sailboat dinghy anchor

7 Best Sailboat Anchors

As long as it's the right one, your sailboat anchor is the best insurance you'll ever buy.

The right sailboat anchor will depend on the type and size of your sailboat, your planned area of sailing, and the weather conditions that you expect to encounter. So there are no shortcuts but to choose the best sailboat anchors based on these factors.

Anchoring, at its core, is all about securely fastening your sailboat using the best sailboat anchor so that it doesn't float away when the winds or tides start shifting.

And whether you're planning for a day's fishing trip to your nearest lake or going for an offshore voyage, an anchor is unquestionably essential in ensuring the safety of both you and your sailboat.

A good anchor not only gives you the much-needed peace of mind but gives you the ability to securely anchor your sailboat on a nice bay, grab a quick lunch, or explore the nearby reefs.

More importantly, you'll appreciate the importance of choosing the best sailboat anchor for your boat when you have to ride out a storm.

There are lots of excellent sailboat anchors that are a great fit for your boat. The most important is to understand what makes a high-quality anchor so that you can make an informed choice when buying the best sailboat anchor for you and your vessel. This will depend on things like the size and type of your sailboat, where you want to sail to, and the projected weather and the type of bottom of where you'll be sailing at.

Needless to say, there are a lot of sailboat anchors out there that it can be very confusing. In this article, we'll discuss how to choose the best sailboat anchor for your boat. More importantly, we've done thorough research and review the best sailboat anchors just to make the process of choosing the best sailboat anchor for you as easy as possible.

Table of contents

How to Choose the Best Sailboat Anchor

Choosing the best sailboat anchor on various things such as the type and size of your boat, the type of bottom where you're planning to anchor your boat on, the weather conditions, and many more. For example, anchoring a 24-feet sailing boat on a muddy bottom will not be the same when using the same anchor when anchoring a 49-feet sailboat on a rocky bottom. More importantly, choosing the best sailboat is all about finding the right balance in terms of the size of your boat, the type of the bottom where you're sailing at, the climate conditions, and the amount of time that you're planning to be anchored.

Here is what you need to consider.

The Size of Your Boat

The size of your boat will determine the type of anchor that's appropriate based on its weight and resistance. For example, a claw anchor can be great for boats measuring between 16 feet and 50 feet. In essence, having a bigger boat will require an anchor that is bigger and has more holding power. On the other hand, a smaller anchor with less holding power will be ideal for a smaller boat.

Your Anchoring Time

The holding power of your anchor can be affected by the amount of time you are planning to anchor your boat. If you're planning to anchor your boat for longer periods, it would make a lot of sense to have an anchor with high holding power. Differently, you can go with an anchor with less holding power if you're planning to anchor your boat for a few hours.

The Bottom Type

The shape and sharpness of an anchor will determine how good an anchor can hold your boat in different types of bottoms. For example, claw anchors can struggle in rocks and corals but work perfectly in sand and mud. On the contrary, grapnel types of anchors can work great in rocks but don't work in sand or mud. It all depends on the bottom type of the area you're planning to sail at. 

Anchor Material

The type of material used in manufacturing the anchor is of great importance in terms of its functionality, reliability, and durability. Most anchors are galvanized to prevent them from rust and also for a better price. However, stainless steel anchors offer better anchors in terms of quality and aesthetics.

Without further ado, let's jump straight in.

1. Lewmar Galvanized Delta Sailing Anchor

(Best for Larger Boats)

Although several modern types of sailboat anchors have taken the anchor industry by storm, some traditional anchor designs still hold their ground today and the Lewmar Galvanized Delta Sailing Anchor is one of them. It's designed with a single, sharply pointed wedge fluke that has a similar shape to a plow and really gets into the ground. It digs down and holds so secure for larger boats measuring over 21 feet.

This is a superb sailboat anchor that performs exceptionally well on most bottom types save for rocks. You'll love the fact that it holds extremely well in softer bottoms such as sand and mud. This anchor is made from high-grade manganese steel and is galvanized with a protective layer of zinc to prevent it from rusting. It's also more light than most anchors so stowing and transportation shouldn't be a problem.

Having been a hallmark anchor for many years, this anchor guarantees reliability and will hold excellently even in stormy conditions. Launching it is also easy thanks to its ballasted tip and streamlined shank and will set the first time thanks to its self-righting design.

• ‍ Perfect for larger boats
• Very durable
• Approved by several National Lifeboat Associations
• Comes with a perpetual guarantee against breakage
• Easy to launch
• Very secure
• ‍ Quite expensive
• Requires tripping line to release it from the seabed
• Not great for rocky bottom

2. Rocna Vulcan Galvanized Anchor

(Best for Changing Weather Conditions)

As the best-selling sailboat anchor currently available in the market, it's easy to see why the Rocna Vulcan Galvanized Anchor is the most highly rated anchor by multiple independent reviewers. Built for strength and versatility, this anchor works great with a wide range of boats, which is a very unique feature. Coming in sizes ranging from 9 to 606 pounds, this anchor is so versatile and gives you the option of choosing the right size for your sailboat.

This remains the most dependable anchor in the market, especially in the roughest of conditions. It holds all types of the seabed so fast and has a roll bar that's crucial in ensuring that your boat's weight is not only distributed appropriately but the boat sets at the right angle. Its Vulcan design and sharp tip allow it to snug fit on the bow and to get right into the seabed respectively.

This is an anchor that draws the best features from traditional sailboat anchors such as spade and bagel anchors to become one of the best modern sailboat anchors out there.

• ‍ Perfect for stormy conditions
• Great for all types of seabed
• Very versatile and available in a wide range of sizes
• Perfect for all types of boats
• It has an easy storage design
• It's designed by a well-known brand
• ‍ Very expensive
• ‍ Its shank is only perfect for  bigger flukes

3. Manson Galvanized Supreme Sailing Anchor

(The Fastest Setting and Highest Holding Anchor)

If you're looking to purchase the best sailboat anchor from a well-established brand, look no further than the Manson Galvanized Supreme Sailing Anchor. This anchor has been in the market for the better part of the last two decades and still holds its ground as one of the best sailboat anchors out there. The fact that it is perfect for all types of seabed makes it a great option for sailors who are on a budget.

This sailboat anchor has an indisputable reputation all over the world as the fastest setting and highest holding anchor. This is because it's uniquely designed for extreme holding conditions thanks to its standard bow rollers and a dual operation shank that's designed with the utmost versatility in mind. Whether you're looking to anchor in mud, sand, or rocky areas, this anchor will never disappoint you.

• ‍ It has an extremely high holding power
• It's the fastest setting anchor in the market
• It's perfect for all types of seabed including rocky areas
• Its safety is guaranteed as it has passed multiple tests
• It's very durable
• Designed for extreme weather conditions
• ‍ It's heavy, which can bring difficulties in stowing and transportation
• Very expensive

4. Danforth S-600 Standard Sailing Anchor

(Best for Smaller Boats)

At this point, you shouldn't have any doubt that some of the more traditional types of anchors still have a place in the anchor industry today. The Danforth S-600 Standard Sailing Anchor is a traditional fluke anchor that's extremely perfect for smaller boats but can also be used as a secondary anchor for larger boats. Having been developed in the US back in the 1940s, this type of anchor is similar to the modern CQR anchor and doesn't compromise on quality and reliability even in rough weather conditions.

It's lighter than most anchors, so stowing or transporting it shouldn't be a problem. In terms of its holding power, it has an excellent power-to-weight ratio and can hold quite fast in sand and mud. The fact that it is a fluke type of anchor makes it not perfect for coral, rock, or gravel bottoms.

• ‍ Perfect for smaller boats
• It's good for sandy and muddy substrates
• Lightweight and compact
• Has a holding power of about 600 pounds
• Constructed with high-strength galvanized steel
• Quite affordable 
• ‍ Not ideal for rock, coral, or gravel substrates
• Can only be used as a secondary anchor on larger boats (over 27 feet)
• It has moving parts

5. Lewmar Claw Anchor

(Best for All Types of Seabed)

If you're looking for the best sailboat anchor that will serve you perfectly in all types of substrates, the Lewmar Claw Anchor can be an ideal choice. Previously known as the Bruce or Claw type anchor, this anchor has a three-pronged design that enables it to easily set in any bottom. It doesn't matter whether you want to anchor in an area with mud, sand, rock, coral, gravel, or grassy bottom, this anchor will hold its ground.

It can be a great option if you're on a tight budget and want to buy an anchor that doesn't have a complete design while going about its duty quietly. It's so versatile thanks to the fact that it's available in sizes ranging from 4.4 pounds to 44 pounds. What's more; it's made from high-grade steel and it's very durable. If anything, it draws inspiration from the anchors used in securing oil rigs in the North Sea. 

• ‍ Excellent for all types of substrates
• It's very versatile
• It's durable
• It's very affordable
• ‍ Its odd shape makes it difficult to stow

6. Mantus Galvanized Sailing Anchor

(Perfect for Dense Grassy Bottoms)

The level of functionality that the Mantus Galvanized Sailing Anchor brings to the table is unmatched. This is an anchor that offers unparalleled holding power as it can dig a lot deeper than most anchors out there.

It's strongly built but can come apart to make it a lot easy to store and transport. Its sharp-headed nose gives it maximum penetration power, though it may not hold quite well in low viscosity sea beds. This anchor is highly dependable yet very expensive so it might not be an ideal option if you're on a budget. So if functionality is your top priority when going to an area with dense grassy bottoms, it can be your ideal option. 

• ‍ Very functional and dependable
• Perfect for dense grassy bottoms
• Easy to store and transport
• Made from high-quality steel
• Comes with a lifetime warranty against breakage
• ‍ It has moving parts
• It's very expensive

7. Norestar Stainless Steel Delta/Wing Boat Sailing Anchor

(Highest Quality Anchor)

One of the most important things when in the market for a good sailboat anchor is quality. Well, the Norestar doesn't disappoint on this front as it's manufactured using the highest quality stainless steel. This stainless steel is strengthened with micron thick PVD coating that gives it a highly urbane appearance.

Its design is also one of the most popular anchoring systems in the maritime industry today. This is because it offers impeccable security and gives you the peace of mind knowing that your boat is safe at all times.

• ‍ It is self-launching
• Made from the highest quality stainless steel
• It sets easily
• Perfect for most bottoms
• It's lightweight and has no moving parts
• ‍ Not ideal for bottoms with hard sand
• Quite expensive

There you have it; these are the best sailboat anchors in the market. An anchor is one of the most crucial parts of safe sailing. Whether you're looking to moor at the harbor or to explore far-reaching areas in the water, a good anchor is your number safety and insurance while on the water.

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Daniel Wade

I've personally had thousands of questions about sailing and sailboats over the years. As I learn and experience sailing, and the community, I share the answers that work and make sense to me, here on Life of Sailing.

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Yachting Monthly

• Digital edition

Best anchors: 8 new generation designs suitable for every boat

• Rupert Holmes
• January 27, 2022

Most boats would benefit from upgrading to a better anchor for a host of reasons. We take a look at 8 of the best anchors on the market right now

Securing your anchor do it is ready to drop could get you out of a tight spot when you can't sail out of trouble. Credit: Theo Stocker

Good ground tackle and understanding how to anchor properly opens up the option to stay overnight in stunning bays and creeks, away from costly marinas and expensive harbour moorings. And picking the best anchors is essential in terms of safety too as you may well need it to hold you off a lee shore in the event of engine failure.

However, unless your boat’s anchor has been upgraded recently, the chances are it’s of a type that will not provide good holding power.

What to look for in a good anchor?

Much has changed in the world of anchors in the past 20 years, which led to classification societies such as Lloyds adding a new Super High Holding Power certification category for these anchors in 2008.

Most of the best anchors exceed the requirements for this by a wide margin.

These advances in anchor technology and different types of anchor mean older boats won’t have been equipped with what we would now consider to be decent ground tackle when they were new.

This is also true for most vessels built in the last 20 years. Until recently the latest generation of anchors was relatively expensive, so were generally only fitted as standard equipment to very high quality yachts.

The various brands of today’s very high holding power anchors share a number of key characteristics that make them more effective than older products.

The best anchors tend to have a concave profile akin to the shape of a shovel. This digs more firmly into the seabed without tending to act like a plough when under load.

Another important aspect to look for in a good anchor is the tip weight, as loading as much weight here as possible is a massive help in enabling it to penetrate weed and other difficult types of sea bed.

Typical new generation anchors have 35-45 per cent of their weight on the tip. Some also have roll bars that prevent the anchor landing on the seabed upside down.

Whatever anchor you choose, beware of cheap unbranded copies. These rarely have the precise geometry needed to maximise holding power. Some are also badly cast and therefore weaker than the original design.

At a glance:

Note: We may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site, at no extra cost to you. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.

7 of the best anchors on the market right now.

Rocna Galvanised Anchor

This was one of the first of the new generation of ultra high holding power anchors and quickly gained much acclaim, despite an initially high price tag.

The Rocna is well engineered and has an excellent reputation for digging in quickly and easily. Once set it then offers excellent holding.

A roll bar is incorporated, but a downside of Rocnas is they do not stow neatly on all bow rollers.

To solve this problem the company developed the Vulcan series, which doesn’t have the roll bar and is shaped to fit on a wider range of bow rollers.

Reasons to buy:

– Good quality anchor

– Excellent holding power

Reasons to avoid:

– It is expensive

– Do not stow neatly on all bow rollers

Specifications:

– Size: 96 x 41 x 39 cm

– Weight: Available in 10kg, 20kg and 25kg

Buy it now on Amazon.co.uk

Buy it now on Amazon.com

Buy a Rocna Vulcan on Amazon.co.uk

Buy a stainless steel Rocna Vulcan on Amazon.com

Lewmar Stainless Steel Epsilon Anchor

Read PBO’s Lewmar Epsilon review

The latest model from this UK company offers the benefits of a new generation anchor at very attractive prices.

It has a winged design with concave flukes to maximise holding power in a variety of sea beds, a ballasted tip that enables it to dig in readily and is self righting, even though the roll bar is optional.

The Epsilon is intended as a direct replacement for Lewmar’s long-running plough style Delta anchor.

Although the Epsilon’s shank is proportionately shorter, the two models share the same basic shank geometry. Therefore, if a Delta fits your bow roller then an Epsilon will also fit.

– Easy to handle

– Designed to fit any bow roller that works for the Delta

– It has a shorter shank

– Size: ‎55 x 35 x 30cm

– Material: stainless steel

– Weight: ‎6.1kg

Buy it now on eBay

Buy it now from Amazon

Buy it now from West Marine (US only)

Fortress FX-11

This aluminium anchor is an older design from more than 30 years ago, but still has a number of advantages that makes it an excellent choice in some circumstances.

It’s biggest feature is very light weight relative to the holding power the anchor provides. This makes it a perfect option for performance catamarans and trimarans, as well as for smaller fast motor boats.

The key downside, however, is that the holding power is achieved through the surface area of the flukes, not the weight of the anchor. This means it’s physically larger than other anchors, although it comes apart like the Spade for easier stowage.

A neat feature is that the angle of the flukes can be varied to suit different types of sea bed.

– Perfect for catamarans and trimarans

– Easy to manoeuvre thanks to its light weight design

– Flukes can be adapted to the type of sea bed

– Larger than other anchors

– Holding power is from the surface area of flukes

– Size: ‎73.66 x 15.24 x 7.62 cm

– Material: aluminium

– Weight: 8 pounds

Spade Anchor S series

This is another popular modern anchor, but with an important difference to other brands.

The hollow shank can be removed to make stowage easier. This makes it an excellent choice for racing yachts and other vessels that don’t permanently keep the anchor on the bow, or for occasional use as a kedge.

There’s no roll bar, but the tip loading is close to 50 per cent of the total weight, which helps it to dig in and set quickly.

The main drawback of the Spade is one of cost – it’s more complex to manufacture than other designs, so the price is relatively high.

– Good option for racing yachts

– The hollow shank can be removed

– No roll bar

– Expensive

– Size: S40 to S160

– Material: galvanised steel

– Weight: 6kg to 55kg

Buy it now from Jimmy Green Marine

Knox Anchors

Professor John Knox spent a great deal of his spare time researching the loads on anchors and rodes.

His work in this area over a period of 20 years contributed a huge amount to our understanding of anchoring and precise causes of anchors dragging or breaking out.

It also led him to develop his own design of anchor that would offer significantly better performance compared to the popular models at the time. It was therefore one of the first of the new generation designs.

The Knox anchor has a patented divided fluke with sharpened edges set at an angle that enables it to dig into the seabed quickly and efficiently.

It’s fitted with a roll bar and, while the shank is made of the highest tensile strength steel available.

– Made of the highest tensile strength steel

– Patented divided fluke with sharpened edges set at an angle to dig into the seabed

– We can’t find any

– Material: highest tensile strength steel

– Weight: 6.5kg to 27kg

Buy it now from Knox Anchors

Stirrup Anchor Bugel Anchor

The Bügel was one of the very first new generation anchors and quickly set a new benchmark in the industry.

It has a flat fluke with lower surface area than later designs, plus a roll bar and a shank made of thick plate.

This makes it a relatively inexpensive anchor, which is undoubtedly a key factor behind its enormous popularity, even though later products offer higher holding power.

– Good value anchor

– It features a rollbar and shank

– Other products offer higher holding power

– Size: 66 x 28cm to 86 x 38cm

– Material: Hot-galvanised steel

– Weight: 9 to 16kg

Buy it now from compass24.com

Manson Supreme Anchor

This was the first anchor to receive Lloyds Super High Holding Power certification when the classification was introduced in 2008.

It’s a fabricated design that uses two layers of steel for the fluke and relies on a roll bar, rather than a ballasted tip, to self-right.

The upper slot in the shank is intended for use in rocky sea beds, or anchoring in coral . The idea is that if the anchor becomes stuck the rode can be slid to the shank end of the slot, enabling the anchor to be retrieved without using a tripping line.

