The Rocna marine anchor is a new design being released to the New Zealand, and global, market. New Zealander designer Peter Smith describes his development as a "new generation ultra high hold" design.

A professional yachtsman and boat-builder, Peter (who was the founding partner of New Zealand's Cavalier Yachts back in the 70's) is back in New Zealand on his own custom designed and built 15m aluminium sloop Kiwi Roa. He has spent 20 years engaged in professional sailing, yacht deliveries, and boat-building all over the world, including 10 years of running his own yard in Colchester, England, where Kiwi Roa was built. Built for expeditions in comfort to anywhere from the tropics to Antarctica and beyond, Kiwi Roa has a 10mm unpainted 5083 alloy hull and is 27 tons of extremely well equipped vessel.

However, on the four year cruise from England to New Zealand, Kiwi Roa often dragged her anchor in soft mud anchorages such as the English East Coast, the Chesapeake, Delaware Bay, and New Zealand's Islington Bay, et cetera. Kiwi Roa carried a 110lb CQR, an 88lb Delta and 110lb Bruce but there was always that feeling of insecurity.

Peter has used every type of anchor known to man over the years and has developed some clear ideas for a new design. A 50Kg prototype of the Rocna was built, tested, refined and then used aboard Kiwi Roa on a 10-month circumnavigation of New Zealand, including Stewart Island. In hundreds of 'sets', in conditions that included 70 knots on and off for ten days in Stewart Island, while other boats were having anchor trouble, Kiwi Roa did not move. The Rocna has proved so successful it is selling itself by word of mouth to serious cruisers, and production has been raised to commercial levels so other mariners may experience that extra security, something Peter's wife Jo says many first mates will relate to.

The Rocna does not waste energy with extra lead and cast iron weights, always attaining its setting attitude with its unique design, regardless of how it hits the bottom, meaning weight is more efficiently used in extra blade area and structural strength. Peter considers the Rocna to be "… the ultimate solution to your vessel's anchoring needs. It digs straight in, offers incredible holding-power, and will not trip out on load reversal. This represents the ideal in safety, security, & dependability."

Available in sizes from 4Kg (9lbs) to 110Kg (243lbs) to suit most vessels, Rocna anchors are very reasonably priced in comparison to other top-quality anchors. Peter cautions against being tempted by the very low price tags on some lesser quality anchors, often imitations of previously otherwise successful designs, and frequently made in Asia. "An anchor is not just a chunk of metal, and quality of construction and materials is critical. Some boaters think nothing of spending $10,000 on electronics… but budget when it comes to one of the most vital pieces of hardware on any vessel. Your anchor is the bottom line!"

The Rocna is already in use worldwide, by some very well-known sailors - such as American Steve Dashew, who has a custom built Rocna 115 on his new motoryacht Wind Horse. The new anchor has also proven itself in some of the world's harshest environments, including the south of New Zealand, and Patagonia and Chile.

The principle features of a Rocna anchor include:

The Rocna is distributed from New Zealand to all locations excepting those in North America. Suncoast Marine in Canada is responsible for North American manufacture and sales. Orders may be placed directly with the manufacturer in either case.

For more information, contact:

New Zealand / Global
Peter Smith, Rocna Anchors New Zealand
Tel +64 21 178 1076
E-mail enquiries@rocna.com
P O Box 6369, Wellesley Street, Auckland, NZ

North America
Mark Pocock, Suncoast Marine
Tel +1 604 781 8347
E-mail mark@suncoastmarine.ca
395 / 2242 Kingsway, Vancouver BC V5N 5X6, Canada
Website:http://www.rocna.com/