Recently, a message was posted on the very popular Trawlers-and-Trawlering (T&T) list serve:
“@ Steve Bedford, good luck with your new business. I hope you’ll provide some 2016 data. Most infos seem to go back to Cptn Will 15 years ago. The original builder made a lot of auto-promotion to explain why it was so good, but I’d like to read reports from other people. Is Supermax synonym of “mud” or will it be trustable in sand or weed ? That said, I bought a Supermax 2 or 3 years ago, and am fine with it for now, even if I find it particularly ugly on the bow, but I never had the opportunity to really try in severe conditions. With a SuperMax as a primary anchor, what would be the secondary anchor to carry on the bow ? There is no one anchor fits-all.”
I attempted to respond but the moderators of T&T deemed the response to long. I want to adequately respond to the questions. Therefore, I referred the list serve to the website and provided the response here. Hopefully those who choose to view the response will also add to the discussion.
My response:
Thank you for the comments and for being a loyal customer. If you go to maxmarineproducts.com you will find the information you are seeking as well as new testimonials. I encourage all to read Rudy and Jill Sechez’s new book, Anchoring: A Ground Tackler’s Apprentice. They provide a wealth of knowledge in a very understandable format.
http://www.waterwayguide.com/shipstore/product_info.php?cPath=39&products_id=233.
To respond to your specific questions and comments:
“I hope you’ll provide some 2016 data. The original builder made a lot of auto-promotion to explain why it was so good,”
Testing: We look forward to participating in independent testing. Product sponsored testing is always suspect from the consumer.
Notable changes: Steel specs for all anchors have been increased. We are using more high yield/high tensile steel in the anchors. We increased width and thickness in many steel components These changes have allowed us to do a lifetime warranty for all new sales.
“Most infos seem to go back to Cptn Will 15 years ago. I’d like to read reports from other people.”
Testimonials: Please check out the testimonial page of the website. In addition to other recent posts, you will find comments from a new Super MAX Anchor owner who has chronicled his trip and experiences on his Saber 42 from the Chesapeake Bay to Florida this season. We also have the older testimonials from the previous owner, Andy Peabody. They continue to be relevant.
“Is Supermax synonym of ‘mud’ or will it be trustable in sand or weed?”
The Super MAX Anchor holds extremely well in mud. This has all to do with design features: concave fluke, largest fluke surface area of comparable sized anchors, easy “catch” on either of the two side sharp angle flukes, pivoting arm model with three angle settings according to seabed substance to maximize hold in each, and superior ease of setting. A Super MAX Anchor, if set properly, hold’s in sand, mud (where others often fail), or ooze (where others don’t even try. It is an all around anchor and not just a mud anchor.
Grass, can be a challenge for almost all anchors. The problem is you can not see the roots. You have no idea if they are tightly or sparsely rooted grasses. Tight rooted requires weight and sharp pointed flukes (Luke or Fisherman’s Anchor). The Super MAX Anchor is sized differently than many other anchors. Our recommendations are for heavier anchors to boat weight. The heavier the anchor, the better to penetrate. The outside flukes of the Super MAX are sharp and can slice into most substrates. My recommendation is to set the anchor, if possible, in seabeds where you are more confident in the substrate.
“That said, I bought a Supermax 2 or 3 years ago, and am fine with it for now, even if I find it particularly ugly on the bow, but I never had the opportunity to really try in severe conditions.”
Super MAX Anchors are designed to hold a vessel in adverse conditions: minimal protection from weather and wind shifts and in the most severe winds. When a Super MAX anchor is set properly following the manufacturer’s instructions, it will hold. If set correctly, the user of the Super MAX Anchor should firmly back down on that properly set anchor before laying out the appropriate scope for conditions.
“With a SuperMax as a primary anchor, what would be the secondary anchor to carry on the bow ? There is no one anchor fits-all.”
Depends on what you want it for? Are you looking for a back-up anchor that can be disassembled and stored in a locker (Luke or Fisherman or Fortress). If you want another anchor on your bow, I would recommend another Super MAX. You are not going to find a better holding anchor than a Super MAX Anchor as a “main bower.”
I would be glad to respond to any additional questions.
Thanks.
Steve
