Editing Anchor (section)

== Small boat anchors ==
Until the mid-20th century, anchors for smaller vessels were either scaled-down versions of admiralty anchors, or simple [[grapnels]]. As new designs with greater holding-power-to-weight ratios were sought, a great variety of anchor designs have emerged. Many of these designs are still under patent, and other types are best known by their original trademarked names.

=== Grapnel anchor / drag{{anchor|grapnel}} ===
[[File:Grapnel anchor in West Bengal.jpg|thumb|left|A grapnel anchor]]
A traditional design, the grapnel is merely a shank (no stock) with four or more tines, also known as a ''drag''. It has a benefit in that, no matter how it reaches the bottom, one or more tines are aimed to set. In coral, or rock, it is often able to set quickly by hooking into the structure, but may be more difficult to retrieve. A grapnel is often quite light, and may have additional uses as a tool to recover gear lost overboard. Its weight also makes it relatively easy to move and carry, however its shape is generally not compact and it may be awkward to stow unless a collapsing model is used.

Grapnels rarely have enough fluke area to develop much hold in sand, clay, or mud. It is not unknown for the anchor to foul on its own rode, or to foul the tines with refuse from the bottom, preventing it from digging in. On the other hand, it is quite possible for this anchor to find such a good hook that, without a trip line from the crown, it is impossible to retrieve.<ref>{{cite web|title=Grapnel anchor|url=https://aceboater.com/en/grapnel-anchor|website=AceBoater.com|access-date=18 May 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=How to Choose the Right Boat Anchor Types – Active Fisherman|url=https://www.activefisherman.com/choose-right-boat-anchor-types.html|website=Active Fisherman|access-date=18 May 2016|date=2 January 2015}}</ref>

=== Herreshoff anchor ===
Designed by yacht designer [[Lewis Francis Herreshoff|L. Francis Herreshoff]], this is essentially the same pattern as an admiralty anchor, albeit with small diamond-shaped flukes or palms. The novelty of the design lay in the means by which it could be broken down into three pieces for stowage. In use, it still presents all the issues of the admiralty pattern anchor.

=== Northill anchor ===
Originally designed as a lightweight anchor for seaplanes, this design consists of two plough-like blades mounted to a shank, with a folding stock crossing through the crown of the anchor.

=== CQR plough anchor ===
[[File:Genuine CQR.jpg|thumb|right|A CQR plough anchor]]
Many manufacturers produce a plough-type anchor, so-named after its resemblance to an agricultural [[plough]]. All such anchors are copied from the original CQR (''Coastal Quick Release'', or ''Clyde Quick Release'', later rebranded as 'secure' by Lewmar), a 1933 design patented in the UK by mathematician [[Geoffrey Ingram Taylor]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Taylor, G. I. |author-link=Geoffrey Ingram Taylor |year=1974 |title=The history of an invention |journal=Bulletin of the Institute of Mathematics and Its Applications |volume=10 |pages=367–368}} Cited by {{cite journal|author=Batchelor, G. K.|title=Geoffrey Ingram Taylor, 7 March 1886 – 27 June 1975|year=1986|journal=Journal of Fluid Mechanics|volume=173|pages=1–14|doi=10.1017/S0022112086001040|bibcode=1986JFM...173....1B|s2cid=123337875 }}</ref><ref>A US patent followed in 1934 {{cite patent
 | country = US
 | number = 1974933
 | status = patent
 | title = Anchor
 | gdate = 1934-09-25
 | fdate = 1934-02-28
 | inventor = G. I. Taylor
 | invent1 = Taylor, Geoffrey Ingram
}}</ref>

Plough anchors stow conveniently in a roller at the bow, and have been popular with cruising sailors and private boaters. Ploughs can be moderately good in all types of seafloor, though not exceptional in any. Contrary to popular belief, the CQR's hinged shank is not to allow the anchor to turn with direction changes rather than breaking out, but actually to prevent the shank's weight from disrupting the fluke's orientation while setting.<ref>{{Cite web |title=cqr-plow-anchor-us-patent-1934 |url=http://www.petersmith.net.nz/boat-anchors/docs/cqr-plow-anchor-us-patent-1934.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/http://www.petersmith.net.nz/boat-anchors/docs/cqr-plow-anchor-us-patent-1934.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-09 |url-status=live}}</ref> The hinge can wear out and may trap a sailor's fingers. Some later plough anchors have a rigid shank, such as the Lewmar's "Delta".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.lewmar.com/node/11594|title=Delta® Anchors – Stainless steel &#124; Lewmar|website=www.lewmar.com}}</ref>

A plough anchor has a fundamental flaw: like its namesake, the agricultural plough, it digs in but then tends to break out back to the surface. Plough anchors sometimes have difficulty setting at all, and instead skip across the seafloor. By contrast, modern efficient anchors tend to be "scoop" types that dig ever deeper.

