The anchor debate has been settled — not by argument, but by testing. Practical Sailor magazine, along with a series of independent YouTube tests and offshore sailors publishing real-world data from multiple circumnavigations, have established one consistent finding: modern concave-fluke anchors with roll-bar or articulated-shank designs dramatically outperform every traditional anchor type in most bottom conditions. The question is no longer "old versus new." The question is which modern anchor fits your boat, budget, and storage geometry.
How Anchors Are Tested
The only meaningful test is a controlled pull in a known bottom type, with anchors sized equally by weight. Practical Sailor has conducted anchor tests in sand, grass, and mud over multiple series spanning two decades. The methodology: anchors are set identically, rode is tensioned to simulate scope, and a measured load is applied until the anchor breaks out. Results are expressed as holding power per kilogram of anchor weight — a number that strips out size advantages and isolates the design's efficiency.
The consistent result: modern designs hold 2–4x more per kilogram than their traditional equivalents. A 15kg Rocna outperforms a 20kg CQR in sand. The margin narrows in rock (where all anchors struggle) but holds in every soft-bottom type that covers the vast majority of actual anchoring situations.
YouTube channels including Sailing La Vagabonde and numerous solo offshore sailors have documented similar results through less controlled but more diverse real-world testing — anchoring in Polynesia, the Med, the Caribbean, and the Pacific Northwest with consistent findings pointing the same direction.
Traditional Anchors: Where They Stand
CQR (Plow, Pivoting)
The CQR was designed in 1933 by Sir Geoffrey Taylor and became the default primary anchor on offshore boats from the 1960s through the 1990s. Its pivot mechanism was intended to allow it to reset as the wind clocked — a genuine advance over fixed designs of the era. The problem is that the pivot also allows it to roll onto its side rather than set in many bottom types, and it is slow to set in the best case. Practical Sailor testing has placed it in the bottom third of anchors tested across almost every category. It survives on legacy reputation: boats that came equipped with one, chandleries that have stocked them for fifty years, and sailors who have used them without an alternative reference point. If you have a CQR, replace it.
Bruce / Claw
The Bruce anchor was designed by Peter Bruce in the 1970s and was originally intended for mooring large oil platforms, not yacht anchoring. Its claw shape sets quickly in most bottoms and handles weedy or rocky ground better than plow types — the claw can grip where a plow slides. In soft sand it performs adequately. In hard mud and in any situation requiring a reset after swinging, it is unreliable. The original Bruce design is no longer manufactured by the originating company; the market is now served by claw-type copies of varying quality. Claw anchors appear as standard equipment on many production boats — treat them as temporary equipment until you can upgrade.
Delta (Fixed Plow)
The Delta, manufactured by Simpson Lawrence and now by Lewmar, is a fixed plow — no pivot mechanism. This eliminates the CQR's main weakness and results in significantly better performance. The Delta is the standard factory anchor on many production sailboats and powerboats in the 25–45 foot range, and for good reason: it is a real improvement over the CQR, sets reasonably well in sand and mud, and is appropriately priced. If it came with your boat and you anchor primarily in sand and mud in moderate conditions, it is a workable tool. For offshore use or consistent heavy-weather anchoring, the modern concave-fluke designs are better.
Modern High-Holding-Power Anchors
Rocna
The Rocna was designed in New Zealand in the early 2000s by Peter Smith and introduced the roll-bar concept to the mainstream market. The roll bar — a rigid arc welded to the crown of the anchor — ensures that regardless of how the anchor lands on the bottom, it rotates to an orientation where the concave fluke can dig in. Once set, the concave fluke geometry generates a holding force that increases the deeper the anchor buries. The result is fast, reliable setting across sand, mud, clay, and grass, with excellent holding when set and good reset behavior when the wind clocks.
Rocna is now owned by a Canadian company and manufactured in several locations. Quality has remained consistent. The anchor is available in sizes from 4kg to 150kg, covering dinghies through large offshore cruisers. Price point is mid-to-high; a 25kg Rocna suitable for a 45-foot cruiser retails for around $600–800 USD depending on the source.
Mantus
The Mantus is an American design that achieves similar results to the Rocna through a different mechanism — a hinged shank rather than a roll bar. The hinge allows the anchor to fold flat for storage below deck, which solves the bulkhead-clearance problem that makes large anchors difficult to stow on smaller boats. The Mantus is also fully field-serviceable: it can be disassembled completely with basic tools, which means the shackle pin can be replaced at sea if it fails, and the anchor can be carried in pieces in a duffel bag for delivery flights or passage planning that requires aircraft transport. Performance in Practical Sailor testing is comparable to the Rocna, with some advantage in deep mud.
Spade
The Spade is a French design, manufactured in Brittany, and is the preferred primary anchor among a significant portion of the French offshore sailing community — which is a meaningful endorsement given the seamanship tradition involved. Its modular design allows the shank to be removed from the fluke for compact stowage. In testing, the Spade consistently produces the highest holding power per kilogram of any commercially available anchor, with a particular advantage in firm sand. It is the most expensive of the three modern designs; expect to pay $800–1,200 for a size appropriate to a 40-foot cruiser. The shank-removal feature requires a pin that must be secured correctly — there have been isolated failures from improper assembly.
Sarca Excel
An Australian design that performs very well in sand and mixed bottoms and is increasingly available in North America. Less common than the Rocna and Mantus but worth considering if you are cruising Australian waters where the brand has wide support and spare parts are available. In independent testing it competes directly with the Rocna.
Secondary and Kedge Anchors: The Fortress
The Fortress is an aluminum Danforth-type anchor with an adjustable fluke angle. It is not a primary anchor — it fails in rock, weed, and clay — but in soft sand and mud it produces the highest holding power per kilogram of any anchor ever tested. This is not marketing: it is a consistent result across every credible test series. A 7kg Fortress (model FX-23) will outhold a 15kg steel anchor in soft bottoms. It disassembles into flat components that stow in a dedicated bag taking up almost no space. Every offshore boat should carry a Fortress as the secondary hook, either for use as a kedge anchor (setting off the stern to prevent swinging in a tight anchorage), as a hurricane or storm anchor in soft-bottom harbors, or as insurance if the primary fails to set.
Sizing: Bigger Is Almost Always Better
Anchor manufacturers publish sizing guides correlated to boat length. Treat these as minimum recommendations, not targets. A 35-foot sloop displacing 12,000 lbs should be on the "45-foot" anchor size in any modern catalog. The weight penalty is minimal — a few extra kilograms on the bow — and the holding power gain is significant. The cost difference between adjacent sizes is rarely more than $100–150.
The rule of thumb used by experienced offshore sailors: anchor one size larger than the manufacturer's length recommendation, and two sizes larger if you plan to cruise offshore, anchor in exposed anchorages, or spend extended time in the tropics where afternoon squalls can reach 40 knots with no warning.
For reference, the Rocna sizing guide recommends a 25kg anchor for boats from 13–16 meters (43–52 feet) in "normal" conditions. Many offshore sailors on 40-foot boats run a 25kg Rocna as a matter of course. Mantus recommends a 20kg anchor for boats up to 45 feet; experienced offshore sailors often step up to 27kg.
The Anchor That Came With Your Boat
Production boats in the 25–45 foot range typically come with a Delta or Bruce-type anchor sized to the manufacturer's minimum recommendation. This is a starting point. If you plan to anchor overnight in any conditions beyond glassy harbors, budget for a modern replacement anchor within the first season. The cost — $400–800 for most boats — is the best investment in overnight safety you can make.