Kingston Anchors
By Rob MacLeod
In the April 2015 edition of CY magazine, I published an article on anchors and anchoring – Staying Put: I See Myself Anchoring Off …). Much of the article was about upgrading the anchor you currently have on your boat – you know – the one that was there when you bought the boat. What wasn’t covered was the probable need to upgrade the bow roller to accommodate your new anchor.
I learned this lesson the hard way in the fall of 2017 while taking my CS36T Sojourn south to the Bahamas. We had replaced our old CQR with an updated anchor – a Rocna Vulcan. We were sailing in coastal waters outside the ICW every chance we had and one morning we headed out from Georgetown, SC sailing downwind on Winyah Bay. We were expecting about two knots of flood current. What I had totally forgotten (being primarily a Great Lakes sailor) was the effect of wind against current resulting in short, sharp waves.
I had secured my new anchor, but unfortunately, not sufficiently for the bumpy ride on the short period waves. The anchor came loose and started hitting against the bow. Because of the rough ride and the need to avoid an accidental gybe while sailing downwind, I could not safely go forward to re-secure the anchor. You can see from the image how much repair I have to do this spring.
In looking for a replacement bow roller for my 1981 boat, I was introduced to Kingston Anchors Ltd. (KAL). The company was started in Kingston, ON in 1977 by sailor and engineer, Ed Petersen. You may recall that 1976 was the year Montreal hosted the Summer Olympics and Kingston, ON was chosen as the sailing venue because everyone knows there is always wind in Kingston. (Well, everyone I know knows that!)
Ed continued to make high-quality anchors and bow rollers until his retirement in 2013, when he sold the company to BPE Group of Companies. BPE’s CEO, Ben Pilon, was already ensconced in the business community in Kingston, having developed numerous properties for rent and sale in Guelph, Niagara Falls and Kingston through BPE Development. Situated in an industrial building close to Hwy 401, with two sister companies – Kingston Automation Technology and Kingston Steel & Fabrication, Ben and his team have found ways to smooth out the production highs and lows of anchor manufacturing (especially in the seasonal marine industry) and are able to consistently produce the highest quality product effectively and efficiently.
Kingston Anchors
The Kingston Anchors QuickSet, engineered by Ed Peterson, is made of 100% US stainless steel and is manufactured and assembled in Kingston, ON. Why US stainless? Because we do not produce stainless steel in Canada.
The design is a general-purpose anchor suitable for a wide range of applications – sand, weed, mud and clay. Lateral fins on the anchor cause the anchor to trip and therefore set quickly. The cylindrical shaped fluke buries deep for greater holding power and the fins then stabilize the anchor – preventing the anchor from breaking out. [KA4- QuickSet Anchor]
The shank of the anchor is designed to enter a roller and the weighted ballast allows the anchor to self-launch – eliminating the need to have a crew member go forward when it is windy or rough.
All KAL anchors are made of 100% 304L/316L stainless steel plate (not cast) which makes for a long-lasting, corrosion free life. Anchors are 100% guaranteed against breakage for the life of the product (20 years) with the original receipt. The smooth finish also allows mud and clay to wash off much easier than a cast anchor. The anchors come in three finishes – mirror, polish and commercial.
Kingston Anchors’ products are original equipment on many North American manufactured boats. Some OEM partners include Baja Marine, Cruisers Yachts, Henriques Yachts, Hunt Yachts, Key West Boats, Larson, Marquis Yachts, Carver, Nordic Tugs, PowerCat, Everglades Boats, Rossiter Boats, Sabre Yachts, Yellowfin, Contender, Tidewater, and Viking to name but a few.
In March, Practical Sailor magazine tested the QuickSet anchor and had this to say:
The QuickSet dug in almost instantly. We let out a scope of 5:1, attached the rode to the Dillon (dynamometer), and slowly applied pressure from the twin Suzukis. The dynamometer climbed to 600 pounds, the anchor tripped and skidded for a few feet, then reset itself and shock-loaded the dynamometer up to 750 lbs. We built the pressure back up to a steady 780 lbs. for a few seconds without incident, then backed off for fear of pulling the cleats out of the boat.
Kingston Anchors Bow Roller
Getting back to what brought me to Kington Anchors in the first place – a new bow roller for my new anchor. What I needed was a roller to hold my anchor further off the bow. In addition, it would be great to have the anchor self-launching, so I did not have to go forward when anchoring after dark (yes it happens) and in rough weather. [KA5- Bow Roller]
Walking through the shop at Kingston Anchors, I was struck by the assortment of anchors in varying sizes hanging from a rack. How better to design a bow roller that will fit a particular anchor. Shown here is the KV-915 (the V is for Vulcan) for up to 20-44 pounds. This bow roller will also accommodate the Kingston QuickSet.
Like the QuickSet anchor, the bow roller is manufactured from 100% stainless steel for maximum tensile strength and long-lasting corrosion protection. The roller wheels are Acetal, a strong, superior dense polymer material that is UV stabalized. Bow roller wheels are precision cut on Kingston Anchors’ CNC lathe and won’t yellow, fade or crack. The bow roller and components carry a 5-year warranty against breakage. Kingston Anchors carries a variety of roller wheels and can customize wheels when necessary.
Davits and Lifts
Again, something I missed in a recent article – Dinghies and Davits (I am going to have to hire a researcher if this keeps up) is the fact that Kingston Anchors also manufactures high-quality stainless-steel dinghy, davits and motor lifts.
The davits have a lifting capacity of 350 lb (159 kg) per pair and a maximum reach of approximately 51”. The boom arms are reversible to facilitate a set-up for either long extensions or for extra height if needed. The boom arm can be mounted on the rail or near the top of the transom with a support strut bracket. The weight of the dinghy and davits is distributed across the hull to avoid single stress/pressure points
Boom arms are easily removed by pulling a quick-release pin for stowing when not carrying the dinghy.
Pride and Quality
Talking with both CEO Ben Pilon and Sales Manager, David Plumpton, I could not help but come away with the feeling that the company’s philosophy of Handcrafted with Pride – Superior in Quality is reflected in every part of Kingston Anchors’ operation including the selection of retail distributors.
I have worked in customer service and training my entire work life. As we were talking about quality products, David was quick to point out that it is not enough to produce a superior product. You have to ensure a superior customer experience as well. Kingston Anchors are only sold through distributors. Check out where you can get a look at the stainless-steel QuickSet anchor and the bow roller on the company’s website – KingstonAnchors.com.
