Chandlery (Click to Jump to our Inventory Clearance Sale)

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  1. Anchors
  2. Compasses: Plastimo, Ritchie, Aqua Meter, Danforth, KVH Sailcomp, etc.
  3. Safety Equipment: Flares, Liferings, SOSpenders, Man Overboard poles & lights, Lifevests, survival suits
  4. Electronics: Autohelm, Ratheon, Standard Horizon, Apelco, Sitex and much more
  5. Paint: Interlux Antifouling & Marine Finishes, CETOL - Teak treatment, Sikkens, Awlgrip, etc.
  6. Deck & Rigging Hardware:Harken (hit back-arrow on Netscape or Mosaic to return to Windjammer), Ronstan, RWO, Holt Allen, Spinlock, Schaeffer, Simpson Lawrence and much more.
  7. Cabin Hardware: Lights, Stoves, heaters, door hardware, ventilators....
  8. Plumbing: Heads (Brydon and others), sanitation and conventional hose, manual & electric pumps, water heaters, faucets, etc.
  9. Electrical - Wiring, switches, chargers, isolators, lights, battery condition meters, heavy duty alternators, etc.
  10. Windpilot Tillerlocks - 2000 price for these excellent tiller holders is US$26 or C$35.50 plus US$6 or C$6 for express shipping or $4.00 for standard delivery. In Canada, GST or HST is applicable plus PST for Ontario residents.

Anchors

We supply most types of popular anchors including Click on the above for application information and technical details.

Use the Selection Guide below to choose the correct ground tackle for your boat.

If you need a Windlass, please contact us with the type of boat and desired windlass layout - We can supply most makes including Simpson Lawrence, Muir, Lofrans and Lewmar.

E-Mail us and we will confirm pricing and method and cost of shipment to your location 

Plough Anchors

The plough is without doubt the most popular choice for the medium to large cruising yacht. This anchor type is very versatile - it works well in sand, mud and even weed or kelp covered bottom conditions - Every serious cruiser should have two or more anchors, and one should definitely be a plough (Kingston Plough or a CQR or Delta - there may be others, but these are the ones we have experience with).

The Kingston Plough is a Hi-Strength anchor, that has been engineered by a local professor to meet or exceed the specification of the original CQR. This anchor is fabricated from hi-tensile steel plate - Not to be confused with cheap offshore cast-iron anchors. It is hot-dip galvanized and has the proper fluke angles and balance to set well the first time! This anchor is well priced, and the anchor of choice of many local sailors.

The CQR is the original plough anchor and still the first choice for many. The shank of this anchor is drop-forged - a method which allows the hi-tensile steel to be formed, while retaining strength. Some low-cost imitations use castings - these are to be avoided.

The Delta is a fabricated anchor from Simpson Lawrence. This anchor has been well thought out and combines the features of several competing anchors such as self-launching, self righting and good holding power. Back to Top

Lightweight Anchors

Lightweight fluke type anchors are often referred to as Danforths, after the company that made them famous. There are many other anchors of this generic type, some good and some not so good! The Kingston Lightweightis an example of a quality Hi-Strength anchor of this type with excellent holding power in sand or clay but not as good in weed or kelp. This is the most popular type of anchor on small and medium size power and sail craft. There are lower cost anchors of this type - These include the Kingston Slipring and the Hooker - These anchors are usually used on smaller craft or in protected waters. The Fortress anchors are also of this generic type, but are extremely lightweight, being made from aluminum - they are very well made, have some unique features and are reported to hold well. Back to Top

Bruce Anchor

The Bruce anchor has a strong following. It is often the main anchor on medium to large cruisers.. These anchors work well in similar conditions to the plough, but each have their own unique advantages - As a result, many of our customers carry a Bruce and a Plough. If you are planning on mounting a Bruce on a bow roller, check the dimensions - Many rollers are designed for a plough and the Bruce may not fit well. Back to Top

Yachtsman

There are others, but the only anchor of this type that we supply is the Kingston Yachtsman. This ingenious anchor is based on a study of an original design by Nathaniel G. Herreshoff, and has many advantages over other anchors of this traditional type - It has wider flukes, shaped to reduce the likelyhood of fouling the rode. This anchor totally disassembles for easier stowage when it is not in use. These anchors need to be heavier than other types, but find application as storm anchors and work even in with rocky bottoms and in weed. Back to Top

Anchor Rollers

Many modern boats have built in anchor rollers. Before buying an anchor, make a sketch of your roller and send it to us - We will let you know if there is any problem stowing any of the common anchors on your roller.