The shape of the anchor is designed to fit all conventional anchor rollers.

– Good for use on a rocky sea bed

– The anchor fits all conventional anchor rollers

– Other products offer innovative designs compared to this classical anchor design

– Size: 18′ – 30′ to 40′ – 45′

– Weight: 7kg to 20kg

Buy it now from Marinesuperstore.com

Ultra Marine Ultra Anchor

Read Yachting Monthly’s Ultra Anchor review

Our sister title Yachting Monthly recently tested the new 12kg Ultra Anchor from Ultra Marine over several nights at anchor.

Editor Theo Stocker said: “I was impressed with how quickly the anchor set.

“While our normal 10kg Bruce anchor can struggle in soft sand and weed, the Ultra anchor buried itself almost completely and refused to drag.

“The Ultra’s performance amply delivers on its maker’s promises as is comparable to other stainless anchors,” he concluded.

– Handmade and hand-polished stainless steel

– Ready to dig in

– Not the cheapest option on this list

– Weight: 5kg to 8kg

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Anchor Selection Guide: How to Choose the Best Boat Anchor Type

There are a number of boat anchors available, constructed of different materials, and often with confusing names. This article will discuss the most popular types of boat anchors,  how to choose the best anchor for your boat, the most common material types, and also give an overview of different naming conventions.

Quick Anchor Style Summary

Video: Choosing an Anchor Type

Our video below introduces many of the anchor types discussed here, although the article discusses a few more anchor types and provides some useful links.

Quick Summary Boat Anchor Recommendation

For most boaters , a Bruce or Delta is the best balance between price and performance. Both perform similarly and are similarly priced (Narrowly, the Bruce/Claw is our favorite of the three). If you've used a Danforth in the past , and you have had luck with it, choose a Danforth. If you've never used one before and if your setup allows it, choose a Bruce or Delta instead. If you're a blue-water cruiser , choose a CQR, or consider one of the new generation of anchors discussed below.

Boat Anchor Names: Trademarked Names and Generic Names

A special note is needed on the naming of anchors. Many anchors have a trademarked name, such as a   Bruce   or CQR, and a generic name like Claw or Plow. This is the same as how Xerox is a trademarked name for photocopier and how Aspirin is a trademarked name for pain killer. Trademarks effectively never expire whereas design patents expire after approximately 20-25 years. Therefore, manufacturers are free to clone an anchor design that has an expired patent but cannot use the trademarked name.

Bruce™ Claw Anchor

The   Bruce, or Claw, remains one of the most popular anchors among recreational boaters in North America. This is our anchor of choice as well.

The   Bruce   was developed in the 70s by the Bruce Anchor Group. Once their patent expired in the early 2000s, they stopped production of this anchor but many imitations have come along since.

The  Bruce  is an excellent all-purpose anchor as it performs well in most sea bottoms including mud, sand, rock, and coral. It has a harder time penetrating harder surfaces, such as clay, and bottoms with heavy grass. The three-claw design sets more easily than other anchors. It also resets easily if it is ever broken loose. On the downside, the Bruce has a lower holding power per pound than other anchors, meaning you’ll usually need a larger anchor than say the  Delta/Wing .

Pros:  Performs well in most conditions. Sets easily. Cons:  Awkward one piece design. Lower holding power per pound. Bottoms: Performs well in most bottoms; Struggles in hard bottoms such as clay, or heavy grass.

CQR™/Plow   &   Delta™/Wing Anchor

Both the CQR/Plow and the Delta/Wing are a plow style anchor. The most significant difference between these anchors is the fact that the CQR has a hinged design whereas the Delta is a one piece design.

The   CQR   is one of the oldest styles, dating back to the 30s and to this day, it remains one of the most popular anchors among blue water cruisers. Despite this, it has relatively low holding power and it consistently struggles in independent tests. It’s also rare to find a CQR under 25 lbs lending itself to the saying “There’s no such thing as a small CQR”. Despite these shortcomings, the hinged design makes it more responsive to wind and tide changes as compared to other anchors.

The   Delta   is arguably the most popular anchor on boats today, and is the standard anchor of choice used by most boat manufacturers. It has a good holding power per pound (about 50% more than the Bruce).

Both the   Delta   and the   CQR   perform well in most bottoms, struggling the most in rock.

Pros:   Performs well in most conditions. Fits most bow rollers. Cons:   Hinged design can make stowage awkward. "No such thing as a small CQR/Plow anchor". Bottoms : Performs well in most bottoms; struggles in rock.

Danforth™/Fluke Anchor

The  Danforth , or Fluke anchor, remains a very popular anchor choice. The Fortress is also a popular Fluke style anchor, different from the  Danforth  in that it comes apart and it constructed of light-weight, high-strength, aluminum.

The Fluke performs well in mud and sand, potentially the best of any anchor style. The downside is that outside of these bottoms, it is not a good performer. Therefore, it is a mud/sand only anchor, which fortunately is what most bottoms are comprised of.

Whether or not it is used as a primary anchor, a Fluke anchor makes an excellent choice as a secondary or stern anchor.

Pros:  Performs well in mud and sand. Stows easily on most bow rollers. Cons:   Does not perform well outside of mud/sand. Bottoms : Top performer in mud/sand. Performs poorly in other bottoms.

Spade Anchors

There are several anchors on the market today that feature a sharp fluke and a roll bar. These include the   Rocna and Manson Supreme.

Each of these anchors are essentially a variation on a plow style anchor. If you look at the plow portion of these anchors, you can see they are a lot sharper than traditional plows like the   Delta/Wing   and CQR. Analogous to a knife through butter, these anchors can penetrate the sea bottom a lot easier and deeper than the other anchor styles, hence the name for these anchors: "spade". The roll bar helps orient the anchor upright when setting.

These anchors have performed   extremely well in third party tests . The biggest downside to these anchors is that because they are still patented, they can be very expensive. The roll bar along with the elongated fluke can also make storing these anchors on bow rollers difficult.

Pros:   Very high holding power for many models. Cons:   Difficult to stow on a bow roller. Expense. Bottoms : Performs well in most bottoms; less effective in rock

Grapnel   and Other Small Craft Anchors

A  Grapnel anchor  is generally used for small boats such as Kayaks, Dinghies, Canoes, etc. It’s also popular with fishermen.They fold up very compactly and are easy to stow. A Grapnel’s holding power comes from hooking onto another object, such as a rock. When it does hook, it can create immense holding power, which can also make retrieving the anchor difficult.

Pros:  Great for use as a lunch hook. Folds to allow for compact storage. Cons:  Not appropriate for non-temporary anchorage. Bottoms: Rock or other situations when it can hook onto an object.

Mushroom Anchors

Large Mushroom anchors  are often used for permanent mooring buoys. As the silt from the sea-bottom builds up over these anchors, it can result in extreme holding power, up to 10 times the holding power of its actual weight. As a mooring buoy, the mushroom anchor is an excellent choice, however, it is not as useful in some temporary anchoring situations. An exception is that smaller versions of these anchors are good for use in small boats for anchoring while fishing or for a lunch stop over silty bottoms where the mushroom can penetrate.

Pros: If large, great for permanent mooring buoys. If small, good for use while fishing or for a lunch stop. Cons: If large, not appropriate for non-permanent moorings. If small, only good in soft bottoms. Bottoms: Silt, soft mud, unpacked sand.

Boat Anchor Material Types

Boat anchors come in a variety of types, the most popular being mild steel, high-tensile steel, stainless steel, and aluminum.

Most of the traditional steel anchors we are accustomed to seeing are likely either mild or high tensile steel. Mild steel and high-tensile steel are nearly indistinguishable from one another appearance wise. However, high tensile steel is 2-3 times stronger than mild steel. This isn't to say that a high-tensile steel boat anchor has 2-3 times the holding power of its mild steel counterpart, but it will nonetheless be stronger.

Both mild steel and high-tensile steel anchors are not corrosion resistant, and therefore need to be galvanized to prevent rust and other corrosion. All steel anchors (except stainless) should be galvanized. Galvanization has a tendency to wear down over time, but an anchor (as well as nearly any other steel product) can be re-galvanized.

Stainless steel is identical to galvanized steel in terms of holding power but differs significantly in appearance. The shiny gloss is essentially the only difference between stainless steel and galvanized steel. Stainless steel is also very corrosion resistant and will resist most rusting over time. You will often see manufacturers describing stainless steel as either 316 Stainless or 304 Stainless. 316 is a different chemical composition than 304 and is more corrosion resistant. It also more expensive.

There are some anchors constructed from high strength aluminum, such as the Fortress. These anchors are extremely lightweight while still offering high holding power. These anchors rely on bottom penetration for most of the holding power, and therefore, if they are not set, they provide little to no holding power.

Published May 08, 2018

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How to Pick a Boat Anchor: The Guide to Types, Sizes & Weights

October 20, 2023

Lakes can get choppy, and river currents can drag you along when you'd rather stay put. Having the right anchor on your boat is crucial, especially if you're busy staging for a wakeboard or ski ride .

But what type and size of anchor is best for your setup?

Types of Boat Anchors

Let's look at the most popular types of boat anchors, and look at some charts to figure out what size and weight anchor is right for you.

Fluke Anchors

Also known as a Danforth anchor, the fluke anchor is favored by lake and river boat owners for its lightweight design and excellent holding power in soft bottoms.

Fluke anchors have a rotating bar that connects the anchor to the line. Their forward-heavy profile allows the flukes to drive straight down into sand or mud. As line is laid out, the bar swivels into a horizontal position, providing good scope.

• Boat Size: 30 feet or less
• Best For: Lakes, rivers, mud and sand
• Bad For: Rocks, debris, coral, strong currents

Plow Anchors

Also called a delta anchor, the plow anchor is one of the most popular anchors on the boat market. It's simple and effective, capable of providing reliable mooring in all water conditions and most beds.

Plow anchors dig into the surface below and they provide high holding power. They set quickly, which makes them an excellent choice when strong currents and winds could otherwise quickly move your boat.

But plow anchors' large, flat fins can get stuck in debris and large rocks, so it's best to stick to softer bottoms.

• Boat Size: 70 feet or less
• Best For: Sand, mud, grass bottoms, strong winds
• Bad For: Rocky bottoms

Claw Anchors

Also known as a Bruce anchor, the claw anchor is similar to a plow anchor: It sets quickly and digs into soft bottoms, providing good holding power against currents and wind -- though not as well as a plow.

Because claw anchors use smaller pins, they're better suited in gravel and rock, affording a lower risk of catching and getting stuck where a plow anchor might get hung up.

Digger Anchors

The digger anchor excels at providing high holding power in gravel and rocky bottoms, even with strong currents and high wind. It uses a rod that partially rotates, while limiting the angle of the anchor line's scope.

As current and wind pull on the boat, the rod's limited angle pulls on the anchor's claws, pushing them further into the bottom. The digger's thin, long claws work great in virtually all bottom, including gravel and small rocks -- just avoid large debris, as the limited angle of the anchor rod prevents it from being pulled back out of a snag effectively.

• Boat Size: 40 feet or less
• Best For: Sand, mud, grass, gravel, strong winds
• Bad For: Bottoms with large debris

Navy Anchors

The classic, heavy, big navy anchor excels at providing high holding power in all waters and conditions. Its size and shape make it suitable for rocky bottoms and debris fields, as it has little risk of getting snagged.

The only problem with a navy anchor is that its benefits can become problematic for smaller vessels: Because navy anchors are large and heavy, they can be difficult to stow, and they add plenty of weight to the hull.

• Boat Size: 20+ feet
• Best For: All bottoms, currents, and weather
• Bad For: Small, light boats

Mushroom Anchors

The mushroom anchor is made for small vessels in relatively calm waters with soft bottoms. It relies on suction and sinking into sand, dirt, and mud to provide holding power. These anchors are typically found on light, electric motor-powered boats, kayaks, and dingy boats.

• Boat Size: 12 feet or less
• Best For: Soft bottoms free of rock
• Bad For: Large boats, heavy currents, rocky bottoms

River Anchors

Like the mushroom anchor, the river anchor is also intended for small vessels in lakes and rivers -- but with one exception: The river anchor works well in rocky bottoms and beds filled with debris. The wide, flat flukes work best when they can grab hold of objects on the floor. River anchors work well enough in soft bottoms, albeit with less holding power than a mushroom.

• Best For: rocky bottoms and debris fields
• Bad For: Large boats, heavy currents

Choosing The right Size Anchor

When selecting a boat anchor, it's important to consider the following factors:

The size and weight of your boat will determine the size and weight of the anchor you need. As a general rule, the heavier the boat, the larger and heavier the anchor should be.

Water and Weather

The type of weather and currents you encounter will influence your anchor choice. Different anchors perform better in different conditions, so it's important to choose one that suits your boating environment.

Conditions of Water Bed

The floor your anchor rests upon can vary wildly. Some lakes and rivers have rocky bottoms filled with debris, while others have soft silt or sand. Picking the wrong setup could mean you wind up drifting, or worse, cutting line because your anchor got stuck at the bottom.

Anchor Weight vs. Boat Size Chart

The chart above is a general guideline for selecting the appropriate anchor weight for your boat. Conditions on the water, and the weight of your boat -- regardless of its size -- could mean you need a heavier anchor.

Anchor Chain vs. Rope

When it comes to anchoring, you'd think chain is far superior to rope. But chain really only provides two advantages: It adds holding power, helping to keep your boat moored in one spot in rough water and strong currents, and it resists chafing -- it won't suffer damage from being dragged along debris and rocks.

Chain is heavy, though, so it adds weight to your craft when not being used. This isn't a concern on large, sea-going vessels. But you probably don't want that added weight when you're cruising around on the river or lake, especially when towing a wakeboard, tube, or skis.

Chain also rusts, even with regular maintenance, and it's expensive. Nowadays, synthetic anchor rope is tough and abrasion-resistant, and it withstands water and sunlight incredibly well. It's also lightweight relative to its strength, and it takes up much less space than chain.

The most effective setup combines a bit of chain near the anchor, with rope making up the rest of the line. Just a few feet of chain is needed to ensure your anchor is properly seated. This bit of chain also improves the scope of your line. "Scope?" You, say? Read on.

It's All About Scope

Rope alone will provide as much holding power as chain, so long as your scope is correct. Scope measures the ratio of the length of deployed rope (or chain) to the height from the ocean, lake, or riverbed to the anchor point on the boat.

The minimum effective scope you need to properly moor your vessel with any anchor and line is 5:1. That means if the depth from your boat's topside to the underwater floor is 5 feet, you need 25 feet of rope laid out below. This affords about 75% of the maximum holding power of your anchor and line.

A scope of 10:1, laid perfectly flat on the bed below, provides 100% holding power. Using the same 5 foot depth, you'd need 50 feet of anchor rope or chain laid out for max holding power.

Need a new anchor setup? Check out our boat anchors and anchor lines !

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Your Ultimate Boating Resource

Anchor Selection: A Guide to Types and Sizes

Anchoring is a crucial aspect of boating, and the right anchor can provide stability, safety and peace of mind for any sailor. Choosing the correct type and size of anchor is essential, as it can greatly impact your overall experience on the water. This guide will outline the various types of anchors available, their ideal uses, and how to choose the right size for your boat.

Understanding the Purpose of Anchors

Anchors serve multiple purposes in boating:

• Holding power : Anchors are designed to provide holding power by digging into the seabed and creating resistance, preventing the boat from drifting.
• Temporary mooring : When a boat needs to be stationary for a short period, an anchor is used to secure it in place.
• Emergencies : Anchors can serve as a safety measure in emergencies by helping to control your boat’s movements in rough weather or if the engine fails.

Types of Anchors

There are several types of anchors to cater for various boating requirements and environments. The primary ones include:

Plow Anchors

Originally designed for large ships, plow anchors resemble a plowshare and offer excellent holding power in most bottom conditions, especially sand and mud. They work by digging into the seabed and maintaining a consistent grip. Plow anchors are popular among cruisers due to their adaptability, and they can handle a variety of wind and current changes.

Danforth Anchors

Also known as fluke anchors, Danforth anchors boast superior holding power in proportion to their weight. They’re characterized by their flat, sharp flukes and long shank that allows them to dig into soft substrates like sand and mud. However, Danforth anchors may struggle with rocky bottoms and can be challenging to set in grassy or weedy seabeds.

Claw Anchors

Claw anchors, also known as Bruce anchors, have three claws that provide holding power in a variety of bottom conditions. Due to their versatile design, they re-set easily when the boat’s position changes and can function with shorter scope, which is the anchor rode (chain or rope) payed out relative to the water’s depth. These factors make claw anchors popular among boaters, though their holding power may be less than that of plow or Danforth anchors.

Mushroom Anchors

Mushroom anchors are useful for small boats in relatively calm conditions. As the name suggests, they’re shaped like a mushroom and utilize their weight to create a suction effect, embedding themselves into soft bottom substrates like silt or mud. However, they generally offer limited holding power in stronger currents or wind.

Choosing the Right Size Anchor for Your Boat

Selecting the appropriate size anchor for your vessel involves considering factors like boat weight, size, and the windage (resistance to wind). Generally, anchor manufacturers offer recommendations based on boat length, but it’s essential to factor in your specific boat’s requirements and typical anchoring conditions.

Anchor Weight

Anchors are typically sized by weight, ranging from a few pounds for small vessels to several hundred pounds for large yachts. The rule of thumb is that the heavier the boat, the heavier the anchor should be. However, it’s important to consider the type of anchor you’re using, as the holding power varies across anchor designs.

Boat Length

Boat length is another crucial aspect to consider when selecting an anchor size. Consult manufacturer guidelines on their recommendations for anchor sizing based on boat length.

Chain and Rode Size

The anchor rode, which connects your boat to the anchor, is critical for holding power. The scope, typically measured in a ratio of the rode’s length to the water’s depth, is an important factor for the anchor’s performance. A common recommendation is using a 4:1 scope for temporary mooring and a 7:1 scope for overnight anchoring. Ensure the chain (the section of the rode closest to the anchor) is of suitable size and strength to prevent it from breaking under strain.

