ANCHORING TO A SINGLE ANCHOR

In calm weather the anchorage is approached at slow speed and the anchor is let go while
the ship has either headway or sternway. The cable is laid out, and engines are used to
relieve stresses in the cable just before the vessel brings-to. The of cer who is anchoring
his own ship usually prefers to stop his vessel at the anchorage by going astern. When the
propeller wash reaches the ship abeam of the bridge he uses that as a guide that the ship
has lost way. The engines are then kept going dead slow astern as the anchor is let go.
Engines are stopped almost immediately and the vessel drifts astern laying out her cable,
which grows continually ahead. Just before the required scope is out, the engines are
touched ahead so that the vessel gets her cable as gently as possible. This method ensures
the chain being clear of the hull plating at all times.
Many pilots prefer the simpler method of arriving at the anchorage with a little headway
on the vessel, letting go the cable, laying it out as the vessel moves slowly ahead, and
touching astern just before the required scope is out. With this practice, the cable grows
continually astern while it is being rendered and will probably harm the paintwork on the
hull. This is rather more serious than it may sound, because often the paint is removed to
the bare metal and corrosion sets in rapidly. This is apparent when a vessel drydocks, since
there is usually an occasion during a voyage when the cable does grow astern.
In waters up to 20 m (10 fathoms) deep the anchor and cable should be let go on the
run, allowing about double the depth (of cable) to run before checking it on the brake. If
the cable is snubbed as soon as the anchor touches the bottom the anchor will be dragged
along the sea-bed and will be unable to grip. Further, with the weight of the anchor off
the cable, it sometimes happens that when the brake is released the cable will not render
itself. This happens when there is a heavy weight of cable abaft the gypsy, leading down
into the locker, and when the gypsy is in need of lubrication. By surging the cable initially,
the anchor has a chance to embed itself before the cable tightens. There is little risk of a
stockless anchor being fouled in this way.
In water of over 20 m (10 fathoms) the anchor should rst be walked back to within
say 4 or 5 m (2 or 3 fathoms) from the sea-bed, and let go from there. This ensures that
 The Anchor 15
the anchor will not damage itself falling a considerable distance on to a hard bottom, and
also that the cable will not take charge and run out so rapidly that it becomes extremely
dif cult to hold it on the brake. This practice therefore considerably lengthens the life of
the brake linings.
In very deep anchoring depths, 100 m (50 fathoms) and over, the entire operation of anchor-
ing should be done under power. The gypsy should not be taken out of gear at all, because
the heavy weight of cable between sea-bed and hawse pipe will undoubtedly take charge.
In a wind it is better to approach the anchorage heading upwind. The ship is more easily
controlled and will make little leeway. If the wind cannot be brought ahead, however, the
ship can let go the anchor in the usual way and, using her engines to relieve stresses on the
cable, swing head to wind as she brings-to.
The weather anchor should be used so as to avoid nipping the cable round the stem. If
the vessel is heading dead into the wind’s eye she should have her head cast off one way or
the other before letting go the weather anchor. The cast should not be excessive, because
the ship will rapidly seek to lie across the wind and develop a sharp swing to leeward. Cor-
recting helm and bold use of engines should be used if the cast develops into a swing.
In a tideway the vessel should stem the tide and again anchor with headway or sternway,
as in calm weather or in a wind. Her helm will be of use even while making no way over the
ground due to the tidal stream running past her. If the tidal stream cannot be stemmed the
cable should be rapidly laid out slackly across the axis of the stream. As she brings-to in the
stream, the bight of the cable dragging across the sea-bed will bring her up to her anchor
very gently. When anchoring in a tideway oating objects overside are sometimes used to
determine whether the ship still has headway. It should be noted that these objects indicate
the ship’s speed relative to the water, and a vessel stemming a stream with stationary oat-
ing objects beside her (i.e. pieces of wood, etc.) will have sternway over the ground equal
to the rate of the stream. Only when these objects drift astern will the ship be stopped over
the ground or have headway over it.
When anchoring stemming a stream and also having a wind abeam, the lee anchor
should be let go rst. As she gets her cable, her stem will then swing to the wind, causing
the cable to grow clear. If she uses the weather anchor her cable will continually be foul of
the bow plating.

