed much of the way with the keel most of the way up. ru-vid.com/group/PLQMyJKewucpdOTfTlj5ovN9YTFHtC10Io

I have been considering a Discovery 58 for the last year. I think your set up is brilliant because it allow you to escape the hoards while in the Caribbean. Discovery wants me to check out their 67 shoal draft and awaiting my ETA to take me to South Hampton. As one Canuck to another I appreciate the efforts of you and your wife.

The Disco 58 is quite lovely, although I haven't sail on one or on a 67. I did tour around a 67 at the dock though... if you'd like to email us I could send you a private link for the vid if you want. BTW Happy Canada 150!

lbelliott@yahoo.com HAPPY BIRTHDAY Thank you

I would appreciate any knowledge I can glean and would appreciate your efforts. lbelliott@yahoo.com

Do you mean you broke your main anchor rode? Yikes. We do occasionally put a marker buoy on our anchor when we suspect the main anchor might get fouled.

Don't shout!

Its either Terschelling or Ameland - we're anchored behind a sandbank between the two islands. We also filmed our trip into Schiermonikoog!! It was very fun coming in with almost no tide left and just 1 meter water depth :-)

Thanks for your reply Hopefully I can roam the Oceans one day , that would be a dream . Take care Marc

Our boat is a Southerly 49 - which was built in UK - Chichester :-) Next time we must explore your home waters... www.distantshores.ca/about-us/the-boats/southerly-49/

It looks the same as where you were. Mainly because the mud & clay in the sand. I'm based in Brightlingsea which is near the Thames estuary and a popular cruising area as plenty of rivers to explore in a relatively small area. As you move round the coast past Kent the water clears up though as the mud disappears to fine sand and the water is lovely and clear. It really is a nice boat though, like the idea of being able to take the ground on a boat that size. Does it have any protection on the bottom?

Yes the bottom is protected by way of a large cast iron plate the boat sits on, plus a skeg under the prop :-)

Btw i've got a comet 1050 from 1990

This is our Southerly 49 ... more info here distantshores.ca/about-us/the-boats/distant-shores-3/

Thanks!woah i necer espected an answer!

We've sailed in areas with 35' - Channel islands!

I have always raised it and made sure it was clean before reseting it. Danforth/Fortress style are better when used this way.

She is a Southerly ... check out our page on her here www.distantshores.ca/about-us/the-boats/southerly-49/

Hi Tim. The Fortress doesn't reliably reset when the wind changes. We don't use it as our primary anchor - but its a perfect second and third anchor.

@@DistantShoresTV We used the Fortress's older sister the Admiralty Pattern Danforth as our main anchor in the navy. The resetting issue seemed to be sorted by having two swivels in the cable. If IIRC one was about 5 metres from the anchor and a second a further 5. Plenty of cable (chain) as per the expected weather. We never had anyone in our squadron drag even through some pretty atrocious conditions. I have the same set up on my main anchor (old habits) which is a Bruce which I have found is one of the best anchors for Chesapeake Bay, where I sail, and a fortress as a kedge. If I am expecting to put a lot of load on I have at times attached my second fortress to the crown of the Bruce with some 20ft of 1/2inch chain led out between the Bruce and the Fortress. Works a treat, every time and in the shallow waters of the Bay 20 feet makes it easy to recover one anchor at a time..

As they said at 3:04 their boat has a lifting keel.

yari bol ik ook

This is not a commercial. We bought both our fortress anchors and have no affiliation to them. We have filmed a few anchor test because we thought they would be helpful.