Final Thoughts

When selecting an anchor for your boat, it’s essential to consider the type, size, and the conditions in which you’ll be anchoring. Consult manufacturer guidelines and conduct thorough research on the options available to make an informed decision. A properly sized and suited anchor will offer peace of mind, ensuring your vessel remains securely moored during your adventures on the water.

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Selecting the Right Anchor Size

Holding power increases with weight, but how much is hard to calculate..

Over the years Practical Sailor has conducted dozens of anchor tests, and like many publications, we’ve repeated the common guidance that cruising sailors should buy an anchor that is at least one size larger than what the maker recommends for your size vessel.

During the last two decades, however, the tremendous holding power of some newer generation anchors have caused us to re-think this guidance. Are we paying more for an anchor, rode, and the requisite anchor handling equipment than we need? How accurate are the makers size recommendations? How much insurance are we really getting for the price of a bigger anchor?

For this report we took a range of modern, sometimes called new generation anchors, and their predecessors and averaged their weight vs. vessel size recommendations (see accompanying table). Much to our surprise, the weight recommendations for the new designs, Rocna, Excel, Supreme, etc. are very similar to the weight recommendation for the older, traditional models, CQR, Delta, Bruce etc. In both cases, the recommendation for a 35-foot yacht is approximately a 30-pound anchor. The exceptions are aluminum anchors from Fortress and Spade.

Most of the new generation anchors have been tested to international standards established by the RINA (Registro Italian Naval) or some other internationally recognized society. Rocna, Fortress, Supreme, Excel, Spade have been found to meet standards of Super High Holding Power, SHHP. The older anchors, CQR, Bruce, Delta are rated as High Holding Power. The difference between the two categories is that the SHHP have been tested and found to have a hold, comparing anchors of the same weight, that is two times that of the HHP anchors.

So if we’re getting double the holding power, does that mean we can use an anchor that is half the weight? Not necessarily. Nor can you expect another doubling of holding power by doubling the weight of an SHHP anchor.

Despite the sales pitch that the new anchors have greater holding capacity pound-for-pound, the anchor makers are suggesting that you replace your old CQR with the same weight new anchor. It appears that manufacturers are, in effect, doubling the historic safety factor. And for a cautious sailor, there is nothing wrong with this.

However, consider the advice that is often repeated on internet forums, or the local scuttlebutt, that cruising sailors should increase one size over the makers recommendation. So instead of a 33-pound Rocna for your Tartan 37, you buy a 44-pound Rocna-now with potentially three times the safety factor of an old school anchor. Apart from the added significant expense, this obsession with upsizing – more anchor, more chain, bigger windlass-can also add potentially unnecessary weight and concentrate it in the bow.

So what do we really get with that bigger anchor? There is an idea that if you double weight of an anchor you will double holding power. Except with extra-large commercial anchors and some specific tests, we’ve found no data to support this.

No independent test, as far as we know, has taken a series of different sized anchors of the same design and tested them in the same seabed for ultimate holding capacity. Tests have been conducted on commercial oil rig anchors like the Bruce, and the best scaling is about 90 percent-double weight and you increase hold by 1.8 times.

The only recreational anchor that we are aware of that has undergone some testing to determine the relationship between weight and holding is Fortress (in mud only, see Anchoring in Squishy Bottoms, PS February 2015 ). An analysis of all their tests on a complete range of their anchor sizes suggest that if you triple weight you increase hold by slightly more than two times, approximately an 80 percent efficiency as size is scaled up.

Ultimately, this means that when someone tells you they can calculate the increase in holding power as you move up in size, be careful not to read too much into this conclusion. For one, the ratio used deserves close scrutiny. Surely, the bigger anchor will provide better holding-but how much? This hard to quantify, even with computer modeling. And no matter how accurate your calculation-a ratio based on performance in one type of bottom might not apply in another.

One reason you can’t claim that doubling the weight doubles the holding is that as anchors increase in size, the stress on the construction increases. To compensate for the increase in stress, the steel thicknesses must be increased – and more steel weighs more. So in an anchor whose holding power relies greatly on surface area and how it is distributed, adding more weight doesn’t necessarily result in a commensurate increase in surface area that provides holding power.

And as we’ve shown in our past tests-anchor dimensions (especially the fluke area) and shape can play a significant role in performance. It might be possible to double weight and double the holding power without beefing up the steel, but the resulting anchor would be less strong relative to its designed holding power.

Weaker construction might not matter on an over-engineered anchor. However, we have seen how the use of inferior materials has resulted in anchors that bend more easily at designed loads (see Anchor Tests: Bending More Shanks, PS May 2013 ).

Anchor Angles

In past reports, we’ve discussed in detail how anchor design can impact holding, especially with the new generation anchors ( see An Inquiry into Anchor Angles, PS February 2017 ). As you consider which design best suits your needs, here are some things to consider.

Fluke/shank angle. The fluke/shank angle is the angle between fluke and shank. It is one of the determining factors in how quickly and deeply an anchor sets. For a simple design with flat plate fluke and a straight shank (like a Guardian) the angle is a line down the center of the shank to the hinge and then along the fluke. In shanks with curves or angles, the first line is usually drawn from the shackle pin to the point there the shank meets the fluke.

For three-dimensional flukes (as found in most new generation anchors), you have to estimate where the top of the fluke plate lies. The ballast chamber or shank support that might protrude from the sole, such as with Spade, or Vulcan anchor should not be used to determine shank/fluke angle.

It is the fluke top surface that is important. In previous tests we reported that in thin mud an anchor with a fluke angle of around 45 degrees will outperform an identical anchor with its fluke angle set at 30 degrees. But a firmer sand seabed is entirely different, and research demonstrates the ideal fluke angle for a typical sand bottom is around 30 degrees (see Small Anchor Reset Tests, PS February 2013 ).

Fluke-seabed angle. This is the angle of the fluke to the seabed during the phases of anchoring-most importantly, during the initial penetration into the bottom, and when the anchor is set.

Penetration angle. When an anchor is aligned ready to set, or engage with the seabed (it might need tension on the rode to achieve this) then the fluke will usually be at an angle of 60-70 degrees to the seabed. Commonly the anchor is on its side.

Setting angle. Once the anchor starts to penetrate it will self align and the fluke plate tend quickly toward its setting angle, usually of about 30 degrees. It is coincidence that the fluke/shank angle and setting angle are similar though most anchors tend to show the similarity of the two angles. Center of gravity can have a great effect on penetration angle. This is why many new generation anchors, like the Ultra, have weighted flukes. Having a 30-degree fluke/shank angle is irrelevant if the center of gravity is in the wrong place.

Shank length

If you imagine a Fortress with a shank/fluke angle of 30 degrees but a shank three times longer than its original design, then you can visualize how the anchor will probably simply slide along the seabed when tensioned. The throat opening will be too small. Similarly if you chop the shank in half, the toe of the anchor will simply scrape along the seabed. In both case the anchor will find difficulty in engaging because the penetration angle will be wrong.

Are the makers of new generation anchors over-stating the need for bigger anchors, thus requiring boat owners to pay much more than they might need in order to be secure at anchor? Possibly. Would going with a larger-than-required anchor actually hurt your anchors performance? Unlikely. As is often the case with our anchor reports, it is hard to come with some firm answers regarding both of these questions. Anchor studies are fraught with variables.

In our view, it is no crime to go up one size over the manufacturers recommended size, if your boat and crew can handle it. The anchor may require more reverse throttle to set, but ultimately, it should provide the holding you require. Likewise, it is reasonable to assume that the anchor makers guidance for sizing is reasonable. However, if an online advocate starts telling you that youll get x times more holding power by going up one size, ask him for the data.

Extra weight in an anchor is your insurance policy. Yes, you can almost always get more security with the heavier anchor, but whether or not you will every need that extra holding power is not conclusive. In our view, conservative sizing is added insurance-but until the data is in, we remain skeptical of any absolute claims that attempt to quantify the advantages of more weight when choosing an anchor.

Based on average recommendations from leading anchor makers, the weight savings of upgrading to a second generation anchor doesn’t really pay off until you get into the larger size vessels.

In an anchor whose holding power relies greatly on surface area and how it is distributed, adding more weight doesn’t necessarily result in a commensurate increase in surface area that provides holding power. To compensate for the higher loads, the steel must be thicker, resulting in different surface area/weight ratios.

• As fluke size increases, so do the loads. But if the construction isn’t beefed up to handle the loads, the result is failure. Flat plate steel in this Danforth fluke sheered.
• The shaft of an Excel anchor bent during veer testing.
• The flat flukes of the Bugel anchor makes it easy to calculate the shank-fluke angle.
• Here a Rocna anchor is in the initial setting angle, still capsized on one side, with not enough of its toe is dug into the soil to dig in. Bottom shape and center of gravity (some designs are weighted to control CG), helps to determine this angle.
• This Manson Ray anchor has rolled upright and assumed the angle of penetration that will help the anchor to bury into the bottom.

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The best boat anchor types for different types of cruising & their pros and cons

• Rupert Holmes
• June 17, 2024

Rupert Holmes looks at the different anchor designs and how to choose the right one for your type of cruising

Make sure your anchor is the right size for your boat; too small and it won’t hold. Credit: Nic Compton Credit: Nic Compton

Today we are fortunate to have boat anchor designs that are much more effective than those of only a few decades ago.

Nevertheless, anchor choice is still one of the most heated discussions online and there are a bewildering number of options available, at a staggering range of prices.

When researching this article I found anchors described as being suitable for a 32ft boat, for instance, at prices ranging from only £80 to more than £1,000.

You will be glad you invested in a new generation anchor, like the Rocna, when the weather turns. Credit: Rupert Holmes

There are many different competing factors to consider when choosing an anchor for different types of cruising .

This means a type and size that might be ideal for one owner may well be less suitable for another with a similar boat, but who uses it very differently.

Boat anchor types

Until 20 to 30 years ago there were primarily three different styles of anchor in common use aboard yachts and motorboats under 50ft – the CQR/plough, Bruce/claw and Danforth.

As a result, the bulk of second-hand yachts are still equipped with their original anchors.

It would be nice to think that, if this equipment appears to have worked well for so long, it must be perfectly suited to the vessel.

However, that’s far from automatically the case.

The later years of the 20th century and early part of the 21st saw an accelerating change in anchor design, creating products that are far more reliable than the earlier designs.

The same principles apply to motorboats and sailing yachts

Unsurprisingly, the new designs were more expensive, so were rarely fitted as standard to new boats.

My own experience of these over the past five to 10 years, with the original Rocna and the Lewmar Epsilon, is that they set far more easily than a plough or claw-type anchor, bedding into the seabed both faster and more firmly.

The extent to which an anchor is used also varies widely.

Some owners barely use them from one season to the next, while others will spend almost every night on the hook.

Nevertheless, it’s important that, even for infrequent users, ground tackle is part of the safety kit – to the extent that minimum standards are mandated for offshore racing boats.

The anchor, for instance, may be one of the things that keep you safe in the event of engine failure , stopping you from blowing onto a lee shore at the entrance to a harbour or drifting into a deep water shipping channel.

At the other end of the spectrum, anyone voyaging longer distances may need to rely on the anchor even in severe conditions.

If you attach your anchor chain with a shackle or swivel, make sure you use parts with maximum load in mind

That’s as relevant for those cruising in the Mediterranean , where winter storms and summer squalls have the potential to blow at gale or severe gale force and very occasionally even hurricane force, as for those in North Atlantic waters.

Magazine articles about anchors traditionally talked about the types of seabed each one performs best.

However, in reality, that’s of little help when choosing an anchor as few of us are set up to routinely swap to a different anchor when visiting different places.

Nevertheless, it’s helpful to remember that, in general, the larger the size of the particles on the seabed the lower the intrinsic holding power.

Mud and fine sand therefore offer far better holding than coarse sand, shells or gravel.

Which boat anchor should I choose?

Boat anchor for daysailing.

This is perhaps the least demanding use case, as there’s no need to ensure the boat is safe overnight and considerations are therefore likely to focus around ease of handling.

On a small boat that may point to a lighter-weight anchor with reasonably compact dimensions.

But don’t be tempted by one that is simply too small for your boat.

And if you’re in the habit of leaving the boat at anchor while going ashore for a walk or lunch it’s more important to choose one that gives maximum chance of retaining grip, even with a change of tidal stream or wind direction.

Boat anchor for weekending

If anchoring in tidal estuaries, like the Taw-Torridge Estuary, make sure you have an anchor that can reset quickly. Credit: MH Coast/Alamy

Spending a night on board while at anchor is second nature to many old hands, but can be an anxious time for others and can interfere with sleep.

Today’s GPS-based anchor alarms can help in this respect, but the fundamentals of having good ground tackle that’s well dug in, along with ground tackle that’s suitable for the boat remain as essential as ever.

Few weekenders need ground tackle that will hold the boat in full gale conditions.

However, if anchoring in tidal estuaries it’s important to have an anchor type that will reset quickly if it breaks out on the change of tide.

Boat anchor for coastal cruising

In most cases, this is a similar situation to weekending, at least around the eastern and southern coasts of the UK.

With conscientious planning and a close eye on the forecast, there’s every chance of being able to be safely moored in a sheltered port well before unsettled weather arrives.

However, those who keep their boats in more remote and exposed areas such as the west coast of Ireland or Scotland, or even the far west of Cornwall, are likely to want the same level of ground tackle as those cruising longer distances offshore.

Boat anchor for offshore cruising

As distances get longer, or safe harbours more scarce, then there’s more chance of needing to anchor in bigger winds or more exposed locations.

This calls for bullet-proof gear that’s well-matched to the boat.

Boat anchor for liveaboard and long-distance cruising

Most of the time this calls for similar tackle to offshore cruising , but with two further considerations.

One is an extra-heavy storm anchor that you hope will never get used, but may get you out of trouble in severe weather.

The second is a plan for what would happen should you lose an anchor.

I’ve only lost one in almost 100,000 miles of sailing – but they can get snagged and that occasionally happens in places where it’s not possible to get a diver to recover it, and where the nearest chandlery is hundreds of miles away.

Many long-term cruisers therefore carry a third anchor and rode as a spare.

Boat anchor for dinghy and small-boat cruising

One issue with older generation anchors on smaller boats is that they often need to be of a certain weight – a minimum of 20lb (9kg) is good – to be sure of digging into harder types of seabed, or penetrating weak, which can be problematic for handling and stowage.

Newer generation anchors can, therefore, be advantageous, as smaller sizes will dig in more readily.

While some unbranded anchors can be of acceptable quality others may be lacking.

A drop-forged product will always be superior to a poor-quality casting, which may be brittle.

Equally, I’ve seen examples of anchors with poor welding or galvanising.

Stainless steel anchors are at the other end of the spectrum – some are works of art but they’re often four times the price of a branded galvanised anchor of the same type, without offering any greater holding power.

Types of boat anchor

1. cqr/plough.

CQR anchors are readily available on the second-hand market

This design was originally developed in the 1930s and has remained popular ever since.

Generations of boat owners have therefore relied on plough anchors and in general, they’re well-proven, especially in mud and fine sand.

However, performance is markedly less good in larger particles such as broken shells and gravel.

With the patents now long since expired, many plough-style anchors are generic unbranded models and are among the most affordable of new anchors, while older CQRs are often found in boat jumbles at even more attractive prices.

Today they can make a good budget choice, especially for smaller boats, where the larger weights required than for a recent design may not make handling unduly difficult.

• Ideal for: budget choice for small boats, or as a spare third anchor
• Typical prices for 25ft and 35ft boats: unbranded £80 and £150; Lewmar galvanised CQR £230 and £410

2. Bruce/claw

The Lewmar claw anchor. Claw anchors dig in well in soft mud

This was originally developed for large-scale commercial use, including North Sea oil rigs in the 1970s.

It was subsequently refined for use on small vessels and was at one time almost as popular as the CQR.

One of the benefits claimed was that the shape of the claw was such that it could rotate in the seabed following a changing wind direction without breaking out.

Again any patents are long since expired and most claw-style anchors are copies of the original concept.

Some of these may be very good, but I’ve seen others with different geometry and claw shapes that may be more difficult to set and less able to hold as much load relative to their size and weight.

In the past, I have used claw anchors extensively, particularly in the Mediterranean, but snorkelling over them shows they rarely dig in fully, other than in very soft mud.

• Ideal for: budget choice if a CQR/plough style anchor is not available
• Typical prices for 25ft and 35ft boats: £80 and £120

3. Danforth

The Danforth takes up little locker space

Originally developed for World War II landing craft, and used for the Normandy landings, one of the benefits of the Danforth is that it stows flat and therefore takes up less locker space.

The large flukes mean it can hold reasonably well once dug in, even though it’s generally less good than newer designs.

However, it has a reputation of being easy to break out if the pull comes from different directions as a result of the boat swinging, a wind shift or a change of tidal stream and is therefore a less good choice as a main anchor.

Nevertheless, it can make a good kedge, especially when anchoring bow-to a quay Mediterranean style.

The original is still in production in the USA, though there are also many branded and unbranded products available that are based on the same idea.

•  Ideal for: budget choice for a powerful kedge anchor that needs to stow easily
• Typical prices for 25ft and 35ft boats: (unbranded) £100 and £150.
• Contact: www.danforthanchors.com

4. Lewmar Delta

Most new boats are fitted with the Lewmar Delta

This has its origins in the early 1990s and was developed as an anchor that would be an improvement on the CQR.

It lacks the latter’s distinctive hinged shank but has a proportionately large fluke area, which increases holding power.

Lewmar is a long-standing supplier to many large boatbuilders and the Delta has therefore been the standard fit on many new vessels over the past 30 years.

If anything pricing tends to be below that of many other plough-style anchors.

• Ideal for: better holding power than most ploughs at a very attractive price
• Typical prices for 25ft and 35ft boats: £115 and £135.
• Contact: www.lewmar.com

The Bügel digs in quickly, thanks to the sharp tip

The 1980s saw one of the first new-generation anchors and quickly set a new benchmark, though later designs have improved on the concept.

