A good anchor for a sailboat will help keep a vessel stationary and stable in the water in any weather conditions or marine environment.
There are a number of top anchors for sailing boats that can work on sailboats of both small and large sizes of under 20ft to over 100ft.
The best sailboat anchors are:
- Best Overall: Mantus Marine M1 Mantus Anchor
- Best For Holding Boat: Lewmar Claw Anchor
- Best For Price: Seachoice Utility Anchor
- Best For Small Sailboats: Fortress FX-11 Anchor
- Best For Large Sailboats: Rocna Galvanized Anchor
These anchors will ensure the sailboat is anchoring properly in any sailing conditions.
Sailboat owners should choose an anchor based on the size and type of their sailboat as well as the type of marine environment their vessel will be located in.
For example, anchoring a sailboat on a sandy surface is different than anchoring a sailboat on a rocky surface and it will require different anchors.
1. M1 Mantus Galvanized Anchor
The best overall sailboat anchor is the M1 Mantus anchor manufactured by the brand Mantus Marine in Texas, America and sold worldwide.
This fluke anchor is the best overall anchor because it can dig deep into the seafloor and ensure the sailing vessel will not float away.
The M1 Mantus anchor is constructed of hot-dipped galvanized steel with the shank and shank boot welded from top to bottom.
It is a plow anchor shaped with a sharp triangle-shaped nose, a straight shank and a "U" shaped roll bar bolted to a fluke.
This anchor comes in many different sizes from 8lbs to 175lbs. It comes with 4 American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) certified bolts.
The M1 Mantus anchor is used on seafloor surfaces including sandy, gravel, grassy and muddy sea floors. It is not used on rocky sea floors.
The M1 Mantus can be used in different types of locations including rivers, sea and lakes.
Sailboat sizes of 20ft to 65ft can use the M1 Mantus anchor.
The M1 Mantus anchor is priced between $180 for the smallest 8lb anchor to approximately $3,000 for the largest 175lb anchor at most retailers.
The M1 Mantus anchor works to hold a vessel in position in winds of up to 40 knots, highlighting its great holding power abilities.
The benefits of the M1 Mantus anchor are:
- It comes with a great lifetime warranty: The Mantus Marine manufacturer offers a lifetime warranty on this anchor for added peace of mind
- It can be disassembled easily for storage: Simple disassembling bolts make it easy for storing this anchor when it is not in use
- Multiple size options: With anchor size options from 8lbs to 175lbs, sailboat owners of different vessel sizes, from small sailboats of 20ft to large sailboats of 65ft can use this anchor
- It works in multiple marine conditions: This anchor works in multiple marine conditions from calm ocean currents to extremely windy and storm conditions with up to 40 knots of wind speed
- High-performance sharp head nose enables easy penetration of the sea floor: The sharp edge nose of this anchor means it penetrates the ocean floor fast and with ease
- It is hot dipped galvanized for corrosion prevention: This anchor is hot dipped galvanized giving it extra protection against corrosion and wear from corrosive seawater
- It comes with 4 high-quality oversized A.S.T.M. certified bolts: This anchor comes with 4 oversized bolts with a large margin of safety that will help prevent damage
One disadvantage of the M1 Mantus anchor is it is more expensive than other anchors on the market.
2. Lewmar Claw Anchor
The best sailboat anchor for its holding power is the Lewmar Claw anchor manufactured by the brand Lewmar in Hampshire, United Kingdom and sold worldwide.
The Lewmar Claw anchor is constructed of high-grade galvanized steel cast in a single piece. This anchor was inspired and designed based on anchors used to secure oil rigs in the North Sea.
The Lewmar Claw anchor comes in sizes from 2.2lbs to 176lbs. It is used on seabed surfaces including sandy, muddy, gravel and grassy ocean floors. It is not used on rocky surfaces.
The Lewmar Claw anchor can be used in different types of marine locations including ocean, lake and river floors.
Sailboat sizes of 12ft to 65ft can use the Lewmar Claw anchor.
