Anchors - Modern

The first anchors were probably made of stone. The disk-shaped stones had at least one hole in the middle, to attach the line, and the stone anchors probably could serve as ballast as well. Stone anchors have been used in parts of the world until historical times. In Roman times, in the Mediterranean, ship anchors were made of either lead and wood, or entirely of iron.

The Danforth anchor is a lightweight burying type of anchor with a high holding power to weight ratio. Works best in sandy, muddy or clay bottoms.

A heavy shipâs anchor with large flukes and no stock so that the shank can be drawn through the hawse hole. The enormous weight of these anchors make them inappropriate for a small vessel.