Choose a bow roller by three things, in this order: the anchor it has to carry, the diameter of the chain or rope that runs over it, and the shape of your bow. Get those right and the anchor launches and stows itself; get them wrong and you have a fitting that scars the topsides and jams the rode.
The roller is the one piece of ground tackle that touches everything else. It carries the anchor when it is stowed, it guides the rode when it runs, and it lines the chain up for the windlass. MAURIPRO carries bow rollers from Maxwell, Lewmar, Quick and Mantus, and those four makers specify them in genuinely different ways, which is the main reason this choice confuses people.
Bow and stern rollers at a glance
| Roller | Brand | Type | Manufacturer rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maxwell Bow Roller Size 1 Fixed | Maxwell | Fixed | Rope and chain up to 8 mm |
| Maxwell Bow Roller Size 3 Fixed | Maxwell | Fixed | Rope and chain up to 13 mm |
| Maxwell Bow Roller Size 1 Hinged | Maxwell | Hinged | Rope and chain up to 8 mm |
| Maxwell Extendable Hinged Bow Roller | Maxwell | Hinged, self-launching | Plough anchors up to 16 kg |
| Lewmar Bow Roller Delta Type | Lewmar | Fixed | Delta and DTX anchors, 14 to 35 lb |
| Lewmar Bow Roller Delta Type Long | Lewmar | Fixed, long arm | 22, 35 and 45 lb anchors |
| Lewmar Bow Roller Pivoting Fluke Style | Lewmar | Pivoting | Any fluke anchor to 35 lb |
| Mantus Bow Roller BR1 | Mantus | Fixed, slotted | Boats 18 to 35 ft |
| Mantus Bow Roller BR2 | Mantus | Fixed, slotted | Boats 36 to 46 ft |
| Quick Bow Roller L440 Mod.1 | Quick | Fixed | 440 mm overall length |
What does a bow roller actually do?
A bow roller has three jobs, and they pull in different directions. It has to stow the anchor clear of the stem so the flukes cannot swing into the topsides. It has to give the rode a fair lead so the chain never drags across gelcoat or an alloy toerail. And it has to hold the anchor steady enough that it does not rattle its way loose on passage.
That last job is why hinged and self-launching rollers exist. The Maxwell Extendable Hinged bow roller includes a locking pin for securing the anchor when underway as well as a storage pin for while the anchor is in use, which is the manufacturer conceding that a roller which merely supports the anchor is not finished hardware.
Which type of bow roller do you need?
Fixed rollers
A fixed bow roller is a bracket and a sheave bolted through the deck, and nothing moves except the roller itself. It is the simplest and strongest answer, and it is the right one when the anchor already sits clear of the stem. The Maxwell Size 1 Fixed, Size 2 Fixed and Size 3 Fixed rollers and the Lewmar Delta Type are all built this way.
Hinged rollers
A hinged bow roller pivots up and out. That extra reach is what lets a plough or scoop anchor swing past the stemhead instead of into it, and it is what makes a self-launching design possible, because you ease the windlass and gravity does the rest. The Maxwell Size 1 Hinged and Size 2 Hinged rollers cover most cruising boats.
Pivoting fluke rollers
A fluke anchor of the Danforth pattern lies flat rather than sitting nose down, so it needs a roller that tips to accept it. The Lewmar Pivoting Fluke Style bow roller is stated for any fluke anchor to 35 lb and weighs 7.94 lb itself.
Slotted rollers for chain alignment
Mantus approaches the problem from another direction. The Mantus BR1 and BR2 bow rollers use slotted Delrin rollers designed to align the chain before it enters the windlass to avoid chain skipping. The roller housing is slotted as well, which allows custom configurations so a particular anchor seats properly. Both are rugged 316 stainless steel construction with a mirror polish.
How do you match a bow roller to your anchor and rode?
Here is the trap. Lewmar and Mantus specify their bow rollers one way and Maxwell specifies them another, and reading across the two as though they meant the same thing is how people buy the wrong part.
Lewmar rates by anchor. Lewmar builds its bow rollers in 304 stainless steel and states the Delta Type and Delta Type Long for Delta and DTX anchors from 14 to 35 lb, while the longer version is stated for 22, 35 and 45 lb anchors. The Pivoting Fluke Style is stated for any fluke anchor to 35 lb.
Mantus rates by boat length. Mantus states the BR1 bow roller for boats 18 to 35 ft and the BR2 for 36 to 46 ft.
Maxwell rates by rode diameter, and this is the one people miss. Maxwell rates its bow rollers by rode diameter: the Size 1 Fixed, Size 2 Fixed and Size 1 Hinged are stated for rope and chain up to 8 mm, while the Size 2 Hinged and Size 3 Fixed are stated for rope and chain up to 13 mm. If you are running 10 mm chain, a Size 2 Fixed is the wrong part whatever your anchor weighs.
So work the problem in both directions: confirm the roller will carry your anchor, then confirm the groove will pass your chain. If you are not certain what chain you are running, our guide to anchor chain dimensions covers sizing it, and gypsy and chain compatibility covers the windlass end of the same question.
What about the anchor itself, and the windlass behind it?
Maxwell makes one pairing explicit. Maxwell MAXSET bow rollers are matched to a MAXSET anchor weight, with two rollers built for the 10 kg anchor and two for the 16 kg anchor, offered in satin or polished finish. When a manufacturer matches a roller to a single anchor like that, treat the pair as a set rather than as a size chart.
