Anchors

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Anchors and anchor parts
The anchor parts

The shank is the stem of the anchor in which direction is

pulled to set (bury) the anchor.
The crown connects the various parts of the modern
anchor.
The stock turns the anchor into an attitude that enables
the flukes to dig into the sea bed.
The tripping ring is used for the optional tripping line: by
pulling the tripping line, the anchor will break out.
The flukes will be buried into the seabed. The very tip of a
fluke is sometimes called the bill.

Four anchors for sailing yachts

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Criteria for anchor selection

reliability to set
holding power
ability to withstand veering (i.e. resetting qualities)
susceptibility to damage

Bruce anchor

Despite failing most authoritative anchor

tests, the Bruce anchor is still quite popular, mainly
because it is so easy to set. It won't penetrate deep so this
anchor is not recommended for anchoring at night of above
6 Bft. The Bruce - and other similar “claw” anchors - are
ideal though for a short lunch stop.
CQR anchor

Definitely one of the best anchors around

the stockless CQR does wonders in mud or sand. This
“plow” anchor was patented in 1933 by Sir Geoffrey Taylor.
The CQR generally penetrates better into weeds and
grasses than the Danforth type anchors, it resets easily
and the hinge allows about 75° of sideways motion (each
side).
Delta anchor

The Delta anchor is a variation on the CQR

by the same manufacturer: the principal difference is the
fixed shank without the hinge, which shape is also altered

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to allow the anchor to deploy automatically from the bow
roller. The flukes are improved as well.
Danforth anchor

This anchor type is the storm-anchor par

excellence . It has a low weight and incredible holding
power according to nearly all safety tests. Preferred anchor
in easy penetrable seabeds except very fine sand, though
there are ill-performing forgeries around that only look like
a Danforth. Among all the Danforth-like anchors the
“Performance anchor” and the “Fortress anchor” is by far
the best version a yachtsman can buy . Some Danforths
let you change the angle between flukes and shank.

Other anchor types

Besides these four there are of course other interesting
anchors, notably the recent Spade anchor - an acronym

for the French Societé de Production

d'Accastillage et Divers Equipements, which is an
auspicious design .
Other promising anchors are the Max anchor (soft mud),
the triple fluked Bulwagga (dense weeds penetration),
and the German designed Bügel.
The Rocna, the Bügel-like anchor shown here on the right,
is a very recent product with mixed results - a fiercely

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hyped marketing campaign claims otherwise…

Special anchors and aids

Hook-like “rock anchors” can be used to connect your
yacht directly to the rocks above the water.
Helical “screw anchors” or “beach anchors” are specially
designed to be manually screwed down in the sandy
seabed of shallow waters or on a nearby beach, as is often
done in Greece and Turkey.

Not a “rock anchor” but rather an

old fashioned anchor - Monemvasia, Argolic Gulf.

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