Best-selling Manson galvanized plow anchors ûin all sizes lined up for sale in an Auckland ûchandlery.

If you live in the US, you've probably never heard of Manson anchors. But for most sailors in New Zealand, Australia, and the rest of Asia, "Manson" is the synonym for anchor.

In a small factory on the outskirts of Auckland, Manson builds the plow, ray, and kedge anchors that are standard equipment not just on normal-sized sailboats throughout the Pacific, but are widely seen on superyachts throughout the world. Manson was founded in the late 1970s when Kerry Mair took a close look at the CQR anchor and figured he could do a better job more cheaply. In typical Kiwi fashion, he took an existing design, adapted it to local…