An anchor is a piece of maritime equipment that can make an otherwise useless vessel sea or river-worthy again! Since these contraptions come in all shapes and sizes, it can be difficult at times to differentiate between all the various kinds of anchors, especially if you're a layperson! Therefore, our customer-friendly, research-ready, 'n' kitten-savin' team of TopProducts expertise decided to create this little buying guide, so that you don't end up buying a brand new keel or worse still-
an entire boat!
To start off, let's just take a moment to acknowledge that anchors don't necessarily have to possess the appearance of
an oversized fish-hook- some of them resemble
mushrooms, and some other models are notorious for resembling-
nothing in particular! (But they do the job just as well as the other ones, which is all that matters at the end of the day.) Moreover, the members of this unholy trio of odd-looking objects all have their names, and they are grapnel, mushroom, and fluke- in the exact order in which we described them earlier.
Now, although deciding yourself on a particular model of anchor can be a bit challenging at times (especially since there are many more anchor designs other than the three we described), there are certain rules you may want to follow so that you manage to get yourself the right version of this magnificent maritime tool from the first shot!
If you're about to do some river angling, and you've got a little to medium-sized boat, one of the best anchoring solutions for you might be to go for
a grapnel anchor as it provides a good grip on a variety of underwater terrains. So, whether you're dealing with mud, fine sand, or some underwater vegetation, a typical grapnel model should do just fine. On the downside, it won't be able to do so for a prolonged period of time.
A
mushroom type of anchor, however, will do just beautifully with longer anchorage. In fact, mushroom anchors are typically used for moorings, so you needn't really worry about it failing on you every time the tide changes. Of course, if you're about to do some river fishing, a mushroom anchor may not be the best option.
Last but not least,
fluke anchors are the best choice possible if you're after convenience and a relatively strong hold in mud and sand! These little odd-looking boat-supporting pieces of equipment are the usual weapon of choice for many anglers and other casual fishermen, as they are relatively lightweight, easy to deploy, and have a pretty strong grip. About their only downside is that they can't really offer their top performance, so to speak, in rocky areas or those that aren’t filled with sand or mud.
So, these are the three main types of anchor, but as you may already know, there are many others versions of these marine utensils as well, and each of them has slightly different characteristics! Anyway, if you happen to need any other outdoorsy water-related contraptions, we'd like to inform you that we've done some extensive research in the departments of
water skis,
inflatable boats, and various
floating islands for good measure. Check them out, and maybe you’ll end up liking some of them!
Price
When it comes to the money you'll have to put aside to get yourself your dream anchor, you'll see that the amount can vary quite substantially between the various brands and kinds of anchors. For example, Delta type anchors, one of which we are featuring on this list, can reach the price of about $1000 thanks to their superb quality of build. Most of these models are made out of top-tier stainless steel so this is no wonder, really.
On the other side of the spectrum, we can find anchors ranging from $25 to $200, which doesn’t necessarily mean that they are of poor quality or otherwise inferior. All in all, the material of choice, type of anchor, and the protective coating which may or may not be a part of the offer are all factors that contribute to a great anchor- so sometimes it's worth giving a couple of extra dollars if you can to get yourself a high-quality long-term solution.
Features
Even though anchors may seem like a simple enough product, there are still quite a few things you need to take into account prior to equipping yourself with one of
these iconic symbols of nautical history! To find out what to look out for before you make your purchase, check out the list of features below.
Here's a list of the most important features for boat anchors:
- Size
- Type
- Material of Choice
- Number of Grappling Blades
- Whether It's Lockable or Not
Not all models feature a lockable grappling blade (or more of them), but for the ones that do, that can be an excellent asset to have.
Construction and Design
Anchors aren't really the most complex utensils in the world; that much is clear. However, there is some variance when it comes to their design. Whether it's a Delta, Fluke, Spade, Mushroom, or Grapnel type of anchor, the main thing to keep in mind is that each of these differences in shape aren't only surface deep, so to speak, and they have their specific purpose.
For example, mushroom anchors are best used for moorings, while delta models are optimal for a variety of river bottoms. As for the materials used for these anchors, stainless steel and cast iron seem to be the most commonly-used ones, but you can also find some models made out of galvanized steel or even aluminum. Also, it's worth noting that one model of an anchor comes in several different sizes so that it may work on boats of different sizes.
Performance and Ease of Use
As we have already mentioned in the consideration factors section, various kinds of anchors offer different performances in a variety of underwater terrains. Deltas, Flukes, and Mushrooms are great for sandy bottoms, for example, while Grapnels and Claws may perform better in rocky environments as well as those with plenty of underwater greenery and other hard-to-define obstacles.
When it comes to their deployment, flukes are possibly the easiest ones to toss overboard, as some of the models of this kind can even do so themselves as soon as the boat stops and proceeds to stay in one spot. Retrieving is also a thing to take into consideration, as some anchors may be tough to take back. Mushrooms are, for example, notoriously difficult to retrieve so do take that into consideration if you've been planning on getting one of those. All in all, an anchor is only going to be as good as the surface below allows it, so make sure to pick the right kind of tool for the job!
Even though small boats have their advantages when it comes to their maneuverability and speed, their lightweight body can lead to them being snatched away by strong underwater currents or less often- some particularly nasty catfish! To make sure that this ill destiny doesn't befall you, and more importantly your boat, get a strong anchor to fish and cruise leisurely! Check out our top 5 list and learn more!
As an integral part of a boat's structure, an anchor is a heavy object that keeps a boat firmly in its place. Without them, many an angler would turn into a disoriented chain-swearin' rod-tossin', inebriated mess, much like the ancient Greek hero Odysseus! To prevent such a wretched destiny, read through our top 5 reviews and find an anchor that suits you the best!
