BajaNomad - Pull Pal vs. Danforth

Pull Pal vs. Danforth

Oso - 10-31-2004 at 12:37 PM

Has anyone ever used a standard Danforth anchor with a winch? The Pull Pal looks to work in a similar fashion but the difference in price is ridiculous.

4baja - 11-1-2004 at 07:39 AM

the danforth is desighn to be used with chain and in certain ciscumstances it will just pull out. i have the pull pAL and it will dig to china if it has to. picture this, your on a remote beach in baja and stuck with nobody around and the tide and surf comeing up fast. now that pull paL seems cheap in price doesnt it. 300 dollars compared to loosing 20 grand seems cheap to me. :coolup:

4Baja

jrbaja - 11-1-2004 at 08:42 AM

Have you actually tried a Danforth and seen it pull out?
This is a serious question, not a "dig". My brother and I have been having this conversation for years but still haven't made the test. He swears they will work, but he's a boat guy.

[Edited on 11/1/2004 by jrbaja]

Bruce R Leech - 11-1-2004 at 11:04 AM

I have,if I it would could only have one on board be a Bruce it is better in moor types of bottoms than any other and it wont pull out and reset when the tide or wind changes it just screws in further. also gives you a better Chance in coral or rock.

Bruce R Leech

I mean on land

jrbaja - 11-1-2004 at 11:18 AM

as a winch anchor. Seems like it would work but interested in talking to someone cheap like me who has tried it. :light:

Bruce R Leech - 11-1-2004 at 12:06 PM

oh sorry

Bruce

No worries Mate

jrbaja - 11-1-2004 at 12:25 PM

but, if you still have the Danforth and a winch on a truck, I'd really like to know :light:

Dave - 11-1-2004 at 04:42 PM

I've used a danforth with a comealong to move a heavy piece of concrete. Worked perfect but I was a bit nervous about it. As I see it there are two potential problems:

The flukes rotate and you dont have the advantage of wet sand/mud as you would when anchoring.

I guess you could modify a danforth or Bruce with a little welding. Sure would be a lot cheaper. In any case, I wouldn't think of moving a vehicle with a wussy 8 pounder. The bigger the better.

bufeo - 11-1-2004 at 04:54 PM

JR

I carry a small (30lb?) Danforth in my tool box. I've successfully used it with a "come-along" on several occasions when a belay was needed while traveling on bad roads.

I've also had experience using it with a Hickey Sidewinder (wish I still had that winch) and a Warn 9000. Although none of the "stucks" were major ones, the anchor worked well.

Dave's caviat is valid, but each time I've used the anchor I've taken care to bury it. I used it once in the mountains of N New Mex to pull our horse trailer (sans chevaux) back onto the road after sliding off in the snow.

This particular anchor was an extra one we had on our 44' trawler, so I have faith in it. I believe it's rated for a 1-ton load, so I'm careful not to make angel-hair pasta out of the cable or tow-strap.

Oso - 11-1-2004 at 05:03 PM

Great comments, keep 'em coming.

Bruce? What does my wife's hairdresser have to do with this? (just kidding, I looked it up. They look heavy and the big ones cost like the Pull Pal)

"Loosing" (sic) $20,000???? Ah, you yuppies and your flashy rigs.

Dave - 11-1-2004 at 06:19 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Oso
They look heavy and the big ones cost like the Pull Pal)

Nah, you can buy a copy or used one cheap. Just make sure it don't say Made in China. :biggrin:

(don't buy Danforth knock offs, they ain't for s**t.)

There's a used marine equipment place in Costa Mesa that has good deals. They're on the internet. I can't remember the name but any sailor on this board or on BNet who lives in the area could tell you.

Come to think of it, I may have an extra. I'll check and see how big. You could pick it up when you drop off the tequila. :lol:

Oso - 11-1-2004 at 07:01 PM

A ver si como roncas duermes, buey.

Neal Johns - 11-2-2004 at 12:36 AM

Spencer Murray, a boat and Baja 4x4 guy/author, tried out a Danforth 20 years ago, published the results in a 4wd magazine, and it worked. He only tried it a couple of times as far as I know.

Nothing new under the sun. :lol:

Danforths

Selkie - 11-2-2004 at 08:03 AM

Minney's Yacht Surplus in Costa Mesa. They have a website. Fascinating store. :yes:

Selkie

jrbaja - 11-2-2004 at 08:08 AM

Do they still have my Titanic blueprint hanging up in there?

bufeo - 11-2-2004 at 08:19 AM

Quote:

Spencer Murray, a boat and Baja 4x4 guy/author, tried out a Danforth 20 years ago, published the results in a 4wd magazine, and it worked. He only tried it a couple of times as far as I know.

Absolutely correct, Neal. Off-Roaders' Handbook Murray authored with James T. Crow (1986); my copy is getting pretty beaten up, but that's where I got the idea of carrying an anchor with me.

Here's their analysis of the test with a "marine-quality Danforth".