Behind the bow roller sits the windlass, and the roller is what feeds it. A rode that arrives at the gypsy off centre is the usual cause of skipping, which is precisely the problem the slotted Mantus rollers are designed to solve. If the windlass is part of the same project, start with how to choose a windlass.
Do you need a stern roller as well?
If you stern anchor, whether that is Med mooring, holding a beach landing off, or setting a second anchor to stop the boat sailing around, then the requirement is the same as it is forward: somewhere for the anchor to sit that is not the deck, and a fair lead for the rode. The Quick SF Anchor Rollers are the compact stainless option for that job.
Quick names its bow rollers by overall length rather than by an anchor weight: the L220 measures 223 mm, the L440 measures 440 mm and the L650 measures 658 mm, and the SF Anchor Rollers are 4.0 in and 6.0 in. Measure the space you actually have before you shop that range.
Expert notes
Weight on the stem is not free. The Lewmar Delta Type Long weighs 11.00 lb and the Mantus BR2 weighs 20.00 lb, and that is stainless hung at the very end of the boat where it does the most for pitching. It is a fair trade for anchoring you can manage single handed, but it is a trade.
The two stainless grades are not interchangeable. Lewmar builds its bow rollers in 304 stainless steel while Mantus uses 316 stainless steel with a mirror polish. Both are normal marine practice, but the 316 holds its finish better in warm salt water, and on a boat that lives in the tropics that difference shows up as staining on the stem long before it shows up as anything structural.
The roller is the wear part. The Mantus rollers are Delrin and the Maxwell rollers are made from UV resistant materials, and both are meant to wear so that the chain and the stainless do not. Check them when you service the windlass rather than when they finally seize.
What are the most common mistakes when choosing a bow roller?
- Buying to the anchor weight and ignoring the chain. Maxwell publishes a rode diameter for every size for a reason, and a groove cut for rope and chain up to 8 mm will not run 10 mm chain cleanly whatever the anchor weighs.
- Assuming any roller will self-launch. Self-launching is a stated design property, not a category. Maxwell states it for the Extendable Hinged bow roller; a plain fixed roller will not do it however far it projects.
- Forgetting that the anchor has to be locked down. A bow roller that holds the anchor at rest is not the same as one that holds it in a seaway, so check whether a locking pin is part of the fitting as it is on the Maxwell Extendable Hinged.
- Measuring the roller and not the bow. Overall length only means something next to your stemhead fitting, furler drum and pulpit legs, and Quick spans 223 mm to 658 mm precisely because bows differ.
- Treating a fluke anchor like a plough. A Danforth pattern anchor needs a roller that pivots to accept it, which is why Lewmar builds a Pivoting Fluke Style bow roller instead of expecting a Delta roller to cope.
Which bow rollers should most boats start with?
For a cruising boat of 30 to 40 ft running a plough or scoop anchor on 8 mm chain, the Maxwell Bow Roller Size 1 Hinged is the straightforward choice, and the Maxwell Extendable Hinged Bow Roller is the upgrade when you want a genuinely self-launching fitting with a locking pin.
If you are running a Delta or DTX anchor, the Lewmar Bow Roller Delta Type is built for it. If your complaint is a windlass that skips rather than an anchor that will not stow, the Mantus Bow Roller BR1 and its slotted Delrin rollers are aimed squarely at that. And for stern anchoring, the Quick SF Anchor Roller 4.0 in is the compact answer.
Shop all Bow & Stern Rollers →
Frequently asked questions
What size bow roller do I need?
Size a bow roller by two numbers rather than one: the weight and pattern of your anchor, and the diameter of your rode. Maxwell rates its bow rollers by rode diameter, stating rope and chain up to 8 mm for the Size 1 Fixed and Size 1 Hinged and up to 13 mm for the Size 3 Fixed, while Lewmar states an anchor weight instead, 14 to 35 lb for the Delta Type.
What is the difference between a fixed and a hinged bow roller?
A fixed bow roller is bolted solid and the anchor must already clear the stem, while a hinged bow roller pivots up and out to give the anchor room to swing past the bow, which is what makes a self-launching fitting possible. Maxwell builds both patterns, so with a Maxwell roller the hinge is the decision rather than the capacity.
Will a bow roller stop my windlass skipping?
It can, because skipping is usually a chain arriving at the gypsy off centre. The Mantus BR1 and BR2 use slotted Delrin rollers designed to align the chain before it enters the windlass to avoid chain skipping. If the gypsy itself does not match your chain, though, no bow roller will rescue it.
Do I need a stern roller for a second anchor?
If you regularly set a stern anchor, a roller gives that anchor a home and gives its rode a fair lead over the transom, which is the same reasoning that applies at the bow. The Quick SF Anchor Rollers come in 4.0 in and 6.0 in for exactly this job.
What material should a bow roller be?
Marine stainless steel, and the grade is worth checking: Lewmar builds its bow rollers in 304 stainless steel while Mantus uses 316 stainless steel with a mirror polish. The rollers themselves are a different material again, Delrin on the Mantus and UV resistant materials on the Maxwell, because those parts are meant to wear instead of the anchor chain.
Last updated: September 29, 2026.