Truth be told, a good anchor can bring you a great deal of peace of mind if it means your boat stays in place when you’re fishing for the day or you decide to take an afternoon swim. And isn’t peace of mind the same thing as satisfaction?
We’ve rounded up our top anchors to help you find yours so you can relax and be at ease when it comes time to drop anchor. We’ve got you covered.
Mantus anchors are real workhorses and are known for setting the first time, every time. The M1 model features a roll-bar to facilitate the anchor rolling over as well as a shank shape that is designed for the anchor to self-deploy in most bow roller arrangements. Again, an anchor for higher-end deck boats with bow rollers.
Formed out of high-quality steel plate, the M1 Mantus anchor is built strong and built to last. The design combines the tried and true benefits of a plow anchor with a rollbar that ensures it does the job every time rather than dragging and skipping on the water bottom. Mantus anchors are also known to perform well in all conditions, including challenging conditions such as rocky bottoms.
The greatest drawbacks for potential buyers tend to be the higher price and unique anchor shape that can make for a challenge in storage due to its bulky size. But for those who have a boat suitable for this anchor and are willing to invest in the right mounting and winch system for the anchor, you won’t be disappointed because these anchors have nearly perfect performance.
The A1 Mantus anchor is available at www.mantusmarine.com beginning at $175.
The Lewmar Galvanized Claw anchor is a top-performing anchor with a one-piece design that easily sets in a variety of water bottoms. This claw anchor also resets quickly, giving boaters the confidence they need for a reliable, dependable anchor. The Lewmar Claw anchor is built to last. It is made from a high-grade steel and galvanized for durability. It holds well in most bottom types and varying conditions, though it is known to perform especially well in rock and weed bottoms. This is what makes this particular anchor especially prized and valued, as rock and weed conditions present a difficult landscape for many anchors to hold in or penetrate, but the Lewmar Claw anchor really stands out here.
As an all-purpose, go-to anchor, the Lewmar Claw anchor is a popular choice among boaters and has been since its introduction to the anchor market in the 1970s. It remains a favorite for a reason. Find it at www.wholesalemarine.com beginning at $25.99.
This is a strong anchor with one-piece construction manufactured from high grade manganese steel. It’s known for being easy to handle and easy to store on bow rollers on high-end deck boats, with a balanced design that allows it to fall unaided from windlasses. Most especially, this Delta anchor is prized for setting quickly and penetrating waterbeds effectively. The anchor’s narrow cross-section shank facilitates deep penetration into the water bottom for a strong hold in most bottom types.
The Lewmar Delta is designed to provide strong hold even on short scope, a great advantage in crowded anchorages. It’s also designed for an easy release when pulling up, even by hand, and comes up clean with minimal to no mud, sand, or weeds attached. All Lewmar Delta anchors are guaranteed for life against breakage.
This anchor is popular for a reason. It performs especially well in packed mud and sandy beds but is known to do well in most conditions.
Many experienced boaters choose this as their primary anchor for its dependability and durability. It has rightly earned its high rank among the classics. Shop Lewmar Delta anchors at www.westmarine.com beginning at $149.99.
The Fortress Fluke Anchor redefines the anchor game with its small size and lightweight design that offer surprising strength and holding power. Lightweight, fast-setting and reliable, this anchor gets fan mail.
Made of high-tensile aluminum-magnesium alloy with no welds to weaken the metal, Fortress anchors are not only lightweight, they are strong. These anchors are versatile as well, with two adjustable shank angles: 32 degrees for sand and 45 degrees for soft mud.
They are easy to handle and their light weight helps to minimize the load at the bow. Precisely machined and anodized interlocking components are corrosion-resistant, nonmagnetic and as easy to put together as they are to take apart.
Fortress anchors can be disassembled for easy storage, which makes them the perfect choice for tight quarters where compact storage is a must. More importantly, Fortress anchors can be quickly assembled, which also makes them the perfect choice for spare or storm anchors.
While these are at the higher end price point-wise, Fortress anchors are quality investments that are built to last. Visit www.westmarine.com to shop Fortress Marine anchors today, beginning at $229.99.
The Box Anchor has the unique ability to set quickly in a lake or river bottom without the need for your boat’s mechanical power, eliminating the common necessity to “power down” in order to ensure stability. The Box Anchor folds flat for storage, sets into any bottom condition, uses only half the amount of line as a traditional anchor, and will reset itself to compensate for any change in wind, weather, or water current. Each of these exceptional qualities combines to create a truly revolutionary, multi-faceted boat anchoring product.
The Box Anchor is a state-of-the-art offshore boating anchor that brings anchoring to a new level of sophistication by allowing you to have more control over the placement of your boat, regardless of the situation.
The Box Anchor’s unprecedented patented design allows your boat to be held at a 45-degree angle from the bottom, digging the downward-facing flukes firmly into the bottom without snagging them permanently on debris. When it comes to retrieval, just pull the line to bring the boat over the top of the anchor and the lack of upward facing surface area will allow the Box Anchor to pop right off the bottom. This same principle works in wind or current change.
