All you need to know about boat anchors
There are many boat anchor types, CQR (Delta style), Grapnel, Mushroom, Danforth and different sizes of anchors suitable use in different types of weather conditions, boats vessels small boats or inflatable, weather conditions and different characteristics, proportions and possible/mix combinations.
Lightweight - Originally called a Danforth or high-strength aluminum Fortress and many other danforth style variations. This Anchors have long, sharp, with flukes designed so that heavy strains bury the anchor completely. Lightweight types anchors tend to work down through soft bottoms to firmer holding ground below, burying part of the anchor rode or chain as well as the anchor itself.This type is popular on powerboats or small boats, sail boats.
CQR (Delta style) Anchor
Both the CQR/Plow and the Delta/Wing are popular with cruising sailors and other private boaters. Both the Delta and the CQR perform well in most bottoms, struggling the most in rock. The CQR design has a hinged shank and is one of the oldest styles and the most popular anchors amongst blue water cruisers. Despite the widely held belief that this is to allow the anchor to turn with direction changes rather than breaking out, the hinged design makes it more responsive to wind and tide changes as compared to other anchors. Other plough types have a rigid shank. Plough anchors are usually stowed in a roller at the bow.
The CQR (Delta style) anchor is great in sand and on rocky bottoms, weeds and grass. It is become the standard anchor of choice used by most boat makers in the market. The CQR (Delta style) anchors are generally made of galvanized metal, though they are available in stainless steel.
Grapnel Anchor
The grapnel anchor is only a shank with four or more tines. it’s generally used for small boats such as Kayaks, Dinghies, Canoes, etc. It’s also popular amongst fishermen. It has a benefit to often be 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.
On the other hand, it is quite possible for the grapnel anchor to find such a good hook that, it can create immense holding power, which can also make retrieving the anchor difficult in such cases. Commonly used on very small boats such as canoes or Kayaks boats.
Mushroom Anchor
The mushroom anchor is amongst the most popular anchor used for permanent mooring. it is shaped like an inverted mushroom, the head becoming buried in the silt from the sea-bottom, the mushroom anchor can result in extreme holding power, up to 10x the holding power of its actual weight.
Mushroom anchor is used frequently for moorings, buoys, and other permanent anchoring needs. They can weight several thousand pounds for this use. They are available in sizes from about 10 lb up to several tons.
Danforth Anchor
The Danforth, or Fluke anchor, remains a very popular anchor choice amongst boaters. Tripping palms at the crown act to tip the flukes into the seabed. The fluke design helps the anchor to perform excellent in mud and sand, once well set can develop high resistance.
The Danforth anchor is commonly used on small recreational boats. The compact flat design of Danforth anchor and his lightweight make it easy to retrieve and to store. Whether or not it is used as a primary anchor, a Fluke anchor makes an excellent choice as a secondary anchor.
Bruce or Claw Anchor
The Bruce or Claw gained his early reputation from the large-scale commercial anchors for ships in North America. The Bruce is an excellent all-purpose anchor as it performs well in most sea bottoms including mud, sand, grass, rock and coral.
The Bruce or Claw anchor have become a favored option for small boaters. Claw-types set fast and easily than other anchors. they have the reputation of not breaking out with tide or wind changes, instead slowly turning in the bottom to align with the force. These anchors are finding homes with users of small to medium-sized vessels.
