Anchor Selection Guide

You have just bought that 43 foot Albin Sundeck trawler and she is everything you wanted in a trawler. After upgrading some marine electronics, you will be ready to do some cruising. You can not wait to drop the hook and enjoy your time on the water.

But wait; gunk holing is your goal but is your anchor the right one? It came with the trawler so it should be? So what is the best kind of anchor for your boat; is your anchor the best one for your cruising?"

I get asked that question a lot, and the answer is that the type of bottom, be it mud, grass, sand, coral or rock, will determine the appropriate choice of anchor, as will the size of your vessel. Some anchoring situations may also call for more than one anchor.

Wind conditions will also be involved in how well an anchor holds; every time the wind speed doubles, the force on the boat and her anchor will increase by four times.

Sizing an anchor for your boat reinforces the bigger is better concept; you really cannot have too much anchor. If your engine fails and you are drifting toward an open inlet, having a appropriately sized anchor ready could save you and your boat. However anchor choice also has some practical issues involved; raising an anchor by hand with no electric windlass would be strenuous and therefore requires light and effective ground tackle.

Anchors must develop enough resistance in the sea bed to endure the environmental forces on the boat–the wind and the tides. An anchor’s capacity to develop resistance is completely dependent on its capability to penetrate the sea bed. The selection of an appropriate bottom for anchoring is a great deal more of a critical factor than the style of the anchor. You must take the anticipated bottom conditions into account when choosing your anchor.

Read our Anchor Selection Guide to insure you have the best anchor for your cruising needs.