Anchors

TYPES OF ANCHORS

Here we come to anchors. Which anchor should we choose for our boat? We do not wish to give tables on the size of the anchor as the choice of anchor depends on many variables such as the type of seabed in which we are anchoring, the type of stop we are making, the type of boat, the crowded mooring area (the more boats there are, the smaller our turning field must be and therefore the shorter our haul must be), weather conditions, storage space to name but a few. Usually the boat builder will provide information about suitable anchors for that type of boat, and by talking to local sailors in the harbours we can easily learn about how to choose this important accessory in that specific area. Generally speaking, for the Tyrrhenian coasts and Sardinia, 70m of calumo (length of chain or outboard spun rope) is sufficient for a stopover, as the length of the chain must be between 3 and 7 times the depth.
Instead, let us see what the main types of anchors are and their characteristics that make them more or less suitable for a given seabed.

DANFORTH: these are probably the best known, perhaps because they are particularly suitable for our sandy seabeds and have a low weight compared to the resistance offered; their flukes are triangular and articulated as they rotate around the shaft, have a large surface area and tend to sink into the seabed and offer great resistance; this type of anchor requires a slightly longer haul in order to have the right angle to allow the flukes to sink; they are not suitable for rocky and hard seabeds because they do not offer resistance. Similar to the Danforth are the Fortress because they belong to the type of anchors with flat flukes.

FORCE: belong to the family of ploughshare anchors (Bruce, Delta, CQR) and are also known as all around anchors, i.e. they adapt to any seabed without excelling in any. As anchors are built all in one piece, they present stowage problems on small boats, which is why this type of anchor is found on medium-sized boats.

HALL or U-shaped anchors: these are also anchors with articulated flukes but due to their more squat shape they need more weight to sink the flukes into the bottom. It prefers sandy or muddy bottoms, i.e. soft bottoms, and it is always better to connect it to a section of chain to facilitate its function. Its rounded shape facilitates its placement.

UMBRELLA ANCHORS: these are very practical anchors as they have the 4 halyards that can be folded up just like an umbrella, making them very suitable for small boats where storage space is limited. They hold fairly well on sandy and muddy bottoms while it is easy for them to run aground on rocky bottoms. Due to their low weight, they sink with difficulty, which is why it is always recommended to attach them to a piece of chain.