Suncoast Marine Ltd

Free Spirit at anchor in Moorea

 

Suncoast Marine Ltd., established in 2004 in Vancouver, British Columbia, is a Canadian manufacturer of high-quality cost-effective products for coastal and blue-water cruisers. 

Suncoast Marine founder Mark Pocock is a keen cruiser who has sailed his Spencer 44 Free Spirit extensively in the Pacific Northwest,  and recently completed an offshore passage from Canada to New Zealand via the South Pacific.   In New Zealand Mark met Peter Smith, Kiwi cruiser and entrepreneur who had just completed the design of a new anchor, the Rocna.  Impressed with the unique combination of quality, performance, and cost-effectiveness afforded by the Rocna, Mark established Suncoast Marine to manufacture these anchors for North American boaters.

As other products of comparable quality, performance, and value are developed, they will be incorporated into the Suncoast Marine product line.

 

 

 

Peter Smith, designer of the Rocna

Peter Smith, designer of the Rocna, has been cruising and building boats since the 1970's, with his most recent project being his 50' 27 ton aluminum alloy world cruiser Kiwi Roa.  On his way back to New Zealand from England aboard Kiwi Roa, however, Peter was disturbed at how frequently he dragged anchor in the soft mud anchorages found in the English East Coast, the Chesapeake, Delaware Bay, and even in Islington Bay in New Zealand. Kiwi Roa carried a 110 lb CQR, an 88 lb Delta, and a 110 lb Bruce, which seems an impressive enough array of ground tackle, but still there was always that feeling of insecurity.

Peter had used every type of anchor known to man over the years, and had developed some clear ideas as to the key features of an anchor which would improve upon those which had gone before.  A 50kg prototype of the Rocna was built, tested, and refined, then proven out aboard Kiwi Roa during a 10 month circumnavigation of New Zealand.  Anchoring experiences included one memorable bout of winds to 70 knot winds for 10 days  in Stewart Island, and another 2 day assault of 50 knot winds in Akaroa, during which other boats were dragging across the anchorage...in hundreds of sets, Kiwi Roa never budged.  Peter was satisfied that he had achieved his objectives, and had developed an anchor which he could rely on under all conditions.

 

For more information on Peter Smith and the Rocna Anchor, have a look at www.rocna.com.