Boats are built to sail in the water. this is their arena. They're not built to encounter hard solid structures such as rocks, concrete, or other boats.

Getting close to these hazards requires you to be more careful especially when in anchorage, one of the most important things you need to be certain with is your anchor, your anchor should be 100% reliable to hold you in place with fast setting and firm holding in any weather and conditions, keeping you in a safe distance from any hazard.

There is no one perfect anchor and we do not claim our anchor is perfect - we do claim it to have a reduced number of compromises that need to be accepted. 

Fortress and Danforth excel in thin soupy muds but fail in weed and stony anchorages.  The new generation of anchors: Rocna, Ultra, Spade, etc work well in thin weed but fail in soupy mud.  Some roll bar anchors clog their flukes.  Many anchors fail in very hard seabeds, Mantus is said to be successful - but is very ordinary in more common seabeds with a very low hold. 

We have designed an anchor that will perform in a greater range of seabeds from mud to weed, hard seabeds to good clean sand.

So why our Anchors are better?

1. Weight-our anchors have the most efficient weight/holding power ratio for steel anchors. you will be amazed while looking at our anchor/boat usage tables here to find how light your anchor can be for your size of boat.
2. Initial setting - our anchors have the likelihood to set in the most challenging bottoms – hard-packed clay/mud and grassy/weedy areas. Even packed gravel.
3. Holding - our anchors are with the best holding power you can find relative to their size and weight, meaning that you can use a lighter anchor to achieve the same or more holding for your boat.
4. Resetting - our anchors reset immediately with a new puling direction in case of wind or current change.
5. Retrieval - Viking anchors are easy to retrieve due to their lightweight, the anchor will arrive at your roll bar perfectly aligned, never upside down, and will be maneuvered easily even when if they are stuck with your neighbor's boat chain. 
6. Easy to store when not in use - taking apart the Viking anchor will take you 5 minutes and while stowed away, the anchor will take minimal storage space.
7. Our lifetime unconditioned warranty. 

Viking anchors are so easy to handle with or without windlass making them a perfect choice for Single-handed blue water sailors.

Choosing the right anchor for your boat is not a complicated task, however, you need to appreciate a few characteristics before deciding which anchor is the best for you and your boat.

Here are some of the important questions you have to ask yourself before starting the voyage:

1. What boat will it be mounted on? Motor or sailing boat? Usually, sailing vessels require more holding power than motor vessels.
2. What is the size and weight of the boat that the anchor will be used for?
3. In what conditions are you sailing? Do you only sail at weekends when the weather is good or do you sail and need to take what comes?
4. Are you sailing with a crew that might have difficulties in handling heavyweights or maybe a professional crew made up of tough rugby players and weightlifters.?

In the charts below, you will find answers to the first 3 questions above but the fourth one needs to be figured out by yourself.

Because our anchors are much lighter than other anchors for the same hold we offer you the opportunity to ‘oversize’.   You still have more than sufficient hold and know that our anchors are at least as strong as the other options you might consider.  Our hold data is conservative, we have looked at the worst-case scenario.  We have not quoted average hold but have introduced a safety factor.

Photo by Scott Millar, thanks

Let's start choosing your next anchor.

First, we need to understand how much holding we will need.

The following chart gives you the amount of holding power in Lb, that you will need to hold your boat.

These values were formed by the American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC) and they are conservative and include worst-case scenario values.  Weight values are in Lb.           

        1 Kilo equals 2.2 lb

The next chart shows the maximum holding power for each Viking anchor model.

All Viking anchor models had been tested to measure their holding power. Since holding is greatly affected by the seabed type, we conducted our testings in the same seabed condition which is sand.

For these tests, we are using the same setup formation every time we measure- 5 meters 8 mm chain connected to a 25 meters rope connected to a 5-ton loadcell attached to a 4X4 heavy vehicle or 4X4 tractor, the length and angle of the rode simulates 8:1 scope.

Your holding power varies, depending on the seabed in which you might choose to anchor and the scope of your rode.  This is why we cautiously write in our tables "Estimated holding power”

The next chart show what Viking Anchor model should be used on which size and weight of SAILBOAT.

Normally motorboats will need less holding power comparing to sailing boats, and sailing catamaran needs more holding power than sailing monohulls.

Meaning that motorboats will need a smaller anchor and sailing catamarans will require a bigger one.

As you can see, there are a few options for every boat. For example, Viking 25 will hold a boat up to 23 meters (70 ft.) but it will not be wise to use it on an eight-meter boat. Therefore, please spend some time answering the questions above before deciding on an anchor.

We advise using the recommended size anchor for your boat size, upsizing "just to be safe" can be done but there is absolutely no need for that.

