BoatingOnly.com

Great Anchors vs. Dead Weights
By Dean Travis Clarke

Photo By: Ethan Long

...You won't find anyone but the U.S. Navy using the quintessential old-fashioned Navy anchor. You know the one -- like on Popeye's forearm. Many boaters use whatever anchor is available to them without giving it much thought. But all anchors are not the same. In recreational boating, you'll likely run across five main styles.

...Though the standard fluke anchor (commonly referred to by the brand names Danforth and Fortress) works in most cases, other types may be better for certain situations. Some boaters feel compelled to use fluke anchors because the hangers in the anchor lockers of most boats are designed for flukes. I've also found most hangers aren't big enough to handle the proper-size anchor for the boat. Size recommendations can be found at fortressanchors.com.

Fluke Anchors
... These versions from Fortress and Danforth have become the most common anchors in America. They can be lightweight yet have inordinate holding power in mud or sand. However, they provide poor holding ability on gravel, coral, rocky, grassy or clay bottoms.

Plow Anchor
... Plow anchors do a better job than fluke anchors of holding in a wide variety of bottom compositions. Sand, pebble, rock, grass and kelp bottoms offer no challenge for a plow. You'll find many different styles of plow, some with hinged stocks and some with "wings." The disadvantage is that they're more awkward to stow when not in an anchor roller.

Grappling Anchor
... You've seen spies toss grappling hooks to the tops of walls and then start climbing. In anchor form, they grab onto awkward surfaces on the bottom, like rocks, coral and wrecks. With that said, be advised that anchoring on coral with any type of anchor can destroy the coral. It's always better to anchor next to it rather than on it. Try to find a sandy patch, and use your fluke or plow.

Mushroom Anchor
...Mushrooms work well for small boats that want to stop briefly for lunch. Don't bother using one for any application other than a temporary hold over a muddy or grassy bottom. The only advantage a mushroom has over a concrete block is that the mushroom is usually coated with rubber and won't scratch the boat or compartment. Big mushrooms for years have been the anchors of choice for permanent moorings. But that's only when they're professionally affixed to the bottom and properly dug in. And in recent years a better anchor for this application has been gaining popularity -- the helix.

Helix Anchor
... For permanent moorings, a helix anchor can't be beat. Usually "sunk" by a diver, these metal bars with wide "screw threads" literally screw into the bottom. Their advantages over mushrooms include cost, size, weight and holding power. That's why I say they can't be beat.

TAKING IT TO THE BANK
... Anchoring in a slip or along a beach is a breeze and a great on-water experience. But what if the only location you can find has a steep bank with no sand -- just rocks, dirt and trees? How would you comfortably set up for the night?

...Look along the shoreline. Does it appear that erosion has taken its toll, causing the bank to fall into the water? If so, then anchor somewhere else. If not, you have two choices for secure anchoring: using what nature provides and using a helix anchor.

...Either way, be sure you drop your anchor outside any channel. After the anchor has a bite, back toward the shore. Then tie a dock line to a tree, leaving enough slack to pull your boat away from the shore using your anchor line. No trees? Try screwing a helix anchor into the bank far enough to get a purchase, then tie off to that.

...If there are currents, it's best to position the boat parallel to the shore with the bow going into the current. You can adjust the direction the bow points by tying a loop around the anchor line with the end of a dock line. Tie the other end of the dock line to a stern cleat. You can move the bow either direction by tightening or loosening the dock line.

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