What Size Anchor Do I Need for a 25-foot boat?
Last Updated on October 1, 2022
Anchors are perfect for keeping a boat firmly in place; you don’t need a rocket scientist for that deduction. However, the pressing question could be what weight or size anchor would be perfect for your boat. Well, it is safe to say there is no specific answer for the question, seeing that the befitting weight anchor depends on a few factors. Generally, however, for a 25-foot boat, for instance (which is, in fact, the subject matter), a 14-pound anchor size should be the best option.
From the word “anchor”, one could easily tell what the discourse is about – securing a vessel, which in this case is a boat, and keeping it firmly in place. If you’re not going to be sailing for eternity, you’ll need an anchor for when you decide to visit the land of the living. So, you must get an anchor for your boat.
That said, if your boat now has an anchor, the next decision to make would be the size and strength of anchor that would be just sufficient enough to keep your boat in place lest it gets loose, wandering the aqua nation.
In this guide, you will see that choosing an anchor for your boat can depend on factors such as weather, size and type of boat, and the depth of water where you’ll be using the anchor. I mean, there’s a reason why anchors come in a variety of shapes and sizes, just like the boats they anchor.
Now, before you start to consider the size or weight of anchor you need specifically for your 25-foot boat, there are other things you must consider regardless of boat size.
Things to Consider for your Choice of Anchor Regardless of Boat Size
As earlier opined, there are a few things that you must consider for your choice of anchor regardless of boat size; they include:
- Duration of anchorage – will you be anchoring the boat overnight or are you going for day trips and returning to shores intermittently?
- Type of aqua nation – is your boat for rivers, lakes, or inland waters? An offshore boat? What kind of waters is your boat designed for?
- Positioning – wherever you intend to do your sailing, will you be close enough to return to the shore should the weather take a bad turn? Or is the plan to ride out the storm on an anchor?
The best choice of anchor for your boat should be based on the 30 mph wind rating, especially if you’ll be using it for your primary front anchor.
- Depth of water – how deep is the water where you will be using the anchor?
- Anchor style – what style of the anchor is best suited for your boat and the water terrain you’ll be on.
The table below can be used as a starting reference point to make your decision on the best anchor choice; however, not excluding the conditions you’ll be in and available storage space.
Full-Size Models – Based on 30 mph Winds
| Boat Size | Anchor Size |
| Up to 19 feet | 10 lb |
| 20-27 feet | 14 lb |
| 28-34 feet | 18 lb |
| 35-42 feet | 22 lb |
| 42-60 feet | 45 lb |
How to Choose an Anchor
You don’t want to be that guy who randomly picks an anchor from the store, tosses it overboard, and takes it on his trip only to realize it wasn’t either too short for the boat or not strong enough to hold the boat in place. Before you make your anchor choice, read through these tips.
Somewhere aforementioned in this guide are some of the factors you should consider to choose an appropriate anchor. Let’s discuss them in detail.
Weight of anchor
The bigger the weight of your anchor, the better; I mean, what is the purpose of an anchor whose weight is not big enough to hold down your boat – it’s like a rope tied to a kite but swaying around in the direction of the wind.
Why a big weight? Perhaps you’ve rested on some trees before and they could bear your weight but the same trees gave way and got themselves uprooted in heavy wind. That’s how this is – you wouldn’t need to bother much about weight in a quiet cove but that option becomes favorable in a strong wind.
In some cases, using different weights of an anchor is more advantageous – a primary anchor for calm water conditions, especially in situations where you can keep watch on the anchor. Then, you can also keep a working anchor preferable for overnight trips and weather conditions with gusty winds.
The depth and Bottom Conditions
One question we must answer is how does anchor work? To hold the boat in place, the anchor goes deep into the water until it reaches the water bed and grabs a hold of a huge obstacle or penetrates enough hard sand to do its job. In truth, a good anchor (including its weight and holding power) is only as good as its ability to penetrate the bottom.
Anchors do better in hard sandy bottoms (offering a significant holding power), but they do less in mud. In the mud, the anchor will have to do more work by penetrating even deeper to find a harder secondary bottom. Hence, weight usually carries a significant concern here.
Holding Power
As earlier opined, a factor you can’t overemphasize in choosing an anchor is the weight. Nevertheless, anchors are also highly rated by their holding power; that is, the amount of pull they exert to hold the boat in place.
The holding power of an anchor is measured based on environmental factors, particularly wind speed. On a rule of thumb, a 90-pound holding power will be required to safely anchor a 20 feet boat at a wind speed of 20 mph. For that same wind speed, a 125-pound holding power will be required to safely anchor a 25 feet boat.
Final Words
It’s safe and wise to know that no single anchor can work for you in different situations, but there’s a general rule that binds when you’re choosing an anchor and that is the bigger (weight), the better.