 And in this last chart, you will find the actual measurements of our anchors.

We are trying to show everything needed to the smallest detail, make use of it.

It is important to check all the parameters in your boat that are related to dimensions and weight.

Please make sure that your boat can accommodate the anchor you wish to choose.

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. 

You can have the ultimate anchor but if you don't give it enough chain length- It will be USELESS.

The scope is the ratio of the length of the rode vs the distance between the seabed and bow roller.  When you calculate scope you need to add the depth of water to that distance between the waterline and bow roller.

Much has been written about the scope and there are internet forum threads that have devoted posts over months discussing the issues.  We are not going to go into detail, for more information use the search engine on your favorite sailing forum.

The older designs of anchors benefitted from high scope ratios, 5:1 - 10:1, as the higher the scope the greater the chance that the tension angle on the anchor was near horizontal.  Today we are much luckier than earlier generations as most modern anchors are much more forgiving and will perform adequately at ratios of 3:1 - 5:1.

We at Viking Anchors take advantage of this more forgiving nature of most modern anchors and we happily deploy, to engage and set our anchor at 3:1. We always deploy the anchor with our yacht moving slowly astern. This ensures we do not drop all the chain on top of the anchor and the chain is deployed in a straight line ready for the tension to be increased and the anchor fluke point is aligned ready to engage.   If the anchor does not engage almost immediately we apply tension then there is something unusual about the seabed, or more likely, the anchor has been fouled by a ‘foreign’ object.   Popular anchorages can have old beer cans or towels blown off lifelines ( we once caught an old gas cylinder and many have caught old crab pots, supermarket trolleys, or discarded fishing nets).  In more isolated locations seaweed stalks or waterlogged trees can be a problem.   We can then immediately retrieve the anchor, check and start again or move the location slightly.  Because we have not deployed much chain as the scope ratio is only 3:1 it does not take long nor use much power to retrieve.  We know some derive great satisfaction from sailing to (and from) anchor and it is a skill every skipper should have.  However sailing is meant to be a pleasure we happily anchor with the engine running, one reason being we will not deplete the batteries when we use the windlass and we will power set at about 75% of cruising revs.   Once we have ensured we have engaged the anchor and started to set we will then deploy more rode.  Normally we would deploy to a 5:1 scope but if the weather is questionable - we might deploy more.  However, deploying more rode might not be possible in tight or busy anchorages.  We would always power set to ensure the anchor is set and not moving.  We have measured the tension in a 5:1 rode at various wind speeds and measured the tension in the rode at different revs and 75% revs are about the same tension you would experience with a 30-knot wind impacting on the yacht (measured at the masthead).

When we decide where we are going to anchor we set the location, on the chart plotter, at the point of deployment as this we can later be used to set our anchor alarm.   Our anchor alarm is then centered on the anchor, not some indeterminate offset.

 Generally, we would only deploy a 5:1 scope and would use a long snubber, at least boat length, to give us elasticity in addition to catenary but we would only attach the snubber when we have completed our power set.  One way to check if the anchor is securely set - simply touch the rode with 2 fingers laid and touching a couple of chain links just forward of the bow roller with the engine still in reverse - if the chain jerks and jumps - the anchor is not set.  If it is steady - the anchor is engaged and not moving.

 To ensure you know how much rode you have deployed the chain needs to be marked with a simple code.  We write the code into the underside of the chain locker hatch - so that anyone who deploys the chain knows exactly what the marks are.  We mark every 10m with cotton ribbons or hemp/sisal cord.  The ribbon or cord passes through the gypsy and unlike cable ties, paint and plastic inserts do not contaminate the seabed.

 Once the anchor is set and the snubber attached we would then attach another snubber or secure a chain lock.  This practice ensures you are not relying on the windlass as the ultimate fall back.  The additional snubber can be a short length of Dyneema with a chain hook (or soft shackle if you prefer) and attached to a strong point independent of the windlass.

The penultimate task is to set the anchor alarm incorporating the length of rode and snubber deployed + a few more meters (2-4).  Finally, with all the formal tasks its time to break out the chardonnay (if you are in a warmer climate) or a decent malt whisky if further north and enjoy the atmosphere and scenery. 

We do find that many anchor alarms on modern chart plotters are very unobtrusive, especially if the plotter is at the helm and the owner's berth is in the bow.  There is usually an option of wiring into the plotter a piezoelectric alarm - the use of which denies any sleep once it is activated!

Setting an anchor should be an easy task and really should involve no anguish and can be completed by one person - leaving the rest of the crew to prepare those welcoming drinks and set to and prepare that gourmet dinner!