DUTIES OF THE CABLE OFFICER

The anchors and cables will have already been cleared away. The selected anchor is now
a’cockbilled by putting the appropriate gypsy in gear and walking the anchor back clear
of the hawse pipe. We are assuming shallow water—if the water is over 20 m (10
fathoms) deep, then the anchor must be walked back close to the sea-bed or walked back
under power all the way. This latter, of course, is done only when the ship has no
headway, otherwise the trailing anchor will damage the forefoot. The brake is now
screwed tight and the windlass taken out of gear ready for letting go.
The anchor buoy will already be attached to the anchor by its wire pendant. The length
of this pendant should preferably be equal to one and a half to two times the maximum
depth of water at the anchorage so that the buoy is not swamped in a strong current and
16 The Theory and Practice of Seamanship
ceases to watch. The anchor buoy is streamed just before the anchor is let go. The windlass
operator should be wearing goggles. The anchor should not be let go until the Of cer has
made sure that it is all clear below.
Cable is liable to be stowed in the locker with small stones wedged between the links
and studs, and these pebbles are frequently projected at high speed as the cable runs over
the windlass. Further, it is not unknown for the cable to part as it runs out. For this reason
it is inadvisable to stand forward of the gypsy as the cable surges.
At the order to let go, the brake is released, usually by a blow from the carpenter’s maul,
and the cable is surged. It should be snubbed when twice the depth has run out. The brake
is then slackened and the cable allowed to render. The bell is struck a number of times to
indicate (by the number of strokes) the length of cable surged, i.e. three strokes as the third
shackle runs out. The of cer-in-charge must indicate to the bridge personnel how the cable
is growing, particularly if it becomes nipped. If this happens, the brake is tightened and the
bows allowed to swing towards the cable so that it grows clear. He indicates by pointing,
and at night by swinging a lighted torch.
When the desired amount of cable is laid out the order will be given to screw up. The
brake is then screwed tight and the handle struck with the carpenter’s maul for good
measure. The cable is then secured by placing the bow-stopper guillotine across the links,
and if necessary, passing the devil’s claws. The bow stopper relieves the windlass of much
stress while at anchor. Sometimes, when the ship is pitching and the cable is tending to jerk,
heavy coir springs (50% stretch) are secured to the cable and led well aft. When the springs
have been made fast the cable is veered gradually until the springs share the stresses.
Having secured cable, it must now be carefully watched overside. It will grow to long
stay as the ship brings-to her anchor and then slowly slack down if the anchor is holding.
Some of cers prefer to watch a little longer before signalling that she has got her cable. It
should be noted, however, that a regular cycle of coming to long stay, then slacking, then
coming to long stay again, and so on, often indicates that a ship is dragging her anchor.
Cross bearings or beam transit-bearings are more reliable. Strictly speaking, the anchor ball
should not be hoisted nor anchor lights exchanged for steaming lights until the vessel is
anchored, i.e. brought up. Before leaving the forecastle head, the of cer should check the
bow stopper and windlass brake.

AMOUNT OF CABLE TO USE

A term used here is scope. The length of cable laid out, measured from the hawse pipe to
the anchor, divided by the distance measured vertically from the hawse pipe to the sea-
bed, is called the scope of cable. The scope used depends upon several factors:

(1) The nature of the holding ground. Stiff clay, rock, shells, and stones are
considered poor holding ground. Very soft mud can be a poor material in
this respect.
(2) The amount of swinging-room available for the ship as the wind or stream
changes in direction.
 The Anchor 17

(3) The degree of exposure to bad weather at the anchorage.

(4) The strength of the wind or stream. As this strength increases so the ship
moves astern, lifting her cable off the bottom so that it assumes long stay.
(5) The duration of stay at anchor.
(6) The type of anchor and cable.