A sharp tip encourages it to dig in quickly, even in harder seabeds and has the potential to penetrate weed, while the flat fluke helps boost holding power, even though it’s not as large as those of later anchors.

The roll bar is its biggest innovation: if the anchor lands upside down on the seabed this immediately rotates it so the tip faces the bottom, thus enabling it to dig in much more quickly.

The ideas behind the Bügel were never patented and it can therefore be a surprisingly inexpensive anchor – a key factor behind its enormous popularity, even though later products offer higher holding power.

• Ideal for: budget anchor with moderate to good holding power
• Typical prices for 25ft and 35ft boats: £80 and £130

6. Knox anchor

The Knox anchor is best for use in rough conditions

Professor John Knox spent a great deal of his spare time researching the loads on anchors and rodes, with many of his findings published in PBO .

His work in this area over 20 years contributed a huge amount to our understanding of anchoring and the causes of anchors dragging or breaking out.

This work also led Knox to develop his own design of anchor that would offer significantly better performance compared to the popular models at the time.

It was therefore also one of the first of the new generation designs.

It has a patented divided fluke with sharpened edges set at an angle that enables it to dig into the seabed quickly and efficiently.

It’s fitted with a roll bar, while the shank is made of the highest tensile strength steel available.

• Ideal for: offshore and long-term cruising boats that may need to anchor in severe conditions
• Typical prices for 25ft and 35ft boats: £330 and £470.
• Contact: www.knoxanchors.com

7. Rocna ll

The Rocna II has a re-shaped roll foil to improve self-righting

The original Rocna anchor, which appeared in the early 2000s, garnered a lot of publicity and did much to bring the benefits of the new generation of ultra-high holding power anchors to a wide audience, quickly gaining acclaim despite an initially high price tag.

Instead of a flat plate, the flukes are more of a scoop shape, which provides excellent holding, while a roll bar helps ensure it’s always positioned ready to dig in quickly.

In addition, the tip is both sharp and heavily weighted, which helps penetrate the seabed, even if there’s some weed present.

This has several benefits – in a crowded anchorage it’s possible to position the anchor much more precisely and, if the hook breaks out due to a change of wind direction or tidal stream, it should reset almost immediately.

Scoop-shaped flukes on the original Rocna anchor provide good holding

More recently an updated Rocna ll has been launched with several improvements.

These include a re-shaped roll foil in place of the roll bar that optimises the anchor’s self-righting performance.

The fluke also has increased surface area, and a redistribution of metal within the anchor increases tip weight.

In the past, it was common practice for serious offshore sailors to choose an anchor at least one size larger than that recommended for their boat.

However, Rocna’s size chart is intended as a guide to selecting an anchor that ought to hold in 50 knots of wind.

Nevertheless, Rocna recommends: “… that perhaps multihull vessels, large flybridge boats and those who may encounter extreme weather should consider increasing the anchor size slightly, or if they are between two sizes, picking the larger.”

• Typical prices for 25ft and 35ft boats: £680 and £850. Note that the original Rocna anchor is still available at around half these prices
• Contact: www.rocna.com

The Vulcan can fit on a wide range of bow rollers

A downside of Rocnas is they do not stow neatly on all bow rollers. To solve this problem the company developed the Vulcan series.

It lacks the Rocna’s roll bar, but has a different shape shank and flukes that help it to dig in quickly and enable it to fit on a wider range of bow rollers.

It also has the benefit of being a little more competitively priced than the Rocna.

• Ideal for: boats that need a high-performance anchor but can’t accommodate one with a roll bar
• Typical prices for 25ft and 35ft boats: £450 and £480

The Spade has good holding power and can be easily stowed

Another popular modern anchor with a hollow shank that can be removed to make stowage easier.

This makes it an excellent choice for racing yachts and other vessels that don’t permanently keep the anchor on the bow, for occasional use as a kedge, or as a spare third anchor on a long-distance cruising boat.

There’s no roll bar, but the tip loading is close to 50 per cent of the total weight, which helps it to dig in and set quickly.

The main drawback of the Spade is cost – it’s more complex to manufacture than other designs, so the price is relatively high.

• Ideal for: high holding power that’s stowed easily in a locker or below decks
• Typical prices for 25ft and 35ft boats: £500 and £700
• Contact: www.spade-anchor.com

10. Manson Supreme

The Manson Supreme is good for anchoring on rocky seabeds

This was the first anchor to receive Lloyds Super High Holding Power certification when the classification was introduced in 2008.

It’s a fabricated design that uses two layers of steel for the fluke and relies on a roll bar, rather than a ballasted tip, to self-right.

The upper slot in the shank is intended for use in rocky seabeds, or in coral.

The idea is that if the anchor becomes stuck the rode can be slid to the shank end of the slot, enabling the anchor to be retrieved without using a tripping line.

The more recent Manson Boss has similar characteristics to the Manson Supreme, but without the roll bar, which makes for an easier fit on some bow rollers.

It’s roughly 15% more expensive than the Supreme.

• Ideal for: modern super high holding power
• Typical prices for 25ft and 35ft boats: £225 and £375
• Contact: www.mansonanchors.com

11. Lewmar Epsilon

The winged design Lewmar Epsilon means it can self-right

The Epsilon is intended as a direct replacement for Lewmar’s long-running plough-style Delta anchor.

Although the Epsilon’s shank is proportionately shorter, the two models share the same basic shank geometry.

Therefore, if a Delta fits your bow roller then an Epsilon will fit too.

It has a winged design with concave flukes in a scoop, rather than plough, a shape that maximises holding power in a variety of seabeds, plus a ballasted tip that enables it to dig in readily.

It’s also self-righting, even though the roll bar is optional.

I’ve used it in both muddy and sand/gravel seabeds, where it’s dug in quickly and held for days in winds approaching 30 knots.

• Ideal for: moderately priced and effective new-generation anchor that will fit most bow rollers
• Typical prices for 25ft and 35ft boats: £200 and £300

12. Fortress

The Fortress can be used on different types of seabed

This aluminium anchor is a Danforth-style design from more than 30 years ago that’s very light relative to the holding power the anchor provides.

This makes it a perfect option for performance catamarans and trimarans, as well as for smaller fast motor boats.

The key downside is that holding power is achieved through the surface area of the flukes, not the weight of the anchor, which can make it slower to dig in than other types.

Equally, like the Danforth, it works best with a pull aligned with the shank.

Although lightweight it’s also physically larger than other anchors, though it comes apart for easier stowage.

A neat feature is that the angle of the flukes can be varied to suit different types of seabed.

I used one recently for a week in Antigua for a 4.5-tonne 40ft raceboat that was anchored stern-to a quay in Falmouth Harbour.

Despite being only a 6.8kg anchor it dug in solidly into the muddy seabed and held reassuringly firmly when digging it in with the engine in reverse.

Nevertheless, I’d have wanted to use a different anchor if the boat needed to be left unattended for anything other than short periods.

• Ideal for: lightweight yet powerful anchor for straight line pulls.
• Typical prices for 25ft and 35ft boats: £210 and £300
• Contact: www.fortressanchors.com

Will the boat anchor fit?

If you’re worried about whether the anchor you’re considering will fit your bow roller, many manufacturers have PDF templates that can be printed out to create a full-size model of their anchors.

Some retailers, including Jimmy Green Marine also sell cardboard mock-ups at very reasonable prices.

Anchoring technique

This remains an important factor.

If the rode is dropped on top of the anchor, or if the hook is not given a good tug to dig it in, while monitoring transits to check for movement, then even the very best anchors will be less likely to deliver their potential performance.

Equally, choosing a sheltered spot with enough depth at low tide and with a suitable seabed are also important factors.

Continues below…

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Enjoy reading The best boat anchor types for different types of cruising & their pros and cons?

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Everything You Need to Know About 8 Major Boat Anchor Types

There are quite a few types of anchors you can use for your boat and they are not all interchangeable so it’s key that you pick the right one. Many boaters carry more than one type as not all anchors work well in all conditions. It’s good to have an anchor that can work on soft, muddy surfaces as well as one that can work in hard or rocky conditions. If you know where you’ll be boating and what conditions are like ahead of time, you can prepare by ensuring you have the right anchor. 

All an anchor needs to do to be functional is hold your vessel in place in the water. But this requires an anchor suited to both the size of your boat and the conditions below the surface of the water.

Let’s take a look at 8 of the most common anchor types to see what they’re good for and how they work.

Fluke Anchor or Danforth Anchor

Fluke is the type of anchor, but Danforth is a trademark name. It’s like tissue versus Kleenex. The name “fluke” is a reference to the pointed parts of the anchor that stick out like teeth.

• Description: Some fluke designs can come apart, and some are solid. Typically, they are made of lightweight aluminum and offer remarkable strength and holding power even when they are rather small and light.  There are several fluke designs, and some may have multiple flukes, but there will be at least two present.  These are great for bass boats, pontoons , and much more.
• Boat Type : Small to medium boats under 30 feet
• Ideal For : Muddy, sandy, and soft seabeds
• Bad For: Rocky bottoms, hard bottoms, coral
• Advantages: The flukes can dig in like a scoop and bury themselves deep, allowing the pressure of the mud/sand and water to push down on the flat parts of the flukes, creating a strong hold to keep your boat in place. This is arguably the best kind of anchor to use in these situations
• Disadvantages: If the ground is packed hard or covered in rocks or weeds, the fluke will be less effective at getting any grip and may not be able to lock into anything at all, making it essentially useless. 
• Cost: Fluke anchors run a range of prices based on size and quality. Some smaller flukes that still perform very well can be purchased for under $25. Higher quality and larger flukes can be found for $100 to $150. 

Claw Anchor or Bruce Anchor

Bruce is the trademark name for a kind of claw anchor.

• Description: Claw anchors resemble plow anchors but with a broader scoop section and typically three teeth or claws that it uses to dig into the substrate to gain hold. 
• Boat Type: Mid-sized boats up to about 60 feet
• Ideal For : Soft bottoms that are muddy but also rock and coral
• Bad For: Loose seabeds like sand are not ideal for the claw, and hard clay bottoms will offer no purchase. Claws do not perform well in weeds, either.
• Advantages: Claw anchors are considered some of the easiest to use. Setting a claw anchor is usually quick and easier than other anchor types. It’s also easy to reset when it comes loose, so many boaters prefer it and consider it a good, all-around anchor for most conditions. It works best when the bottom is soft so it can get some purchase, and it also does well in rock and coral because the teeth or claws can wedge into place.
• Disadvantages: Pound for pound, the claw anchor also has less holding strength than most other anchors so in poor conditions, you may find a claw anchor coming loose on its own far more than you’d like. 
• Cost: The smallest Bruce or claw-style anchors start around $30 to $40 and are best suited for smaller vessels. Larger and heavier claws, especially stainless steel ones, will increase in price to as much as $150 or more. Marine-grade claw anchors that weigh over 40 lbs can even break $500.

Mushroom Anchor

These are more often used for permanent moorings, like for buoys, as their holding power only increases over time as silt and debris builds up on top of it. They work by simply sitting in place and allowing the cup part to fill up over time as the current deposits material inside.

• Description: Mushroom anchors get their name from their shape, which resembles an upside-down mushroom cap.
• Boat Type : Tiny boats or permanent moorings
• Ideal For: Sandy or loose bottoms so the sediment can collect in the mushroom.
• Bad For: Large boats as well as rocky or hard bottoms
• Advantages : Mushrooms are some of the cheapest anchors and they come in small sizes that are ideal for very small boats. Larger mushrooms can hold things in place permanently if they are given time to really take root.
• Disadvantages: Most mushrooms are not ideal for temporary mooring because they need time to become buried and provide resistance. They have very limited holding power for larger vessels, especially for short term anchoring. On a bottom that is hard or rocky, a mushroom anchor will not be able to provide any holding power as they need soft material and silt to fill in the cup and provide resistance. 
• Cost: A cheap, cast iron mushroom anchor made for a small vessel might cost you around $20. Heavier mushrooms, up to 20lbs, that have a vinyl or galvanized coating can cost as much as $70 or more.

Grapnel Anchor Or Grappler Anchor

They are designed to work on a rocky bottom where the hooks can wedge in between and around rocks to form a strong hold.

• Description: These anchors resemble a grappling hook and tend to have four or more hook-like fingers spread out around the central column. The claws usually fold down when not in use, making this one of the most space-saving anchor designs.
• Boat Type: Smaller vessels under 15 feet
• Ideal For: Rocks
• Bad For: Soft or muddy bottoms
• Advantages: Grapnel anchors are best for smaller boats like canoes because of their compact size and holding power. Once set, it’s very hard to release a grapnel anchor so the hold is reliable.
• Disadvantages: These anchors don’t work well without rocks to hold onto. They also tend to come loose easily if the winds and currents change which doesn’t make them ideal for any sort of long term anchorage.
• Cost: Grapnel anchors can be incredibly cheap with dinghy-sized anchors at under $15. Larger galvanized or stainless steel versions can range from about $60 to $90.

Plow Anchor or CQR Anchor

CQR is a trademark name for a kind of plow anchor. These get their name because they look like an old-timey plow you might find in a field. These anchors are very old and, as such, are very common as well.

• Description: Where a fluke has two or more teeth, a plow has that center fluke or tooth that will dig into the bottom to give the anchor the needed hold.
• Boat Type: Medium-sized boats around 60 feet
• Ideal For: Soft bottoms like sand or mud and also weeds
• Bad For: Hard or rocky bottoms, also very loose bottoms
• Advantages: A plow anchor is one of the best anchors for handling changes in wind and current. They are less likely to break free and need to be reset in these conditions. They tend to work well in many conditions and are fairly reliable and predictable as a result.
• Disadvantages: Plow anchors don’t offer as strong a hold as many other anchor types, and, as a result, to get one that works, you may need to opt for a heavier anchor than you would if you used a different type.
• Cost: Galvanized steel plow anchors can be just over $100, while stainless steel plows can get up around $250 or more.

Delta Anchor

This is another kind of plow anchor and sometimes it’s called a wing anchor. Delta anchors are some of the most popular anchors in use today and are solid, all purpose anchors. These are ideal for most sized vessels including larger boats.

• Description: Delta is a single-piece anchor while the CQR is a hinged piece, so the operation is slightly different. Otherwise, this is much the same as a typical plow anchor.
• Boat Type: Up to 70 feet
• Ideal For: Soft, muddy bottoms but also sand and clay.
• Bad For: Rocks
• Advantages: The Delta anchor is reliable in many conditions and, When it does grab hold because it’s one solid piece, it offers a surprisingly strong hold as well, especially when compared to similar anchors.
• Disadvantages: May be too large or expensive for many boats.
• Cost: A Delta anchor for a boat around 30 to 40 feet may set you back $400 to $500. A 22lb stainless steel Delta can be over $700. That said, you can find many Deltas for smaller boats that cost between $100 and $200.

Box anchors are a relatively new anchor design but have proven to also be extremely versatile. They are not designed for any specific size of boat and seem to work well with all kinds. They say you can even anchor a houseboat with box anchors.

• Description: They are designed in a box shape lined with hooks or flukes along the outside edges. It works in any bottom condition by digging into harder surfaces or scraping softer ones to fill the box and add weight. Because of how this anchor sets, you may need less anchor line to use it.
• Boat Type: Potentially any boat, though it may be overkill for smaller vessels.
• Ideal For: Any seabed
• Bad For: May be unnecessary for smaller vessels
• Advantages: The box anchor uses less line than a traditional anchor and can hold a 45-degree angle. The down-facing flukes can dig into the seabed without catching on debris, and the anchor can also reset itself when it comes loose. The box anchor can set almost immediately after dropping it. It offers some extreme holding power with less anchor rode than many other modern anchors, making it one of the more popular up-and-coming anchor styles.
• Disadvantages : Because they’re so new, they are not as well tested or trusted yet, and they can also get a little pricey, especially for casual boaters or those with smaller vessels. 
• Cost : You can get box anchors from about $100 for a basic version up to around $300 for a stainless steel one.

Shallow Water Anchor or Power Pole

Power pole anchors work automatically by using what looks like a hydraulic arm to raise and lower the pole and root it in place. A DIY shallow water anchor can be as simple as a fiberglass pole attached to the hull with a clamp. 

• Description: Unlike a standard anchor attached to a line and dropped overboard, a shallow water anchor is essentially just a pole extending from the side of the hull down to the surface below the water. Because it’s for use in shallow water, it anchors the boat directly to the ground below without requiring a line.
• Boat Type: These anchors are often used on jon boats , flats boats , or any vessel used for fishing in very shallow water.
• Ideal For: Shallow water
• Bad For: Deep water, larger rocks.
• Advantages: With a power pole set up, these anchors can be set into nearly any kind of bottom and then released again in just moments. They also offer an extremely secure hold that roots the boat in place to ensure minimal movement while fishing. DIY poles are often cheap and easy to make, and many video tutorials are online.
• Disadvantages: A Power Pole type boat anchor can be a major investment, and not every boater wants to put that much money into an anchor. By the same token, a DIY version will be cheaper but may take some time and effort to produce, and also you may need to do some trial and error to get it to work.
• Cost: Power Poles can cost over $2000 and also require maintenance. A DIY pole, however, can cost you $20 or $30 depending on the design.

The Bottom Line

There are a number of types of anchors which work with whatever sized boat you have and whatever surface you are trying to anchor in. It’s always important to test your anchor out to make sure it meets your needs, can hold your boat, and is easy for you to both set and release when needed. 

Most anchors don’t cost a lot of money but some larger or more complex designs can set you back a considerable sum of money so make sure you’re investing in something you truly need before committing to any purchase. 

My grandfather first took me fishing when I was too young to actually hold up a rod on my own. As an avid camper, hiker, and nature enthusiast I'm always looking for a new adventure.

