Sea anchor
Modern commercial sea anchors are usually made of cloth, shaped like a parachute or cone, and rigged so that the wider end leads and the narrower end trails. When deployed, this type of sea anchor floats just under the surface, and the water moving past the sea anchor keeps it filled. Some varieties are cylindrical, with an adjustable opening in the rear that allows the amount of braking to be adjusted when deployed.
Offshore embedded anchors
The increased cost of installing anchors in deep water has led to the inception of dynamically penetrating anchors that embed themselves into the seabed under free-fall. These anchors typically comprise of a thick-walled, steel, tubular shaft filled with scrap metal or concrete and fitted with a conical tip. Steel plates (flukes) are often attached to the shaft to improve its hydrodynamic stability and to provide additional frictional resistance against uplift.