The Box Anchor by Slide Anchor can be purchased at www.slideanchor.com beginning at $124.95.
The Extreme Max BoatTector River Anchor has a reputation among river anchors for its effective grip. Unlike most river anchors, this anchor is designed with jagged teeth on the end of each fluke for extra gripping power to snag and hold rocks, brush, boulders, and weeds.
The Extreme Max River Anchor is intended for use in lakes and rivers with strong currents or drifts. The design uses a combination of weight and flukes for a firm hold, even in windy conditions. The large flukes hold well in muddy, rocky, or weed and grass bottoms. Vinyl coating on the anchor body and flukes protects boat surfaces and prevents the anchor from rusting.
The Extreme Max River Anchor is sturdy and gets the job done right. It’s a great option for pontoon owners who want to stay put on the river for a while to fish or enjoy an afternoon nap on the water. Find it at www.opticsplanet.com starting at $59.99.
Want your mind to be at ease that your boat won’t drift away when you go ashore to play? The SandShark Ultimate anchor drills down into the sand with a premium screw auger for a rock solid hold that simply won’t let loose on its own. This anchor is perfect for shallow water, the shore, the sandbar—all the places you want to take your deck boat or pontoon. Never worry about it hitting the shore, rocks, or another watercraft. Tether it offshore in shallow water with your Ultimate Anchor.
When you screw the auger down into the sand, the hole fills with sand around it. Water then holds down the sand, creating suction. This prevents the anchor from pulling out. You get tremendous holding power and true peace of mind. It folds up compact for storage and easy carry in the included padded case. The Large is adjustable from 30 inches to 44 inches when fully extended. The Extra Large extends from 40 inches to 5 feet, 2 inches. Handle folds to the side for storage.
Made with super strong high-quality stainless steel with anodized aluminum, this anchor will look great and work well for years of use. It pays to invest in this first class, top-designed anchor. It will reward you with countless worry-free days on the water.
To check out SandShark’s different sizes and options for the Ultimate anchor, go to www.sandsharkanchor.com. Prices start at $229.
The Hurricane Welded Rollbar Anchor is a new generation style anchor that relies on its design rather than its weight to anchor your boat and hold it securely in place regardless of any shifting wind or current conditions.
For example, a 20-pound navy style anchor would struggle to hold a boat weighing approximately 6000 pounds in a 15 to 20 mile per hour wind. But the 22-pound Hurricane Anchor will hold a 40-foot yacht weighing up to 25,000 pounds in a 30 mile per hour wind.
The 14-pound Hurricane Anchor is the most popular weight among Hurricane anchors for a pontoon boat anchor. Typically, since pontoon boats are lighter than the equivalent length fiberglass boat, the 14-pound Hurricane Anchor is great for boats up to 30 feet in length with the recommended 4 to 6 feet of anchor chain. You get more for less in terms of holding power per pound of anchor weight.
For use in salt water or fresh water, this anchor works great in sand, mud, clay, grass, weeds, or gravel, though it is not recommended for rock piles or extremely rocky areas.
Shop Hurricane Welded Rollbar anchors today at www.hbanchors.com beginning at $125.
While this anchor wouldn’t make the top of the list for primary anchors, our roundup wouldn’t be complete without a good mushroom anchor. Secure your boat for an afternoon swim or lunch break with the Greenfield PVC Coated Cast Iron Mushroom Anchor. It features a wide-area mushroom cup with three drainage holes for extra suction and holding power.
Greenfield’s mushroom anchor works well as a backup anchor, a lightweight anchor for a quick lunch stop, or a drag anchor for fishing in current. It’s true that it likely won’t hold your boat fast in high winds or swift waters, but it serves a definite purpose and is great to keep in your storage locker for those moments when you need it. Mushrooms like this also work well as a second anchor for extra stability when combined with a sturdier anchor. This anchor holds best in bottoms of silt, soft mud, or unpacked sand.
Find it today at www.westmarine.com for $40.99.
Designed on the river by two South Dakota catfish anglers, Cat River Anchors are game changers in the world of anchor setting and retrieval. Cat River Anchors use a patented release system to ensure you don’t lose your anchor, especially considering how well this anchor holds. The original model has four sharp adjustable flukes that can be customized to varying angles to best suit whatever bottom conditions you are dealing with. The HD model has sturdy flukes that have been welded to an optimal angle for most conditions.
These anchors are heavy and sturdy and built to withstand anything that comes your way. They were designed specifically for use on the river but work equally well on the lake. Boaters love these anchors for how quickly and strongly they set and how easily they retrieve when it’s time to move on down the river.
Each anchor is designed with a sturdy chain directly attached to the fluke end of the shaft. The chain is then attached to the opposite end of the shaft with a sturdy zip tie. If the anchor becomes stuck, a good tug on the anchor will snap the zip tie and pull the chain to the fluke end, releasing the anchor from the bottom. Boaters swear by this anchor and its genius chain release system.
Visit www.catriveranchors.com to buy an anchor for your pontoon today, beginning at $129.99.