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12 Best Sailboat Anchors for Any Sailor

Having the ability to anchor out inside a nice peaceful bay or right outside of a marina avoiding all the hubbub can be an amazing feeling.

It’s an even better feeling knowing that your sailboat is securely fastened using the best sailboat anchor so that you don’t start floating away when the tide or wind starts to shift.

There are a lot of amazing anchors out there that are potentially a great fit for you and your sailboat as a primary anchor.

Having a clear understanding of what makes a good, high-quality sailboat anchor from a trusted brand means you’ll be able to make a more educated choice when deciding which anchor is best for you and your sailboat.

The Best Sailboat Anchors

Depending on your style of sailing and the whereabouts you like to explore, you may need one sailboat anchor over another.

Based on my experience, there are a lot of great options out there to choose from, which is why I put together the following list of the best sailboat anchors.

1. Rocna Vulcan Galvanized Anchor

One of the best sailboat anchors out there today based on being the best-selling anchor for yachts and workboats goes to the Rocna Vulcan Galvanized Anchor .

As one of the pioneering brands for sailboat anchors, the Rocna Vulcan was able to transform from the original Rocna anchor to the most dependable, best anchor out there today.

The Rocna Vulcan is actually a modified version of the original Rocna anchor, which was one of the most groundbreaking anchors to have been engineered and set the stage for the Rocna Vulcan.

The original Rocna anchor was designed in New Zealand back in 2004 and took the industry by storm. By taking the best features from more traditional anchor types, like the Bugel anchor and Spade anchor, it was able to set itself apart.

The Rocna Vulcan has a lot of fantastic features to it apart from being a very strong and powerful anchor. For one, it has the ability to dig into almost any type of seabed, which comes in handy when sailing in diverse locations.

It’s also relatively lightweight and easy to stow due to it not having a roll bar like its older brother, the original Rocna.

Another great feature is that it has no moving parts, so no one’s fingers have the chance of getting pinched.

When it comes to the construction material of the anchor, the Rocna Vulcan is a galvanized steel boat anchor, which means it’s very strong, long-lasting, and relatively inexpensive.

The design of this sailboat anchor allows for it to self-right itself when landing on the seabed and when being pushed around by currents and tides. It also comes with a lifetime warranty, so it’s guaranteed to last the lifetime of your sailboat.

All in all, the Rocna Vulcan is a great choice for any sailboat looking to anchor out.

Regardless of where you are, it’s highly likely you’ll be able to use your Rocna Vulcan to anchor and feel good that you have a popular, well-designed anchor manufactured by a trusted brand.

If you’re serious about getting one of the best boat anchors, definitely check it out.

2. Manson Galvanized Supreme Anchor

As one of the most famous boat anchors that were released when the original Rocna anchor came out is the Manson Galvanized Supreme Anchor .

As a matter of fact, this anchor came out in 2003 and is well known to this day as being extremely effective due to having a very high holding power, an effective roll bar, and an ability to settle to the seabed quickly.

You certainly cannot go wrong with a Manson Supreme anchor if you decide to get one. They have very high holding power, are able to dig into almost any seabed, have no moving parts, and are able to touch the seabed quickly.

While their major advantages are definitely the holding power and fast settling, this comes at the price of being rather heavy which can make stowing this anchor difficult at times.

3. Lewmar Galvanized Delta Anchor

Even though there are a number of modern anchor types that have taken the industry by storm, some of the more traditional designs still hold their weight to this day.

That’s why the Lewmar Galvanized Delta Anchor  is still on the anchor scene, especially since it’s been a hallmark anchor for a very long time.

There are a number of good reasons to go with this anchor by Lewmar especially the fact that it has a strong holding power in softer seabeds (like mud and sand).

It’s also relatively lighter than other sailboat anchors allowing for easy stowing and transportation. Another great quality is that it’s all one piece, so there’s no potential issue of pinched fingers.

The only downsides include that it sometimes requires a tripping anchor line to release it from the seabed and that it’s not ideal for hard seabeds or seabeds covered in kelp.

4. Spade Anchor S120 Galvanized Steel

Another well-known, traditional design for anchors is the Spade Anchor S120 Galvanized Steel .

This type of anchor has been around for quite some time and has proven itself as a worthy contender to even the newer, more modern anchor types.

It certainly set the stage for a lot of anchor designs today and it continues to shine even today.

The Spade anchor is a very popular style of anchor that was designed in France back in 1996.

It was based on the delta style anchor design in a way to achieve a similar grip power to the seabed but by providing an even large surface area contact to the seabed.

This sailboat anchor is lightweight and can dig into soft seabeds quite well making it a great fisherman anchor for most fishing boats.

One of the downsides is that it sometimes Spade anchors needs the assistance of a tripping line to remove it from the seabed.

5. Lewmar CQR Anchor

Of all the more traditional anchors out there today, one of the most famous that really shook the anchor industry is the Lewmar CQR Anchor .

Before the more modern sailboat anchors, the CQR anchor (or the plow style anchor generally) was the go-to anchor for many yachts and workboats.

If you’re looking for a classic, time-tested anchor, the CQR might be the anchor for you.

The CQR anchor was designed in the UK way back in 1933 and has been one of the most well-known anchors out there. It was known to be so secure (and it still is), that it was named CQR because it sounded like “secure”.

This anchor’s relatively lightweight, digs into the seabed quite well, and is rather versatile in terms of the texture of the seabed it can grip.

However, it does have some downsides including it being oddly shaped so stowing is more difficult, it has moving parts, and it sometimes requires a tripping anchor line to remove it from the seabed.

6. Lewmar Claw Anchor

Another great anchor that’s been around for a while is the Lewmar Claw Anchor , which has been known as either the Bruce or Claw anchor in the past.

The strong reputation of Claw anchors has been well-known in the anchor industry for a long time and is further proven due to being manufactured by the trusted brand Lewmar.

The Lewmar Claw anchor is a fantastic anchor to own due to it being relatively lightweight, strong, and inexpensive.

As a matter of fact, it’s one of the best sailboat anchors anyone can buy since it has a lot of positive advantages like it has no moving parts and it’s easy to remove from the seabed.

The only downsides include it having an odd shape, making it a bit more difficult to stow, and not being the best when penetrating seaweed or grass-like seabeds.

7. Danforth S-600 Standard Anchor

There’s no doubt that even some of the traditional anchors still have a place in the best anchor category and that goes double for the Danforth S-600 Standard Anchor .

Similar to the CQR anchor, this anchor has been around for quite some time and was developed in the US back in the 1940s.

As a matter of fact, they were originally manufactured to be equipped with certain landing aircraft during WW2.

The Danforth anchor is an industry standard and has been a hallmark for many decades. They’ve been used as anchors for many types of vessels and are especially good for anchoring out in loose seabeds like sand or mud.

It’s also relatively lightweight and can be stowed easily since it’s pretty flat. Unfortunately, it has some moving parts to it, sometimes requires a tripping line to get it out of the seabed, and is certainly not ideal for more rocky seabeds.

8. Norestar Stainless Steel Danforth-Style Anchor

While the original Danforth anchor is a great choice for your next anchor, a step up in terms of quality is the Norestar Stainless Steel Danforth-Style Anchor .

While you’ll certainly spend a bit more money for this Danforth-style anchor, the design improvements ensure a safer anchoring and a longer-lasting product.

This Danforth-style anchor by Norestar provides all of the advantages of owning a traditional Danforth with some extras.

First, it has no movable parts so there’s no chance of pinching fingers while operating the anchor.

Second, it allows for anchoring off in seabeds that are rockier than the original Danforth can handle. It even comes in stainless steel, which means this anchor will last a very long time.

It does, however, still have the downside of at times needing a tripping line to release it from the seabed.

9. Norestar Stainless Steel Bruce Anchor

The Bruce anchor (also known as the Claw anchor) is a popular style of anchor that’s been used for a very long time.

There’s no question the Norestar Stainless Steel Bruce Anchor is a step up in the design of this anchor style, similar to how they improved the Danforth.

This Bruce/Claw anchor is a great choice for your sailboat’s next anchor since it has a good holding power for almost any seabed texture.

It’s also quite lightweight, has no moving parts, and it’s very easy to break it from the seabed.

Even better, it’s made out of stainless steel, so it’s built to last. Honestly, there aren’t too many downsides to this anchor apart from it being relatively expensive.

10. Norestar Stainless Steel Delta Anchor

The Norestar brand is amazing at taking the more traditional style of anchors and improving its designs to make them more attractive.

Well, they’ve done that once again with the Norestar Stainless Steel Delta Anchor .

The Delta anchor was already an improvement to the CQR anchor, but Norestar decided to take it to the next level.

The Delta anchor by Norestar is one of the highest quality stainless steel, delta-style anchors you could put on your sailboat.

Apart from it being stainless steel like the rest of Norestar’s anchors, it’s also lightweight, has no moving parts, and has a powerful holding power in softer seabeds.

However, it might not be the best sailboat anchor on seabeds with hard sand and it might require a tripping line to set it free from the seabed.

11. Mantus Galvanized Anchor

Some of the best sailboat anchors are originally derived from the more traditional sailboat anchors (in particular those with a roll bar), which is definitely the case for the Mantus Galvanized Anchor .

As one of the most well-known anchor types out there, this anchor manufactured by Mantus Marine stands out as a top contender for the best sailboat anchor.

This anchor by Mantus is produced with galvanized steel which makes it quite strong, inexpensive, and dependable.

With its uniquely designed roll bar, this sailboat anchor is able to properly land on the seabed when making its descent resulting in getting a better grip of wherever it ends up.

This anchor is specifically designed to break through dense grassy bottoms, so definitely a consideration when buying your next sailboat anchor.

12. Fortress Anchor

Sometimes it’s important to break free from the most well-known anchor brands and see what else is out there.

After stepping outside and digging into other anchor styles, I fell upon the Fortress Anchor , which is an aluminum fluke anchor that has a lot of common characteristics found in the traditional Danforth-style sailboat anchor.

The Fortress anchor has a very similar design to the Danforth but differs in the sense that it’s even more lightweight since it’s made out of aluminum magnesium alloy.

Some of the clear advantages that make this a candidate for the best sailboat anchor are that it settles quickly to the bottom of the seabed, it can be disassembled for easy storage, and it’s been tested to have double the holding power compared to its competition.

Downsides include movable parts, sometimes requiring a tripping line to remove it from the seabed, and not being ideal for rocky seabeds.

What to Consider Before Buying a Sailboat Anchor

We went over a good amount of high-quality sailboat anchors just now, so you should have a good idea of what anchor you might consider purchasing for your sailboat.

However, there are a few considerations to take into account before making that purchase, which is what we’ll cover now.

Construction Materials

You’ll find a number of different construction materials for anchors, like aluminum and steel, but by far the most common materials you’ll find is a metal anchor made of steel or aluminum alloy.

Galvanized Steel

Anchors made out of galvanized steel are often found to be less expensive and shiny compared to other types of anchor materials.

The great part is that they’re very strong and can last a very long time. Unfortunately, they’re prone to corrosion so it’s not uncommon to have to get them re-galvanized.

Stainless Steel

Anchors made out of stainless steel are very strong and aesthetically pleasing in terms of their appearance since it’s rather shiny.

You can’t go wrong with getting a stainless steel anchor, but you’ll definitely be forking over more money to get one.

Aluminum Alloy

Anchors made out of aluminum alloy are very lightweight compared to steel but often come at a much higher cost when going through the checkout line. However, when set correctly on the seabed, they’re known to have very high holding power.

Lakes vs. Coastal Waterways

Depending on where you’re sailing, you’ll need a certain level of strength to keep your sailboat from moving around while anchored.

Sailing in coastal waterways definitely requires a strong anchor than when sailing around lakes, so it’s generally advised to stick with the stronger anchors just in case.

If you know your sailboat will never leave the lake scene, go with a weaker (and thus cheaper) anchor.

Anchor Weight to Boat Length

You might’ve been wondering how strong your anchor should be based on the size of your sailboat.

Well, there’s no hard and fast rule to the exact strength (or weight) your anchor should have, but it’s definitely possible to determine a minimum weight to cover some worst-case scenarios when using your anchor.

A simple way to determine the minimum anchor weight of your sailboat is to subtract 5-10 lbs from every foot of your sailboat’s length overall (LOA). For example, if your sailboat is 40 feet long, then a 35 lb boat anchor would be a good weight.

This is a good rule of thumb when choosing an anchor weight for your sailboat, but should only be considered as an estimate and for minimum weight.

If the anchor you plan to purchase has a chart helping you decide on the proper weight to get, you should definitely follow that.

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Boat Anchoring Tips and Techniques

• By Joe Friedman
• Updated: February 20, 2020

There’s a big difference between tossing a “lunch hook” over the side for a quick dip and securing a boat anchor for an overnight stay. What is the proper technique for anchoring? Whole books have been written about proper boat anchoring, and it gets a complete chapter in Chapman Piloting & Seamanship, the venerable guide to small-boat handling. Figuring out boat anchoring is one of the first things you learn in seamanship . Here’s a quick rundown on some solid, basic boat anchoring tips and techniques.

10 Tips Explaining How to Set an Anchor

1. Use Your Engine to Help When Anchoring

The proper technique for anchoring starts with easing the throttle so that the boat is basically standing still at the point where you want the anchor to drop. Let it go, sneak back under power, and slowly pay out the line.

2. Scope Out When Anchoring

You’ll need to know about how much scope to use, since this will affect where the boat will lie once the hook is stuck. Experience and local knowledge of the bottom are the best teachers, but plan on about an 8-to-1 ratio of scope to water depth. Meaning, in 10 feet of water with a 4-foot height to bow from the water, you stream out 122 feet of rode. With more chain and an oversize boat anchor, you may be able to ride reliably to a 4-to-1 scope, whereas poorly holding bottom and/or strong wind and/or strong current may require a 10-to-1 scope. In some cases, tech gadgets can help you set the boat anchor.

3. Head into Current When Anchoring

At dead-slow speed, head the boat up into the wind or current, beyond the spot where you want the boat to lie, at a distance equal to your estimated scope. Come to a stop. In rough conditions , it can pay to drift back without dropping the boat anchor first, so that you can see where the boat will end up when you do deploy the hook.

4. Use Enough Rode When Anchoring

When enough rode is out to equal the desired scope, snub up on the cleat. Allow the stretch to come out of the line and see if you are holding. A shot of reverse gear can often help set the anchor hook but, if done prematurely, can cause the boat anchor to skate across the bottom without catching.

5. Make Sure Your Anchor Holds After Anchoring

With the hook set, cleat it off securely and run the rode through chocks to ensure that navigation lights and other deck equipment don’t get “swept” by the rode as the boat swings on the line. Line up with two landmarks, or use your radar, GPS or depth sounder to monitor your position and ensure that you are not dragging the anchor.

6. Know the Bottom Structure When Anchoring

Your chart or plotter will generally show what to expect, but pockets of the unexpected do occasionally show up in an otherwise defined bottom to make life exciting. The most common bottoms are sand, mud, clay and grass (or weed). Most of the popular anchor styles (Danforth, CQR, Delta, Spade, Bruce, Rocna) are considered to be workable for all of these conditions. That said, plow anchors — like a CQR or Delta — hold best on a rocky bottom, a Danforth holds best in mud, and heavier anchors hold best in grass.

7. What is the Best Anchor Size When Anchoring

The boat anchor should be correctly sized for your boat. For instance, a typical 32-foot medium displacement boat could put out a 25-pound CQR or a 22-pound Delta and be comfortable in 30 knots of wind. A 12-pound Hi-Tensile Danforth is another option. One size up would be nice, especially if you have a power windlass to do all the work. Check the anchor manufacturer’s guide for your boat’s length, displacement and hull type .

8. Rope or Chain When Anchoring

A properly sized all-nylon rode, either twisted or braided, is fine for light-duty anchoring. More common would be to add 6 to 8 feet of chain between the anchor shank and the rode. But for overnighting or extended anchoring, a one-half boat length’s worth of chain is a good rule of thumb to help an anchor’s holding power. The chain will aid in setting the anchor and keeping it set by lowering the angle of pull, thus helping to absorb the shock of a tossing boat due to wind or sea conditions and reducing chafe due to rocky or shelly bottom.

9. Be Courteous of Other Boaters When Anchoring

If you’re the first or only boat in the anchorage, you’ve got priority. Otherwise, choose your spot carefully so as to allow enough swinging room to stay clear of the others and show your anchoring etiquette . Remember that big boats swing slower and tend to have a bigger arc than smaller ones. Boats with a lot of windage (big canvas enclosures, large cabins, high freeboard and almost all sailboats) will swing faster in high winds.

10. Check reference Points When Anchoring

Be sure to continue to check reference points, and watch to see that your position doesn’t change. Set the boat anchor alarm on your GPS, if yours has one, to alert you if something changes while you’re asleep or occupied. Then break out the sandwiches and enjoy the view.

11. The Windlass is Not a Cleat

The techniques in boat anchoring are the same, with or without a windlass. Keep in mind that a windlass is not a cleat and shouldn’t take the load of your boat under anchor. Neither is it the raw muscle to pull the anchor. Instead, take up the slack as you slowly motor forward to break the anchor free. Secure anchors hauled with windlasses with a trace of line or a chain stop.

• More: anchoring , How-To , Seamanship

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Anchoring & Mooring

With so much investment literally riding on your anchor, your boat's anchoring system is no place to cut corners. your choice of anchor depends on the size and type of your boat, and the weather and anchoring conditions you generally encounter..

Boats with heavy displacements or superstructures that present a great deal of wind resistance need heavier gear. The same is true of cruising yachts that brave a wide variety of conditions and may sometimes have to anchor in open waters.

Although not required by Federal Law, it is recommended you carry one anchor of sufficient size and strength to hold your boat for an extended period, like overnight--or in an emergency situation, such as if you run out of gas. When you are thinking or buying an anchor - BIGGER IS BETTER.

