Korean anchors

[Humblebee]

I was in South Korea last month and noticed the anchors on most Korean boats are the traditional fisherman style but with the stock - if that is the right word - fixed across the flukes, not at the other end of the anchor.
Hopefully I have managed to attach a photo, seems strange to me.
Any thoughts/comments?

 

[NormanS]

Looks just a bit cumbersome for a bow roller!

 

[Neeves]

I agree, very common in S Korea, on every large ocean going fishing boat. They are so common they obviously work. Many of the them are home made, or look it, from bent rebar and other assorted bits of steel. They fit on bow roller a treat - as all the protuberance are at the crown. Northhill are still common in Korea and the Pacific Island where American influence is strong, Guam, Samoa etc. Popularity of anchor is regional or nationalistic, think of Brittany, Spade, Bugel and Fortress - Northhill are simply another example. Just because they are not popular everywhere does not mean they don't work.

If I had to guess - its a copy, or derivative, of the Northhill. Northhill is, was, an American design, and the Koreans are closely aligned with America. It would be a natural progression to take the then existing (then) anchor, fishermen, and simply move the stock.

But this is all definitely a guess!

You would need to ask a Korean historian with a fetish on anchor development to get the complete answer.

Jonathan

 

[thinwater]

The Northhill (mostly US) is like that. Very effective. The Northill models either fold or break down. They still have some popularity and knock-offs are common on fishing boats.

They were designed for anchoring seaplanes in WW II.

http://www.lonesentry.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/pby-catalina-flying-boat-anchor.jpg

 

[zoidberg]

Gosh! That's gonna complicate the arguments on here....

 

[Neeves]

The Northhill had a much larger fluke and you do see derivatives that are originally fishermen with a fluke plate welded to the original small fishermen fluke (and the stock at the crown).

They have that same disadvantage of a fishermen, that the 'unused' fluke sticks up ready to pounce on the arrant chain (and trip the anchor) but if you are a human fisherman this is not the same issue it might be on a yacht.

The fact they are still so popular, Northhill and the Korean derivative (I've never seen a folding one in Korea), and the fact they are almost as old as a Danforth and only 10 years younger than a CQR underlines - they must work.

Jonathan

 

[Humblebee]

Thanks for the info guys, interesting stuff.

Never seen or heard of the Northhill anchor before.

 

[thinwater]

Some Northill stuff. The claimed hold power is 900 pounds for a 12-R Utility model in sand. I need to do some testing, but this squares with my experience.

https://sail-delmarva.blogspot.com/2018/11/northill-anchors.html

 

[Dutch01527]

I bought a 32lb Northill stainless steel anchor recently on eBay after my Fortress FX16 dragged on poor holding at a Porlock Weir.

Not used it yet but it is a work of art in engineering and design terms. I fully expect it set strongly enough to drag England towards Wales next time I anchor there in a (unexpected) blow.