{"id":11930,"date":"2020-08-19T13:20:45","date_gmt":"2020-08-19T13:20:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.boatgeardirect.co.uk\/?page_id=11930"},"modified":"2021-06-04T15:02:05","modified_gmt":"2021-06-04T15:02:05","slug":"yacht-anchors-explained","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.boatgeardirect.co.uk\/yacht-anchors-explained\/","title":{"rendered":"Yacht Anchors Explained"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
The answer is a very big NO!<\/strong> – There are probably well over one hundred different variations, with new types or designs of anchor appearing almost every year, it is noticeable that these are invariably intended for use within the leisure marine market, commercial users prefer to use anchor designs that have been tried and tested over many years.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t The first anchors were probably used shortly after boats (logs) were originally launched. The earliest anchors were probably rocks attached by woven barks or vines, rock anchors have been found dating from before the Bronze Age. Pre-European Maori (canoes) used hollowed stones, tied with flax ropes, as anchors. Many modern moorings still rely on a large rock as the primary element of their design. However, using pure weight as an anchor to resist the forces of wind and tide only works as a permanent mooring, something differ- ent was needed to provide a portable anchor. Early mariners used baskets of stones or sacks filled with sand, which although portable, still used weight as the holding force.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t Iron \u2018Admiralty Anchors\u2019 which initially incorporated wood within the stock were eventually introduced for use on Royal Navy ships. Various improvements were made over the years until it resembled what we would now call a \u2018Fishermans Anchor\u2019.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t The first Stockless Anchor, originally (Patent Anchor) was patented in England in 1821, it came into wide use principally because of its ease of handling and stowing. The crown, arms, and flukes of a stockless anchor are cast in one piece and can pivot slightly from side to side on the shank. The flukes are long and heavy, and have projecting shoulders at their base that catch on the seabed. As more drag is exerted the shoulders force the flukes downward into the bottom. Stockless anchors have replaced the older stock anchor on most of the large ships of the world. There are now many types of stockless anchors.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t Choosing the right type of anchor for a boat is arguably one of the least understood parts of seamanship. If buying a new vessel the manufacturer will generally fit the anchor type of the new owners choice but at additional cost, the manufacturer will advise the correct size of anchor. The original anchor may or may not be the best type or weight of anchor for the use intended by the next owner.<\/p> An experienced sailor knows that safe boat anchoring requires the right equipment, local seabed knowledge and careful choice of the correct place to drop anchor, all of which can lead to confusion when trying to make a decision on which anchor is best to use.<\/p> Another point to consider is where and when you are going use the boat, the owner who is only going to moor to have lunch may not need the same type of anchor as the sailor who intends to cruise the oceans of the world.<\/p> If you choose the wrong anchor, there is a good chance that your boat could drift into shipping channels, collide with other boats, drift ashore while you are asleep or at the very least give you some anxious moments. Some anchors can be expensive, paying a lot of money doesn\u2019t mean that you have the correct anchor, instead of taking the risk it\u2019s a far better idea to invest some time to find out which anchor is the most suitable to use relative to your particular requirements. If in doubt, ask those who are experienced in the area. Always remember that whatever type of anchor you use, bigger is always best. The most important factor should be the seabed, an anchor that looks nice and stows well but doesn\u2019t hold the seabed is useless for anything other than an ornament.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t There are several different types of anchor available to choose from, most experienced cruising yachtsmen will advise that you need two types on board to give an alternative anchor option should one not hold in a particular seabed, to reduce swing in a crowded harbour or in adverse weather conditions to hold the boat in position. Generally, as wind speed doubles the force on the boat increases by four, and two anchors may be required to keep the boat on station.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t We stock more types and sizes than any other company in the UK. On a recent visit the C.E.O. of one of the larger UK leisure equipment manufacturers said \u2018I\u2019ve never seen so many anchors in the same place\u2019!<\/p> Our stock ranges from purpose designed Permanent Mooring Anchors through to Folding Anchors for dinghies and inflatables. Some of these are described as \u2018type\u2019 versions which generally means that they are faithful copies of the original, however, we also try to stock the original version where possible.<\/p> Despite distributors being reluctant to disclose the origin of their anchors we can say that with only one known exception the are probably all manufactured in the far east.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t The original Bruce Anchor has not been produced for the small boat market since 2007, at this time the patent expired and opened the market to many copies. The Bruce Anchor Group now specialises in the manufacturer of large scale commercial mooring anchors, for oil and gas rigs. After Bruce left the small anchor market, a number of other manufacturers have come forward to fill the void with anchors of the same style and characteristics.<\/p> Originally designed in the early 1970s by Peter Bruce, the design was based on his other large-scale commercial anchors for fixed installations such as oil rigs and drilling platforms. The original Bruce Anchor and its copies have a large following among boaters. Because of to its simple construction, the Bruce anchor is relatively inexpensive when compared to other types of anchors. Having the shape of a large open claw, the design intention is to allow the anchor to fall in any direction when it touches the bottom and still be able to set properly. They are available in Hot Dip Galvanised Steel and Grade 316 Stainless Steel.<\/p> EYE \/ BGD stock Bruce type Anchors from 5 to 50 kgs<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t An American named Richard Danforth invented the Danforth Anchor in the 1940s for use aboard landing craft. It uses a stock at the crown to which two large flat triangular flukes are attached. The stock is hinged so the flukes can orient at about 30 degrees toward the bottom. Tripping palms at the crown act to tip the flukes into the seabed. The Danforth anchor is designed to bury its large flukes into the bottom giving good holding power in relation to the anchor size. Its lightweight and compact flat design make it easy to retrieve and relatively simple to store which is why it is particularly popular with canal cruisers.<\/p> EYE\/BGD stock Danforth Anchors from 1.5 to 40 kgs<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\tAdmiralty Anchors<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
Stockless Anchor<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
What is the right type of anchor for my boat?<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
Types and Categories of Anchors<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
Anchors at EYE Marine Ltd \/ Boat Gear Direct<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
Bruce - Trefoil - Claw Anchor<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
Danforth Anchor - Cruising Anchor<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t