Try to use a long chain if possible. No need for more than an 8:1 scope. A long chain with a good anchor will do the job.

Except in special circumstances, we have seen no evidence that a swivel solves any significant issues related to the retrieval or deploying of anchors.

It is known that cheaper swivels fail for several reasons related to poor engineering or poor manufacturing. 

Therefore if you must use a swivel for any unknown reason and we have great difficulty in endorsing the practice, then a galvanized, cup/open swivel that is the same size as the chain will be too weak. Be sure to go up two sizes, and we’d also suggest choosing an eye-and-eye cup swivel so that you can attach a secure, quality shackle to each end. Steer clear of any low-priced, no-name stainless steel swivels, even if they’re oversized. In our opinion, no swivel should be attached directly to the shank of an anchor, because sideloading greatly reduces the safety factor. Unless your swivel or shackle can match 100 percent of the chain’s ultimate tensile strength at any angle of pull, it is not worth the risk.

If your anchor still doesn't come up in the right direction to your bow roller after aligning the Chain/Gypsy/anchor properly, you better use a Boomerang.

When using a Viking anchor, due to its design, you will never need to use a boomerang nor swivel, the anchor will always align itself in the right direction to the bow roller upon retrieval.

Zinc-coated steel using a hot galvanizing process is the most effective method of protecting carbon-based steel from rusting. 

Different metals are different in strength and their metallurgical quality, these factors are defined in the factory where they are made as raw material from the initial form of iron. 

The mechanical process (casting, forging, milling, and such) while processing the metal can also have a large impact on metal characteristics, behavior, and quality. 

Our anchors are made with Hardox450 HT steel with a minimum yield strength of 1,100 Mpa which gives them along with The use of the right geometry the incredible lightness compared to their size and holding power. 

Choosing the right steel to build anchors is a compromise, the grade of the steel, the weight, and the price, higher tensile metals are a lot more expensive and are harder to cut, bend and weld. 

The shank on any anchor is a common failure point,. The most venerable and weak issue is bending it when a high lateral load is applied to the anchor. This can happen, for example, when the wind direction suddenly changes, pushing the boat sideways. Looking to minimize the occurrence of such events, we are using only high-grade high-tensile steel to build our anchors.   Due to their design the higher the tension on the anchor increases the burial of the anchor leaving less or no shank exposed.  If there is a lateral tension applied our shanks, being buried, act as a vertical fluke supported by the seabed, see how it works here.

"Viking anchors are constructed from F700, hot-rolled construction steel with a minimum yield strength of 1,100 MPa. This does not include the roll bar. Flukes and shank are preheated before welding, which is the recommended technique for this type of material. The result is an anchor that is at least as strong as one made from mild steel that would weigh considerably more. Viking is a technically sound anchor that seems to offer worthwhile benefits".

Anti-rust treatment.

The zinc coating preventing the steel from rusting is created using the "hot-dip galvanizing” process. Other processes exist but are inferior and will result in less durable finishings.  All of our steel anchors are treated with a “hot-dipped galvanizing" process.

Viking Steel Anchors are galvanized to a specification exceeding industry standards (80-micron) we strive to get a minimum coating layer of 100-micron.  our anchors are checked for galvanizing thickness using a coating thickness meter.

When a modern new-generation anchor is dropped to the seabed, it commonly sits with the fluke on its side and the shackle end of the shank touching the seabed.

As the load is applied, the fluke toe engages with the seabed and its burial is followed soon after by the shackle end of the shank, slowly burying as well.

With Viking, in most of the time, boaters will deploy their anchors moving the boat backward, due to its unique design the Viking anchor while havering in the water will arrive at the seabed in its perfect penetrating position to start digging immediately.

As the toe buries deeper, it “pulls” the shackle end of the shank down with it.

When an anchor is well-set, only the top of the shank is visible. As the anchor sets deeper, it gets completely buried, and the fluke tends to burrow forward and sit in parallel with the seabed surface. Normally this happens when it reaches its ultimate diving depth and ultimate holding capacity.

The buried rode takes on the form of a reverse catenary.

In a very hard bottom, the anchor, any anchor, may not drag the chain under the surface and it could be forced to its ultimate holding capacity, for that hard seabed, with no chain buried at all. 

 Viking 20 anchor setting after being pulled by 4 tons 4X4 Toyota land cruiser to the vehicle's maximum towing capability.

This anchor was much too big for the Land cruiser towing abilities if the right or smaller sized anchor was attached to it when properly buried

It would look like this:

 Viking anchors are the best choice for single-handed sailors.

        Here is why.

