anchoring - page 2
5.2 Anchoring equipment
ANCHORS
Pleasure boats should be equipped with at least two anchors.
The Bruce anchor
The Bruce anchor, which was made for oil rigs, has been one of the most popular anchors on yachts. This anchor digs in well in sand, gravel and mud, but is less reliable on rocks and bottoms with lots of seaweed. The Bruce anchor is easy to handle, as it has no movable parts, although it can sometimes be hard to break loose when weighing anchor. It stows well on a bow roller but is a bit bulky in anchor wells.

The CQR anchor
The CQR anchor is also very popular in long-distance cruisers. It is forged in galvanised steel and the hinged shank makes the anchor handle windshifts well. It digs in well in sand, gravel, mud and seaweed-covered bottoms, although it may take some time before it holds well. It is easy to break loose when weighing anchor. However, it may be a bit tricky to handle and stow.

The Delta anchor
The Delta anchor has some of the same properties as the CQR but is diffcult to handle. It stows well only on a bow roller.

CHAIN
Anchor chain is normally made of galvanised steel. It is also available in stainless steel, although the latter is much more expensive. The advantage of a stainless steel chain, in addition to reduced corrosion, is that its smooth surface is easier to keep clean.
The chain is, most of the times, marked with colour codes every five or ten metres along its length, so you always know how much chain you have laid out. Both mechanical and electronic counters exist, although it is wise to mark the chain all the same.

The chain locker is in the bow and where chain and anchor are stowed. A windlass may also be mounted in the locker.