"At first, winch reeled anchor toward truck. But as anchor flukes got a good bite, Danforth buried itself out of sight. When it stopped moving, winch pulled truck up to it. Danforth anchor weighs only 12 lb, but can withstand a pull of 6000 lb."

Dave - 11-2-2004 at 10:36 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Oso
A ver si como roncas duermes, buey.

Me la vas a pelar cabron. :biggrin:

How much tow line

frizkie - 11-2-2004 at 03:04 PM

aproximately, would I need from the end of the come along to the anchor? I would be pulling out a Dodge Ram Van Conversion.
It must be like anchoring a boat, the more line you have out the better the anchor digs in? Right? And I thought I would need at least a 30lb Danforth?? No??

Markitos - 11-2-2004 at 09:22 PM

If your in sand use your spair as a dead man just dig a hole and bury it. Works great! Unless the tides coming in to fast !!
Then ya just slap your self on the forehead and call your self stupid !!
PS dont forget to tie a rope to your spair duh :yes:

Neal Johns - 11-2-2004 at 10:35 PM

Bufeo, if you look in your old beat up book by Spencer, you will find a picture of my first Baja rig, a Toyota FJ-40.

Frizkie

jrbaja - 11-2-2004 at 10:47 PM

I believe it's called scope, (how much line to use) and it all depends n the tides, currents, wind, etc.
But then I guess, when it comes to that, it's a little late :lol:

There you go again JR

frizkie - 11-2-2004 at 11:10 PM

Giggle!!

I thought Markitos had a good idea, and perhaps it is a good idea if you have a winch. But this wench dosen't have a winch.

When I got to thinking how many darned times I would have to bury and dig up, and re-bury that darned spare tire, it didn't sound like such a good idea anymore. :?:

Getting Un-Stuck

Cameron - 11-3-2004 at 01:00 AM

If you're getting stuck in featureless or sandy areas often enough to consider a Pull Pal, you should invest in a set of "Sand Ladders"!
You can use them to help get you out of soft, silty sand by driving on them, or I suppose you could bury them and use them as "deadmen" in a pinch. They're light enough so you can throw them in your truck and forget about them until you need them at 10 lbs/pair.
If you want something for crossing deep gaps, do a Google on "bridging ladders": They're similar, but built heavier and arched.
You can buy the Sand Ladders from these folks in OK. for less than $165 USD including shipping!
http://www.okoffroad.com/stuff-sandladders-aluminum.htm
Hasta Luego! Cameron

Oso - 11-3-2004 at 08:36 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Dave

Quote:

Me la vas a pelar cabron. :biggrin:

Ahora si, estas aprendiendo hablar como mexicano, P-nche neoyorkino.

I don't know whether this exchange belongs in the Spanish or off-topic forum, but assuming the "giant ******" concedes in the next day or so, I'll bring the bottle either on the way to or back from the race in two or three weeks.

Directions to the Deli?

bufeo - 11-3-2004 at 09:08 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Neal Johns
Bufeo, if you look in your old beat up book by Spencer, you will find a picture of my first Baja rig, a Toyota FJ-40.

What fun, Neal. Found an FJ-40 on p 99 and another on p 111. You one of those?
Looking for your FJ-40 caused me to leaf through with more attention to detail and it brings back myriad images of our early trips down. The old "Carryall" on p 55 looks like our first rig, and just about as loaded. Our first Baja rig (1968, I was a 31-yr-old neophyte to Baja.) was a 2WD 1954 Carryall. That was the last 2WD I took anywhere off-road.
Allen

Neal Johns - 11-3-2004 at 03:36 PM

Yeah, bufeo, that is me on page 99 and maybe on page 111, but the one I remember is page 118 where I was stuck.

Spencer was getting his Jeep pickup stuck on purpose for pictures in the book and Macho Johns offered to pull him free. It was the first time I had ever used my clean, new, tow strap so I said "No need to snatch you out, I will just pull you a few feet". Famous last words.

The tires spun, the Landcruiser went down a half inch in the Soda Lake snot, and there I was - could not move farward or backward. The strap was tight, so could not even take it off. Sigh - had to ask a Jeep driver to pull us both out. Oh, the shame of it all. :no:

bufeo - 11-3-2004 at 06:34 PM

Neal,
I saw that photo on p 118 but thought better about posting it here. Better that you mention it.
That's a great story. Maybe if you'd had a Danforth and a come-along out the back you could have pulled yourself out??? :yes:

That reminds me. I believe that I already knew about the "anchor belay" trick. Could I have read it in Crow's earlier book? Maybe even in an article? It seems to me that I was carrying one long before the Crow/Murray book was published. As usual, especially at this c-cktail hour, my memory is fuzzy.
Allen

botella

Oso - 11-3-2004 at 06:59 PM

Dave, see "off topic" for latest...

Neal Johns - 11-4-2004 at 10:37 AM

bufeo, it was in a magazine article by Murray before the book.