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

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, which 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 or plow 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 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, introduced in 1939 – only 6 years after the CQR – by R.D. Ogg and R.S. Danforth.

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, and are generally preferred over Bruce, Britany, Luke and Davies anchors.
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 innovative Spade anchor - an acronym for the French Societé de Production d'Accastillage et Divers Equipements, which is an auspicious design that (re)sets really easy, self-launches off the bracket.

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 product with mixed results - a fiercely 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.

Old fashioned anchor at Monemvasia, Argolic, Greece. — **Rock anchor** – not a “rock anchor”, but rather an
old fashioned anchor - **Monemvasia, Argolic Gulf**.

**Stone anchor • archaeological find Cyclades** – these were used during the Middle and Late Bronze Age around the Eastern Mediterranean. Goulandris Foundation Museum of Cycladic Art, Athens, Coll. no. 1139.

Historical anchor evolution

Evolution of ancient stone and wooden anchors — **Anchor evolution** – Sketches 1-7, 10 and 11 represent archaeological and ethnological artifacts; the anchor form 8 is hypothetic and 9 is a reconstruction.

Evolution of the anchor.