The Lewmar Claw anchor is priced between approximately $30 for the smallest 2.2lb anchor to approximately $1,300 for the largest 176lb anchor at most retailers.
The Lewmar Claw anchor can hold a sailing vessel in position in winds up to 50 knots without the boat floating away.
The benefits of the Lewmar Claw anchor are:
- It's fast setting: Depending on the sea depth, this anchor can set and begin anchoring a vessel in under 5 minutes
- It has great holding power: This anchor can help with anchoring boats in position in extremely harsh weather conditions with winds up to 50 knots
- Easy bow roller storable: This anchor can fit and store nicely in most bow roller shapes and styles without any issues
- It's a budget-friendly anchor: The Lewmar Claw anchor is one of the cheapest on the market and it should be within most sailboat owner's budget with the most expensive anchor sold at a price of approximately $1,300
- It's built with strong & high-quality material: The Lewmar Claw is built with high-quality and heat-treated steel with a galvanized finish
One disadvantage of the Lewmar Claw anchor is it does not come with a lifetime warranty.
3. Seachoice Utility Anchor
The best sailboat anchor for the price is the Seachoice Utility anchor manufactured by the brand Seachoice in Florida, America and sold worldwide.
This fluke anchor is the best for the price because it offers the most options for the cheapest price on the market.
The Seachoice Utility anchor is constructed of hot-dipped galvanized steel or PVC-coated steel. It comes in 5 different color options including red, black, white, light blue and grey.
This anchor comes in different sizes from 4.5lbs to 8.5lbs.
The Seachoice Utility anchor is priced at approximately $25 for the smallest 4.5lb anchor to approximately $70 for the larger 8.5lb anchor at most retailers.
The Seachoice Utility anchor is used on different seabed surfaces including gravel, sand, grassy and muddy sea floors. It is not used on rocky seafloors.
The Seachoice anchor can be used in different types of marine locations including the sea, rivers and lakes.
Sailboat sizes of 10ft to 30ft can use the Seachoice Utility anchor.
The Seachoice Utility anchor can hold a sailboat in position and keep it anchored in wind speeds up to 30 knots without the boat floating away.
The benefits of the Seachoice Utility anchor are:
- It comes with a 1-year warranty: The Seachoice Utility anchor comes with a 1-year manufacturers warranty for added peace of mind
- It comes in multiple color options: Sailboat owners can choose from 5 different anchor colors
- It's easy to retrieve from the seawater: This anchor comes with a great slip-ring design that makes it easy to retrieve it from the water after use
- Sharp anchor fluke design makes penetration easy: The sharp fluke design helps the anchor to easily penetrate the seafloor surface
- It is cheap: The Seachoice Utility anchor is the cheapest anchor on the market with the largest anchor priced at approximately $70
Two disadvantages of the Seachoice Utility anchor are the anchor can only be used on smaller sailboats up to 30ft in length and it can not be used on larger sailboats over 30ft and the anchor can not be used on rocky sea floors.
4. Fortress FX-11 Anchor
The best sailboat anchor for small sailboats is the Fortress FX-11 anchor manufactured by the brand Fortress Marine Anchors in Florida, America and sold worldwide.
This fluke anchor is the best for small boats because its lightweight aluminum material is capable of holding a sailboat up to 32ft without the anchor being extra heavy.
The Fortress FX-11 anchor is constructed of aluminum alloy material and it comes in a size of 7lbs.
It comes with a pivot adjustment which allows an adjustment of the anchor angle between 32° to 45°.
The Fortress FX-11 anchor is used on seafloor surfaces including sand, gravel, mud and grassy surfaces. It is not used on rocky seafloor surfaces.
The Fortress FX-11 anchor can be used in different marine locations including lakes, rivers and the sea.
Sailboat sizes of between 28ft to 32ft can use the FX-11 anchor.
The Fortress FX-11 anchor is priced at approximately $200 at most retailers.
The Fortress FX-11 anchor works to hold a sailing vessel in position in winds up to 30 knots without the vessel floating away.
