Super MAX
Anchors

"There just isn't a better anchor made!" That is what owners of the Max anchors have said to us over and over. They tell us about its remarkable holding power in hurricane winds, how it always sets the first time and how it sets without the need for chain. Scopes of as little as 1.5 to 1 have been reported to us with good holding! Ease of retrieval is another big plus for all owners. But the best thing about Max anchors according to all owners is that they work in all, that's right, all bottoms!
Without fail! From grass to ooze to coral and all the normal bottoms, Max anchors grab in them all!

 Many owners have bought second and third Max anchors, one boat owner has four! In tests carried out by independent boat owners and testing facilities, the Max anchors have out held the other anchors on the market by as much as 6 to 1. The plain truth is that the other anchors do not work in all bottoms whereas the Max does. And in the bottoms that the others do well in, the Max anchors do better. The problems with the other anchors are that they rotate out of the bottom when they become overloaded. The Max anchors creep forward a little but dig deeper when overloaded, seeking harder bottom material and building greater holding power. The prime result of using Max anchors for boat owners is that they all sleep well at night when anchored.

 Max anchors have recently been improved. They now have a shank that allows more depth when resting on a bow roller and which has caused the fluke to be further away from the stem of the boat. The Adjustable Max anchor with the pivoting arm is now joined with its rigid brother. The Max with the pivoting arm, with two bolts and three arm settings, is now called the Super Max Pivoting Anchor. The new rigid anchor is now called the Super Max Rigid Anchor. A small skeglike lug at the back side of the fluke now receives a shackle for a trip line. Super Max anchors use a steel imported from Europe that has twice the yield strength of tool steel produced in America. The anchors are hot-dip galvanized for years of protection. Other anchors use an electro-galvanizing process that deposits less than half the zinc on their anchors for minimal galvanizing. They may look prettier in the beginning, but in three years they will turn to rust.

How Super Max Anchors Work:

 Endorsements and Tests:

Some people have questioned the veracity of our endorsers and testers. They think the statements made are too good to be true, that no anchor can do what we say the Super Max anchors can do, that it's just pure hype similar to what the other anchor manufacturers say. However, we have letters and emails from the endorsers and testers, and in some cases phone calls by them. We can make copies of these for unbelievers and give phone numbers for one to call and ask for their comments by telephone if necessary.

The Practical Sailor/Powerboat Reports tests of the past several years have resulted in good reports for setting and holding capabilities of our anchors.

Other anchors have tested marginally better in sand and hard bottoms, but the testers used scopes equivalent to 100 to 1 with the rodes laying on the bottom. The rodes were in each case led ashore. Those anchors designed for 7 to 1 scopes or greater obviously had the advantage over the Max and Super Max anchors designed for scopes of 5 to 1 or 3 to 1. Thus the results were skewed. The ABS tests reported on this website used correct scopes as recommended by the manufacturers and as can be seen the results were dramatically different.

The Rigid and Pivoting Arm Super Max anchors have recently been improved.

The center of balance of the new Rigid and Pivoting Arm anchors has been moved to almost at the leading edge of the fluke, which forces deeper penetration. The aft end of the fluke has been cut away or narrowed so there is no weight at the back end of the anchor, all of it shifted to the tips at the leading edge when the anchor is on its side. The center tine has been narrowed so that after the anchor rotates into the bottom, the center tine can better penetrate into coral substrates or other hard bottoms. The angle of attack for the new Rigid has been increased for greater penetration into all bottoms.

All of these changes have been proven in our own tests to have increased the new Rigid's penetration into bottoms of all types immeasurably. We have tested the new Rigid against the Spade and found it to be much quicker to set and its holding far exceeds that of the Spade. We have asked others to test and report back to us their results, and you can see their results immediately below. The NEW PS/PBR mud tests (see report) have substantiated that the Super Max Pivoting Arm anchor is the best, though the testers did not report it as such.  The Rigid super Max was tested in soft mud at a 3 to 1 scope whereas their instructions called for 5 to 1 or greater is soft mud. Reading instructions is important.

LARGE SUPERMAX ANCHORS are being used on Offshore Oil Service Vessels

 In Company tests conducted in soft mud, the Rigid Super Max set and held immediately with a 7 to 1 scope, all nylon rode. In soft sand over a coral base in a test conducted by a Florida resident, it set and held immediately. In dry sand, it set and held ferociously. Compared to the Spade anchor also tested in Soft mud and sand, it set quicker and held stronger than the Spade. (In the dry sand test the Spade's arm bent with very little pressure having been applied!) Since the Spade has been Practical Sailor's choice anchor for the past two or three years, the Super Max Rigid anchors should now be considered the best of the rigid anchors.

J. Burke, Boca Raton, FL: In tests over one week anchoring with the Super Max Rigid 15 in the Bahamas, I dove at each
site which included seaweed, coral and coral sand. I watched this anchor set immediately at every site, penetrate deeply
and hold in bottoms that most other anchors don't even set in. When reversed with a 180, the anchor followed around and
did not become dislodged. An amazing performance!

