The best anchor depends on where you anchor, not just what size your boat is. Sand, mud, grass, and rock all favor different anchor designs — and most experienced boaters carry at least two. This guide breaks down every anchor type, how to size one for your boat, and which designs hold best in which bottom conditions.
- Anchor Type Chart
- What Style or Category?
- What Weight Range Fits My Boat?
- What Are the Typical Bottom Conditions?
- Holding Power
- Materials to Choose From
- Stowage in a Roller or Locker
Which Style or Category of Anchor?
Rocna Anchors stand out for their holding power, setting ability and ease of use.
Choose between the two most common anchor styles, the fluke and the plow, or if you are boating in a small boat on protected inland waters, the inland type.
The most popular type of anchor is the fluke anchor, also called the Lightweight or Danforth, which includes the West Marine Traditional and Performance2 anchors and is often the only anchor on many smaller boats. Light and easy to weigh, it stows flat and holds well in mud or sand. Its excellent holding power-to-weight ratio means you can use a lighter anchor compared to other types, but it doesn’t hold well in grassy or rocky surfaces. Its flukes and stock (the wide crossbar at the top) are more prone to foul on rocks or the anchor rode.
Plow and scoop anchors — the “single point” style represented by the Manson Supreme, Rocna, CQR, Delta and Claw — have the best all-around holding ability in varying bottom conditions. They generally reset themselves easily if the wind or current changes direction. The newest “scoop” designs, like the Manson and Rocna, include round “roll bars” that self-right the anchor, automatically turning it right side up for consistent setting. Plow and scoop anchors hold more effectively in grass, mud, and sand, and do not have projecting flukes that foul easily. Their shape makes stowing them more awkward — a bow roller or bowsprit is the best solution. Heavier powerboats and cruising sailboats often use plows as primary anchors.
Claw anchors are a great choice as they set easily and perform well in most conditions. They handle most bottom types but struggle with hard bottoms like clay or in heavy grass.
Mushroom anchors are a popular choice for smaller boats and personal watercraft like Jet Skis, Wave Runners, or Sea-Doos. Their small size makes them easy to stow, and many are PVC-coated for easy cleaning. They are not suitable as primary anchors for overnight or storm use.
West Marine Traditional Anchor and Rode Package combines a Danforth-style fluke anchor, spliced three-strand line with galvanized Proof Coil chain, thimble and shackles. Excellent small boat rode at a value price.
Delta is a modern plow-style anchor that’s popular in boats with bow rollers.
Use Two Anchors of Different Styles
Most boating experts agree that for greatest anchoring security, you should carry two anchors of different styles — one Danforth-style fluke anchor and one plow or scoop. The type of bottom — mud, grass, sand, or rock — will dictate different choices, as will the size and windage of the boat, wind conditions, and sea state. Some anchoring situations also call for more than one anchor to be used simultaneously.
You sometimes need to set two anchors in a crowded anchorage, with anchors at the bow and stern to limit swinging. Two anchors set from the bow at a 60° angle are another good way to improve security against swinging and dragging, and they allow you to shorten the rodes and use less scope. In heavy weather, where one anchor may not have enough holding power, setting a second anchor may be critical to staying put. Remember that as wind speed doubles, the force on the boat and ground tackle increases by four times — a 40-knot wind puts four times the load on your system as a 20-knot wind.
What Weight Range Fits My Boat?
Choose an anchor that’s the right size for your boat and the locations and weather where you anchor. Take the anchor manufacturer’s suggested sizes into account and consider your boating style. Do you typically anchor for two hours or for two weeks, in a lake or in the Atlantic Ocean? The recommended anchor sizes from our website will work well for most boaters under most conditions.
Sizing an anchor for your boat reinforces, with some limits, the “bigger is better” idea. If your engine fails and you are drifting toward a lee shore, having a properly sized anchor ready could save your boat. But raising the anchor by hand, with no electric windlass, calls for light and efficient ground tackle (and a strong back). The key is matching anchor weight to your boat’s displacement and windage — not just its length.
| Boat Length | Boat Weight (approx.) | Fluke Anchor (Danforth) | Plow / Scoop Anchor | Claw Anchor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Up to 20' | Up to 2,500 lbs | 4–8 lb | 7–10 lb | 7–10 lb |
| 20'–25' | 2,500–5,000 lbs | 8–13 lb | 10–15 lb | 10–15 lb |
| 25'–35' | 5,000–10,000 lbs | 13–22 lb | 15–25 lb | 15–25 lb |
| 35'–45' | 10,000–20,000 lbs | 22–35 lb | 25–35 lb | 25–35 lb |
| 45'–60' | 20,000–40,000 lbs | 35–60 lb | 35–55 lb | 35–55 lb |
| Over 60' | 40,000+ lbs | 60+ lb | 55+ lb | 55+ lb |
Weights are guidelines. Size up in exposed anchorages, heavy weather, or high-windage boats. Always follow anchor manufacturer recommendations for your specific model.
