Know your anchorage and the bottom. Given todays large number of anchor types there is no one anchor suited best for every occassion.
Weight, size, and shape of the anchor , along with bottom conditions will all affect how well your anchor holds. It is best you know your general geographic location you sail and the bottom conditions you may anchor in. Nothing worse than waking up in a different location than where you went to sleep! Say . . . . on the rocks . . in the middle of a busy channel . . . next to another boat . . . etc.
FYI: aboard Destiny we carry a 45lb Bruce with 100ft of chain and 200 feet of rode as main and a 35lb Danforth with 200 feet of rode as a backup ground tackle. Our dinghy has an 8lb mushroom with 50ft of rode.
Question:
Please match the anchor with there names:
1) The Plow anchor.
first called the CQR Plow, is preferred over the Danforth by many pleasureboaters because of its superior holding ability in most bottoms. Its holding ability in grass and weeds is superior to a Danforth. However, the Plow does not hold well in rocky bottoms.
2) The Danforth anchor.
holds well in mud, sand and even rocky bottoms, if carefully placed. However, it does not hold well in grassy bottoms.
3) The Bruce anchor.
originally developed for offshore oil and gas drilling rigs, is an excellent burying type of anchor. It gives a good performance approximation of a cross between the Danforth and a Mushroom anchor. It holds well in sandy bottoms and mud.
4) The Northill.
which is similar to a Danforth in its performance in sand and mud, is another favorite of many boaters. It is often easier to break out when weighing anchor.
5)The Mushroom anchor.
so named because of its shape, buries well and holds best in sand or mud, but it may be difficult to break out. It is a favorite for anchoring mooring buoys.
