Types of Anchors

2023-11-01

The anchor is equivalent to the hand brake in the car for the ship, and is an indispensable equipment to ensure the safety of the ship. Anchors are mainly composed of anchor crowns, pins, anchor claws, anchor handles, anchor rods (also called crossbars or stabilizer rods) and anchor shackles.

There are many types of anchors, but it is important to note that not all anchors are suitable for ships. Some anchors are designed for larger vessels, while others are designed for smaller vessels.

Most popular boat anchor:

Danforth /Fluke Anchor

Folding Grapnel Anchor

Plow /Delta Anchor

Claw /Bruce Anchor

Danforth /Fluke Anchor

This style of anchor is a good choice for smaller boats because it folds flat and is easy to stow, and has great holding power for its weight. Its wide, sharp flukes sink into sand and hard-mud bottoms, but are less effective in deep mud or a grassy bottom. If the wind shifts and boat drifts over the anchor and then in the opposite direction from which it was set, a Danforth anchor can pull free.

Folding Grapnel Anchor

Shaped like a grappling hook, this anchor has multiple tines or points, and is designed to grab onto structure on the bottom—such as rocks or submerged timber—rather than sink into the bottom. The tines usually fold up along the shank so that the anchor is more compact for stowage. On some models the tines are designed to bend to make it easier to retrieve the anchor if it becomes snagged on bottom structure. The tines can them be bent back into shape. Grapnel anchors are available in many sizes, including very small models for jon boats, skiffs or small boats, like kayaks.

Plow /Delta Anchor

A plow anchor is a little more cumbersome than a Danforth, and is a good choice if the anchor is secured on a bow roller rather than in an anchor locker in the boat. A plow anchor has a single penetrating point and is more likely to reset itself if boat position changes. It can be more effective than the Danforth in light grass, has the strength to hold in a rocky bottom if it gets a good grip, and does well in soft bottoms.

Claw /Bruce Anchor

This non-folding anchor is similar to the plow anchor, but has a broader scoop shape that works well in mud, clay or sandy bottoms. These anchors are also strong enough to hold on a rocky bottom. A claw anchor will re-set quickly if the wind changes. It may not work well on a very hard bottom, or in thick vegetation, both challenging for all types of anchors. This anchor is also best-suited to installation with a bow roller or windlass.

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