=== Delta anchor ===
The Delta anchor was derived from the CQR. It was patented by Philip McCarron, James Stewart, and Gordon Lyall of British marine manufacturer Simpson-Lawrence Ltd in 1992. It was designed as an advance over the anchors used for floating systems such as oil rigs. It retains the weighted tip of the CQR but has a much higher fluke area to weight ratio than its predecessor. The designers also eliminated the sometimes troublesome hinge. It is a plough anchor with a rigid, arched shank. It is described as ''self-launching'' because it can be dropped from a bow roller simply by paying out the rode, without manual assistance. This is an oft copied design with the European Brake and Australian Sarca Excel being two of the more notable ones. Although it is a plough type anchor, it sets and holds reasonably well in hard bottoms.

=== Danforth anchor ===
[[File:Fluke anchor-1-.gif|thumb|right|The Danforth is a light, versatile, highly popular fluke-style anchor.]]
American 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 toward the bottom (and on some designs may be adjusted for an optimal angle depending on the bottom type). Tripping palms at the crown act to tip the flukes into the seabed. The design is a burying variety, and once well set can develop high resistance. Its lightweight and compact flat design make it easy to retrieve and relatively easy to store; some anchor rollers and hawsepipes can accommodate a fluke-style anchor.

A Danforth does not usually penetrate or hold in gravel or weeds. In boulders and coral it may hold by acting as a hook. If there is much current, or if the vessel is moving while dropping the anchor, it may "kite" or "skate" over the bottom due to the large fluke area acting as a sail or wing.<ref>{{cite book|author1=Jim Howard|author2=Charles J. Doane|title=Handbook of Offshore Cruising: The Dream and Reality of Modern Ocean Cruising|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NB4uFQuUlnEC&pg=PA312|year=2000|publisher=Sheridan House, Inc.|isbn=978-1-57409-093-2|page=312}}</ref>

The FOB HP anchor designed in [[Brittany]] in the 1970s is a Danforth variant designed to give increased holding through its use of rounded flukes setting at a 30° angle.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://patents.google.com/patent/EP0990584A1/en|title=Patent EP0990584A1 – Marine anchor of the flat type|work=google.de}}</ref>

The Fortress is an American aluminum alloy Danforth variant that can be disassembled for storage and it features an adjustable 32° and 45° shank/fluke angle to improve holding capability in common sea bottoms such as hard sand and soft mud.<ref>Hallerberg, Don, {{US Patent|5,154,133}} 13 October 1992</ref> This anchor performed well in a 1989 US [[Naval Sea Systems Command]] (NAVSEA) test<ref>Witherell, P.W.: ANCHOR TEST REPORT for NINE MOVABLE-FLUKE ANCHORS (31 pounds to 200 pounds) NAVSEA Rpt. No. 835-6269039, June 1989</ref> and in an August 2014 holding power test that was conducted in the soft mud bottoms of the Chesapeake Bay.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.boatus.com/seaworthy/magazine/2014/october/the-fine-art-of-anchoring.asp|title=The Fine Art of Anchoring|work=boatus.com}}</ref>

=== Bruce or claw anchor ===
[[File:Genuine Bruce anchor.jpg|thumb|right|The Bruce anchor
was an evolutionary improvement in its day. It is most effective in larger sizes.]]
This claw-shaped anchor was designed by Peter Bruce from [[Scotland]] in the 1970s.<ref>Bruce, Peter, {{US Patent|4,397,256}} 9 August 1983</ref> Bruce gained his early reputation from the production of large-scale commercial anchors for ships and fixed installations such as oil rigs.  It was later scaled down for small boats, and copies of this popular design abound. The Bruce and its copies, known generically as "claw type anchors", have been adopted on smaller boats (partly because they stow easily on a bow roller) but they are most effective in larger sizes. Claw anchors are quite popular on charter fleets as they have a high chance to set on the first try in many bottoms. They have the reputation of not breaking out with tide or wind changes, instead slowly turning in the bottom to align with the force.

Bruce anchors can have difficulty penetrating weedy bottoms and grass. They offer a fairly low holding-power-to-weight ratio and generally have to be oversized to compete with newer types.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-08-16 |title=The Best Anchor |url=https://refit.guide/anchor |access-date=2022-03-22 |website=Refit Guide |language=en |archive-date=20 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211120001853/https://refit.guide/anchor |url-status=dead }}</ref>

=== Scoop type anchors ===
Three time circumnavigator German Rolf Kaczirek invented the Bügel Anker in the 1980s. Kaczirek wanted an anchor that was self-righting without necessitating a ballasted tip. Instead, he added a roll bar and switched out the plough share for a flat blade design. As none of the innovations of this anchor were patented, copies of it abound.