Also, there is safety in numbers. No anchor will work for you in every situation, so if you have space carry two anchors--preferably of different types.Many people choose to carry a small anchor, or "lunch hook", and a larger working or storm anchor. The lunch hook is for use in calm weather and when the crew is monitoring the anchor. Working and storm anchors are useful at times when the crew is asleep or ashore, and during heavy weather, when winds are 30 miles an hour and over.

The general name for all of the equipment you need to anchor your boat is "ground tackle". This includes an anchor, chain, line and connecting elements. The anchor line, including chain, is called the rode.

Playing Hooky

Just as boats come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, so do anchors. Choosing an anchor is easy, choosing the right one for your boat can be very difficult. Your first task in choosing an anchor is to have an understanding of three things:

• Your Boat - Your boats' size, weight and design characteristics affect what kind of anchor you will need to use. For instance, a 30 foot 10,000 pound houseboat needs a larger anchor than a 30 foot 6000 pound speedboat.
• Where You're Going - Where you plan to anchor often dictates what type of anchor you should use. Is the bottom rock, or is it soft mud? If you are not familiar with the area, ask around or look at a local chart.
• Local Conditions - Anchoring in a calm protected cove can be quite different than anchoring offshore or on a large open bay. And don't forget the weather--high winds, tides and waves can all make anchoring difficult, if not impossible.

Anchors are rated by "holding power"--which is the ability of an anchor to hold a given weight. Keep in mind that a 10,000 pound boat may only require an anchor with a holding power of a few hundred pounds on a calm day, but may need 1,000 pounds of holding power or more on a stormy day.

Anchor Types

There are several types of anchors and you should choose a style based on the bottom characteristics in the areas you will anchor most often. Then, choose a size based on the size and weight of your boat.

Lightweight or "Danforth" Anchors

Lightweight type anchor with two long pivoting "flukes"; designed to reduce clogging with mud and grass; range from 2.5 pounds to nearly 200 pounds, and are generally made of cast galvanized metal, though some models are machined from a light-weight aluminum composite. When dropped, flukes dig the anchor into the bottom and the anchor buries itself and part of the anchor line.

Commonly used on small recreational boats, as they are relatively light weight for the amount of holding power they provide, especially in comparison to other anchors. Best in hard sand or mud, where flukes can easily dig into the bottom.

Not recommended for very soft or loose mud, which can ball up around the flukes; or on rocky bottoms where the flukes cannot penetrate. Also not recommended for grassy bottoms, which the flukes tend to slip off.

Kedge or Navy Anchors

A more traditional style anchor with arks, flukes and stock. Good in heavy grass, weeds, rocky bottoms or hard sand where one arm can penetrate a crevice. Not good in mud or loose sand, where flukes can't dig in.

Functions differently than previous anchors as it is not a burying anchor; one arm digs into bottom and one lies exposed. Generally only used by very large ships, as it relies on weight for most of the holding power; not really suitable for recreational use other than for a lunch hook.

Grapnels Anchors

Very inexpensive, but not much holding power. Some models are made of bent re-bar, others are made of galvanized metal and have folding flukes. Good for recovering items on the bottom, or for wreck reef anchoring. Commonly used on very small boats such as canoes or jon boats.

Plow or "CQR/DELTA" Anchors

The plow styles' good holding power over a wide variety of bottom types makes it a top choice of cruising boaters. Has either a fixed (Delta style) or a pivoting (CQR) shank.

When dropped in the water, a plow lands on its side, then when pulled, buries itself. Its shape allows it to reset fairly easily should the wind or tide shift the boat position.

Great in sand and on rocky bottoms, weeds and grass. Does not do well in soft bottoms. Generally made of galvanized metal, though they are available in stainless steel.

Claw or "BRUCE" Anchors

Unique shape of the claw allows a 360 degree turn without breaking out. Has similar performance to plow anchors,at a lower weight.

Sets just like a plow, but curved flukes make it easier for a claw to right itself no matter how it lands on the bottom, or how much the boat gets swung around.

Mushroom Anchors

Mushroom anchors get their name from, as you might imagine, their rounded, mushroom shape. Mushroom anchors are used extensively for moorings, and can weigh several thousand pounds for this use.

The shape works best in soft bottoms, where it can create a suction that can be difficult to break. Decent for very small boats to use as a lunch hook, but not practical for larger boats. Both Buoys and Beacons may have lights attached, and may have a sound making device such as a gong, bell or horn. Both Buoys and Beacons may be called "marks".

Line and Gear

Depending upon the size and type of your boat, and where you anchor--your choices for an anchor line are either an all-rope anchor rode, a combination of rope and chain, or all chain.

Nylon Line in Three-Strand Twist

Three-strand line can absorb shock and the constant tugging associated with anchoring much better than braided line or chain alone. Chain may also be used, especially in anchorages that are primarily rock or coral, which may cut a nylon line. A length of chain should be used between the anchor and a longer length of line. The chain will add weight to set your anchor without making it too heavy to lift manually, while serving to exert a horizontal pull on the anchor to set it.

Nylon Three-Strand line is the leading choice for use as an anchoring line. Lines generally come in a "soft" or "medium" lie. Soft lines are generally softer to the touch, and loosely woven. These aren't as good as medium or hard lines for anchoring, as they are more prone to unraveling and chafing. Tightly wrapped lines are the best choice for anchoring.

Lines that have been treated with a wax-like coating are available. These lines help the line resist water/salt absorption. To help keep your lines in good shape, clean them from time to time by soaking them in soapy water. Never use bleach, as it can break down the line.

Chain may be used instead of nylon line for anchoring. Chain has several benefits, including added weight, chafe and wear resistance, and high strength. It also lowers the angle of pull on the anchor, which helps it to set more firn\mly into the bottom.

Chain is generally found made of galvanized steel, though you can find stainless steel and vinyl coated chain, which is designed to be non-marring to your deck.

Chain comes in three general varieties: "Proof Coil" is the most common, and is adequate for most marine uses. "BBB" ("Triple B" or "3B") chain has thicker, shorter links than proof chain. BBB is slightly stronger than proof chain, and is generally used for windlasses. Finally, "Hi-Test" chain is made of hardened steel, and is stronger and lighter than proof coil. Hi-test chain is favored by those wishing to avoid carrying too much weight.

Combination anchor-rodes consist of both chain and nylon line. You may buy a combination rode, or you may make one yourself. Generally, it is recommended to have either one foot of chain for each foot of boat length, or to have one pound of chain for each pound of anchor length. Which ever method you choose, having more chain than necessary is never a bad idea.

As the saying goes, a chain is only as strong as its' weakest link...Make sure that your anchor and line are attached to each other with adequate gear. Some lines come with plastic thimbles or eyes--but metal, either marine-grade stainless steel or hot-dipped galvanized steel, is best. Swivels and shackles should be inspected regularly for wear, and to ensure that the connections are tight and functional.

Scope: Length of the anchor line/ height of the deck cleat to the sea bed.

Before leaving the dock, you will need to determine how much anchor line, or "rode", you will need. It is recommended that you use a scope of 7:1, meaning that for every foot of water depth, you should use 7 feet of rode.

For example, to anchor in 10 feet of water, you would pay out 70 feet of line. Measure the scope as the ratio of the length of the anchor rode to the height of the bow above the bottom. If you're using a lightweight anchor on a small boat in good weather conditions, a shorter scope of 5:1 is sufficient and safe. A prudent boater always has extra line and chain on hand, just in case.

Minimum Working Rode Sizes

Suggested holding sizes assume fair holding ground, scope of at least 5:1 to 10:1, and moderate shelter from high seas.

Boats that operate generally in shallow waters, as on the East Coast of the United States, may get by with shorter rode lengths. As the wind picks up, deploying additional line will help maintain position, as will tossing out an extra anchor.

Setting Anchor

Anchoring can be accomplished quickly and easily by following a few simple steps.

• Check your chart for bottom characteristics and to determine that you are anchoring in a safe and allowable place. If there are rocks, shoals, reefs or other boats to consider, give them all as wide a berth as possible. Remember that other boats will often have different requirements for anchor rode length--larger or taller boats frequently need a great deal of rode. Also, keep in mind a possible swing of 360 degrees about the anchor with wind shifts or current changes.
• If your crew is not already wearing PFDs, have them put one on before going forward to set or retrieve an anchor or mooring.
• Secure the bitter end of the anchor line to a bow cleat. Make sure the line is ready to run free once tossed overboard.
• Head into the wind or current. Reduce speed and reverse the engine. When the boat starts to make a slight sternway through the water, lower - do not throw - the anchor.
• After you've let about a third of your line out, tug the anchor line to see how firmly it's set, and then continue to release the rode.
• Once you let out an appropriate amount of scope, make sure the line is properly tied off on the bow cleat.
• Even if anchoring only in designated anchoring areas, it is always prudent to have the appropriate signal such as an all-around white light on to notify other boats that you are anchored at night. During the day you must display a ball shape which is sized according to the size of your boat.

Staying Put

It's a good idea to take two immediate bearings. Select two items, one off each beam, that form a natural range and watch for any changes in their relationship. You can check these later to determine if you're boat is swinging as expected or if you're dragging anchor.

Picking Up a Mooring

One of the best ways to avoid the hassles of anchoring is to chose a cove or harbor with moorings available for your use. Mooring balls are identified by their white spherical or can shape, and having a blue horizontal band. It may have a number designation, a VHF contact # or name on it. You will typically have to pay a small fee to the harbor master to use a public mooring, but you can count on it being far cheaper than paying for dockage for the night.

Public moorings are professionally maintained and will use a large anchor or helix screw fixture to maintain position. The harbor master will let you know if the weight or length of your boat is too big for that particular mooring. Although moorings are typically more secure than anchors, moorings can and do periodically give way. For this reason, and for the obvious courtesy reasons, you should never pick up and use a mooring that does not belong to you.

Common Anchoring Mistakes

• Letting the anchor go with out securing the line to the boat.
• Letting the anchor go with your foot wrapped in the anchor line.
• Poor communication between the captain and person on the foredeck.
• Approach a mooring from downwind. This will give you better maneuverability as you go to secure your boat to the ball.
• Go slow, so as not to disturb those already moored.
• After putting on PFDs, send a crew member to the bow with a boat hook to grab the eye or the base of the mooring ball.
• Once the mooring ball is at the bow--slow, stop or gently reverse engines to halt forward motion. Use your crew to relay distance information if it is difficult for the skipper to see where the mooring ball is in relation to the boat.
• Loop the mooring line over one or both of your bow cleats. Pay attention to the possibility of chafing. You may want to use your own line to attach to the mooring ball if the one provided is dirty.
• Some moorings may have an antenna like device called 'whip.' This is simply an extension of the ball so you don't have to reach as far to haul in the mooring line.
• Once secure, let the boat drift back and be sure that you are clear of those who have moored or anchored around you. There is no need to 'back down' on a mooring ball.
• Leaving a mooring is easy--just motor or pull up gently to the ball and release the mooring line from your boat. You can then either drift back or maneuver forward to clear yourself of the ball and the associated ground tackle.

Finally, never ever anchor a small boat by the stern! Your engine, and the bulk of the boat's weight rest here. Stern anchoring is likely to result in swamping and flooding.

When sizing an anchor or anchor rode, it’s useful to have starting point and to think of the whole system. This is a table developed by American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC) to approximate the expected load on the anchor and the anchor rode for given wind speed and boat length. The complete table appears in Section H-40 of ABYC’s Standards and Technical Reports for Small Craft available at abycinc.org.  The below table was created more than 50 years ago and it is not clear exactly how it was derived. After comparing this data in this table to work that has been done since we come to the conclusion that the values presented here represent loads expected on the anchor rode if anchored on chain only without the use of the snubbing system.  And using a line rode or and adequately designed snubber you can reduce the loads by a factor of 3, by eliminating the shock loads. This is an argument for why its so important to use a snubber but when sizing anchor rode or your anchor, it is important to consider loads as stated in the table. The reason is that we can not rely on the integrity of a snubber in a storm.  Should the snubber fail, the integrity of the rode should be sufficient to handle the loads without the snubber.

The ABYC Horizontal Working Load (lbs) Table

How do you intend to use your boat? Do you sail only on calm days with fair weather (Lunch Hook) or are you outfitting for an adventure (Storm) where you might be exposed to hazardous weather at anchor? For example, if you are outfitting a 35 foot boat for you should size the working rode and anchor to safely handle loads up to 1,800lbs if planning a cruising adventure, but the same margin of safety is not necessary if operating day trips from the safety of a marina.

When making sizing recommendations we are generally referring to the needs of a cruising boat spending most of its time on anchor, in doing so we try to envelope high sustained winds (45 kts) and assume poor holding conditions (low viscosity bottoms).  Some may think these recommendations to be too conservative especially when compared to sizing tables from other manufacturers. Companies often make claims of superior anchor efficiency, stating that their small anchor X will outperform a much heavier anchor from their competitors and often use sizing charts as a marketing tool to that end, recommending anchors and anchor systems that are dangerously undersized for their intended use.  Comparing surface area can be a good judge for potential holding capability.  Our anchor sizing recommendations are presented in the table below:

ANCHOR SIZING GUIDE (Click to enlarge)

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Clearance LIROS Racer Dyneema £55.08

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Anchoring clearance, standing rigging clearance, running rigging clearance, deck hardware clearance, chandlery clearance, safety clearance, yacht and boat anchors, galvanised, stainless steel and lightweight aluminium.

Your main anchor is a fundamental security element when sailing away from your home berth, whether for a quick lunch in the next bay or an ocean voyage.

Once you venture out of your marina or harbour, you may be dependent on your anchor and rode to safeguard you from a damaging incident, whether it is the embarrassment of dragging or swinging into another yacht, or even worse, a chastening experience with an inhospitable shoreline. Whatever boating you enjoy, you should consider your anchor and rode as a vital component in your safety equipment armoury.

Anchor design has progressed at a prodigious rate over the last decade, and as a result, some of the tried and trusted warriors from yesteryear have declined in popularity. New innovative high-holding power anchors are being developed and manufactured all over the world.

Jimmy Green Marine has compiled a portfolio of some old favourites and some of the most popular new design anchors.

Manufacturers generally publish a sizing guide to determine the appropriate weight for you.

The general rule is that the well-thought-out, tested designs pay more attention to the guide, using not just yacht length but also a combination of length, windage profile, displacement and wind speed.

Jimmy Green Marine has collated their recommendations into our Anchor Size Guide and Comparison Chart.

Anchors are now readily available in  Aluminium and  Stainless Steel, as well as regular  Galvanised steel.

Some anchor models are available in both galvanised and stainless steel, and the Spade is available in all three.

Our range is divided into three sub-categories based on these three different metals/finishes.

An Anchoring System should focus on more than just the anchor because successful and safe anchoring depends on the integrity of every part of the anchor rode from the anchor to the bitter end: anchor, chain, warp and all the individual means of joining it all together, e.g. connectors; swivels; shackles; splicing.

All the individual parts need to be comparable in strength.

The entire Anchor System is only as strong as the weakest link.

The increased holding power of modern anchors means that all the joining elements are subjected to higher loads than ever before.

A second (kedge) anchoring system is generally recommended in addition to the full specification primary (bower) system.

The specification can vary widely according to cruising intentions - from a full specification second storm anchoring system to a traditional Kedge, e.g. lunch hook or stern anchor.

Different anchors have varying degrees of holding power according to the seabed, so a geometrically different anchor may be advantageous if the primary system is not holding.

Traditionally, a second anchor system has less chain, more rope and a lighter stowable anchor - making the whole system physically easier to store on board and deploy when required.

The size (diameter) and overall length of an anchor rode should take these factors into account:

• Yacht Length Overall
• Displacement to Length Ratio
• Mono or Multihull - catamarans may be subject to greater stresses and strains
• Your cruising intentions
• The anticipated anchorage conditions, e.g. depth, seabed holding characteristics, the length of fetch and degree of exposure to prevailing winds
• The weight and design of the anchor

Jimmy Green Marine offers a comprehensive range of solutions from leading brands for all your anchor rode requirements.

Anchor Chain   Anchoring Information

Anchor Weight kg

• 0.9kg (1) 1.5kg (1) 1.8kg (1) 1.9kg (1) 2.0kg (4) 2.5kg (3) 2.7kg (1) 3.2kg (5) 3.5kg (2) 3.6kg (3) 4.0kg (6) 4.5kg (1) 4.7kg (1) 5.0kg (3) 5.9kg (2) 6.0kg (10) 7.0kg (1) 7.1kg (1) 7.5kg (2) 7.7kg (1) 8.0kg (4) 8.2kg (1) 9.0kg (3) 9.5kg (1) 10.0kg (8) 10.6kg (1) 11.4kg (2) 12.0kg (4) 12.5kg (1) 14.0kg (1) 15.0kg (9) 15.9kg (2) 16.0kg (4) 20.0kg (9) 20.5kg (2) 21.0kg (1) 22kg (1) 25.0kg (11) 27.0kg (1) 29.5kg (2) 30.0kg (3) 32.0kg (1) 33.0kg (4) 35.0kg (1) 36kg (1) 38.6kg (2) 40.0kg (6) 44.0kg (2) 47.7kg (2) 50.0kg (3) 55.0kg (8) 56.8kg (1) 60.0kg (1) 63kg (1) 70.0kg (3) 78.0kg (1) 80.0kg (1) 110.0kg (2)
• Anchor Right (3) Ankerplex (2) Fortress Marine Anchors (3) Jimmy Green Marine (2) Lewmar (5) Manson Anchors (3) Mantus Marine (3) Osculati (1) Plastimo (2) Rocna (6) Spade (3) Talamex (1) Ultramarine (2)

Manson Supreme Anchor - Galvanised

Manson racer anchor.

Ultra Anchor

Sarca excel anchor - galvanised.

£304.00 -£24.00

Rocna Anchor - Galvanised

£190.00 -£21.00

Rocna Mark 2 Anchor - Galvanised

£415.00 -5%

Spade Anchor - Galvanised

Spade anchor - aluminium a series, vulcan anchor - galvanised.