If the cable leads from the anchor shackle in a direction 5 degrees above the shank axis the
holding power of the anchor is reduced by one-quarter. If the angle becomes 15 degrees
the loss of holding power is one-half. (This fact is repeated in Chapter VIII in view of the
text contained therein.) For this reason, it is most important that a length of cable shall
lead from the anchor shackle along the sea-bed before rising gently to the hawse pipe.
Only a good scope will ensure this. Very often, when a ship drags her anchor, more cable
is veered and the anchor holds. The action is correct, but the oft-resulting belief is a falla-
cy—that it is the resistance of the extra cable which has held the ship. The anchor was no
doubt dragging because the angle between the cable and shank axis, at the shackle, was
more than zero. The veering of cable removes this angle and the anchor holds once more.
A rough rule to lay out three to eight times the depth of water in cable length is
haphazard. The Admiralty recommend the following lengths, which should be regarded
as the minimum for calm weather and a 5-knot stream:
For wrought iron cable, lay out 25 D (45 D ft) of cable.
For forged steel cable, lay out 28 D (50 D ft) of cable.
For special-steel cable, lay out 39 D (70 D ft) of cable.
(Where D is the depth of water in metres (feet).)
It should be observed that more cable is laid in the case of the stronger chain. This repre-
sents a disadvantage of the special-steel in that it is roughly 12 1/2% lighter than wrought-
iron cable, and therefore lifts from the sea-bed more easily. A heavy bight of cable must
be used so that the cable partly lies on the sea-bed and its catenary, or curve, provides a spring
which partially absorbs shocks due to pitching or yawing. The holding power of an anchor,
i.e. the types sketched in this chapter can vary from between three and fourteen times its
own weight. The resistance offered by cable is only about three-quarters of its weight,
and there is thus no point in laying out more cable than is necessary. Further the cable
imparts a drag to the anchor, quite apart from the drag of the ship. Recent research has
shown that a twin-screw ship, anchored in a 4-knot stream and a 55-knot wind, with
locked propellers, imparts the following drag to her anchor:
Screw drag . . . . ...............2 tonnes (tons)
Tide drag on hull . . ......... 4 tonnes (tons)
Wind drag on hull . . . . . 10 tonnes (tons)
Cable drag . . . . . . . 2 tonnes (tons)
The Theory and Practice of Seamanship

DUTIES AT ANCHOR

natural sheer

breaking sheer
 The Anchor 19
At anchor it is desirable from the deck of cer’s point of view to have the main engines and
steering-gear ready for immediate use. In a tideway the vessel may be steered by her
rudder. It is, however, ineffective when there is no stream. A wind, blowing from one
direction for some considerable time, will set up a surface drift current, but this is unlikely
to be suf ciently strong for sensitive steering.
The shore signal-station should be watched at all times. Approaching and departing
boats need vigilance, as do other vessels navigating in the vicinity. The of cer of the watch
should at all times have a rough idea of how his cable is lying, so that he can warn off other
vessels which try to anchor across it.

DRAGGING ANCHOR

Generally speaking, once an anchor starts to drag, the vessel gathers sternway, and this may be-
come excessive. Prompt action is necessary. However, there are exceptions, and a vessel riding
out a gale has been known to drag slowly and steadily for some days at roughly a mile per day.
If the wind rises, extra cable should be laid out to ensure a bight lying on the sea-bed under
conditions of yaw and pitch. Pitching can be partially prevented by trimming the ship by the
head. Yawing is likely to start the anchor dragging, and one of three actions is advisable:
(1) Let go the second anchor underfoot at the centre of yaw. This is an excel-
lent plan if the brake is held just slackly. If the rst anchor starts to drag the
second will bite and its cable will render itself. The noise of this gives warning
of dragging, and the second cable is veered without delay. This is sometimes
done by seamen as a regular practice, whether or not the weather is bad.
(2) Let go the second anchor at the extremity of yaw and veer both cables so that
the ship rides comparatively quietly to her two anchors.
(3) Steam up to the rst anchor, sheer away, and let go the second anchor.
The rst cable is hove in while approaching its anchor. Both cables are
then veered so that the vessel rides quietly with an anchor ne on each bow.
If a hurricane is approaching, the vessel should leave harbour if other vessels are
anchored close by, if the holding ground is other than excellent, or if the harbour is
unsheltered. Departure should be made well before the storm arrives, otherwise the vessel
may be caught outside with too little sea-room and drive ashore. If remaining in harbour,
action (3) above should be taken and cables veered well away.
Once a vessel begins to drag, more cable should be veered. It should not be surged out
slackly, otherwise the cable may part as the vessel brings-to. By veering it, the vessel may
be brought up gently. The second anchor should be let go in good time, otherwise it may
be found that so much cable has been veered on the rst anchor (say 8 out of 11 shackles), that
very little can be veered on the second (in this case only 2 to 3 shackles). Engines should be used
to relieve stresses. If there is room it may be better to heave up and seek better holding ground.
20 The Theory and Practice of Seamanship

