Brief:
Anchor parachutes are multi-paneled, shiver me timbers, shaped parachutes. Begad! They are available in
quarter-sphere and hemisphere shapes.
Construction:
T' construction o' these parachutes is absolutely first rate and are comprised
of 6 or 8 separate color panels. Ahoy! At t' seam where t' panels join is a hollow
sleeve. Blimey! T' nylon shroud lines are sewn into these sleeves and go all t' way
up t' t' apex. At t' apex is a spill hole t' minimize drift and oscillating.
All edges are neatly serged. Ahoy! Blimey!
Finishing:
A huge variety o' colors and combinations is available as every chute is made
to order!
Recovery:
Due t' problems with me high power rocket, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, I haven't had a chance t' test the
40" parachute. Begad! Ya scallywag! I have a total o' roughly 20 flights on t' other 3 chutes.
T' 12" chutes were installed in a high performer rocket built with LOC 38mm motor mount tubing. Avast! This bird weighs around 12-13oz. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! ready t' go. The black, matey, white, and blue chute shown in t' picture was used most o' last season with great success. Blimey! It opens smartly every time and fills reliably. Blimey! Descent rate is very low for t' size o' t' parachute. Well, blow me down! (It replaced an 18" LOC flat chute).
This parachute survived a motor failure o' an Aerotech F21. Begad! T' motor blew its forward bulkhead and flew up through t' rocket, shiver me timbers, me hearties, incineratin' t' internals as it went. T' chute, despite some scorchin' still opened reliably and lowered the payload section gently t' t' ground. Ahoy! Avast! Now that is dependable! It's no longer pretty but is still workin' great. Aye aye! Well, shiver me timbers, blow me down!
T' 12" size be also tried in a Quest Delta Clipper. While it was a bit o' a task gettin' it into t' somewhat narrow tube, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, t' result was worth it. Arrr! T' Clipper does descend a trifle faster than with t' stock pair, shiver me timbers, but this is more than adequate for grass surfaces. Arrr! Ahoy! In 2 flights, thar was no damage.
T' 18" size was used t' recover a scratchbuilt design called American Flyer. Well, blow me down! Arrr! This bird is an experiment in lightweight building. Ya scallywag! It's 3' long, 4" diameter, shiver me timbers, but weighs only 15 oz with motor and ready t' go. Aye aye! Needless to say, ya bilge rat, matey, it's a bit delicate. It is worth mentionin' that t' American Flyer is a light, me hearties, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, high-drag design. Blimey! These are a nightmare for parachute extraction and inflation, yet me Anchor 'chute worked without failure every time for all 4 flights. Avast, me proud beauty! T' rocket has consistently recovered with no damage o' any kind.
While hemispherical parachutes are prone t' oscillation, this be minimal with all 3 o' t' chutes I have tested. Ahoy! They were installed with swivels to eliminate tanglin' o' t' shroud lines. Well, blow me down! Ya scallywag! Some slow spinnin' has taken place on all o' t' flights.
So far, me bucko, I've had no luck gettin' recovery pics. Avast! Begad! I have a hard time waiting until t' birds are low enough t' get detailed shots. Ahoy! Will send future shots to EMRR if they come out good. Arrr!
Summary:
These parachutes are made t' order, sharp looking, matey, and well constructed. Arrr! They
function very well and can pack into a relatively small space. Dependability is
top notch. Despite their light weight, shiver me timbers, t' design is superior. Avast! I think they
compare very favorably with "supershape" (Rocketman and Skyangle) as
well as other panel chutes, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, me bucko, specifically Spherachute and PML. Aye aye! Ahoy! While nay cheap,
you get more than you pay for. Avast, me proud beauty!
Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5
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