My fortress is that only anchor I've ever really been comfortable on. It is 1 or 2 sizes too big, but it is used for overnight moorings.

I even have a delta fast set that is 2 sizes too big and with 10 feet of chain and a 7/1 ration for the line out I was not able to get it to hold where the fortress is.

I know there are lots of variables including my experience, but I found teh fortress to work better. The smaller hook gets used when we are just hanging out. Most of the time I don't anchor, but rather float and drift.

How much chain do you carry?

I have ti agree the chain makes a big difference. We have about 20' of chain.

I dunno, I only have about 3 foot of chain and have never had a problem anchoring on a river with some decent current. How much difference can 15 or 20 lbs of weight make?

I just recently purchased a Fortress anchor (FX-7) thanks to a few gift cards I received. It sets much easier than my regular danforth using the same rode set-up. I have 6 feet of chain. The first time I used the Fortress it set almost immediately and I had a lot harder time getting it to come loose.

Your boat a 24'?

Yep. She's a 24SX. I think she's technically 23'-9" Hull and 25'-11" with the swim platform. She weighs 4,455lbs dry so say 5,000lbs +/-

How long and what conditions have you used your fortress in? The FX-7 is what they suggest for my boat, but I'm considering the FX-11 so I'll sleep more at ease on the hook if a storm kicks up while we're overnighting. The FX-11 I don't think will fit in my anchor locker, the FX-7 should.

I've just used it as a lunch hook. I'm comfortable enough with it to leave it anchored while we ate ashore. If you power set the anchor you should be good for overnight. The Fortress site has a pretty good chart indicating the holding power.

The chain is the whole key, period. Without chain to hold the line down the boat is pulling the anchor towards the surface. Even with alot of scope on the line it is still pulling the shank of the anchor off the bottom. The chain weighs down the line and keeps the pull horizontal across the bottom so the anchor stays dug in.

If it is windy or the current picks up it may require more chain to keep the shank of the anchor on the bottom but anchor size has little todo with holding power if the pull is toards the surface.

If you have enough chain and scope the proper sized anchor will hold in all but the worst storms. You gain little from a larger anchor but gain alot from more chain.

Anchors are designed to be retrieved by pulling the shank towards the surface which rotates the anchor, pulling the flukes out of the bottom and releasing the holding power. Without chain on the anchor you are releasing it every time the boat pulls tight on the line.

I'm using an XYZ anchor without any chain. It has a very short shank so chain isn't has helpful. It sets in fast and deep and so far no problems. This is in mud and sand bottoms.

Interesting anchor - the XYZ. I'd never heard of it before.

http://www.xyzanchor.com/home.html

Pretty expensive anchor....

Like SB alluded to, i thought the Fortress disassembles? Is it a paid to assemble/disassemble? (I don't own one. I have a Delta Fast Set.)

It's actually pretty easy to assemble/disassemble the Fortress anchors. But you do need a screw driver and pliers/wrench.

For me, I just don't want to go thru this hassle in the type of heat we useally boat in and the possibility of loosing small hardware.

It's easier to just stow it somewhere else.