WEIGHING ANCHOR

If, during heaving, the cable is subjected to a bad nip the windlass should be braked and
the bows allowed to swing so that the cable grows clear. The cable should be well washed and
stowed. The anchor, if fouled with sea-bed material, can be towed awash for a short distance at
slow speed. The bell is again rung to indicate the number of the joining shackle appearing
from the water’s surface, and vigorously rung when the anchor is aweigh. It should be reported
foul or clear as the case may be. The anchor ball, or lights, can now be lowered. The anchors
should not be nally secured until deemed no longer necessary for immediate use. Heaving
up is a good opportunity for checking spile-pin pellets and cable seizing-wire markings.
A windlass having an electric motor of 48 kilowatts can heave in slack cable at 4 minutes
per shackle and tight cable at 5 3/4 minutes per shackle.

DROPPING DOWN

A vessel is said to drop down when she drifts with the tidal stream. A vessel at anchor
wishing to do this will heave her anchor just clear of the sea-bed. Her speed through the
water will be nil, but her speed over the ground will be equal to that of the stream. Her
rudder will have no effect, because there is no water owing past it. She cannot be
controlled except by means of the engines or the anchors.

DREDGING DOWN

A vessel is said to dredge when she moves under the in uence of the tidal stream but
with her anchor held at short stay so that it drags along the bottom. Her speed over the
ground is therefore retarded and is not so great as the rate of the stream. She therefore has
headway through the water. Her rudder may be used to steer her. A strong tidal stream is
necessary for her helm to be sensitive.
If a vessel, when dredging, puts her rudder to port, the vessel will remain parallel with
the stream direction but will gradually move diagonally across it towards her port hand.
She will dredge similarly to starboard. In each case the most ef cient movement is achieved by
using the anchor on the side opposite to that in which she wishes to dredge, i.e. it is preferable to
use the starboard anchor if dredging to port under port helm. A vessel which is dragging,
therefore, can, by putting her helm over, avoid other vessels, provided the stream is fast enough
to make her steering sensitive. Also, the operation of dredging can be modi ed somewhat
in the case of a ship at anchor which sees another dragging towards her. By surging her
cable rapidly and using bold helm, she may be able to sheer away from the line of drag
and bring-to on the other anchor. The rst one is liable to be fouled, but this is of small
moment in the circumstances. In both these latter cases there must, of course, be a stream.
 The Anchor 21

ANCHORING AT HIGH SPEED

The anchors are the narrow-water navigator’s stand-by in all cases of emergency. There is an
old sea-saying, ‘Never go ashore with an anchor in the pipe’, and this should apply to most
emergencies. A ship may fail to turn, take a sudden sheer, carry too much way, an engine
may fail to go astern, a squall may catch the ship, the engine telegraph may jam, a collision may
be imminent—in all cases the anchors are waiting to be used. Both anchors should be let go and
allowed to run out their cable until suf cient is out to enable the anchors to hold. They are
then snubbed and perhaps alternately veered and snubbed so that the ship gradually loses
her way. Both cables will be growing astern throughout the operation, and both will be subject
to bad nips. This means, however, that the hawse-pipe lips are relieving the windlass (although
strongly bedded) of much of the stress. Further, both cables are taking an equal share. A
ship with quite considerable headway may be brought up quite rapidly with two anchors
used in this fashion. Afterwards, the anchors, cables, hawse pipes and windlass should be
surveyed. Large tankers may well part their cables when anchoring at speeds above 1 knot.
If a ship uses only one anchor she is likely to part the cable very quickly and then forge ahead
into danger. This has happened all too frequently with the second anchor idle in the pipe. If there
is insuf cient room in which to pay out a good scope as above, the cables must be snubbed
after, say, two shackles have run out and the anchors dragged along the bottom to reduce
headway. This is highly dangerous, however, in harbours where there are submarine cables.
A vessel weighing 27 000 (tons) tonnes when stopped in 30 m, travelling initially at 4 knots,
incurs a stress of 195 tonnes (tons) in a single cable. The gure becomes 435 tonnes (tons) if the
initial speed is 6 knots. The stresses are halved if two equally tensioned cables are used.

