ANCHOR SIZING GUIDE

When making sizing recommendations for a working anchor, we are generally referring to the needs of a cruising boat spending most of its time on anchor.

In doing so we try to envelope high sustained winds (50 kts) and assume poor holding conditions (low viscosity bottoms).

Some may think these recommendations to be too conservative especially when compared to sizing tables from other manufacturers.

However, companies often make claims of superior anchor efficiency, stating that their small anchor X will outperform a much heavier anchor from their competitors and often use sizing charts as a marketing tool to that end.

Often, we believe they recommend anchors and anchor systems that are dangerously undersized for their intended use.

Comparing surface area can be a good judge for potential holding capability.

Our anchor sizing recommendations are presented in the table below and divided in three categories:

Lunch anchor

is recommended for lighter use, expected winds under 30 knots

Working anchor

is recommended for winds under 50 knots

Storm anchor

is recommended for winds above 50 knots

These recommendations are made assuming the worst case scenario, a poor holding bottom and thus may seem conservative but we believe are accurate.

Please use the following guides to determine what size of anchor to use:

Anchor Sizing (Metric)

M1 Anchor Size (Metric)Lunch anchor for winds < 30 knotsCruising anchor for winds < 50 knotsStorm anchor for winds > 50 knotsBlade Surface Area (cm sq)
1 kg0-5 m
< 460 kg		160
3.5 kg5-6 m
< 1,300 kg		0-5 m
< 460 kg		0-3.6 m
< 360 kg		380
6 kg6-7.5 m
< 2,300 kg		5-6 m
< 1,400 kg		3.6-5 m
< 460 kg		570
8 kg7.5-9 m
< 5,000 kg		6-7.5 m
< 2,300 kg		5-6 m
< 1,400 kg		680
11.4 kg9-10.6 m
< 6.800 kg		7.5-9 m
< 5,000 kg		6-7.5 m
< 2,300 kg		800
15 kg10.6-12 m
< 9,090 kg		9-10.6 m
< 6,800 kg		7.5-9 m
< 5,000 kg		1,000
20 kg12-13 m
< 13,600 kg		10.6-12 m
< 9,090 kg		9-10.6 m
< 6,800 kg		1,260
25 kg13-13.5 m
< 23,000 kg		12-13 m
< 13,600 kg		10.6-12 m
< 9,090 kg		1,400
30 kg13.5-15.2 m
< 23,000 kg		13-13.5 m
< 18,200 kg		12-13 m
< 13,600 kg		1,640
39 kg15.2-18.2 m
< 27,000 kg		13.5-15.2 m
< 23,000 kg		13-13.5 m
< 18,200 kg		1,840
48 kg18.2-21.2 m
< 32,000 kg		15.2-21.2 m
< 27,000 kg		13.5-15.2 m
< 23,000 kg		2,160
57 kg21.2-24.2 m
< 45,500 kg		18.2-21.2 m
< 32,500 kg		15.2-18.2 m
< 23,000 kg		2,500
70 kg24.2-27.3 m
< 50,000 kg		21.2-24.2 m
< 45,500 kg		18.2-21.2 m
< 32,500 kg		3,190
80 kg27.3-30.3 m
< 59,000 kg		24.2-27.3 m
< 50,000 kg		21.2-24.2 m
< 45,500 kg		3,641
M1 Anchor Size (Imperial)Lunch anchor for winds < 30 knotsCruising anchor for winds < 50 knotsStorm anchor for winds > 50 knotsBlade Surface Area
(inches sq)
2.5 lbs0-16 ft
< 1,000 lbs		25
8 lbs16-20 ft
< 3,000 lbs		0-16 ft
< 1,000 lbs		0-12 ft
< 800 lbs		56
13 lbs20-25 ft
< 5,000 lbs		16-20 ft
< 3,000 lbs		12-16 ft
< 1,000 lbs		88
17 lbs25-30 ft
< 11,000 lbs		20-25 ft
< 5,000 lbs		16-20 ft
< 3,000 lbs		105
25 lbs30-35 ft
< 15,000 lbs		25-30 ft
< 11,000 lbs		20-25 ft
< 5,000 lbs		124
35 lbs35-39 ft