£220.00 -£21.00

Mantus Galvanised Anchor

Mantus mk2 galvanised anchor.

Fortress Anchor

Anchoring a Boat: Step-by-Step Guide

Learning how to anchor a boat is a basic seamanship skill that every boater should master, even if you don't anticipate anchoring very often. Understanding how to set the anchor and retrieve an anchor is critical—an anchor can hold your boat in place in a secluded cove for a few hours of swimming or an overnight stay, but it's also an essential piece of safety gear. If your boat engine fails, a well-set anchor will keep wind or current from drifting your disabled boat onto a shoal or ashore, where it could be damaged.

We’ll just cover the basics here, and remember, a good seamanship guide or course will go into much more valuable detail.

How to Anchor a Boat

• Determine the water depth where you want to drop anchor.
• Calculate the correct amount of anchor scope (a 7:1 ratio is recommended).
• Lower the anchor and let out enough scope, then secure the rope to a bow cleat.
• Ensure there is no drag—use landmarks or onboard electronics to measure movement.
• If needed, reset the anchor.
• To retrieve the anchor, slowly motor toward the anchor while pulling in the rope.
• Remember, never tie off an anchor to the stern of a boat.

Types of Anchors

The most-common pleasure boat anchor type are the fluke (often called a Danforth), and the plow or scoop anchor.

• The fluke anchor is popular for small to medium size boats because it folds flat and so is easy to store, and is lightweight and easy to handle. It offers excellent holding power in a sand or muddy bottom, but is not as effective in a rocky bottom.
• The plow-style anchor is more common on heavier boats and holds well in most bottom conditions, and also usually resets itself if the wind shifts. It does not fold and is usually heavier than the fluke anchor, and so is best-suited to boats with a bow roller and windlass, rather than an anchor locker. The anchor is connected to the boat with the rode; on most family powerboats the rode includes a length of chain at the anchor end and nylon line (rope) from the chain to the boat.

Use anchor manufacturer guidance to determine which size anchor is appropriate for your boat.

Setting an Anchor

• If possible first determine the water depth where you want to drop anchor, using a depth finder if one is on the boat. Water depth will determine the correct amount of anchor scope required; scope is the ratio of the length of the anchor rode you will want to pay out to the depth of the water.
• A scope ratio of 7:1 (seven feet of scope to one foot of water depth) is usually recommended, when there is room. If, for example, you know the water depth is 10 feet, motor into the wind or current about 70 feet beyond the point where you want to the boat to lie on anchor, and drop the anchor.
• Then, either let the wind or current carry you back 70 feet, or move the boat in reverse that distance if there is no wind or current.
• When you’ve let out enough scope, secure the rode to a bow cleat.
• Then apply some power in reverse to set the anchor in the bottom.

No Anchor Drag

You want to make sure that the anchor is set and not dragging on the bottom. You can sight on two landmarks on shore, or use electronics such as GPS, a chart plotter, or a depth finder to sound an alarm if the boat is moving. If the wind, current or tide changes and causes the boat to swing over the anchor, it may reset itself on the bottom. If it does not you’ll need to re-set the anchor. It’s important to stay vigilant at all times when anchored.

Retrieving the Anchor

• To raise anchor, slowly motor towards the anchor while pulling in the rode.
• When you are directly over the anchor it should pull free. If it’s stuck, first try slowly turning the boat in a large circle to change the direction of pull on the rope.
• Another method is to pull up rode until the boat is directly over the anchor, and then give the line a turn around a cleat.
• Pull it taut as the bow dips in the bottom of a wave, and when the next wave lifts the boat it may break the anchor free.

Additional Anchoring Tips

Here a few additional factors to keep in mind when anchoring a boat:

• Never tie off an anchor to the stern of a boat, or try to pull up a stuck anchor by pulling with the engine after securing the rode to a stern cleat.
• You may actually pull the stern low enough to swamp the boat—water may come over the stern and fill the boat—resulting in a very dangerous situation.
• If you can’t release a stuck anchor, it’s best to simply cut the line and replace the anchor.

Read Next: How to Dock a Boat

Looking for other boating basic how to's? Read...

• How to Buy a Boat
• How to Dock a Boat
• How to Paint a Boat
• Basic Boating Etiquette
• Explore Boat Types

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How to Anchor a Boat: 7 Critical Steps (Lake, River, Sea)

If you want all the freedom your boat can give you, you need to learn to set the anchor. It's not as hard as you think, and with preparation and practice, you can stay where you want to, when you want to.

It's not just a keel and hull and a deck and sails. That's what a ship needs. But what a ship is... what the Black Pearl really is... is freedom. Captain Jack Sparrow

Point your boat at the horizon and you can go anywhere. Well, almost anywhere, so long as there are slips and moorings open when you get there. Or you have a reservation.

How to anchor a boat in 7 steps:

Get good ground tackle, pick a safe anchorage, prepare your crew, pick your spot to drop anchor, drop it and set it, set snubbers and secure, keep an anchor watch, any questions.

In this article, we'll give you the building blocks from the basic setup of your ground tackle, to picking a safe spot to anchor, and take you through the steps of getting a good anchor set. If you're looking to expand your horizons past the mooring field, read on!

• Make sure your ground tackle is solid.
• Pick a safe anchorage.
• Talk it through with your crew.
• Pick your spot to set the hook.
• Drop it, hook it, and set it.
• Set snubbers and other tools.
• Keep an anchor watch.

You need ground tackle - an anchor and a rode - which will hold your boat. Picking a style and size of anchor, choosing your type and length of rode, these are all crucial steps to safe anchoring. But unless you're buying a brand new boat, the odds are high you already have ground tackle of some type. The question is, is it good enough?

Good ground tackle meets the following basic criteria:

• The anchor must be big enough. It should meet the minimum size recommendation for your boat from the manufacturer, though one size up never hurt.
• Rope/chain rodes should have chain large enough to hold for the boat and anchor size, and at least one boat length long.
• There should be sufficient rode for at least seven times the total depth you plan to anchor in for chain, and ten times the depth for rope/chain. More won't hurt you.
• All connections and shackles should be seized (wrapped with wire to prevent unscrewing).

If you aren't familiar with your ground tackle, take it out. Measure the rode length, and make sure any ropes, chains, and anchors are sized for your boat. While you're there, think about marking your rode , then once you've measured it all make sure it meets manufacturer recommendations.

Since this is an entire topic on its own, I've written a detailed guide on ground tackle. It will help you to get a good sense of the different components, their function, and what to look for. You can learn everything about selecting ground tackle here .

While you can just drop your hook anywhere it can reach the bottom, you won't always be happy with the results. Anchoring in a exposed position may not end well, with the anchor maybe resetting or dragging in the middle of the night. There are a few things which make some places better than others for a desirable anchorage.

• Protection from wind, waves, and current in the conditions you expect to face.
• A bottom with good holding.
• Shallow enough to let out good anchor scope.
• Sufficient swing space for the scope you need.

So how can you, from the comfort of your nav station, decide what looks like a suitable spot to anchor? There are tools for this - with charts and cruising guides at the top of the list.

First, you check the charts looking for protected coves without too much water. Many charts even have helpful little anchors in common anchorages.

Second, check cruising guides, both books and online sources like ActiveCaptain or Waterway Guides.

Third, if you've never visited the location, look at a satellite photo from Google Maps. Moored boats and even mooring balls are often visible if you zoom in far enough. Look for mooring fields encroaching or over running marked anchorages, where you may not anchor like the charts suggest. For a good example of the possible disconnect between marked anchorages and reality, check out charts and satellite photos of Nantucket Harbor side by side.

Finally, when you are closer to leaving, check the weather.

For an exercise, look at this bit of chart of one my of favorite cruising destinations in New England, Cuttyhunk island.

You can see three spots I've labeled X, Y, and Z.

What you can't see on this chart is that the square in the pond's interior is covered with moorings, and there are several rows of moorings north of that sand spit with the runway on it. Also, there's five or six miles of open water to the north of the island before you reach the mainland. You also can't tell that the area labeled "Anchorage F" is open water on Vineyard Sound, and unsuitable for any small craft anchoring because it's usually wave and swell tossed. It's not bad for surfing, if you don't mind all the rocks, but it's an anchorage only for ships.

The first thing this tells me is that this anchorage should be fine in most conditions except in a northerly . I can tell you from first hand experience that if the wind clocks to the north and hoots up into the twenties in the middle of the night, you will be uncomfortable within a very short amount of time. That's plenty of open water fetch to build up wind-driven waves, where the same wind from the south won't do a thing.

X is just outside the row of moorings in about fifteen feet or water. As long as you don't mind wakes from sport fishers blasting out of the channel at dawn on the weekends, it’s great. But maybe right on X isn't so great because of the traffic.

Spot Y avoids the channel traffic, but you're close to half a mile off shore. That's OK, but it might get a little choppy. It's better to tuck in as close as you can, so you're looking for a spot east of X and Y, but not all the way out to Y. You could anchor closer to Nashawena Island if you wanted to, but once you get there, you may find it's not as appealing as it's a long way in to the dinghy dock in the pond.

If you check a cruising guide, you will see similar information about anchoring there - it's comfortable except in a northerly, though there's some sea grass in the sand to be careful of.

The takeaway? If it's not a strong northerly, this is a pretty pleasant spot to anchor if you don't want or can't get a mooring.

And if you're in a trimaran or shoal draft boat, you can sneak right into the inner harbor and drop in spot Z behind the mooring fields.

As you cruise farther and get more adventurous, you'll find places which have less information. But for coastal cruising in places like Europe and North America, most anchorages are well documented.

With more than one person on the boat, someone is going to be on the bow working the windlass or dropping the anchor and someone will be on the helm. It only takes two, so that's what we'll focus on.

There are several key bits of information to communicate from bow to stern and back, so before you start, you need to be clear about who is deciding and who is reacting. It often makes sense for the person on the bow to make the calls because they can see where they're dropping, but not every crew works this way. My wife prefers to be on the bow but have me make "the call" on where to drop the anchor from the helm.

The information everyone needs to know is:

• Roughly where you want to drop the anchor
• When the anchor should drop.
• How much scope to use, or how much water you're dropping in. The person on the bow can't see the instruments.
• What to do with the engine, such as go in neutral, back down, turn the bow, and so on.

Talk it through as you approach the anchorage. Whoever is heading to the bow should have a rough plan, like "we're going to drop the anchor on a line between the stern of the white and blue boat, in about twenty-five feet."

If you all start on the same page, your odds are much better of finishing together.

Radios are good basic communication

Some crews swear by radios, since communication is instantaneous and unambiguous, assuming they work and you can hear each other. A quality set of duplex headsets with windproof microphones can help some people as they're learning this new skill, and it keeps you from having to yell to be heard.

Use hand signals as a backup

If you forget to charge the radios, or one drops overboard, or it's too windy to hear, you will need a backup communication system. After hundreds of times anchoring together, my wife and I have our hand signals down pat.

• Thumbs Up - Engine in forward (idle), shake up and down for more throttle.
• Thumbs Down - Engine in reverse (idle), shake up and down for more throttle
• Pointing Port or Starboard - turn helm in that direction
• Fist - engine in neutral and/or stop turning.

As we approach the targeted drop area, she watches me at the helm. When I want her to drop, I check depth and slowly flash fingers to show the number. She confirms by repeating the depth signal back. I confirm with a thumbs up or re-flash the number if her confirmation doesn't match, then she drops the anchor.

We've also got a few signals for when we pull the anchor, like "off the bottom" (hand pointing down and arm in a stirring motion) and "anchor up" (arm raised and hand waving in a circle).

Of course, with a well developed and practiced "back up" set of hand signals, we don't need radios and don't have them. If we anchor at night, we use lights to show on our hands for the signals.

A note on YELLING. Yelling is a common experience for inexperienced teams working an anchor, especially couples. It's best to avoid it. But sometimes you have to raise your voice to be heard over wind and distance when someone is forty feet away from you and upwind. If you have to raise your voice to be heard...watch your choice of words and your tone.

Deciding on an anchorage is a strategic decision, but deciding where to drop in the anchorage is a tactical choice and you can’t make it before you arrive. Charts and cruising guides will help you plan, but you won't know how crowded the anchorage is or the day’s wind and weather until you show up.

You're looking for a spot which meets the criteria from above for an anchorage, but now you have to negotiate anchored boats, moorings that weren't on the charts, and other hazards.

The most important thing to remember when you pick a spot to drop anchor is that your boat will not end up where you drop the anchor . You will end up some distance downwind or down current of your anchor, and you will swing around the anchor as the wind and current change. The trick is getting good at estimating where you will end up.

With sufficient scope, your anchor rode will not point straight down, but will lie mostly on the bottom with only the catenary hanging off the bottom. Depending on your rode style, in normal conditions, the bow will end up some 60-80% of the amount of rode you have out from the anchor. The amount of rode you released plus the length of your boat is the most swing room you need for safety, but for politeness and comfort you will want to be at least a couple of more boat lengths from the next boat.

We've found that if we pick a spot in the middle of a line between the sterns of two well spaced boats and drop there, we settle out with good spacing. Remember, unless the wind drops to zero, boats with similar scope will swing the same way. If you're five boat lengths behind someone in a northerly, if the wind swings to the south, they will be about five boat lengths off your stern.

So don't be shy about asking how much scope your new neighbors have out and match them if you're comfortable.

There are multiple ways and schools of thought on how to drop your anchor, from those who free-fall it when still to those who drop while moving backwards. The end target should be the same: do not allow the chain to pile up on the bottom or on the anchor .

If you do that, you may have a hard time setting.

This procedure is how we do routine set - an easy to catch bottom in moderate winds and current in daylight. We'll get into some more advanced anchoring techniques for tricky bottoms and bad weather [in another article](). Feel free to adapt this to what works best for you and your crew, it’s only a starting place.

Using proper anchor scope

The key to a good anchor set is letting out the right amount of rode. You can't really have too much out, unless it's crowded and the extra might swing you into other boats or shallow water. But it's easy to not let out enough.

Anchoring depth

Your anchoring depth is not the reading on the depth sounder when you drop the hook. Your anchoring depth is the depth of the water at the highest tide where you anchor while you are there. In areas with tiny tides this makes little difference, but if you're dropping in eight feet of water at low tide in an area with a five foot swing, it will make an enormous difference in your scope calculations and you won’t have enough out at high tide.

Check a tide chart if it isn't high tide when you drop. You may need to estimate the tide from the time, or by looking at the shoreline for exposed rocks.

Most of the world has a twice daily tide cycle, with each tide running a little more than six hours from low to high, then six from high back to low. To estimate the high tide depth, take height of the nearest high tide and subtract the nearest low tide height. This is the "swing" of the tide.

Next, figure out how many hours you are from that high tide, then divide that by six. Multiply this number by the "swing" height and this is about how many feet your boat will rise from where you are now while you are dropping.

EXAMPLE: Depth Sounder Reads: 18 feet Next High Tide: +5.3 feet in 2 1/2 hours. Last Low Tide: +.5 feet (tide measurements are given in change from Mean Lower Low Water) Time to tide ÷ 6 = 2.5/6 = .417 Tide Swing = +5.3 - +.5 = 4.8 .417 x 4.8 = 2.0 ft.

So you can expect the depth to read about 20 feet at high tide, and this is the number used to calculate scope. While this is only an estimate, it's close enough to work with. But it won't hurt to always round the maximum depth up for safety.

The scope calculation

There's one other number we need to discuss in calculation - the bow height above the water. Depth for scope doesn't calculate from the surface of the water, we're concerned about the entire amount of mechanical advantage and leverage involved in pulling on the anchor, so we need to know where the anchor rode applies it load to the boat. That is at the bow, on the anchor roller, which is always a few feet above the water.

So the total depth you need to calculate scope is: Depth at High Tide + Bow Height from Water

The Bow Height is a one time measurement, which you should know for your boat. It's usually 4-6 feet, depending on the size of your boat. But ignoring it means if your scope is 7:1, you're letting out up to 42 feet less rode than you need for good holding.

Scope is the ratio of rode led out to the total depth (high tide + bow height) you're anchoring. 7:1 scope is seven times the depth, 5:1 scope is five times the depth, and so on.

All chain rodes can use less scope than rope/chain combinations, but it never hurts to use extra. We use 5:1 with our all chain rode for most normal, non-storm conditions for overnight anchoring. For rope/chain rodes, the recommendation is 7:1 .

EXAMPLE: Expected depth at high tide: 20 feet Bow Roller Height: 4 feet Total depth for scope calculation: 24 feet

So setting your scope at 7:1, you will need to let out 154 feet (24 x 7). For all chain, you can use 5:1 which is 120 feet (24 x 5).

Anchoring in Lakes and Rivers: if you are anchoring some place without tides, you can skip the tide swing estimation. Unless you're on a man-made lake with a dam, where they may raise and lower the water level! Check the dam management site for notes on any planned water height changes before you anchor. For non-tidal rivers, you rarely get depth changes. And the current will keep your bow pointing upriver, so motor up river to your drop spot and drift back to set. Tidal rivers may require two anchors, something a little too complex for this introductory article.

If you want to learn more advanced anchoring techniques, you can check our article on advanced anchoring techniques . There, I'll go over all kinds of different situations.

Try for a controlled drop

We prefer to pull our boat to a stop to where we want to drop, then lower the anchor as quickly as our windlass will allow. But we have an electric windlass, and if you're lowering by hand, you may not have so much control. So a few quick tips can help.

• Always try for a controlled drop. Don't just toss the anchor overboard and let the rope fly out, you'll have no way to deal with it if the rode bunches or tangles and goes overboard.
• If you have a rope rode, before you drop, pull it out and fake it out on the deck - lay it out on the deck so it's free of snarls and tangles and will flow freely. Tie the end to something sturdy.
• Dropping a rope rode by hand, wear gloves if you can so you can ease the drop and control it without rope burns.
• You can free fall an anchor by disengaging your windlass, but be ready to brake it if there is a problem.

