What Are Anchors Used for on Boats?

First let’s define what an anchor is. An anchor is a contraption used to connect a boat to the seabed under a body of water. It can be used to stop a boat from moving or drifting due to wind or current, and certain anchors can even be used as a type of directional device.

There are different types of anchors created for different uses. A permanent anchor is called a mooring. Moorings are commonly used for large vessels, sailboats, etc. that are stationary for long periods. Permanent anchors are typically large masses made of a concrete slab or block that is meant to rest upon a seabed.

Then there are temporary anchors, more commonly used with smaller vessels that have cause to move about more frequently. Temporary anchors usually use metal flukes to bury themselves in a soft seabed or hook onto the rocks on the bottom.

There are also anchors which are never meant to come in contact with a seabed. These anchors are called drogues and they are used to control a drifting boat.

Boats can carry more than one anchor and anchors that vary in size and design. A great new anchor design is the Stayput Shallow Water Anchor. Designed for securing flats boats, bass boats, bay boats or jon boats up to 24 feet, Stayput Anchors were engineered by pioneers in anchoring. They are quiet, they don’t have to be constantly adjusted like your push pole, and they are easy to stow, unlike big, bulky anchors that waste valuable storage space. Stayout Anchors are also surprisingly cost-effective – only a fraction of the cost of an ordinary temporary anchor.