We took delivery of a Viking anchor last year for use on a 51' charter ketch that I operate in the summers. We had 75 charters last season and anchored on average twice per charter, usually in sand but sometimes in weeds and sometimes on top of hard rock. At the beginning of the season, the owner had kitted the boat out with a Fortress. After struggling with it on several occasions, I loaned the business my cruising anchor, a Rocna 25, and explained the huge leap in performance that we have experienced in recent years from new generation anchors. To prove the point further, I brought along my 1Kg Mantus M1 that I use for my 13' Whaler, and we anchored the charter yacht with it (a 51', 20-ton boat) in about 12-15 knots of breeze. It held beautifully. He was sold on new generation anchors.

Based largely on the early testing done by Panope, but also on pricing and the excellent customer service that we received from the company, we purchased a Viking 20. It's 5Kg lighter than my Rocna but physically much larger, with greater blade area and, like the Mantus, a steeper angle of attack and better penetration through weed and hard, crusty substrates. We only had it for the second half of the cruising season, but still anchored about 70-odd times with it and never had any issues. When the wind picked up to about 20 knots and a 70-foot motor cruiser started dragging towards us we brought them alongside and the Viking held both boats rock solid.

Hi all! It’s been 3 weeks since we « downgraded » from another brand, 40 kg, to a Viking 25 kg. Only a short time, I agree. Nevertheless, as we live aboard, we happened to test our new anchor on various sea beds: soft mud, sand, seaweed. We keep on testing, of course, but, so far, we are very happy as not a single time, the Viking anchor failed. Hard to believe, but we feel significantly safer with our new, lighter, Viking anchor.

2-3 years ago I had debates with Izi Kalvo regarding the required anchor size that I need for my 20T boat. After almost 2 years of using Viking 20, I am amazed every day by its performance - setting, re-setting, veering, etc. So far in our voyage, we have not experienced winds stronger than 60 knots, but for me this lightweight, high-performance anchor is almost a miracle. Add value to money, and you just fall in love with a piece of steel.

Viking Anchors make the Boomerang with my approval, they asked if I would mind (a move showing integrity) and I am more than happy to have someone spread the word - as I think the device is useful, it works and it is over engineered - so safe. I'm not in the business, despite what people might think, of promoting - I just like my ideas to be assessed by my peers, you, and if accepted then those ideas I'd like disseminated to as many as possible - altruism, not money is the motivation.

Now I have not seen, in the flesh, a Viking Boomerang - but have been promised one. I like Viking because I think they have moved anchor 'knowledge' forward by use of HT steel through the whole anchor and thus saving weight. I'm one who thinks anchors work by design, not weight. They are open minded and adopt ideas from outside and are happy to give a source to ideas they adopt. Their use of HT steel in the fluke is all theirs. Interestingly their steel supplier a specialist Nordic company has been adopted by Volvo to supply them 'green' steel made using hydrogen, not coal. Its the first time I have heard of green steel being accepted commercially and possibly Viking uses the same steel - as the steel Viking uses is used in the Automotive industry. So those of you with environmental credentials - take note - watch Volvo and Viking.

Buy your boomerang here

Based largely on the early testing done by Panope but also on pricing and the excellent customer service that we received from the company we purchased a Viking 20. It's 5Kg lighter than my Rocna but physically much larger, with greater blade area and, like the Mantus, a steeper angle of attack and better penetration through weed and hard, crusty substrates. We only had it for the second half of the cruising season but still anchored about 70-odd times with it and never had any issues. When the wind picked up to about 20-knots and a 70-foot motor cruiser started dragging towards us we brought them alongside and the Viking held both boats rock solid.

big thank you @vikinganchors for making this anchor, it probably is the lowest weight modern anchor to meet World Sailing Offshore Special Regulations 4.06.2 requirement to carry "2 un-modified anchors that meet the anchor manufacturer’s recommendation
based on the boat’s dimensions..."