SPADE Anchor

What SPADE Anchor does

SPADE Anchor, manufactured by Sea Tech & Fun Europe, is a French specialty hardware company that designs and produces high-performance marine anchors sold under the SPADE brand. Founded in 1997 by Alain Poiraud in Monastir, Tunisia, the assets were acquired in 2006 by Sea Tech & Fun and re-domiciled in 2007 as Sea Tech & Fun Europe (SARL, registered in Draguignan, France), headquartered in Arcs-sur-Argens in southern France. The core technical differentiator is the patented concave shovel geometry — described as the only anchor of this shape worldwide — combined with a honed tip concentrating 50% of total weight at the leading edge, a cutting edge for penetrating algae-covered seabeds, and a hollow trapezoidal shaft with dual-triangulation attachment. This delivers a published load holding coefficient of 1.7, the highest in the market versus 1.2 for flat and 0.5–1.0 for chevron designs, and is Bureau Veritas VHHP-certified (N° 41614/A0 BV).

The product line comprises 30 SKUs across three material variants: 12 sizes of galvanised steel anchors (S40–SQ520, 5.5–170 kg) and 12 sizes of 316L stainless steel anchors (X40–XHR520, 5.5–170 kg) for primary anchorage on vessels from 1 to 200 tonnes, plus 6 sizes of aluminium anchors (A40–A200, 2.5–26 kg) for secondary and emergency use. Retail pricing spans €274 ex-VAT for the smallest galvanised unit up to €8,414 ex-VAT for the largest stainless unit, with the heaviest models (SQ520, XHR380, XHR520) sold on a contact-us basis. The business is operated through three hubs (Arcs-sur-Argens HQ, Palm Bay Florida for North America, Tunisia for manufacturing), with Fabien Martin as CEO and 40+ employees as of 2022. Revenue is not publicly disclosed and the company is privately held with no external funding recorded.

The go-to-market is exclusively indirect: anchors are sold through an authorised retailer network — including Accastillage Diffusion, Uship, and independent yacht chandlers — covering 40+ countries on every continent, with no direct e-commerce. Marketing combines boat show presence (Nautic Paris, Grand Pavois La Rochelle, Genoa International Boat Show, International Multi-Hull Show, among others), earned media in publications such as Voiles et Voiliers, Voile Magazine, Practical Sailor, and Sailing Today, a published testimonial library of extreme-use cases (hurricane survival, Antarctic and Svalbard expeditions), and an explorer/ambassador program. End customers are predominantly SMB and individual recreational sailors, catamaran owners, and yacht owners, with occasional expedition and large-vessel (30–200 tonnes) use cases.

Name

SPADE Anchor

Legal name

Sea Tech & Fun Europe

Website

https://spade-anchor.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

SPADE Anchor, manufactured by France-based Sea Tech & Fun, designs and produces patented concave-design marine anchors sold in 30 sizes across steel, stainless steel, and aluminium variants through authorised retailers in 40+ countries serving recreational sailboat and yacht owners worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marine Anchors

NAICS

Ship Building and Repairing (336611), Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers (4234)

SIC

Bolts, Nuts, Screws, Rivets & Washers (3452), Ship & Boat Building & Repairing (3730)

akta.pro primary industry

Deck Fittings & Hardware (Bitts, Fairleads, Cleats, Anchors & Chains) (IMAJAIAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Fasteners & Joining Consumables (Bolts, Rivets, Welding Wire/Rods, Flux) (IMAJAKAI)

Keywords

• Marine anchors
• Boat anchoring
• Sailing equipment
• Marine hardware
• Anchor manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

Taradeau

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Hardware Sales - Marine Anchors: One-time purchase model for marine anchors sold in three materials (galvanized steel, stainless steel, aluminium) across 30 sizes ranging from 2.5kg to 170kg. Steel and stainless steel for primary anchorage, aluminium for secondary/emergency use. Revenue generated through direct retail pricing to end customers via authorized retailers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

SPADE Anchor manufactures and sells high-performance boat anchors featuring a patented concave shovel design with honed tip technology. The product line includes galvanised steel, 316L stainless steel, and aluminium anchors across 30 sizes ranging from 2.5 kg to 170 kg, suitable for vessels from 1 to 200 tonnes. All anchors are produced in-house in France and distributed globally through an authorised marine retailer network.

Product overview

SPADE Anchor, manufactured by Sea Tech & Fun, is a marine anchoring solutions company offering high-performance boat anchors in three material variants. The product line consists of galvanised steel anchors (12 sizes, 5.5-170 kg) and stainless steel anchors (12 sizes, 5.5-170 kg) for primary anchorage, plus aluminium anchors (6 sizes, 2.5-26 kg) for secondary and emergency use. All anchors feature the company's patented concave shovel design with a honed tip for instant seabed penetration and high holding power (coefficient 1.7). The anchors are manufactured in-house in France and distributed globally through an authorised retailer network.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Galvanised Steel Spade Anchors (S Series)

Quantifiable outcome

• Load holding coefficient of 1.7 (strongest shape vs flat at 1.2 and chevron at 0.5-1.0)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Plastimo: Established French marine equipment brand covering safety, navigation, deck hardware, and anchoring accessories. Comparable to SPADE as a France-based marine retailer brand competing for the same shelf space in European chandleries and boat shows.
• Wichard: French manufacturer of marine hardware including shackles, snap hooks, and forged fittings. Comparable to SPADE as a French-headquartered, premium-quality marine hardware supplier serving similar OEM and aftermarket channels, though broader in scope.
• Maxwell Marine: Specialist in marine anchor windlasses, capstans, and related deck equipment sold through the global yacht chandlery channel. Comparable to SPADE as a complementary supplier to the same boat show and chandler networks, and a likely partner or competitor for integrated anchoring solutions.
• Quick Group: Italian marine equipment group manufacturing anchors, windlasses, thrusters, and onboard systems for recreational and professional vessels. Comparable to SPADE as a multi-category marine equipment supplier with anchor products sold through overlapping European and international dealer networks.
• Lewmar: UK-based broad marine equipment manufacturer supplying anchors, windlasses, winches, hatches, and deck hardware globally. Comparable to SPADE because its anchor and deck-hardware lines overlap directly, though Lewmar serves as a broader incumbent across the entire vessel equipment stack.

Direct peers

• Manson Anchors: New Zealand/Australian marine anchor manufacturer offering plough, fluke, and bruce-style anchors in steel and stainless. Comparable to SPADE as a design-driven anchor brand competing in the same premium cruising and offshore segment.
• Mantus Anchors: US-based manufacturer of premium marine anchors (steel, aluminium, stainless) sold globally through a marine dealer network. Comparable to SPADE in product positioning (premium performance anchors), material variants, and direct targeting of cruising and bluewater sailors.
• Rocna: New Zealand-based designer and manufacturer of high-performance boat anchors, including the Rocna and Vulcan ranges. Directly comparable to SPADE as a premium, design-led anchor brand with global marine retailer distribution and a strong reputation among serious cruising sailors.
• Fortress Anchors: US manufacturer specialising in aluminium alloy anchors for sailboats and powerboats. Comparable to SPADE as a marine anchor specialist with strong cruising-sailor brand equity, multiple material variants, and global chandlery distribution.

Emerging players

• Kobra Anchor: Italy-based premium anchor manufacturer offering stainless and steel models targeted at the yacht and superyacht segment. Comparable to SPADE as a niche, design-led anchor brand pursuing premium positioning in Mediterranean and international cruising markets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ancrespade

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SPADE Anchor