The benefits of the Fortress FX-11 anchor are:
- It's rustproof: The light but strong aluminum material is rustproof meaning the anchor will not suffer from rusting caused by the corrosive seawater
- It comes with a lifetime parts warranty: The Fortress FX-11 anchor comes with a lifetime parts replacement warranty against damage that might occur to any parts of the anchor
- It is easy to store after use: It can be easily disassembled which means it is easy to store onboard the sailboat after using it#
- Penetrates the seafloor and sets deeper: The sharp edge d anchor allows it to easily penetrate seafloors and anchor a boat
One disadvantage of the Fortress FX-11 anchor is it can only be used on smaller sailboats between 28ft to 32ft and it cannot be used on larger sailing vessels over 32ft.
5. Rocna Galvanized Anchor
The best anchor for larger sailboats is the Rocna galvanized steel anchor manufactured by the brand Rocna in British Columbia, Canada and sold worldwide.
The Rocna anchor is constructed of galvanized steel with solid welding from top to bottom.
The Rocna galvanized steel anchor was designed by New Zealand sailor Peter Smith.
The Rocna anchor design comes with a roll-bar to ensure the anchor can penetrate the surface at the best angle and one-third of the anchor's weight is on the fluke tip which also helps with the penetration of the seafloor surface.
The Rocna anchor comes in 14 different sizes from 9lbs to 606lbs.
This fluke anchor is the best for larger sailboats because it offers anchors up to 606lbs which will help with anchoring most larger sailing vessels.
The Rocna anchor can be used on all sea surfaces from gravel, mud, sand, clay, kelp and rocks. It can also be used in marine locations including lakes, rivers and the sea.
Sailboat sizes of 12ft to over 300ft can use the Rocna galvanized steel anchor.
The Rocna galvanized steel anchor is priced between approximately $220 for the smallest 9lbs anchor to approximately $12,000 for the largest 606lb anchor.
The Rocna galvanized steel anchor can hold a sailing vessel in position in winds up to 40 knots without the boat floating away.
The benefits of the Rocna galvanized anchor are:
- It comes with a great lifetime warranty: The Rocna galvanized anchor comes with a lifetime warranty against breakage, manufacturing defects and bending for added peace of mind
- It can be used on all sea surfaces: The Rocna galvanized steel anchor can be used on all sea surfaces including gravel, sand, mud and rocky sea floors and it is not limited or restricted to just a few types of surfaces
- It sets fast: The sharp edge fluke helps penetrate the sea surface and the anchor sets fast as a result of this design
One disadvantage of the Rocna anchor is it is not the cheapest anchor with the cheapest price at approximately $220.
Top Sailboat Anchors Comparison Table
What To Consider When Buying A Sailboat Anchor
The factors to consider before buying a sailboat anchor are:
- Type of material used: The type of material used to create the anchor is an important consideration when buying a sailboat anchor. Most modern anchors are constructed using aluminum steel or galvanized steel
- Durability: How long the anchor can last is a factor to consider when buying a sailboat anchor. Modern anchors come with lifetime warranties and they should last for well over 10 years
- Size Of The Boat: Identifying the proper anchor size for a boat is not a perfect science but the size of your boat is an extremely important factor to consider when choosing a top sailboat anchor. Typically, the larger the boat size, the bigger the anchor that is required
- Price: Price will also play a big role in the sailboat anchor you buy. Anchors come in many different prices for many different budgets
Frequently Asked Questions About The Best Sailboat Anchors
Below are the most common and frequently asked questions about the top sailing vessel anchors.
What Are The Best Sailboat Anchor Brands?
The best sailboat anchor brands are:
- Lewmar
- Five Oceans Danforth Style
- Seachoice
- Mantus Marine
- Rocna
- Fortress
Are Top Sailing Boat Anchors Expensive?
No, top sailboat anchors are not expensive with some of the best sailboat anchors priced as little as $25 in some instances.
What Are The Different Types Of Sailboat Anchors Available For Sailboat Owners?
The types of sailboat anchors available are:
- Fluke anchors
- Plow anchors
- Claw anchors
- Mushroom anchors
- Grapnel anchors