Make sure you have used the correct amount of scope, that you are using the right size or type of anchor for your vessel and the anchor is set firmly, before you lower your Anchor Buddy anchor weight.

If the Anchor Buddy anchor weight is lowered down after anchoring until just off the seabed, the catenary effect is extremely effective. It changes the angle of pull on the anchor, making it horizontal which helps it dig in, rather than vertical, which raises the shank and is one of the reasons an anchor drags.

It is even more effective than letting out more rope or chain when it starts to blow, or you are caught out on a lee shore, as it is a concentrated, 20 or 30lb weight, which the forces on the vessel have to overcome and lift, before exerting any pressure on the anchor.

"I have all chain, so I don't need an Anchor Buddy, do I?"

We believe it is false security to put your faith in all chain anchoring systems. Having all chain certainly helps keep the shank of the anchor on the seabed. Chain in a heap is heavy, but in the water and stretched out across the seabed, it lifts easily.

In heavy weather, the benefit of having the Anchor Buddy is that it holds the chain into the mud or sand bottom and creates incredible drag resistance.

It will resist a sideways shearing gust by keeping more of the chain dragging across the bottom ( this also reduces the swinging circle) and if the chain does continue to rise, it dampens the snubbing effect quite dramatically.

The secret to using an anchor weight, is to have it off the seabed at all stages of the tide.
Then it acts as a spring to absorb shock and stop snubbing, and damps all sudden actions on the vessel and ground tackle at anchor. These actions lift the chain and the shank of the anchor and are the main reasons an anchor drags. The diagram shows how anchor weights add extra anchoring security - click on it for a larger version.

On the recommended anchoring scope of 5:1, it takes a horizontal force of 147lb to lift a 30lb (13.6kg) weight off the seabed and 98lb to lift a 20lb (8kg) weight.
 
The forces on the vessel have to overcome and lift the weight, before exerting any significant pressure on the anchor it almost doubles the holding power.