Yachtsmans Anchors Are Classic And They Work

Anchors…Old Can Be Better

I am not sure how many anchors we have. I have two that are on my 21 foot sailboat, A real big honker on the front of our 37 foot sailboat, and there are two old ones in my wife’s garden at the front of the house, a grappling hook one on out waterfront dock area, 3 small ones for the dignity each in buckets and 3 on the back poach that I have for the schooner day sailor. Last I have an old yachtsman’s or fisherman’s anchor that was given to us. If I look I can probably come up with a few more.

Of all of them I like the yachtsman’s anchor best. It looks like what a anchor should look like, not like the plow type ones that you can buy today. It is a solid iron heavy anchor, and it folds flat. I recently learned that there are some there are some advantages to it. This type of anchor will hold in almost any type of bottom, requires less scope then most other types of anchors, and when you bring it up the bottom that comes up with it shakes off easily. With all these good points you would think you could easily find one. No one seems to carry them anymore. 

The one I have is just a little too big for my 21 footer, and too small for the 37 footer. If we go on a few day trip I will take it on the 21’ boat, but if we are just out for the day, I use the Danforth type anchor that fits nicely the anchor well on the bow of the boat. The yachtsman has to hang over the bow. Even at that it still looks classy. 

I keep watching the used market for another one. As is it makes a nice nautical décor prop on the porch till when we go on short trips.

The Yachtsman is on the left...It folds flat as it is here and it is heavy.
I found this description on the web that is good.

Fisherman's Anchor

Fishing anchors work great. These old-fashion anchors still have specialized uses. The fishermans anchor, also sometimes known as the yachtsman's anchor, is the old-fationed anchor seen in coats of arms and old paintings. Made of galvanized steel, it has a long straight shank with a ring at one end to which the anchor line is fastened, and two curved arms at the other end to hook into the ground. These arms terminate in a broad a fluke with a sharp bill, or pea as it used to be called.