Anchors
Just as boats come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, so do anchors. Choosing an anchor is easy, choosing the right one for your boat can be very difficult. Your first task in choosing an anchor is to have an understanding of three things:
- Your boat – Your boat’s size, weight and design characteristics affect what kind of anchor you will need. For instance, a 30 foot 10,000 pound houseboat needs a larger anchor than a 30 foot 6,000 pound speedboat.
- Where you’re going – Where you plan to anchor often dictates what type of anchor you should use. Is the bottom rock, or is it mud? If you are not familiar with the area, ask around or look at a local chart.
- Local conditions – Anchoring in a calm protected cove can be quite different than anchoring offshore or on a large open bay. And don’t forget the weather–high winds, tides and waves can all make anchoring difficult, if not impossible.
The Plow styles good holding power over a wide variety of bottom types which makes it the top choice of cruising boaters. The Plow has either a fixed Delta Style or a pivoting CQR shank.
Grapnels are typically inexpensive with not much holding power. Some models are made of bent re-bar, others are made of galvanized metal and have folding flukes. Good for recovering items on the bottom or for wreck reef anchoring. Commonly used on very small boats such as canoes or jon boats.