Buying The Right Anchor - article by MOREinfo-About.com

Buying The Right Anchor

Anyone who is experienced with boating has probably seen the types of problems that type of attitude can cause. Just like everything else with a boat, anchoring requires the right equipment, careful thought, and a lot of practice.

The starting point is selecting the right ground tackle (the proper term for the boat anchor, line, chain, shackles and swivels) for your boat and your style of boating. There is no single boat anchor that will do everything perfectly. Each style has its own unique benefits and drawbacks, and each one performs best under its given conditions.

The Danforth boat anchor

The Danforth boat anchor is one of the most popular, being easily identified by its two long, sharp pivoting flukes and long shank. The Danforth is also a great choice for small to a medium sized boat as well. The anchor is light and easy to store, digs well into sand and mud, and releases easy when pulled from different directions.

The flukes on the Danforth pivot so that the shank can be pulled at a more vertical angle. It's ideal for fishing, which requires quick release and moving around to different locations. If you fish overnight a lot or travel to different areas of water you may want to consider a different boat anchor, which will hold better in changing conditions.

The plow boat anchor

The CQR, or plow anchor, features a single shaped fluke that pivots at the end of the shank. This design works well on many bottoms. The plow shank pivots from side to side, while remaining parallel to the fluke. This design also makes releasing a snap when the boat anchor is pulled vertically.

The Bruce anchor

This boat anchor was originally created for offshore gas and drilling rigs. The more scaled down version of this boat anchor is popular with boaters. The anchor holds fast, yet it will still come loose when pulled vertically.

Always make sure to select a boat anchor system that matches the length of your boat, displacement, and the windage. If your looking for strength, elasticity and durability, you should use only top quality braided nylon anchor line.

It's very important that the size and length of your anchor line is appropriate for your boat and it's requirements. A small or medium boat should use a section of galvanized steel chain between the line and the boat anchor.

If you are new to boating, anchoring is something you should become familiar with. As you use your boat more, you'll pick up the proper boat anchoring techniques. Or, if you prefer, you can always take classes and learn everything you need to know about anchoring from a qualified professional.

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