🔍 Key Concepts

• Conventional anchor design and how it develops holding power • Typical seabed types and how well an anchor can dig in and hold • Difference between soft, hard, and mixed bottoms for anchoring

💭 Think About

• For a conventional anchor to hold well, does it need to penetrate deeply, or just rest on top of the bottom? • On which type of bottom is an anchor most likely to drag when the wind or current picks up? • Which seabed type gives the flukes something to "bite" into firmly without being so hard that they can’t penetrate?

✅ Before You Answer

• Compare how well an anchor can penetrate shale, rock, very soft mud, and mud/clay mixture • Think about which bottom type is least likely to shear or crumble away when the anchor is loaded • Consider which option is commonly recommended in seamanship/anchoring practice as giving strong, reliable holding for ordinary anchors