Holding Power
Weight is important, but what you’re looking for when buying an anchor is holding power, which may have little relation to the anchor’s size and weight. When an anchor penetrates the surface of the seabed, suction created by the bottom material plus the weight of the material above the anchor creates resistance. In rocky bottoms, anchors can’t dig in but rather snag on protrusions and hold precariously.
The holding power of modern anchors is remarkable, varying between 10 and 200 times the anchor’s weight. This means that some anchors that weigh only 5 lb can hold in excess of 1,000 pounds. For a detailed look at holding power, see the West Advisor article titled Anchor Testing, where you can download Bill Springer’s write-up on our tests from the October 2006 issue of Sail Magazine. The technology is virtually unchanged from this period.
Other Articles on Anchoring
What Are the Typical Bottom Conditions?
Anchors need to develop enough resistance in the seabed to withstand the force of wind and waves on the boat. An anchor’s ability to develop resistance is entirely dependent on its ability to engage and penetrate the seabed. In all of our anchor tests, there always seems to be one undeniable conclusion: the selection of a suitable bottom for anchoring is a much more critical factor than the design of the anchor itself. You must take expected bottom conditions into account.
One important term to understand is “false setting.” This happens when an anchor appears to have set firmly — you back down on it and it doesn’t drag — but has actually caught on a root, rock protrusion, or clump of vegetation rather than properly penetrating the seabed. A falsely set anchor can break free suddenly when load increases or direction changes. Grassy and rocky bottoms have the highest probability of false setting. Always verify your set by backing down steadily with the engine and checking your position against fixed landmarks before trusting any anchorage, and monitor periodically throughout your stay.
| Bottom Type | Best Anchor Types | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sand | Fluke (Danforth), Scoop (Rocna, Manson) | Most anchors perform well — highest holding power in hard sand |
| Mud | Fortress (adjustable fluke angle), Fluke anchors | Needs broad fluke area; Fortress adjusts to 45° for deeper penetration |
| Rock | Plow (CQR, Delta), Claw, Grapnel | Anchors snag rather than dig in — high structural strength required |
| Grass / Weed | Scoop (Rocna, Manson Supreme, CQR, Delta) | High false-setting risk — weight matters more than design; size up |
| Clay / Shale | Heavier versions of any type; Scoop preferred | Hard to penetrate — anchor weight is the primary factor |
| Mixed / Unknown | Scoop (Rocna, Manson Supreme) | Best all-around choice when bottom conditions are unpredictable |
The Fortress, an aluminum-magnesium Danforth-style anchor, has shown incredible holding power in our still relevant 2006 anchor tests, with the 21 lb FX37 sustaining over 5,000 lb of load.
Sand: Fine-grained sand is relatively easy for anchors to penetrate and offers consistently high holding power and repeatable results. Most anchors will hold the greatest tension in hard sand. Pivoting-fluke anchors and non-hinged scoop anchors are the best types in sand. The Rocna performed excellently in our anchor tests in sand.
Mud: Mud has low shear strength and requires anchor designs with a broader shank-to-fluke angle and greater fluke area. This allows the anchor to penetrate deeply to where the mud has greater shear strength. Mud is frequently only a thin layer over some other material, so anchors that can penetrate through the mud to the underlying material will hold more. Fortress anchors have greater holding power in mud because they can be adjusted from their standard 32° to a broad 45° fluke angle.
Rocky bottoms: Holding power is most dependent on where you happen to drop the hook, rather than the type of anchor. Plow-shaped or grapnel-type anchors with high structural strength to sustain the high point-loads generally work best. These anchors include the Claw, CQR, Delta, Rocna, and Manson Supreme.
Shale, clay, and grassy bottoms: Bottom types like these can pose a challenge to any type of anchor. The weight of the anchor, more than its design, is often the most important factor in penetration and holding power. CQR, Delta, Rocna, and Manson Supreme anchors are favored due to their ability to penetrate vegetation. However, these conditions have a high probability of false setting, where the anchor catches on roots and protrusions rather than something solid. Always verify your set by backing down firmly before trusting the anchorage.
