A marine anchor has an anhedral fluke with a shank attached thereto including an anchor line attachment point. A rear plate assembly behind the fluke is inclined at an obtuse angle .alpha. to the fluke and serves to provide a turning moment about the attachment point countering turning moments produced by friction effect on the fluke and the shank and by edge resistance during anchor burial to give improved anchor holding power while soil escapes the passage between the rear assembly and the fluke allows escape of sand and soft mud passing over the fluke. Peripheral edges of the rear assembly are shaped to cause rolling of the anchor to a burial position. An upturned toe portion at the front of the fluke encourages effective anchor operation in clay soils while also facilitating rock gripping by the anchor.
A fixed shank plow anchor includes a weighted nose having a spike incorporated into it to enhance deployment of the anchor on the sea bed. The center of gravity of the anchor is situated within the shank so that when the anchor drops onto a sea bed, and force is applied to the end of the shank in a forward direction, an overturning moment is created facilitating digging of the nose of the anchor into the sea bed. The anchor is self-launching.
An asymmetric boat anchor has an unballasted fluke (2), with a tip (6) and a back (8) with a curved edge (10); a shank (4) is mounted on the fluke. The edge (26) of the shank away from the tip (6) of the fluke is curved and the free end of the shank (18) is offset from a plane (30) tangent to the back edge (10) of the fluke and to the edge (26) of the shank. Thus, if the anchor is in a reverse position, contacting the sea ground through the edge of the shank and the back edge of the fluke, it will roll on the edge of the shank and turns to the anchoring position.
