Appropriate Anchor
- Thread starter Sledge62
- Start date
Depends on the bottom. It’s important to choose based on the conditions where you anchor as much as what size boat you have. Some anchors are useless in grass, others ineffective in hard bottoms.
It also very much depends on the conditions you anticipate on your lake - a 5 lb Danforth will probably be fine as a lunch hook, and a serious thunderstorm or squall might justify a 20+ lb anchor.
In general, the new-design anchors (with or without roll bars) seem to outperform older designs (of equivalent weight). That would include Mantus, Rocna, and Manson's recent designs (perhaps others as well). If you have some COVID time for reading, you should look at @thinwater's book. He's done lots of testing and analysis (more formally than most other sources on small boat anchors).
Here's my thought process and choice from a few years ago, for inshore sailing in the Puget Sound. (if I were starting over, I'd probably look seriously at one of the new designs without a roll bar, as recent testing seems to indicate that the concave weighted tongue is the key feature, and the roll bar might not actually add all that much). Hope you find some of that helpful.
Your most common lake anchor will probably be a fluke style, a.k.a Danforth (which is a brand name). It does its best work in sand and mud.
Stick to quality brand names, go large, and don't skimp on the length of chain you use, regardless what anchor you choose.
Stick to quality brand names, go large, and don't skimp on the length of chain you use, regardless what anchor you choose.
Welcome to SBO, Sledge62. You have not only found your way to the best sailing forum on the Net, but you've managed to start with one of the most dynamic (sensitive) subjects in sailing.
Not to worry, these guys are use to it and have a tremendous amount of expertise to help guide you through the mine field of anchoring.
My addition to this little query of yours is, don't settle on one anchor. Have a couple aboard. Your profile says you're in Indiana, so I'm assuming lake sailing. That says picnics along the shore where you may want both a bow and stern anchor, but also a combination of bottoms; sand, mud, snags, ... . It's good to have the piece of mind to have a backup as well as a choice for different bottoms. No need to go crazy trying to get the perfect anchor. Don, Aaron and Gene have already given you great advice. Your response to check out what the locals are using is a great beginning. Don't stop there. As has been said, lots of chain is a good thing. Study up on why. It will help you understand a lot about anchoring.
Great to welcome you aboard and good luck and happy sailing.
-Will (Dragonfly)
Not to worry, these guys are use to it and have a tremendous amount of expertise to help guide you through the mine field of anchoring.
My addition to this little query of yours is, don't settle on one anchor. Have a couple aboard. Your profile says you're in Indiana, so I'm assuming lake sailing. That says picnics along the shore where you may want both a bow and stern anchor, but also a combination of bottoms; sand, mud, snags, ... . It's good to have the piece of mind to have a backup as well as a choice for different bottoms. No need to go crazy trying to get the perfect anchor. Don, Aaron and Gene have already given you great advice. Your response to check out what the locals are using is a great beginning. Don't stop there. As has been said, lots of chain is a good thing. Study up on why. It will help you understand a lot about anchoring.
Great to welcome you aboard and good luck and happy sailing.
-Will (Dragonfly)
Thank you for the welcome! And all the information. This is a powerful tool for a newbie. To tap into the experience and knowledge of all you folks is priceless. I appreciate it so much. Again, thanks for the welcome! P.S. Didn't know anchors were a sensitive subject. Thought I'd have to get to sails for that.
Ford vs. Chevy / Religion /Politics... all wrapped into a single sailboat
We tend to be passionate -- but thoughtful. Advice is free-- you get to decide. A well worn adage you are likely to see repeated often: Your Boat, Your choice. Welcome!I will add to the Anchor Thread-- I would advise against going too small (I did). I love my Mantus -- but the smaller compact 8 pounder is a great day /lunch/ secondary hook-- but go bigger if you want unattended peace of mind. I drug the 8 on a lake in windy (not storming) conditions, and was around by design to watch. Next step up is 13 and 17 before it gets bulky.
Last edited:
On this topic, if you have the forward anchor locker, will the mantus, manson style anchors fit inside the locker? 15 to 17 lb size.
Unfortunately no with the Mantus - I have mine lashed on 3 points to the starboard side of the bow rail. It's not ideal, but it works. Gene was able to rig up an anchor roller with some modifications though - that's the gold standard. There were some photos here on the forum of his set-up a while back. I don't think anything but a danforth style will fit in the anchor locker unfortunately. Mine easily holds 300 feet of line, and 25 ft of chain though - but no anchor...
Yeah, I looked at Gene's post. His skill set is a little higher than mine. If we called Gene the Gold Standard, I would be at around the Bronze Standard...
Watched a YouTube blog about a Rhodes 22, he seemed to keep his setup in a bucket...don't know how well that would work.
We just have the original danforth style...we will just have to see how well it works before going to the effort of making the newer style anchors functional on this boat.
Watched a YouTube blog about a Rhodes 22, he seemed to keep his setup in a bucket...don't know how well that would work.
We just have the original danforth style...we will just have to see how well it works before going to the effort of making the newer style anchors functional on this boat.
If you're not anchoring overnight - I think a 11 lb claw anchor might fit in the C22 anchor locker. I haven't checked it myself, but it looks like it may. I used an 11 lb claw anchor for about 20 years on other boats, and it always grabbed and held great. I went with the mantus because I wanted something with a little more margin of error overnighting, but I'd think an 11 lb claw anchor would actually work great 99% of the time. Here's a link to dimensions if you're interested- https://www.lewmar.com/node/11596?v=25179
Good question. I was wondering that myself. Maybe even a 13. And probably not by 1 inch or less. lol
The problem is the roll bar on the anchors. That's the dimension that causes the problems. A straight claw anchor style might fit a lot better - the scoop can be faced down into the well
And no locker for me -- I use an old school metal milk crate with anchor/chain/rode deployed from the stern.
Although someone has to have contemplated the following:
Although someone has to have contemplated the following:
You might also look at the newer non-rollbar models (e.g. Mantus M2, Manson Boss, Rocna Vulcan). No personal experience (and I'm not planning to replace my Manson Supreme anytime soon), but recent research seems to find good holding and re-setting without a rollbar.
The Mantus roller looks nice; their gear looks to be consistently well thought out. I've been happy with my Lewmar roller for about half the price. But if you were in salt water year-round, you might prefer the Mantus just for 316 stainless (my Lewmar is 304).