Materials to Choose From
You have three options: galvanized steel, Grade 316 stainless steel, or lightweight aluminum-magnesium alloy. Most boaters choose a galvanized anchor for cost reasons, with the added advantage of the highest tensile strength for the weight. Stainless anchors resemble works of sculpture to dress up the bow of your vessel. Boaters who care greatly about weight in the bow — owners of ultralight sailboats, sailboat racers — can choose the highly respected aluminum-magnesium Fortress anchor, the Guardian, or the Manson Racer. Aluminum-magnesium anchors offer holding power comparable to heavier galvanized anchors of the same design, at a fraction of the weight.
Stowage in Roller and Lockers
Plow and scoop anchors have curved shanks that self-launch much more easily on a bow roller and are the most common choice if you’re using a windlass and want remote-control operation. Fluke anchors stow flat in a locker but require more effort to deploy from a bow roller since they do not self-orient. If your boat has a fixed bow roller and windlass, choose your anchor based on roller compatibility first — confirm with the manufacturer that the shank dimensions and head geometry fit your specific roller before purchasing.
Scope: The ratio of the rode length to the height (distance from the bow chock to the bottom) is critical for safe anchoring. More scope is generally better. This example shows about a 4:1 scope.
Frequently Asked Questions
What type of anchor is best for my boat?
The best answer for most boaters is two anchors of different types. A fluke (Danforth-style) anchor is the standard choice for sand and mud — light, strong holding power-to-weight ratio, and easy to stow flat. A plow or scoop anchor (Rocna, Manson Supreme, CQR, Delta) is the best all-around choice for varied bottoms including grass, mixed, and open roadsteads where you may not know the bottom composition. Carrying both gives you options: use the plow or scoop as your primary, and the fluke as a second anchor for two-anchor setups or for conditions where the fluke excels.
How do I choose the right size anchor for my boat?
Use the sizing table above, which is based on boat length and displacement — not a simple pounds-per-foot formula. The right anchor weight depends on the anchor’s design and holding power rating, your boat’s displacement and windage, and where you typically anchor. A high-windage powerboat or motorsailor with a large superstructure needs a larger anchor than a low-profile racing sailboat of the same length. When in doubt, size up — a slightly heavier anchor is much less consequential than one that drags in a storm. Always check the anchor manufacturer’s specific sizing chart for the model you are considering, as different designs have different holding power per pound.
What is the appropriate scope for anchoring?
Scope is the ratio of rode length to the vertical distance from your bow chock to the bottom. The generally recommended minimum is 5:1 in calm protected conditions — 50 feet of rode for 10 feet of water depth measured to the bow chock. In open anchorages, overnight stays, or any conditions with wind above 15 knots, 7:1 is the correct minimum. In storm conditions or in exposed anchorages with surge, 10:1 is appropriate if swinging room permits. Greater scope reduces the angle of pull on the anchor and dramatically improves holding power by keeping the shank of the anchor closer to horizontal. A steep angle of pull is the most common cause of anchor dragging — more scope, not a heavier anchor, is usually the right first response if your anchor is dragging in moderate conditions.
Should I use chain or rope for my anchor rode?
Most cruising and offshore boats use a combination: a length of chain at the anchor end, spliced to a nylon rope tail. The chain serves multiple purposes — it adds weight that helps keep the shank angle low and horizontal, it resists chafe against rocks and coral on the bottom, and its catenary (the sag in a heavy chain under load) acts as a shock absorber that dampens surge loads. As a rule of thumb, West Marine recommends one boat length of chain as the minimum chain leader for a rope-chain combination rode. All-chain rodes provide maximum chafe resistance and catenary effect but are heavy and require a windlass to handle comfortably. All-rope rodes are lighter and easier to handle by hand but provide less catenary and are vulnerable to chafe at the anchor end. For most recreational boaters with a windlass, a full-chain rode or a minimum of one boat length of chain spliced to nylon is the recommended configuration.
How do I ensure my anchor holds properly?
After deploying the anchor, pay out the full scope of rode before testing the set. With the engine in reverse at idle, back down slowly and steadily while watching fixed bearings ashore — a depth sounder, GPS position fix, or visual bearings on two fixed objects will confirm whether you are moving. If the anchor sets, gradually increase reverse power until you are backing down firmly. A properly set anchor will hold the boat stationary against moderate engine power. If the anchor drags during this test, haul it, reposition, and try again — don’t trust a dragging anchor to hold in wind and current. Once set, monitor your position periodically, especially if conditions change overnight.