P. Youngblood,  "After spending 4 weeks on an 800 mile trip on the ICW, we never had the slightest reason for concern
whenever we anchored out. Even anchorages that are noted for poor holding posed little problem.  It is great to get a
good night's sleep with the feeling you will wake up in the same spot in the morning."

Endorsements and Tests for Older Super Max and Max Anchors.

 In tests by Captain Wil Andrews in May 1998 on the new Super Max Pivoting Arm anchors: "The Super Max sets quicker than the original Max, I believe it sets quicker than the Bruce... The capacity of this anchor when put under load 180 degrees from where it was set may he one of its moot desirable characteristics... The Super Max passes the 'Emergency Test' with a grade of A+. I have never seen an anchor do as well in this test... The Super Max indicates it will truly be a "Super Anchor."

Kurt Hocker, Pegasus, 50' Crealock Cutter, Costa Rico: "Everything you claimed is true, we sleep well now even in poor holding grounds, a welcome change. The short scope and lack of chain required is incredible. It also breaks out easily, even when buried in 20' of silt. We love it, and love it more each day. We realize that the only reason everyone else isn't using the Max more is that new things catch on slow, and we've all heard that if it seems to good to he true, well... But it is true!"

 Frank Adshead, Falmouth, ME: "Each night we rafted together and usually alternated which boat would set their Max anchor. The anchor set for each of us on the first try, virtually 100% of the time. We anchored in conditions varying from sand to mud to eel grass (where my Fortress is useless). Even in 30+ knot winds and mud conditions, one Max held two 37 footers secure all night. We used the settings recommended by Creative Marine usually, but even when they were not set correctly, the anchor dug in and held. We can give the Max an unqualified thumbs up for its performance on our cruise

 Stan Simms, Washington, NC: "The Max has outperformed every rig I have seen to date. During a routine weekend cruise on Pamlico Sound (noted for poor holding), we rafted with two other boats for the evening. Each vessel set their anchors by backing down appropriately. During a minor blow we discovered that the Max was the only anchor that held! This included our 35 Endeavour, a 33 Pearson and a 39 O'Day."

 Peter Terletsky, author of Weather and Anchoring for the Yachtsman "In soupy jello mud near Miami, where a CQR, Bruce, Danforth HT and a Peckney Northill all dragged forever, the Max set in less than ten feet. Trinity was unable to make the Max drag once she bit. In hard coral the Max was able to penetrate the surface while the HT Danforth danced on its tips and the Bruce just scraped up a little sand, and the CQR plow just skidded along. In what I call a good bottom (medium sand and gravel) the Max bit so fast and so hard that Trinity squatted and Rosemary and I had to hold on. Some anchors that hold well never seem to want to let go. However, the Max comes free with very little effort, and to top it off, even in mud she cleans up easily. I recommend the Max as the primary anchor for any boat.

 In tests by Captain Wil Andrews in May, 1998 on the new Super Max anchors, he states: "The Super Max sets quicker than the original Max, I believe it sets even quicker than the Bruce...The capacity of this anchor when put under load 180 degrees from where it was set may be one of its most desirable characteristics...The Super Max passes the 'No Emergency Test' with a grade of A+. I have never had an anchor do as well in this test...The Super Max indicates it truly will be a 'Super' Anchor."

 In April 1990 tests performed by West Marine and Fortress in San Francisco Bay in soft mud, a prototype Max anchor weighing 38 pounds is the equivalent to the middle arm position of the present Max or normal mud position, tested 800 pounds of holding pressure before beginning to creep while the Fortress 37 held an average of 579 pounds before dragging, H-1800 Danforth 514 pounds, T-4000 Danforth 488 pounds, Plastimo 35 Plow 475 pounds, Rule P-1800 Plow 425 pounds, CQR-45 358 pounds, Bruce 44 247 pounds and Simpson-Lawrence 35 Delta 222 pounds. If the Max had at that time had the upper arm position available for ooze, it would have held over 2,000 pounds!

 In July 1991 Underwater Capabilities, Inc, ran a series of tests near Pensacola, FL with the Max adjustable, the CQR, Bruce and Fortress anchors. In soft sand the Max held 1,050 pounds, comparably sized Fortress held 600 pounds, the Bruce 600 pounds and the CQR only 375 pounds. In soft mud the Max held 975 pounds, the Bruce 173 pounds, the CQR 175 pounds, and the Fortress refused to set after five attempts!

 Will Andrews of New Bern, NC: The Max is the quickest setting anchor we have ever seen. It sets immediately and at a very short scope and it does so in any bottom we have tried. In 50 feet of water in the Cooper River, 75 feet of rode was let out and it was made fast. The Max grabbed the bottom with gusto and we remained fixed until repairs had been made. The Max is a masculine brute and just doesn't give a damn how you set it. It will dig into the bottom and fight it like a professional football defensive tackle, no matter what the circumstances.

