Anchoring used to be an art of hope; the modern concave-fluke anchor made it a science of holding power. Designs like the Mantus M2, with their weighted tips and roll-bar-free profiles, set faster and hold harder than the ploughs and claws they replaced.
The sizing rule has not changed even as anchors improved: size up one from the manufacturer's chart. The M2's 13 sizes from 8 to 175 lb cover everything from tenders to expedition yachts, and the single-bolt assembly means it ships flat and stows as a spare.
Technique matters as much as metal. Set with the engine in reverse at proper scope, dive or use a snubber to confirm the set, and remember that holding power means nothing without enough chain on the bottom.
The verdict: the cheapest good night's sleep in yachting is a modern anchor one size up from what you think you need.
Photography: Rémi Kaupp, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
