Dear Gene:

Just want to let you know that the ULTRA Anchor (UA35-70) with the ULTRA Flip swivel (UFS10) and the Articulated ULTRA Bow Roller has performed exceptionally well during our cruise down from Maine to the Bahamas and back to our home port in Virginia this last winter season.  We had the system installed by Maine Cat Inc., during the construction of our Maine Cat P47. We had seen the demos of the system at the Annapolis Boat Show and based upon these show and tell demonstrations, we decided to have this system installed, even though it was very expensive in comparison to competitive anchor systems.

We prefer to anchor out rather than to stay in a marina, so we used the anchor set up quite a bit during this cruise. I have had no sleepless nights since using this ground tackle.  We sat out a nearly week long blow in the Bahamas where it was consistently 20-25 knots with gusts up to 36 knots out of the W and NW.  There is not a lot of shelter when the wind blows from this direction, so we had a good 2 ft + wind chop to contend with as well.  The boat did not move except to follow the wind direction.  Eventually we did the complete clock swing as another cold front approached.  The only concern I had was whether the chain had wrapped around the top of the anchor, so before the next blow and wind shift, I checked and the chain was resting on the retrieval loop at the top of the anchor.  It probably would have slipped off as the wind picked up and the anchor rode tightened, but I dove on it and pulled it off just in case.  Even with a 360 wind shift, the anchor stayed well dug in and, so far, there was no bending of the shaft as the tension on the anchor changed direction.

When anchored in muddy bottom conditions, the chain comes up covered in mud which takes a while to hose off, however, the smoothness of the stainless steel anchor results in it coming up very clean.  Certainly a different story to our previous galvanized anchor.

In anchoring, we drop and lay out the chain as the wind or current drifts the boat back.  After sufficient is laid out dependent on the water depth and tide prediction, we let it settle and then I apply increasing rpm to the engines as I back down.   I feel the anchor grab and swing the boat accordingly.  I then dive to check and usually the anchor is only showing part of the shank and possibly a little of the head of the anchor.  It is not moving.
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The anchor has set so well for us this cruise that I tell people that the ULTRA anchor is so good that it sets before it hits the water!!
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On retrieving the anchor, the ULTRA flip swivel certainly does flip the anchor into the correct position, so I have not had to lean over the boat to align the anchor to bring it up.  This was a problem on our previous system.

The anchor fits snugly in the articulated bow roller and does not move at all in heavy seas.
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Thanks to Quickline for a great product.

David Pope Ph.D.,
M/C Southern Cross