 Dick Wilkens of Largo, FL tested the anchor for PRACTICAL SAILOR and POWER BOAT REPORTS. In a storm off Marathon he deployed his Max after both his CQR and Danforth had dragged forever. The Max was dropped with only a 2 to 1 scope, and it held in winds up to 40 knots. He said it saved his boat, it ending up only 20 feet from some rocks. Said he in PRACTICAL SAILOR/POWER BOAT REPORTS, "Do we endorse the anchor? You Bet!"

 Dave Corbett of Coastal Cruising Magazine: Over a period of three years, anchoring in practically every bottom type between Norfolk and Georgetown, Bahamas, and in winds to 80 knots, one anchor stood head and shoulders above all the others, the MAX. In 1994 I performed my own testing of the MAX 17, Bruce 44, Danforth 25, and Fortress FX37. The results indicated the MAX to be the only anchor to consistently set and hold under all conditions. The MAX would initially roll onto a single fluke, and with more tension it would roll to a center position and dig its entire surface area deeply into the bottom. It was the only anchor I tested that had any penetration power in a weed bed. When all is said and done, every captain wants an anchor he can trust. This is one sailor who would not think of cruising without a MAX aboard.

 Tom Dove, Chesapeake Bay Magazine: Last winter we got a 25 pound Max anchor in Florida. We were happy with our Delta, but we thought we would try this out on our return trip to the Chesapeake. The Max is now a permanent fixture on our bow roller. In a month of use, more than 1,000 miles, it set instantly and held every time through winds of 35 knots and changeable currents of up to 6 knots. We used it on hard clay, oozy mud, grass and sand, with scopes ranging from 3 to 1 up to 7 to 1. It always held. The Max is simply the best anchor I have ever used.

 Tommy and Emily Brown's Slocum 43 was anchored in Destin (FL) harbor during Hurricane Opal. Their Max 17 was on an all chain rode and ended up holding their boat by itself after their second anchor's rode had been cut by a dragging boat in the storm. "With tears streaming down my face, I got out of the car to take one last picture of the boat and to tell it goodbye, because I knew this would be the last time I would see it in one piece. No anchors could hold under these conditions... After the storm died, so did our hopes that the boat had survived. Thursday morning a friend from Destin had phoned with the unbelievable news that our boat was still floating in the same spot! Only a handful of boats remained; the rest had sunk or landed on shore with holes. We cannot praise the Max enough. [The Max 17 had to have had from 9,000 pounds to 15,000 pounds pressure on it to have held their boat in steady winds of 125 knots with gusts to 147!]

 Karl Dieckman: I have now spent two seasons cruising my native Maine coast, and my Max 17 has stuck, rock solid, first try, every single time I dropped the hook. And as I do all the anchor hauling, an absolutely delightful bonus was the unexpected ease of breaking it out. I have slept a whole lot better hanging on to my Max. I am immensely satisfied with the Max's performance, would not use anything else, and am proud of taking a chance on this new kid on the block, a true champ from day one.

 Gordon Siefferman: I have a Max 17... I have never had it not set on the first try. During a recent cruise on the ICW, my Allied Seawind II was struck by a severe squall. The winds clocked over 50 MPH and a lee shore was only yards away - scary stuff. The Max was steady as a rock. The anchor quite literally has never failed me. Frankly, I think it is the best small boat anchor made.

In Hurricane Ivan our Kadey-Krogen 42 was the only boat left at our anchorage, all the other boats were on the beach. The winds were up to 146 knots but our Super Max 17 held us firmly to the bottom. I don't think we budged more than a few feet during the whole hurricane!
 - Beverly Rock

 Super Max Anchors are A.B.S. Certified and approved to 1,500 pound weights which should provide holding pressures up to 60,000 pounds. Patented Super MAX Anchors are sold directly to you by Creative Marine Products. Each anchor is warranted for one year against defects. Because of limited production capacities, it is advisable to order a Max anchor well in advance of when it may be needed.
"If you do not believe the new Super Max anchor is the best anchor you have ever used,
 return it within 60 days for a full refund!"

Super Max Pivoting Anchors Boats Anchor      Weight     Up To: Price MAX 15 28# 10,000#    $425.00     MAX 15HD 32# 13,000# $450.00 MAX 16 44 20,000 $525.00 MAX 17 50 35,000 $550.00 MAX 20 75 55,000 $725.00 MAX 22 105 80,000 $925.00
Super Max Rigid Anchors Boats Anchor   Weight   UpTo:    Price MAX 12 18# 8,000# $300.00    MAX 15HD 31 15,000 $450.00 MAX 16 48 25,000 $525.00 MAX 17 56 40,000 $550.00 MAX 20 88 65,000 $725.00 MAX 22 115 100,000 $925.00

"This boat DID NOT have a SUPER MAX Anchor!" and with Hurricane Charley, Francis, Ivan and now Jeanne, you need the best anchor to help keep you safe*              *In Hurricane Ivan our Kadey-Krogen 42 was the only boat left at our anchorage, all the other boats were on the beach. The winds were up to 146 knots but our Super Max 17 held us firmly to the bottom. I don't think we budged more than a few feet during the whole hurricane!  - Beverly Rock

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