New Anchor Kid on the Block - the RAYA

Raya anchor - right side positioning SW

Raya anchor - left side positioning © SW

When asked what was the very most important thing for long range cruising at a boat show this year, the answer popped out before I had time to think - 'The Anchor', I smiled without hesitation.

What I said impulsively is not far from the truth. As the most dangerous thing in the ocean is LAND, and you are closest to it when you are at anchor, maybe asleep, or even away somewhere diving, trekking or just having a drink, your trust in your anchor (and your anchoring technique of course) makes for a happy sailor.

When we swapped our CQR for a Spade, the change was remarkable, a change brought about by the superior design of the 'New Generation' anchors. Now there's a self-styled 'New Kid on the Block' and it makes for very interesting reading.

They got me with the first sentence - that this anchor is designed for anchoring in the Antarctic. It is too new for there to be many supporting recommendations from outside parties, but it's definitely 'an anchor to watch'.

RAYA from Ancora Latina © SW

Designed to meet the needs for extreme mooring conditions of the Antarctic, Patagonia Channels and Tierra del Fuego, as well as the heavenly conditions of Baia de Todos os Santos, the 'HIGH SECURITY 'anchor RAYA is a new South American anchor. - Its various characteristics make the RAYA anchor, the anchor to think seriously about for those who have to anchor under difficult or extreme conditions, and a HIGH SAFETY anchor for standard anchoring - and don't we all want that?


Only time and testing will tell, but here are the main Features of the 'New Kid':

Penetration:
They claim it has a better penetration. It's certainly true that even an anchor that holds miraculously will not work well if it is not initially planted deeply and correctly in sea-beds. One of the delights of our Spade is how it penetrates the deepest weed down into the seabed below, so going on to show how it penetrates well is valuable information.

Asymmetrical:
They claim it is the first and only asymmetrical anchor in the world which has only two positions of steady balance. Whichever way it is released, it lands on sea-beds in an initial right or left side position of penetration, ready to immediately plant deeply and correctly.

Sharpness:
The sharp edged tip is optimally designed and weighted to easily penetrate in the most difficult conditions. It has been successfully tested from the difficult channels of Patagonia, to the complex herbaria of kelp and moraine grounds coming from the Andean glaciers.

Fluke shape:
To dig itself in deeply, the shape of the fluke must allow the evacuation of sea bed materials backwards. If not, on certain grounds, it tends to become clogged, and then break out by the shearing of the ground. The fluke of the RAYA anchor is made up of a portion of cone, pointed at the tip and gradually widening on the back. This patented design does not restrict the evacuation of materials, allowing deep and rapid penetration.

Holding:
A deep-set anchor must also fulfill some criteria to ensure a high holding:

- the anchor must be stable and not break-free in rotation, and the shape of the fluke must allow the evacuation of materials backwards, if not, on certain grounds, it tends to become clogged and then to break out by shearing of the ground. The fluke of the RAYA anchor is made up of a portion of cone, pointed at the tip and widening gradually on the back of the fluke, without any restriction to the evacuation of materials.(Patented)

- Whether on mud in the estuaries, in sand or as far as the difficult grounds of moraine, kelp covered of the channels of Patagonia, the holding has always been excellent when tested by the manufacturers and those close to them.

- In the event of a wind or current shift, the anchor swivels on the spot without breaking free. Its frequent use in the muddy anchorages located in rivers estuary, with cyclic inversion of the direction of the current according to the variation of the tides, confirms this characteristic.

- Lastly, the possibility of easily modifying the towing angle from 32° to 40°, tremendously increases the holding in soft mud bottoms

For more detailed information about the RAYA, and to find how to purchase, go to their WEBSITE