anchor

I sail regularly around the islands here and sometimes after an informal race a friend and I stop at a beach front cafe and warm up with a meal and coffee.
He has always carried an anchor because he says it is a safety device. I have created a padded bag that clips to my tramp for these occasions so we don't have to drag the boats..tide moves faster than us some days.
What is the general wisdom on carrying and using anchors on beach cats??

All depends on whether you want the weight onboard. I like them, Murrays sells a nice little setup with anchor, some chain, and a bunch of line all nicely packed in a bag that clips onto the boat. Just make sure you have enough line for the depths you'll need it in. Some distance races require them.