1. Weight-our anchors have the highest weight/holding power ratio for any steel anchors. Our use of 21st Century steels offers us weight savings without sacrificing strength and if you look critically at our anchor to vessel weight recommendations you will see how light your anchor can be.  Check our usage tables here to find how light your anchor can be for your size of boat.
2. Initial setting - our anchors will set quickly, within a shank length, in the most challenging bottoms – hard-packed clay/mud and grassy/weedy areas. Even packed gravel.
3. Holding - our anchors offer the best holding power you can find relative to their size and weight, meaning that you can use a lighter anchor to achieve the hold of the ‘so-called’ new-gen anchors.
4. Resetting - our anchors stay set or reset immediately with a new puling direction in case of wind or current change.
5. Retrieval - Viking anchors are easy to retrieve due to their lightweight and can be maneuvered easily even when if they are stuck under your neighbor's anchor chain. 
6. Easy to store when not in use- taking apart the Viking anchor will take you 5 minutes and when stowed away, the anchor will take minimal storage space. 
7. You will never need a swivel nor Boomerang, due to their unique design Viking anchors always come up to the bow roller in the right direction.
8. Our non-conditioned lifetime warranty

We know that our anchors are the best you can find in the market today, our mission is to let you know it also.

With the new generation anchors, a bigger anchor is not always better.

New generation anchors are designed and built to dive deep.  If you choose to use a new generation anchor that is too big for your boat you are diminishing the ability of your anchor to dive deep enough to hold your boat the way it was designed.

A bigger anchor will develop no more hold than a smaller one if not buried properly.  The burial of your anchor is determined by your engine power or windage.  If you can set a 15kg anchor to 300kg hold then a 20kg anchor will develop the same hold under the same conditions - except the 20kg anchor will be set more shallow.  therefor we urge you to follow our sizing recommendation, these recommendations are a result of numerous tests made on our anchors over the years  - there is no need to oversize.

An anchor that is not buried deeply and dragging its chain with it might encounter three main issues:

1. An unburied shank will not act as a vertical fluke which may reduce the resistance of the anchor to yawing.

2. In light winds, a shallow set anchor could be prone to the chain getting under the shank and tripping the anchor.
3. A large anchor that cannot be deeply set may trip easily and you have no guarantee that it will re-set cleanly by itself.

So when choosing an anchor that is too big, it is not just the inconvenience of using it, affecting your windlass, your pulpit, and your back (or your spouse back - then you will definitely suffer), it is above all not safe.

in this photo, a well-buried anchor

Many people see a resemblance when looking at our old anchor design and the Mantus M1 design, indeed our first and initial design that we have started with looks in some ways like the Mantus M1 design, this was on the beginning of our anchors days, since then and after we made countless models and improvements our anchor changed dramatically. Our final design, the one we are selling since 2019 looks and acts totally different.

For those of you who still mix up between the anchors we have gathered below the main differences, we are only showing the technical differences of the two anchors, the one we started with in winter 2018 when Mantus was its vision and our last and final design that is on the market today.

For the last two rows, we just couldn't resist.

                                                                                                         Mantus M1                        Viking V1

The angle of the fluke to the shank shackle hole                   30 degrees                        34 degrees

The angle of the fluke to the seabed when anchor sets        16 degrees                        26 degrees

Location of the shank connecting point to the fluke          about the center                       back

Rollbar diameter (third anchor size and up)                            16  mm                                 21 mm

Fluke area for 20.4kg anchor                                                 1,260 (cm2)                                           

boat size 40-45 ft

Fluke area for 21.4kg anchor                                                                                              1,500 (cm2) 

boat size up to 21m (70 ft)

Holding power measured in sand                                       unknown                            3,200 Kg.

Rollbar base and “ears”                                                          thin and slim                       thick and wide

Boot assembly                                                                    on top of the fluke                under the fluke

Toe support from the boot                                                             no                                      yes

Anchor material                                                             steel (unknown)          Hardex 700 HT galvanized steel

Mud relief holes                                                                               no                                      yes

Smooth fluke top surface against mud                                        no                                      yes

Toe angles shape                                                                   top to bottom                      bottom to top

Number of shank fluke connecting bolts                                     4                                         7

Round-headed bolts                                                                        no                                      yes

The direction of the bolts                                                    bottom to top                         top to bottom

Puller groove for safe retrieval                                                        no                                     yes

Stabilizing skids                                                                                  no                                     yes

Made in                                                                                            China                                Ukraine

Lifetime warranty                                                                              no                                    yes

And there are many more, we made a long way to get to our final design.

Look also here, it is a video made by Steve goodwin testing  Viking 7 and comparing it to Mantus.