Planing on a trip North to the Whitsunday.
Boat is 27 foot and has a dry weight of 2300kg and is without a winch.
Currently have a 7kg plough anchor (generic type) with 10 metres of 6mm chain, plus 48 metres of 12 mm braided nylon rope.
On my research I have found significant differences in anchor weights for a 27 foot boat. One website says 7 kg, but the Manson guide says you need 12 kg.

I have a blog with two trips on it to the Whitsundays, go read and you will find all the fine info at: www.sailblogs.com/member/seaka

I have a Top Hat so very similar wt and size.

When I anchored in QLD I would work out roughly where the tide height was at. Easy to do from the QLD Tide Book, it tells you how.
With that info I would come into an anchorage with the aim of having 3m under me at LOW tide. That's why you have to work out the tide state.
You do it using the graphs in the rear of the tide tables. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT!!!!

Now this means, depending on the tide, the amount of chain you have to lift will be no more than about 8m or what you lift now.
My CQR is about 12kg and I have no trouble bringing it in.
I do just pull my chain and anchor in by hand [so far!] but yes I also have a Muir 500 hand winch just in-case. Only used it once when the anchor fouled.

So, as I said I put out 30m of chain, ALWAYS, remember to do a circuit to ensure you have the required depth all 30m around before dropping.

You should also have an angle weight for very windy conditions, search for posts on that subject in 2015.

Hi Keensailor,
The Whitsunday's trip is a great adventure, but the one thing that can spoil it is not having a good anchor. With many years of sailing under my belt I can say I have tried just about every anchor on the market. Up until a couple of years ago I would have said certain plough anchors were the best all round anchors. The original CQR anchor had a small plough and a long shaft which were a good anchor in their day and are still a reasonable anchor. The Manson anchor is also a reasonable anchor with a medium size head and long shaft. The bad plough anchors are the cheap large head plough with a short shaft which you would not want in a fit. As much as the swivel head plough anchors were good in there day the new high power holding anchors run rings round them. I personally use a 100lb Ultra anchor which are regarded as the best anchor on the market, but are also very expensive, but there are other anchors that are all but just as good eg. Delta and the anchors that have the roll bar over the top. The rule I go by is buy the next size up from the recommended size if you want a good night sleep. Even Ultra Anchors advised me of that when I purchased mine. On the last 2 trips I only had the anchor not wanting to set on one occasion. When I pulled the anchor back up because it would not set, I found I had a hacksaw wrapped round it. My brother had a similar problem with one of the roll bar type anchors and on retrieval found a fishing rod snagged through the anchor. I can not recommend more highly to purchase one of the new high power holding anchors If you want to enjoy your trip. PS electric anchor winches are not all that expressive and will make you trip a lot more enjoyable as well.

I agree the Ultra is probably the best. All the advantages of a Spade but easier to stow. Prices are eye watering and I would take a look at the "new" Rocna called the Vulcan which is very similar to a Spade. They wont be cheap either and the size 9 would be perfect.
I made a SS version of an Ultra which weighs 11 kilos. I have a SS copy I made for my tender which is about a l kilo! The Ultra has a hollow shank and a weighted tip and it sinks to the bottom the right way every time.

Remember plough anchors plough, spade type anchors don't! When a major anchor manufacturer suddenly switches to a weighted tip spade then things suddenly become interesting. http://www.rocna.com/product-range/sizing-guide

I would suggest making a timber mock up of your choice and size to see if it will fit your vessel. The diagrams are out there! Rollbar anchors are easy to handle but take up a lot of room.

Watch a few of the Youtube videos on the modern anchors and see how they perform. This is the most commonly stolen anchor apparently.

Rocna Vulcan is on my list it should fit my bow spit the origianl that came with the boat it a light weight aluminum plow
good day anchor Id say

Yes, the 9kg Vulcan looks like to go, its only 2kg heavier than what I have.
Thanks for the advice gents.

Hi KS, I think that top graph...Anchor Weight Guide...would be for the lunch pick, surely??
I wouldn't use that graph for my primary anchor, as Molly would say... Do yourself a favour!, and get a high holding power anchor like the Manson Supreme or Rocna (I have the Rocna 10 for a Top Hat which as said above is of similar weight to yours, if not the TH a bit heavier) although I did notice they are now over $400.
I reckon the Rocna 10, would be equivalent holding to a Manson Plough 35lb, or a 45lb generic cheapie plough, but weighing in a only 22lb the Rocna/ Supreme type anchors give you a fantastic weight saving (important on a small yacht, & with no anchor windlass), you'll eventually hurt your back with a ridiculously heavy anchor, plus you'll sleep beautifully every night & wont regret one cent of that few hundred dollars .

A 9kg Vulcan sounds good!, how much are they?
Another convert to new anchor technology by the look of it, good to see .
The old schoolers with their old technology anchors dragging around anchorages are a bloody worry & a nuisance

Select to expand quote

BlueMoon said..
The old schoolers with their old technology anchors dragging around anchorages are a bloody worry & a nuisance

Ease up young fellow, I never dragged once on my last 7 month trip, well only once when trying to set the anchor in Nara Inlet as I didn't give the anchor enough time to sink through the thin -hit on top of the true bottom

I think its not what you have but how you use it [take that any way you want]