ANCHORING NEAR A DANGER

In Fig. 1.7 the vessel is riding to her starboard anchor. There is a danger to starboard.
When she gets to the extremity of her yaw at position 5 and breaks her sheer she virtually
sails across her anchor and may break it out. She is also headed towards the danger. For
this reason, when anchoring near a danger, the offshore anchor should be used. If sheer is
broken the vessel will be heading away from the danger.

ANCHORING ON A SHOAL

If this becomes necessary the vessel should head into the wind, cross the shoal, and take
soundings. It is then decided in which depth the anchor is to be let go. The anchor is
walked back to this depth and the vessel moves astern across the shoal. As soon as the
cable grows ahead, showing that the anchor has touched bottom, cable is veered and laid
out across the shoal, and the vessel will ride to her anchor in deep water beyond the
shoal. This is a very good holding position, because it is almost impossible to stress the
cable at the anchor shackle in any way other than parallel with the shank (see Fig. 1.8).
22 The Theory and Practice of Seamanship

FIGURE 1.8

POINTING SHIP

A ship riding to single anchor may require to create a lee on one side. An ef cient method
is to lead a wire, say 24 mm (3–3 1/2 in), from the after bitts, along the ship’s side clear of every-
thing, and secure it to the cable close to the hawse pipe. The wire is then belayed aft and the ca-
ble is gently veered. As the wire becomes stressed, the ship is pointed off the wind (see Fig. 1.9).

FIGURE 1.9
 The Anchor 23

ANCHORING BESIDE A STEEP-TO BEACH

In both the following cases we will assume that the sea-bed comprises a ledge adjacent to
the land, falling away sharply into very deep water.
In the rst case (Fig. 1.10 (a)) we will assume that the ledge is suf ciently extended to
seaward to provide swinging room for a vessel anchoring at the ledge extremity. The anchor
is walked back to a depth equal to that just to landward of the ledge and the ship makes a
slow approach. As soon as the cable grows aft, showing that the anchor has touched, cable
is veered to the required scope and the brake screwed tight. The cable is allowed to tighten
and snub the ship gently round so that she brings-to heading seaward. The anchor will be
pulling towards rising ground, and provided the cable is lying on the bottom, the ship will
be secure in all but a strong onshore wind or an offshore wind. In the latter event the vessel
will drift out to sea and must weigh anchor.

FIGURE 1.10

In the second case (Fig. 1.10 (b)) we will assume an island having a reef close inshore
with typical depths as shown. The vessel must clearly anchor heading towards the land.
The anchor should therefore be walked back to roughly 20–30 m (10–15 fathoms) and the
vessel again headed in slowly. A sharp lookout must be kept for heads of isolated coral, etc.
When the cable grows astern, and this should occur very gradually because the ship should
24 The Theory and Practice of Seamanship
have a minimum of headway, the engines are reversed and a bight of cable rendered. If
only one anchor is used it is a good plan to lower the second one so that it bites, and screw
up the brake slackly. If the vessel drags to seaward this second anchor will render further
cable and give warning of the event. The operation can be carried out only in an offshore
wind. If the wind blows onshore the vessel will drift to the reef and must weigh anchor and
proceed before this occurs. A similar drift may occur in calms, but this may be prevented
by lowering a heavy weight (such as the stream anchor) from aft to a depth well in excess
of that at the ledge extremity. As the ship drifts onshore, this weight will foul the ledge and
hold the ship.

