STONE ANCHORS
The most ancient anchors consisted of a single rock with a hole pierced for a rope and sand anchors (flat stones with more holes). Such anchors held vessels purely by their weight with their size and weight.
STONE AND WOOD ANCHORS
Wood became an important element of anchors as well with tree root often lashed to the rock or sand anchors in order to sink them. It has been suggested that Emperor Wu of China designed such anchors.
KILLICK ANCHOR
The early form of anchors - known as Killicks - were used by fishermen and early seamen. Killicks - wooden crooks, cages or iron hooks - were added to stone anchors, and can be traced back thousands of years.
WOODEN AND METAL ANCHORS
Anchors appeared to get their name - ‘Ancora’. In 600 BC, Greek writers also noted the emergence of iron and metal anchors - often used alongside older wooden ones.
ENGLISH STRAIGHT-ARMED STOCKED ANCHOR
Fast-forward 2,000 years and the Straight-Armed Stocked Anchor emerges. The change from curved to straight-armed appears to have taken place in English vessels from 1540 as ships required larger anchors.
THE ADMIRALTY LONGSHANK ANCHORS
The Longshank Anchor was used throughout but often required repairs. In 1813, therefore, Richard Pering, introduced the long shank stocked anchor with the shanks and flukes shorter and smaller.
HALL’S STOCKLESS ANCHOR
Introduced in 1886 with the head of the anchor held by a pin through it. Further patents and innovations to the anchor took place, with the anchor becoming one of the most popular anchors of the period.
(AM) MARK 1 ‘TOMBSTONE’
With the move towards permanent mooring, a series of large single-fluke anchors emerged. The ‘Tombstone’ - as it is not dropped or embedded through dragging - can operate well with only a single fluke.
CQR PLOW ANCHOR
Named due to its resemblance to a farming implement, the CQR plow anchor was designed as an anchor for flying boats, with the Admiralty ordering 60,000 CQRs during the Second World War.
DANFORTH ANCHOR
Widely used in the Second World War for anchoring aircrafts, bridges and boats, uses a stock at the crown to which two large flat triangular flukes are attached.
ADMIRALTY CAST (AC) 14
Born during Second World War trials run by the Admiralty. Today, known as a Class E anchor, the AC 14 is one of the most versatile high holding anchors used in both the shipping and aquaculture industries.
BRUCE CAST STEEL ANCHOR
Considered one of the most effective modern anchors. The anchor consists of a radical single piece design, resembling a single-fluke mooring anchor, but with self-righting geometry and a cranked single shank.
STEVIN
A golden era of innovation emerged in anchoring. Leading the way was the STEVIN. The STEVIN was designed for the dredging and fledgling offshore oil & gas industry.
FLIPPER DELTA
The Flipper Delta high holding power anchor is well known worldwide. It is an articulating anchor with simplified fluke fabrication. Today, the anchor is still used in the offshore and dredging industries.
STEVIN MK3
The improved version of the successful STEVIN anchor. Designed for more efficient penetration and higher performance.
STEVPRIS
Fabricated from flat steel plates with adjustable fluke-shank geometry, divergent twin shank plates and a large fluke area. A stepchange in anchoring, surpassing the performance of all previous designs.
MAG ANCHOR
Named after the three engineers who developed the design: van der Meer, Alhayari and Gramet - designed and patented by SBM Offshore.
STEVSHARK & STEVPRIS MK5
The original STEVSHARK anchor was introduced in 1980 as a specially reinforced STEVPRIS anchor, for better penetration in hard soils. 1990 saw improved versions of both anchors designs.
STEVMANTA
Developed in response to industry demand for an anchor that could withstand vertical loads. The anchor is deeply embedded and always loaded in a direction, makes it ideal for taut-leg mooring systems.
STEVPRIS MK6
The highest holding capacity drag embedment anchor available on the market. A more than 30% increase in holding power over that of the STEVPRIS MK5 anchor, its predecessor.
STEVDART
A highly accurate, dynamically embedded anchor point for soft clay soils.
STEVSHARK REX
Delivers increased holding power of between 22 and 47% compared to alternative anchors. The anchor’s design means that it can penetrate harder seabeds more effectively than any other anchor.
THE EVOLUTION OF ANCHORING HAS COME A LONG WAY SINCE THE EARLY STONE AND WOODEN ANCHORS