< 20,000 lbs		30-35 ft
< 15,000 lbs		25-30 ft
< 11,0000 lbs		155
45 lbs39-43 ft
< 30,000 lbs		35-39 ft
< 20,000 lbs		30-35 ft
< 15,000 lbs		195
55 lbs43-45 ft
< 50,000 lbs		39-43 ft
< 30,000 lbs		35-39 ft
< 20,000 lbs		217
65 lbs45-50 ft
< 50,000 lbs		43-45 ft
< 40,000 lbs		39-43 ft
< 30,000 lbs		254
85 lbs50-60 ft
< 60,000 lbs		45-50 ft
< 50,000 lbs		43-45 ft
< 40,000 lbs		285
105 lbs60-70 ft
< 70,000 lbs		50-60 ft
< 60,000 lbs		45-50 ft
< 50,000 lbs		335
125 lbs70-80 ft
< 100,000 lbs		60-70 ft
< 70,000 lbs		50-60 ft
< 60,000 lbs		387
155 lbs80-90 ft
< 110,000 lbs		70-80 ft
< 100,000 lbs		60-70 ft
< 70,000 lbs		494
175 lbs90-100 ft
< 130,000 lbs		80-90 ft
< 110,000 lbs		70-80 ft
< 100,000 lbs		564
M2 Anchor Size (Metric)Lunch anchor for winds < 30 knotsCruising anchor for winds < 50 knotsStorm anchor for winds > 50 knotsBlade Surface Area
3.5 kg5-6 m
< 1,300 kg		0-5 m
< 460 kg		0-3.6 m
< 360 kg		405
6 kg6-7.5 m
< 2,300 kg		5-6 m
< 1,400 kg		3.6-5 m
< 460 kg		532
8 kg7.5-9 m
< 5,000 kg		6-7.5 m
< 2,300 kg		5-6 m
< 1,400 kg		656
11.4 kg9-10.6 m
< 6.800 kg		7.5-9 m
< 5,000 kg		6-7.5 m
< 2,300 kg		815
15 kg10.6-12 m
< 9,090 kg		9-10.6 m
< 6,800 kg		7.5-9 m
< 5,000 kg		991
20 kg12-13 m
< 13,600 kg		10.6-12 m
< 9,090 kg		9-10.6 m
< 6,800 kg		1183
25 kg13-13.5 m
< 23,000 kg		12-13 m
< 13,600 kg		10.6-12 m
< 9,090 kg		1366
30 kg13.5-15.2 m
< 23,000 kg		13-13.5 m
< 18,200 kg		12-13 m
< 13,600 kg		1505
39 kg15.2-18.2 m
< 27,000 kg		13.5-15.2 m
< 23,000 kg		13-13.5 m
< 18,200 kg		1834
48 kg18.2-21.2 m
< 32,000 kg		15.2-21.2 m
< 27,000 kg		13.5-15.2 m
< 23,000 kg		2059
57 kg21.2-24.2 m
< 45,500 kg		18.2-21.2 m
< 32,500 kg		15.2-18.2 m
< 23,000 kg		2441
70 kg24.2-27.3 m
< 50,000 kg		21.2-24.2 m
< 45,500 kg		18.2-21.2 m
< 32,500 kg		2701
80 kg27.3-30.3 m
< 59,000 kg		24.2-27.3 m
< 50,000 kg		21.2-24.2 m
< 45,500 kg		3014
M2 Anchor Size (Imperial)Lunch anchor for winds < 30 knotsCruising anchor for winds < 50 knotsStorm anchor for winds > 50 knotsBlade Surface Area
(inches sq)
8 lbs16-20 ft
< 3,000 lbs		0-16 ft
< 1,000 lbs		0-12 ft
< 800 lbs		63
13 lbs20-25 ft
< 5,000 lbs		16-20 ft
< 3,000 lbs		12-16 ft
< 1,000 lbs		82
17 lbs25-30 ft
< 11,000 lbs		20-25 ft
< 5,000 lbs		16-20 ft
< 3,000 lbs		102
25 lbs30-35 ft
< 15,000 lbs		25-30 ft
< 11,000 lbs		20-25 ft
< 5,000 lbs		126
35 lbs35-39 ft
< 20,000 lbs		30-35 ft
< 15,000 lbs		25-30 ft
< 11,0000 lbs		154
45 lbs39-43 ft
< 30,000 lbs		35-39 ft
< 20,000 lbs		30-35 ft
< 15,000 lbs		183
55 lbs43-45 ft
< 50,000 lbs		39-43 ft
< 30,000 lbs		35-39 ft
< 20,000 lbs		212
65 lbs45-50 ft
< 50,000 lbs		43-45 ft
< 40,000 lbs		39-43 ft
< 30,000 lbs		233
85 lbs50-60 ft
< 60,000 lbs		45-50 ft
< 50,000 lbs		43-45 ft
< 40,000 lbs		284
105 lbs60-70 ft
< 70,000 lbs		50-60 ft
< 60,000 lbs		45-50 ft
< 50,000 lbs		319
125 lbs70-80 ft
< 100,000 lbs		60-70 ft
< 70,000 lbs		50-60 ft
< 60,000 lbs		378
155 lbs80-90 ft
< 110,000 lbs		70-80 ft
< 100,000 lbs		60-70 ft
< 70,000 lbs		419
175 lbs90-100 ft
< 130,000 lbs		80-90 ft
< 110,000 lbs		70-80 ft
< 100,000 lbs		467

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