Choosing the Right Anchor

When selecting the right anchor for your boat, it's important to consider a few key factors to ensure you choose an anchor that will provide the necessary holding power in a variety of conditions.

Firstly, consider the type of boat you will be mounting the anchor on. Will it be a motor or sailing vessel? Typically, sailing vessels require more holding power than motor vessels due to their larger surface area.

Next, determine the size and weight of your boat. This will help you choose an anchor that can provide sufficient hold based on your boat's specific needs.

Consider the conditions in which you will be sailing. Will you only be sailing in fair weather conditions or will you be taking on whatever comes your way? This will help you choose an anchor that can withstand a variety of conditions and provide reliable hold in any situation.

Finally, consider the crew that will be handling the anchor. Will they have difficulties handling heavy weights or are they a professional crew made up of strong individuals? This will help you choose an anchor that can be easily handled by your crew.

When using our anchors, we strongly recommend not to 'oversize' your anchor, to ensure maximum hold power you should stay with the recommended size.
Our anchors are lighter than other carbon steel anchors for the same or better hold, and we guarantee their strength.
Our hold published data is conservative, meaning we have looked at worst-case scenarios and introduced a safety factor to ensure maximum reliability.

 

 

Photo by Scott Millar, thanks

 

Before choosing an anchor, it's important to determine how much holding power you need to safely anchor your boat. The American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC) has created a chart that provides conservative estimates of the amount of holding power in pounds (lb) needed to securely anchor your boat.

This chart takes into consideration worst-case scenario values and can help ensure that you choose an anchor with sufficient holding power to keep your boat safe and secure while anchored.

 

        1 Kilo equals 2.2 lb

Wind
Speed
(Knots)
Anchor For:
Boat Length – Ft.
20 25 30 35 40 50 60
15 Day cruise 90 125 175 225 300 400 500
30 Charter like 360 490 700 900 1200 1600 2000
42 Storm 500 720 1400 1800 2400 3200 4000
60 Violent Storm 980 1440 2800 3600 4800 6400 8000

 

 

To help you choose the right Viking anchor model for your boat, we have conducted tests to measure the maximum holding power of each model. Please note that holding power can be greatly affected by the type of seabed, so our tests were conducted in sand for consistency.

We used a standardized setup for each test, which involved a 5-meter, 8 mm chain connected to a 25-meter rope and a 5-ton load cell. The load cell was attached to either a 4X4 heavy vehicle or a 4X4 tractor, and the length and angle of the rode were set to simulate an 8:1 scope.

It's important to keep in mind that the holding power of your anchor may vary depending on the type of seabed and the scope of your rode. This is why we provide estimated holding power values in our tables.

 

Model Estimated Holding power Kg Estimated Holding power Lib.
Viking 5 500 Kg 1,100 Lb.
Viking 7 900 Kg 1,980 Lb.
Viking 10 1,900 Kg 4,180 Lb.
Viking 15 2,600 Kg 5,720 Lb.
Viking 20 3,200 Kg 7,040 Lb.
Viking 25 4,500 Kg 9,900 Lb.

 

 

 

It is important to choose the right anchor for your boat based on factors such as the type of boat (motor or sailing), size and weight of the boat, and the conditions in which you will be sailing. The American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC) provides conservative estimates for the amount of holding power in pounds that you will need to hold your boat. Viking Anchor offers a range of anchor models that have been tested for their holding power, and their charts show which model should be used on which size and weight of sailboat. It is recommended to use the recommended size anchor for your boat size, and upsizing "just to be safe" can be done but is not necessary.

Model Estimated Holding power  Anchor weight Boat weight up to: Boat length:
Viking 5        500 Kg.          3.4 Kg                5,000 Kg              up to 20 ft.         
Viking 7 900 Kg.        5.2 Kg      8,000 Kg         20- 30 ft.
Viking 10    1,900 Kg.           9.5 Kg                 12,000 Kg                30- 40 ft.          
Viking 15 2,600 Kg.    12.6 Kg            19,000 Kg              40- 50 ft.       
Viking 20 3,200 kg.       21.3 Kg                27,000 Kg     50- 60 ft.
Viking 25 4,500 Kg.       27.3 Kg                40,000 Kg       60- 70 ft.

 

It's always important to ensure that the anchor you choose is compatible with your boat and its setup. Checking the dimensions and weight of both the anchor and your boat is crucial to ensuring that the anchor can be stowed and deployed properly.

The measurements provided in this chart are helpful in determining whether the anchor will fit and function properly on your boat. Additionally, it's important to consider the weight of the anchor and how it will affect the weight distribution of your boat.

Overall, taking the time to carefully consider your boat's needs and choosing the appropriate anchor can make a significant difference in the safety and enjoyment of your boating experience.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All set? please CLICK HERE and order your new anchor.

If you are still not sure or maybe need more information please do not hesitate to contact us.