To drop, we take the following steps. We approach our drop spot from downwind since the wind will slow us down and blow us back when we’re dropping.

• Idle upwind close to the point we want to drop, then drift to it in neutral.
• Signal the drop.
• Allow the boat to drift back as the anchor drops.
• Pay out limited rode until you reach 3:1 scope, then stop and allow the anchor to catch the bottom. If done right, this should make sure no chain piles up on the bottom.

The set is successful after a solid tug

Once you've reached step four, you're ready to finish the job. The person lowering the anchor should keep a hand or foot on the rode once you've hit step four, this with let them feel the anchor on the bottom. Any bumps as it drags without setting will come right through the rode, and they'll feel a solid tug when the anchor catches.

When we feel it a catch, we engage reverse in idle to tug on the anchor, just to make sure it's caught. Keep that foot on the rode and feel what's happening.

When it's caught well, put the engine in neutral and drift back to pay out the rest of the scope you need for the depth of water. When this is done, tie off the rode to a cleat or secure it, after which the helm should go into a hard reverse for ten or fifteen seconds to dig the anchor in tight.

Keep that foot on the rode to feel if the anchor drags or breaks out. Once you've backed down on the anchor for a good 10-30 seconds without popping it loose, you are set. Put the boat in neutral and tidy things up.

If you have an all chain rode, now is the time to attach your snubber(s) and ease out a little more chain to put the load on the snubber. You want the weight of the boat sitting on a cleat, not on your windlass. Your snubber should reach down almost to or even into the water, and shouldn't rub up against any chafe points.

For a rope/chain anchor, it's time to clean up the unused rode and make sure the bitter end is secure. When we used rope rodes, we did not leave them attached to the boat with the rode was in the locker, but you can do that if you have a spot. Otherwise, tie that bitter around something sturdy, just in case there's a problem. If you have to adjust the rode during the night, you don't want to lose if overboard if you drop it.

Tie it to a winch, or another cleat, or around the mast. Just make sure they it's not wrapped around anything you can damage if it pulls taught.

There are two kinds of anchor watch we always keep on board. The first is the "first hour" watch. Our rule is we wait at least an hour after anchoring before leaving the boat. This gives you time to make sure your set is solid while you tidy things up on board. More than once we've seen excited boaters come in, drop the hook, then lower the dinghy and be off to play within minutes. And more than once, we've had to deal with boats near us dragging right after they've been left.

Manual Watch

Get a hand bearing compass and a pad and pen, we're going this the old fashioned way first. Look on shore for some noticeable landmarks - extra tall trees, flag poles, impressive monuments and statuary, colored roofs - anything which is easy to spot and distinct. Bonus points if it has lights on it.

Next, pick three marks if you can, and take compass sightings on them. It's best if you sit in one spot to take the marks rather than move around the boat. Make note of the bearings.

As long as those bearings change little, you haven't moved. So during the first hour after you anchor, re-check those bearings several times.

You will get some small amount of change, especially in closer objects, but it shouldn’t be more than a degree or two. Your boat swings at anchor, of course. That's one reason you need a few marks.

If you find marks with distinctive lights on them, then you can repeat this check any time of day or night if you think you might be dragging.

Electronic Anchor Watches

The manual method of drag detection works, but has drawbacks. You must be awake to do it, and it requires an active action on your part. So it's less helpful if you want to get a good night’s sleep.

Most marine GPS units, chart plotters and many AIS units have a drag alarm function. There are several apps for phones and tablets on all platforms. Get one, and learn to use it.

The thing to remember about ANY electronic anchor alarm is most of them don't know where your anchor is, they only have GPS location, which is not over thhe anchor. A GPS in the stern of a big boat with 200' of scope out can swing through circle almost 500’ in diameter, and that will look like a dragging anchor to most drag alarms.

What you care about is if the anchor moves, not if the boat moves, because a boat at anchor is always moving. A better drag system allows you to estimate the anchor position. You can also set a watch on a handheld or your phone from the bow when you drop, and that will give you a good approximation of the anchor.

Most alarms work on a "drag radius" - if your boat moves out of that circle, it goes off. Learn to adjust this for your boat and your expected scope, and can spend a quiet night sleeping while your electronics stand by to wake you up before things get exciting.

If you're nervous about leaving your boat, install a drag app for a phone that will send a text alert or make a phone call if it detects dragging. Set that app to call another phone in your crew. Then leave the drag alarm phone on the boat, plugged into a charger, with the drag software running. You can enjoy dinner on land with less worry - your boat will call you if you may be having a problem!

Anchoring is a complex topic, with a lot of variables which go into getting your boat secure for the night. Questions are natural, and we've tried to anticipate a few for you.

What if I can't let out enough scope?

A 7:1 scope is a lot in a crowded anchorage. You may find when you show up on a summer holiday weekend that boats are packed in and lucky to get 5:1 out. If you come in and let out more, you will bump into boats. It is important to keep your anchor scope consistent with the surrounding boats, or you will have problems. However, if you can't let out enough scope to make yourself comfortable, you don't have a lot of options.

You can move to a different anchorage, or anchor on the outside of the anchorage where you can use more scope, though the water will be deeper. Or you can deal with the short scope for the stay and set your drag alarm on a smaller radius and keep a few fenders on deck for quick access if things get close.

How do I to tie the anchor to the boat?

Tie rope/chain anchors to a sturdy bow cleat with a cleat hitch, and secure the bitter end to something stout enough to hold the boat as a backup. I liked to tie a big bowline around the base of the mast, but a winch will work, too.

Chain rode should be snubbed, and the snubber tied to a cleat, but attach the bitter end to the boat. Most anchor lockers have a ring installed to attach the rode. We prefer a length of high modulus line like Vectran or Spectra to tie the last link to this ring, rather than hooking it with a metal shackle. You can use a shackle, but if you have to cut the rode in an emergency and it’s under load, you will need a metal cutting tool to get it off. The super strong Spectra line will cut with a knife.

Can I anchor a boat by myself?

Yes, you can, though you need to be quick on your feet unless you have windlass controls and a chain counter at the helm. The seven basic steps are the same, but you will have to approach your drop spot slowly and come to a near stop with the boat in neutral before you run up and drop the anchor.

You won't be able to feel the rode with your foot when you back down, so take it slow and let everything settle, and keep on eye on the GPS when you back down to see if you're moving once the rode is stretched.

Can I sail off my anchor?

Yes, you can. It's an advanced skill which is beyond this article to address, but it's a handy skill to have in case you ever have engine troubles. You need to get the boat moving up to the anchor to take the weight of the boat off your windlass, so use your main sail.

Can I anchor a boat with two anchors?

You don’t need two anchors often, and you shouldn't have two anchors out when boats around you do not, since they will not swing like you. Two anchors are a specialty application, such as anchoring in a tidal river, or in a strong, steady current, or with a stern anchor to keep the bow pointed in a set direction.

Should you drop anchor in a storm?

That depends where you are. If you are in the open ocean, you usually can't because it's too deep. If it's shallow enough to anchor, head for deeper water and away from land if you can't get to a safe harbor.

Find a protected anchorage and can get to it if you can, then dropping an anchor in sheltered waters is a good way to ride out a storm.

How do I anchor a boat in deep water/the ocean?

You can't anchor a boat at all in water deeper than your anchor rode; the anchor needs to touch the bottom! Since you need at least 3:1 scope for a temporary "lunch hook" set and more for an overnight, it's very hard to anchor in water deeper than about 1/4 the length or your rode. In an emergency, you can anchor with whatever scope slows you down, but anything less than 3:1 isn't restful and less than 4:1 you should not leave the boat unattended.

A "sea anchor" is not an anchor at all, it's a device like a parachute or scoop to slow your boat and keep it control in storm conditions. It does not stop the boat or secure it.

For more information, check out this article for more detail about anchoring in the ocean.

How big of an anchor do you need?

Anchor manufacturers publish tables of size and weight recommendations for different boat dimensions. The best recommendations have guides by boat weight and by length. Check both tables and choose the largest one which comes up. It's better to be a little too big unless you are hauling the anchor by hand.

Check our full guide to anchors and ground tackle and selecting an anchor for more details on sizing anchors.

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Coast Guard rescues three boaters from sinking vessel off Honolulu

Weather conditions off the honolulu harbor can vary, but generally, seas around 1-3 feet, outside of major weather features. the national weather service in honolulu had issued a small craft advisory for waters off some of the islands due to rough conditions, but the uscg did not say whether weather played any role in the boat’s sinking..

US Coast Guard rescues 3 people after vessel sinks off Honolulu

The Coast Guard successfully rescued three people from a sinking vessel approximately ten miles south of Honolulu Harbor on Thursday.

HONOLULU - The U.S. Coast Guard says it successfully rescued three boaters from a sinking vessel about ten miles south of Honolulu on Thursday.

Coast Guard Sector Honolulu initially received a report from the Honolulu Fire Department indicating that the 25-foot vessel named Ichiban was taking on water with three people aboard.

In response, both a Coast Guard MH-65 Dolphin helicopter and a 45-foot rapid response boat were deployed to the scene.

Upon arrival, the helicopter crew determined that the boat was quickly taking on water and that the safest course of action was to hoist all occupants from the boat.

"We are grateful that we were able to get on scene quickly and safely recover the three individuals before the situation became more dire," Cmdr. Kristin Hahn, the search and rescue mission coordinator, said in a statement. "This case highlights the importance of having the right emergency equipment aboard and the critical role of partnerships with local agencies like the Honolulu Fire Department." 

VIDEO: HAWAII’S KILAUEA VOLCANO ERUPTS, SENDING LAVA FLOWING THROUGH NATIONAL PARK

Coast Guard rescues three souls from a sinking vessel near Honolulu.

(USCG / FOX Weather)

Photos released by the agency showed the boaters thanking rescuers after being returned to a nearby air station.

The agency believes the vessel is now completely submerged and is likely sitting at a depth of more than 400 feet in the Pacific Ocean .

Due to its depth, it is unlikely that any salvage efforts will take place, but there remain some environmental concerns that fuels and other oils could slowly be released south of the island of Oahu.

HAWAII TOURIST BITTEN BY SHARK DAY AFTER ACTOR TAMAYO PERRY’S DEADLY SHARK ATTACK

The Coast Guard did not indicate whether the weather played a role in the boat’s sinking. 

Weather conditions off Honolulu Harbor can vary, but generally, seas are around 1-3 feet, except during major weather systems. 

The National Weather Service in Honolulu had issued a Small Craft Advisory for waters off some of the islands due to rough conditions.

Hawaii map for Small Craft Advisories

Winds were expected to reach up to 30 mph in some offshore waters, and the NWS advised, "Inexperienced mariners, especially those operating smaller vessels, should avoid navigating in these conditions."

The USCG reminded all boaters to ensure their vessels are equipped with essential safety gear, including life jackets, emergency beacons and other communication devices.

• Weather News

Boat Games for Kids and Babies 4+

Fun games for boys and girls, amaya soft mchj, designed for ipad.

• 4.6 • 1.4K Ratings
• Offers In-App Purchases

Screenshots

Description.

From a pirate ship and small fishing boat to a fancy speedboat and big submarine — choose any vessel you like and embark on an exciting journey! Ahoy, Captain! Explore the high seas with our app – come aboard, raise the anchor, and set sail. Let your child become a fearless Viking, a jolly pirate, or a sea racer! Choose from a wide range of sea transport: - a pirate ship - a steamboat - a monster submarine - Superman's motorboat - a canoe - a speedboat - a Chinese ship - a fishing boat - and other fantastic vessels! Find wonderful locations lost in the uncharted waters! You can reach different destinations: - a medieval castle - a modern city - a village in the woods - a Native American settlement - a secret pirate bay! Meet the brave captain Raccoon and other adorable characters to make the boat journey unforgettable! Enjoy cute animations and feel the breeze in your hair as you listen to the sounds of the sea. The lively music will keep you inspired through the voyage! We developed a bright, kid-friendly interface, making the gameplay fascinating yet simple for even the youngest sailors. No Wi-Fi connection is needed, so you can enjoy refreshing sea adventures on long car drives and waiting in line. Access 20+ educational apps for kids with an Amaya Plus subscription! Ignite your child's imagination and develop their essential skills with our game collection. Play offline, anytime, anywhere. Connect up to 3 devices for seamless fun. Join now and embark on an exciting learning journey for your little ones! We love to make kids happy, and we also like to read your emails! If you need help, have questions, or want to say “hi,” please get in touch at [email protected] Terms of Use: http://amayakids.com/terms.html

Version 3.1.1

Discover a smooth, bug-free adventure with our latest update. We value your input, so don't forget to share your feedback and help us make this app even more amazing!

Ratings and Reviews

1.4K Ratings

Mom of a 4 year old boy

My child seems to like the game but most of the game is locked without a purchase so I don’t see it keeping his attention long.

Developer Response ,

Thank you for your review. We constantly work on improving our apps and your feedback is the best source to learn.

My little brother is so focused on this amazing game then sometimes he forgets his needs to use the bathroom😜🥰

So glad to hear that you liked our app. Your review made our day! Please check out more interesting apps for kids on our website.😊

Up sell doesn’t stop

Even after buying a full pack for $7.99, the app continues to push more and more offers. No way to shield my 4-year-old from the ads and the locks. My advice: stay away, these games are not worth it.

Hi. Thank you for purchasing the full version of our app and for your review! We apologize for the inconvenience caused. Indeed, sometimes we promote our own apps, but never - during the gaming process itself.

App Privacy

The developer, Amaya Soft MChJ , indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy .

Data Not Linked to You

The following data may be collected but it is not linked to your identity:

• Contact Info
• Identifiers
• Diagnostics

Privacy practices may vary, for example, based on the features you use or your age. Learn More

Information

English, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish

• Full Version $7.99
• Amaya Plus Subscription: Month $9.99
• Standart Boats & Ships $2.99
• Amaya Plus Lifetime: Sale $29.99
• Pirate pack $2.99
• Industrial pack $2.99
• Transformer pack $2.99
• Amaya Plus Subscription: Year $39.99
• SuperHero pack $2.99
• Amaya Plus Lifetime $79.99
• Developer Website
• App Support
• Privacy Policy

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Greek Coast Guard chases boat close to Turkish coast in a potential diplomatic incident

A Greek Coast Guard boat's pursuit of an inflatable dinghy to within a few dozen yards of the Turkish coast threatens a diplomatic incident between the neighbors

ISTANBUL -- A Greek Coast Guard boat chased an inflatable dinghy to within a few dozen meters of the Turkish coast Friday, local media reported, threatening a diplomatic incident between the neighbors.

Turkish news website Bodrum Kent TV published a video it said showed the Greek vessel chasing the Zodiac-style dinghy — thought to be linked to people trafficking — in Turkish territorial waters at Akcabuk Bay, near Bodrum, southwest Turkey.

The inflatable boat, reportedly carrying one person, landed in front of a holiday complex as the Greek boat abruptly gave up its pursuit and sped away from the Turkish shore.

“Our assigned Coast Guard elements immediately arrived at the scene of the incident and it was determined that the Greek Coast Guard element quickly returned to its own territorial waters,” the Turkish Coast Guard said in a statement. “Search efforts initiated to find the person who escaped into the forest area and is considered to be a migrant smuggler are continuing.”

The Greek Coast Guard confirmed that a patrol boat had been chasing a smuggling speedboat in the area but could not confirm that the pursuit continued into Turkish waters.

Turkey’s west coast is a regular launch point for vessels carrying refugees trying to reach nearby Greek islands. The Greek island of Kos lies some 6 kilometers (4 miles) from where the incident took place Friday morning.

The Greek Coast Guard often intercepts people trafficking boats. Ankara has accused Greece of forcing such vessels back into Turkish waters.

“I was surprised when I saw a Greek Coast Guard boat enter Akcabuk Bay ... When I looked carefully, I saw that it was chasing a boat, then it suddenly turned back and left the bay,” the Sozcu newspaper quoted eyewitness Cemre Ozdemir Pekoglu as saying.

Territorial claims in the eastern Mediterranean and Aegean Seas are a frequent cause of tension between Greece and Turkey, which have come close to war three times in the past half-century.

In 2021, Turkish and Greek warships shadowed each other and briefly collided during a heated dispute over exploration rights to potential offshore energy reserves.

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Boat crashes into breakwater metres away from woman

A man was treated by paramedics

• 21:14, 17 SEP 2024

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A man had to be treated by paramedics after a motorboat crashed into a breakwater. An air ambulance landed at Mount Batten this afternoon after the boat dramatically ran aground just metres from where a woman was sitting.

Eyewitnesses say the vessel left Sutton Harbour this afternoon (Tuesday, September 17), appearing to intend to sail around Mount Batten. However, it was later photographed aground at the breakwater.

Plymouth Coastguard Rescue Team and the RNLI were called to the incident at around 2.50pm today. A spokesperson for HM Coastguard told PlymouthLive that a vessel was reported to have run aground at the Mount Batten breakwater.

An eyewitness said he and his wife saw the motorboat heading out of Sutton Harbour through the turntable bridge. "From there it was heading towards Mount Batten breakwater, presumably to go past it, to head on out," they said.

"After a couple of minutes a pilot boat tied up and two guys got off, jumped into a twin engine boat and with great haste, went chasing off in the same direction. By the time we walked up to Dutton's Cafe, the motor boat was already on the rocks."

Another witness said: "My daughter has just witnessed a boat crash into the rocks four meters away from her."

South Western Ambulance Service vehicles were seen in the area and video footage also shows a helicopter from Devon Air Ambulance landing. One man was taken into the care of paramedics, but it is unclear if he was then taken to hospital.

A spokesperson for HM Coastguard said: "HM Coastguard coordinated the response to a motor vessel reported to have gone aground at the Mount Batten breakwater, Plymouth, at about 2.50pm on 17 September.

"The vessel was moved to a pontoon where the man was taken into the care of the South Western Ambulance Service. Plymouth Coastguard Rescue Team and the RNLI's inshore lifeboat from Plymouth attended."

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