Bob over at Boat Bits tells of his satisfaction with the Northill folding anchor:
Sadly, these are no longer made anymore, but if you ever come across one at a nautical flea market my advice is snap it up as they are one of the best anchors ever made!
The Northill broke the mold as the first anchor that used clever design in place of brute weight.
See, the Northill folding anchor was originally designed as a lightweight anchor for seaplanes, where weight reduction is even more critical than it is aboard small boats.
Following up on Bob’s piece, I spotted an interesting anchor website that appears to be a “labor of love” on the part of a recreational mariner named Richard. The images above are from his page about the Northill, where he also has a reproduction of an old advertisement from a 1940 issue of Flight magazine.
Richard’s Anchors R Us page, which does not sell anchors at all, appears to be a valuable resource for those trying to select an anchor.
Or even for those of us who just want to learn more about old anchors like the Northill.
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
My Uncle found this kind of anchor way back 1960′ or 1950′ in Tago Surigao del Sur Philippines exactly the same the design the patent # 21,841. My mother told me that they kept this anchor for almost 50 years. Sir my question is how much is the Cost of this anchor if i will SELL it today… Hope you can give me the information.
Please reply..
Sorry, I have no idea. The conventional wisdom nowadays is that this is an “obsolete” design, so demand may be low. On the other hand, Bob of Boat Bits may not be alone in his fondness for the design. So perhaps you could find a buyer.
For my own part, I would consider this anchor (along with the Fortress) as potentially an excellent secondary, easily stowed away until needed, fairly easy to load into the dinghy to row it out astern, etc.
Thanks a lot Mr. Tim for the information. Mr. Tim how can I connect or contact to this Bob of Boats Bits? I really want to sell this anchor so that it can help us financially.