Most boats would benefit from upgrading to a better anchor for a multitude of reasons. We review 8 of the best anchors on the market right now
A good ground tackle and understanding of how to anchor properly opens up the possibility of overnighting in stunning bays and coves, away from expensive marinas and expensive harbor anchorages. And choosing the best anchors is also essential in terms of safety, as you might need them to keep you clear of a leeward shore in the event of an engine failure.
However, unless your boat’s anchor has recently been upgraded, chances are it is 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 over the last 20 years, leading classification societies such as Lloyds to add a new category of Super High Holding Power certification for these anchors in 2008.
Most of the best anchors far exceed the requirements for this.
These advances in anchor technology and different types of anchors mean that older boats will not have been fitted with what we would now consider decent grounding gear when new.
This is also true for most ships built in the last 20 years. Until recently, the latest generation of anchors were relatively expensive and therefore usually only fitted as standard equipment on very high quality yachts.
Today’s various brands of super 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 similar to the shape of a shovel. This digs more firmly into the seabed without tending to act like a plow when under load.
Another important aspect to look for in a good anchor is tip weight, as loading as much weight as possible here is a massive help in allowing it to penetrate weeds and other types of difficult seabed.
Typical new generation anchors have 35-45% of their weight on the tip. Some also have roll bars that prevent the anchor from landing on the seabed upside down.
Whichever anchor you choose, beware of cheap unbranded copies. These rarely have the precise geometry needed to maximize holding power. Some are also poorly molded and therefore weaker than the original design.
7 of the Best Anchors on the Market Right Now
Rocna
It was one of the first of the new generation of ultra high holding power anchors and quickly gained great success, despite an initially high price.
The Rocna is well designed and has an excellent reputation for digging quickly and easily. Once set, it offers excellent hold.
A roll bar is incorporated, but a downside of Rocnas is that they don’t fit neatly on all bow rollers.
To solve this problem, the company developed the Vulcan series, which has no roll bar and is designed to fit a wider range of bow rollers.
Buy a Rocna Vulcan on Amazon.co.uk
Buy a Rocna Vulcan Stainless Steel from Amazon.com
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Lewmar Epsilon
The latest model from this British company offers the benefits of a new generation anchor at very attractive prices.
It has a winged design with concave staves to maximize holding power in a variety of seabeds, a weighted tip that allows it to sink easily, and self-righting, although the roll bar is optional.
The Epsilon is intended as a direct replacement for Lewmar’s long life plow style Delta anchor.
Although the Epsilon’s stem is proportionately shorter, both models share the same basic stem geometry. Therefore, if a Delta fits your davit, an Epsilon will also fit.
fortress anchor
This aluminum anchor is an older design dating back over 30 years, but still has a number of advantages that make it an excellent choice in certain circumstances.
Its biggest feature is its very light weight compared to the holding power provided by the anchor. This makes it a perfect option for performance catamarans and trimarans, as well as for small fast motorboats.
The main disadvantage, however, is that the holding power is achieved through the area of the flukes, not the weight of the anchor. This means it is physically larger than other anchors, although it separates like the Spade for easier storage.
An interesting feature is that the angle of the flukes can be changed to suit different types of seabed.
Spade
This is another popular modern anchor, but with one important difference from other brands.
The hollow stem can be removed for easy storage. This makes it an excellent choice for racing yachts and other vessels that do not permanently keep the anchor on the bow, or for occasional use as a kedge.
There is no roll bar, but the tip loading is almost 50% of the total weight, which helps it sink in and set down quickly.
The main disadvantage of the Spade is its cost – it is more complex to manufacture than other models, so the price is relatively high.
Buy it now at Jimmy Green Marine
Knox anchor
Professor John Knox spent much of his spare time researching loads on anchors and rodes.
His work in this area over a period of 20 years has contributed immensely to our understanding of anchoring and the specific causes of anchor slippage or breakage.
It also led him to develop his own anchor design which would offer significantly better performance over popular models of the time. It was therefore one of the first models of the new generation.
The Knox anchor has a patented split lug with sharp edges placed at an angle that allows it to dig quickly and efficiently into the seabed.
It is equipped with a roll bar and, while the shaft is made of the strongest tensile steel available.
Bugel
The Bügel was one of the very first new generation anchors and quickly set a new benchmark in the industry.
It has a flat lug with a lower surface area than later models, plus a roll bar and thick plate shank.
This makes it a relatively inexpensive anchor, which is undoubtedly a key factor in its enormous popularity, even though newer products offer higher holding strength.
Supreme Manson
It 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 stave and relies on a roll bar, rather than a weighted tip, to straighten.
The upper slot of the stem is intended for use in rocky seabed, or anchoring in the coral. The idea is that if the anchor gets stuck, the rod can be slid to the rod end of the slot, allowing the anchor to be retrieved without using a trip line.
The shape of the anchor is designed to fit all conventional anchor rollers.
Buy it now at Marinesuperstore.com
Ultra Anchor
Read Yachting Monthly’s Ultra Anchor review
Our sister title Yachting Monthly recently tested Ultra Marine’s new Ultra Anchor 12kg for several nights at anchor.
Editor Theo Stocker said: ‘I was impressed with how quickly the anchor set in.
“While our normal 10kg Bruce anchor can struggle in soft sand and weeds, the Ultra anchor buried itself almost completely and refused to drag.
“The performance of the Ultra more than meets the manufacturer’s promises, as it is comparable to other stainless steel anchors,” he concluded.
