By Rich
We are gearing up up for our late June arrival in Maine to start the 2023 summer season aboard our new baby: Sabre 38 MKII #12, Blue Moon! First on my short list of gear to upgrade: her ground tackle! She came with a 35lb CQR anchor, 75 feet of chain, and 150′ of brand new rode. Not bad, but for ground tackle I won’t settle for less than the absolute best I can get! We LOVE to be at anchor and enjoy it all the more if we can feel snug and secure in big winds.
The majority of Sabres born during Blue Moon’s era were delivered with CQR anchors, so hers is likely original. Our Sabre 42 came with a 45lb CQR, so I have a lot of experience with this design. Today the CQR is considered something of an antique compared to more modern designs like the Rocna, although I think the armchair internet “experts” often exaggerate the differences in performance between various anchor designs. To hear the online pundits tell it, CQR users should run for a marina if the forecast exceeds 10 knots of wind, while Skip Novak is happy to ride out a gale with his:
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