TURNING ON AN ANCHOR

When heading with the stream astern, the vessel may be quickly turned head to stream with the
assistance of an anchor. The anchor, either one will do, should be let go and held at short
stay. As the anchor drags it will snub the bows round and upstream. The headway should be
simultaneously reduced by an astern movement. This is a simple manœuvre provided the anchor
is kept at short stay. By dragging it along the bottom, heavy stresses are completely avoided.
If the sharp nip at the hawse pipe is considered undesirable it may be partially
prevented by casting the ship slightly across the stream before letting go the upstream
anchor. After swinging, the anchor may be quickly weighed.
In calm weather and no current the ship may be similarly turned, but with some modi ca-
tions. The headway is reduced to a minimum and the anchor is let go on the run, allowing
suf cient scope for the anchor to bite. If the cable is snubbed too quickly the anchor will
be dragged and the manœuvre spoiled. When the brake is secure the vessel is brought up
with the cable growing aft, and then steamed round the anchor on the taut cable at slow
revolutions, with helm hard over towards the anchor. The vessel must be fully brought to
her cable and the latter absolutely taut before using the engines in this fashion, otherwise
the snip gathers headway and an undesirable sudden stress is imposed on the cable.
Sometimes a vessel is turned on her anchor before leaving an anchorage. Here the anchor ca-
ble is hove in until there is suf cient length out to enable the anchor to hold, and the ship moved
ahead at slow revolutions until the cable grows astern. Before it tautens, the engines are stopped
and the ship allowed to bring-to gently on the cable. When it is taut astern, the engines are
moved ahead and the helm put hard over towards the anchor and the ship steamed round to
the required direction. Twin-screw ships generally turn more rapidly in this manner than if they
weigh anchor and work engines in opposite directions. The anchor is very effective for all
turning manœuvres where there is insuf cient room for rudder-controlled turns under headway.

CLEARING A FOUL ANCHOR

If the anchor is wedged in an underwater obstruction and cannot be weighed the vessel
should be moved very slowly ahead, veering cable until it grows well astern. When the
vessel is brought up and the cable is taut the engines are worked ahead very gently to see
 The Anchor 25
if the anchor will break out. The vessel can then slowly be steamed round in a circle with
the cable taut (turning towards the anchor of course), to try to rotate the anchor and break
it out by constant movement. If this fails, together with an attempt under sternway with the
cable growing forward, then the cable must be slipped from the deck, buoying the end, and
the anchor later recovered by divers.
If the anchor has fouled a cable, wire, or other similar underwater obstruction the anchor
and fouling is hove well up to the hawse pipe. A strong bre rope, such as a manila mooring
line in the case of a heavy submarine cable, is passed round the obstruction and both ends
are hove taut and made well fast on deck. In the case of an unimportant obstruction a wire
rope can be used, but a bre rope must be used in cases where the obstruction may be a
telegraph cable or one carrying high-tension current. When the line is hove taut the anchor
is walked back clear of the obstruction and then hove home into the pipe. Provided the
hanger is secured at the forecastle deck in a region of maximum are, the fouling will
swing clear when the anchor is walked back. The hanger is then slipped from the deck to
release the fouling.
If the obstruction is still partially lying on the sea-bed and offering resistance to the
hanger, so that it does not swing to the are of the bow, the ship should be gently sheered
away so that the point of suspension of the fouling comes directly under the deck edge. The
anchor can then be hove home.
On rare occasions it may happen that when the anchor is weighed it emerges from the
water upside-down with the cable half-turned around the shank, close to the head. When
this occurs the anchor must be hung off from the forecastle deck by means of a strong wire
rope passed round the anchor head. When the wire is secure the cable may be veered until
the half-turn slides down and clear of the shank. The cable is then slowly hove-in until it
takes the weight of the anchor, when the wire may be cast off. If an anchor is stuck in its
hawse pipe, it might be freed by securing it to the other anchor which is then lowered.