If you do not have a roller, we can supply several types or can have one custom made for you. Kingston Anchors have a clever design that mounts on the stem of the boat, rather than the deck. This roller is suitable for boats up to about 35 ft and is designed for the Kingston Plough or the CQR. We can also supply a special roller designed for the Bruce anchor. Back to Top

Selection Guide

Choosing the Right Size of Anchor

The following table gives the approximate size of anchor to use. See preceding descriptions to determine which anchor is best suited for your intended use.
Boat Length    Anchors to Use                                 
20  to 26ft    20lb Kingston Plough, 15lb or 20lb CQR, 14lb Delta,
               12lb Kingston Lightweight or Danforth Hi-Tensile,
               25lb Yachtsman, Bruce 5kg or 7.5kg or Super Hooker
13lb
26 to 33ft     27lb Kingston Plough, 20lb or 25lb CQR, 22lb Delta,
               20lb Kingston Lightweight or Hi-Tensile Danforth,
               38lb Yachtsman, 7.5kg or 10kg Bruce.
34 to 39ft     35lb Kingston Plough, 35lb CQR, 22lb Delta, 
               35lb Kingston Lightweight or 35lb Danforth Hi-Tensile,
               54lb Yachtsman, 10kg Bruce.
40 to 45ft     45lb Kingston Plough, 45lb CQR, 35lb Delta, 15Kg
Bruce,
               75lb Yachtsman
46ft +         Please call or E-Mail us.

Anchor Chain and Anchor Rodes

Anchor Chain

Every anchor needs a length of chain attached to ensure proper setting and holding. The following are the minimum requirements: The following are typical maximum working loads for common chain sizes - These may vary from different manufacturers:
Std Long Link
Size   Diameter   Inside Length   Inside Width   Working Load  
Weight/ft
1/4"   0.276"       1.19"           0.50"           1250lb      
0.638
5/16"  0.334"       1.12"           0.50"           1900lb      
1.006
3/8"   0.394"       1.23"           0.62"           2650lb      
1.456
1/2"   0.519"       1.50"           0.81"           4500lb      
2.637
BBB Short Link
Size   Diameter   Inside Length   Inside Width   Working Load  
Weight/ft
1/4"   0.276"       0.87"           0.43"           1250lb       0.72
5/16"  0.343"       1.00"           0.50"           1900lb      
1.108
3/8"   0.406"       1.10"           0.62"           2650lb      
1.639
BBB short link or "calibrated" chain is required for use with anchor windlasses with chain gypsies. It is important to match the chain and gypsy. We generally suggest using BBB chain for all anchoring applications as it costs only slightly more and allows future conversion to a windlass.

Anchor Rode

Nylon Double Braid is the material of choice for anchor rodes - It has high strength combined with elasticity - Just the properties needed. Braid is more susceptible to chafe than 3-strand, but coils better in the anchor locker.

The following table will help in choosing the correct size for your boat:

                       BRAID                           3-STRAND
Size           Breaking      Allowable       Breaking       
Allowable                
               Strength (lb) Working (lb)    Strength (lb)   Working
(lb)
3/8"           4,800        1,200            3,850             965
7/16"          6,400        1,600                 
1/2"           8,400        2,100            5,265            1,315
9/16"         11,400        2,850 
5/8"          15,400        3,850            9,100            2,275
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Selecting Ground Tackle - Ground Tackle Loads

The following can be used as a rough guide to establish ground tackle loads and to allow you to choose the appropriate size of chain and rode.
Boat Size         Load at 20 knots          Load at 60 knots
20 to 26 ft        600lb                          1100lb
26 to 30 ft        900lb                          1600lb
30 to 34 ft       1285lb                          2300lb
34 to 38 ft       1575lb                          2850lb
39 to 45 ft       1975lb                          3600lb
Based on the above, we usually use 3/8" nylon rode on boats to about 24ft, 1/2" up to 35ft and 5/8" on larger vessels with corresponding chain sizes.

When choosing ground tackle, it is important to match the sizes of the components. The safe working load should be 20 to 25% of the breaking strength. For example, if you choose a 1/2" Nylon rode with breaking strength of 8400lb (Allowable 2100lb), use 3/8" chain and a 3/8" Galvanized shackle (SWL 2000lb). This combination could be used on a 45 footer in 20 knots or a 32 footer in up to 60 knots.

The minimum "Scope" (length) of an anchor rode should be 5xdepth for chain/rope combinations and 3xdepth for all-chain rodes - If possible increase these to 7x and 4x respectively. In our area, we usually anchor in relatively shallow coves, so a 200ft rode will often do - This should also suffice for those heading south to the Bahamas or the Florida Keys. In other areas, it may be necessary to double this length.

For those heading to the tropics, make the length of chain a minimum of 30 to 50ft so as to avoid abrasion of the nylon rode on coral.

Remember that these are only guides based on our experience and reading - Skippers must ultimately make their own decisions regarding the safety of their "ships".

Windpilot Tillerlocks - These simple lever operated tiller holders are well made from Stainless Steek and brass. They are quickly engaged or disengaged and on a well balanced boat will give you the time you need when short handed, to move around on the boat to get sails up and down or just get a beverage from below!


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