The problem of determining the holding capacity of flat plates and marine anchors in cohesionless soils is briefly reviewed and the reasons for the difference in the performance of marine anchors and that of simple flat plates are identified. The role which each anchor component plays during the embedment process is discussed.An analytical procedure to estimate the holding capacity of anchors with planar flukes, such as the Danforth anchor, as a function of soil properties and the depth of penetration into the soil is presented and checked against data from laboratory and published field tests.Factors such as anchor stability and characteristics of the pulling cable which can affect both anchor orientation and the maximum depth to which a particular anchor can penetrate the soil have not been included in the analysis. Consequently, it is not yet possible to predict the ultimate holding capacity that a particular anchor may achieve if pulled through an adequate distance.