Alain Poiraud of France introduced the scoop type anchor in 1996. Similar in design to the Bügel anchor, Poiraud's design features a concave fluke shaped like the blade of a shovel, with a shank attached parallel to the fluke, and the load applied toward the digging end. It is designed to dig into the bottom like a shovel, and dig deeper as more pressure is applied. The common challenge with all the scoop type anchors is that they set so well, they can be difficult to weigh.
* ''Bügelanker'', or ''Wasi'': This German-designed bow anchor has a sharp tip for penetrating weed, and features a roll-bar that allows the correct setting attitude to be achieved without the need for extra weight to be inserted into the tip.<ref>Ginsberg-Klemmt, Erika & Achim, and Poiraud, Alain (2007) ''The Complete Anchoring Handbook'', Ragged Mountain Press, {{ISBN|0-07-147508-7}}</ref>
[[File:Single-anchor1.png|thumb|Spade anchor]]
* ''Spade'': This is a French design that has proven successful since 1996. It features a demountable shank (hollow in some instances) and the choice of galvanized steel, stainless steel, or aluminum construction, which means a lighter and more easily stowable anchor.<ref>Poiraud, Alain (2003) ''Tout savoir sur le mouillage'', Loisirs Nautiques, {{ISBN|2-914423-46-2}}</ref> The geometry also makes this anchor self stowing on a single roller. The Spade anchor is the anchor of choice for Rubicon 3, one of Europe's largest adventure sailing companies<ref>{{Cite web |last=admin |date=2023-12-12 |title=How to Anchor a Boat |url=https://www.rubicon3adventure.com/articles/seamanship-sailing-skills/how-to-anchor-a-boat/ |access-date=2023-12-12 |website=Rubicon 3 Training & Adventure |language=en}}</ref>
[[File:Rocna Anchor In Sea.jpg|thumb|A galvanised Rocna Anchor
<ref>{{Cite web|title=Modern Scoop-type Anchors|url=http://cruising.coastalboating.net/Seamanship/Anchoring/scoop-anchors/index.html|access-date=2020-12-26|website=cruising.coastalboating.net}}</ref>]]
* ''Rocna'': This New Zealand spade design, available in galvanised or stainless steel, has been produced since 2004. It has a roll-bar (similar to that of the Bügel), a large spade-like fluke area, and a sharp toe for penetrating weed and grass. The Rocna sets quickly and holds well.<ref>Lowe, Colin: "Gear Test: Rocna Anchor", Boating NZ, July 2006</ref>
[[File:Mantus.JPG|thumb|Mantus anchor]]
* ''Mantus'': This is claimed to be a fast setting anchor with high holding power. It is designed as an all round anchor capable of setting even in challenging bottoms such as hard sand/clay bottoms and grass. The shank is made out of a high tensile steel capable of withstanding high loads. It is similar in design to the Rocna but has a larger and wider roll-bar that reduces the risk of fouling and increases the angle of the fluke that results in improved penetration in some bottoms.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.practical-sailor.com/sails-rigging-deckgear/an-inquiry-into-anchor-angles |title=An Inquiry into Anchor Angles: Comparing fluke angle and setting ability |last= Nicholson |first= Darrell |date= 13 January 2017 |publisher= Practical Sailor }}</ref>
* ''Ultra'': This is an innovative spade design that dispenses with a roll-bar. Made primarily of stainless steel, its main arm is hollow, while the fluke tip has lead within it.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ultramarine-anchors.com/|title=Anchor|first=CloudSailor|last=s.r.o|website=Ultra Marine Anchors}}</ref> It is similar in appearance to the Spade anchor.
[[File:A galvanised Vulcan Anchor.jpg|thumb|A Vulcan anchor, by Rocna Anchors]]
* ''Vulcan'': A recent sibling to the Rocna, this anchor performs similarly but does not have a roll-bar. Instead the Vulcan has patented design features such as the "V-bulb" and the "Roll Palm" that allow it to dig in deeply. The Vulcan was designed primarily for sailors who had difficulties accommodating the roll-bar Rocna on their bow.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://rocna.cmpgroup.net/vulcan |title=Vulcan website |access-date=7 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190308080801/http://rocna.cmpgroup.net/vulcan |archive-date=8 March 2019 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Peter Smith (originator of the Rocna) designed it specifically for larger powerboats. Both Vulcans and Rocnas are available in galvanised steel, or in stainless steel. The Vulcan is similar in appearance to the Spade anchor.
[[File:9kg knox.jpg|thumb|Knox Anchor]]
* ''Knox Anchor'': This is produced in Scotland and was invented by Professor [[John Knox (chemist)|John Knox]]. It has a divided concave large area fluke arrangement and a shank in high tensile steel. A roll bar similar to the Rocna gives fast setting and a holding power of about 40 times anchor weight.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.knoxanchors.com/performance-comparison2/|title=Performance Comparison|website=Knox Anchors|language=en-US|access-date=2017-07-10}}</ref>{{clarify|40 times weight on what bottom, with what scope. claim is meaningless without specifying the conditions of testing|date=August 2021}}

=== Other temporary anchors ===
* ''Mud weight'': Consists of a blunt heavy weight, usually cast iron or cast lead, that sinks into the mud and resist lateral movement. It is suitable only for soft silt bottoms and in mild conditions. Sizes range between 5 and 20&nbsp;kg for small craft. Various designs exist and many are home produced from lead or improvised with heavy objects. This is a commonly used method on the [[Norfolk Broads]] in England.
* ''Bulwagga'': This is a unique design featuring three flukes instead of the usual two. It has performed well in tests by independent sources such as American boating magazine ''Practical Sailor''.<ref>Practical Sailor: "Anchor Reset Tests", Belvoir Pubs, January 2001</ref>