Anchors

Your main anchor forms a fundamental basis for sailing away from your home berth, whether it's for a quick lunch in the next bay or an ocean voyage.

Once you venture out of your marina or harbour, you may be dependent on your anchor and rode to safeguard you from a damaging incident, whether it is the embarrassment of dragging or swinging into another yacht, or even worse, a chastening experience with an inhospitable shoreline. Whatever sort of boating you enjoy, consideration of your anchor and rode as a vital component in your safety equipment armoury is advisable.

Anchor design has progressed at a prodigious rate over the last decade and as a result, some of the tried and trusted warriors from yesteryear have declined in popularity. New innovative high holding power anchors are being developed and manufactured all over the world.

Jimmy Green Marine have put together a portfolio of some old favourites and some of the most popular new designs.

Manufacturers generally publish a sizing guide for you to determine the appropriate weight for you.

The general rule is that the well-thought-out, tested designs pay more attention to the guide, using not just yacht length, but also a combination of length, windage profile, displacement and wind speed.

Jimmy Green Marine have collated their recommendations into our Anchor Size Guide and Comparison Chart

Anchors are now readily available in aluminium and stainless steel as well as regular galvanised steel.

There are some anchor models that are available in both galvanised and stainless steel and the Spade is available in all three.

Our range is divided into three sub-categories based on these three different metals/finishes.

An Anchoring System should focus on more than just the anchor because successful and safe anchoring depends on the integrity of every part of the anchor rode from the anchor to the bitter end: anchor, chain, warp and all the individual means of joining it all together e.g. connectors; swivels; shackles; splicing.

All the individual parts need to be comparable in strength.

The entire Anchor System is only as strong as the weakest link.

The increased holding power of modern anchors means that all the joining elements are subjected to higher loads than ever before.

A second (kedge) anchoring system is generally recommended in addition to the full specification primary (bower) system.

The specification can vary widely according to cruising intentions - from a full specification second storm anchoring system to a traditional Kedge e.g. lunch hook or stern anchor.

Different anchors have varying degrees of holding power according to the seabed, so the option of a geometrically different anchor may be advantageous if the primary system is not holding.

Traditionally, a second anchor system has less chain, more rope and a lighter stowable anchor - making the whole system physically easier to store on board and deploy when required.

The size (diameter) and overall length of an anchor rode should take these factors into account:

Yacht Length Overall
Displacement : Length ratio
Mono or Multihull - catamarans may be subject to greater stresses and strains
Your cruising intentions
The anticipated anchorage conditions e.g. depth, seabed holding characteristics, the length of fetch and degree of exposure to prevailing winds
The weight and design of anchor

Jimmy Green Marine offer a comprehensive range of solutions from leading brands for all your anchor rode requirements.

Anchor Chain Anchoring Information