Collapsible Anchor Prototype Tested

Mantus explores a three-part rollbar anchor.

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A big rollbar-style anchor on a bow roller is now synonymous with cruising. They are efficient in many types of bottoms and reliably rotate or reset when the wind and tide change. Unfortunately, they are shaped awkward and are difficult to stow anywhere other than a bow roller. Lacking this, many smaller boats, both sail and power, are forced to store the anchor in either a shallow bow locker, a snag-prone railing bracket, or in a lazarette.

Shallow anchor lockers on many small boats only allow enough room for a Danforth-style anchor, a folding fishermen, or a Northill utility anchor, which has been out of production for many years.

Mantus first developed a no-tool knockdown mechanism for the Mantus dinghy anchor (See PS December 2015, Dinghy Anchors: Big Anchor Tech Scaled Down). A year ago, they provided us with a prototype of a 9-pound and 13-pound versions, attaching the shank to the fluke and the roll bar to the fluke using oversize studs in place of bolts.

To disassemble, the rollbar is pulled to one side to disengage a headed stud at each end from a slotted hole. The shank is removed from the fluke by pulling a spring-loaded retaining pin and sliding the shank aft. The entire operation takes about 30 seconds.

Strength Testing

Lloyds standards for very high holding (VHH) anchors require the anchor to hold 50 times its weight at a point one third of the distance between the tip of the fluke and the shank attachment without distortion. We tested the Mantus dinghy anchor to 100 times its weight and the 13-pound anchor to 50 times its weight; both held without permanent distortion. We did not test for side loading, other than rigorous yaw testing, which did not harm the unit.

Collapsible Anchor Prototype Tested
The Mantus prototype is a compact roll-bar anchor that fits into most lockers. The above images illustrate the assembly process, in which oversized studs hold the rollbar in place (1), and, along with a spring-loaded pin, secure the fluke (2 & 3).

Field Testing

We’ve been using the 13-pound prototype for one season on our Corsair F-24 test boat. We’ve subjected both the 2-pound and 13-pound folding Mantus anchors to severe yawing, 180 degree reversals, and overloads countless times, wondering if the stud mechanism might come loose, but it never has.

Fine sand often makes the pin and stud mechanism a little sticky, but it never jammed solid. However, the rollbar became sprung after about 50 uses, the result of forcing it when slightly stuck.

Without the spring tension to hold it in place, the rollbar was no longer securely held. This is not something weve experienced with the smaller version of the anchor, which has seen far more extensive use. We reported our findings to Mantus, who said they had no immediate plans to introduce the anchor to the market, as it was still in development.

We like the idea of being able to set a roll-bar style anchor from a small boat, but were still searching for the perfect anchor that will lie flat in a locker.

Darrell Nicholson
Practical Sailor has been independently testing and reporting on sailboats and sailing gear for more than 50 years. Supported entirely by subscribers, Practical Sailor accepts no advertising. Its independent tests are carried out by experienced sailors and marine industry professionals dedicated to providing objective evaluation and reporting about boats, gear, and the skills required to cross oceans. Practical Sailor is edited by Darrell Nicholson, a long-time liveaboard sailor and trans-Pacific cruiser who has been director of Belvoir Media Group's marine division since 2005. He holds a U.S. Coast Guard 100-ton Master license, has logged tens of thousands of miles in three oceans, and has skippered everything from pilot boats to day charter cats. His weekly blog Inside Practical Sailor offers an inside look at current research and gear tests at Practical Sailor, while his award-winning column,"Rhumb Lines," tracks boating trends and reflects upon the sailing life. He sails a Sparkman & Stephens-designed Yankee 30 out of St. Petersburg, Florida. You can reach him by email at practicalsailor@belvoir.com.