HANGING OFF AN ANCHOR

If it is desired to have a free end of cable available for use, the anchor will have to be
detached from the cable. Usually, the rst shackle of cable includes a joining shackle 2–4
m (1–2 fathom) from the anchor shackle, so that when the anchor is stowed the joining
shackle is between the gypsy and the hawse pipe. If the cable can be passed through a forward
Panama Canal fairlead, then the anchor can simply be secured in the pipe using wire lash-
ings and the bow stopper. The cable can then be eased off the gypsy and broken. It is then
passed to the fairlead using chain hooks. The same applies if a third hawse pipe is tted.
If the cable is to be passed through the hawse pipe the anchor must be removed from
its housing and secured at the ship’s side. First, the anchor is lowered clear of the pipe
and a’cockbilled. With a 5-tonne (5-ton) anchor, a 24-mm (3-in) wire rope is then passed
from bitts situated just abaft the hawse pipe, and preferably at maximum are, through
the anchor shackle and back on deck. Both parts are hove taut and belayed.
Another 24-mm (3-in) wire rope, which we will call No. 2 wire, is passed from bitts,
through the cable forward of the shackle and then led to the nearest winch warping barrel.
26 The Theory and Practice of Seamanship
The cable is eased to No. 2 wire and then broken. No. 2 wire is then veered slowly so that
the anchor swings abaft the pipe. Both wires can be left taut (No. 2 wire will be stoppered
off and belayed) so that the anchor is suspended equally by both, or else the whole of the
weight can be transferred to the rst wire. A man can then be sent overside to cast off No. 2
wire, which is hove inboard. This is advisable, because if this wire is left in the pipe it will
be severely chafed by the cable.
Should the spare joining shackle be out of reach when the anchor is lowered clear of the
pipe, No. 2 wire will have to be passed while the anchor is stowed. The cable is then eased,
broken, and the anchor a’cockbilled by veering the wire. The other 24-mm (3-in) hawser
will then be passed overside as before.
Vessels which frequently engage in this operation use a specially made strop instead
of the overside wire, and with this the anchor can be hung off in about 10 minutes. Other
methods include taking the overside wire to a warping barrel and heaving the anchor up to
the deck edge. The anchor is then either well clear of the plating due to the are or else can
be easily secured so that it does not swing.

HEAVING UP ANCHOR WITH NO WINDLASS POWER

Two solutions can resolve this unfortunate situation. The rst is one whereby a heavy purchase
(15 tonnes (tons) S.W.L.) is secured to the cable and led well aft so as to get as much drift as
possible. This avoids frequent overhauling. The purchase is attached to the cable by means of a
long pendant of 24–32 mm (3–4 in) wire. This avoids fouling the purchase in the many deck
ttings adjacent to the windlass. The pendant is doubled so that the stress in each part is halved.
A lighter, overhauling tackle is rigged on the main purchase to avoid delay and heavy work. As
the cable is hove in, the gypsy should be free to revolve, so that the cable is stowed. The gypsies
are xed to the mainshafts, which revolve either when letting-go or when the main wheels
are slid along and engaged with the driving pinions on the intermediate shaft, and also the
sides of the gypsies. The intermediate shaft drives the warping barrels, so that in this par-
ticular case the main wheel is engaged with the gypsy and able to rotate the mainshaft. A
friction drive is now set up by means of a heavy bre mooring line run from the warping
barrel to the drum of a winch. When the winch drum revolves it will drive the intermedi-
ate shaft of the windlass; this will drive the main wheel, and this will revolve the gypsy.
The brake must be screwed tight before the purchase is overhauled of course.
The second method is rather more simple. The topping lift from No. 1 derrick is
unshackled from the derrick head and led forward. It is secured by a pendant to the cable.
One topping lift only is necessary for one cable, provided it has a S.W.L. of at least 10
tonnes (tons). The pendant must be doubled as before. The gypsy is placed in gear, the
friction drive is set up, and the topping lift weighs the cable and anchor.
 The Anchor 27

SLIPPING A CABLE

If caution is to be exercised, this work cannot be hurried. Usually the necessity for
slipping arises when the anchor cannot be weighed.

(1) Slipping from the Deck

Veer cable, or heave, until a shackle is situated near to the hawse pipe upper lip. A 20–
24-mm (2 1/2–3 in) wire rope with any eyes frapped shut is passed through the cable for-
ward of the shackle and both ends hove taut and made fast, preferably on separate bitts,
i.e. a perfect slip-wire. The cable is eased to the wire hawser and then broken.
The problem now arises as to how to slip the wire. First, the engines should be worked
ahead so that the cable is up and down and bearing the minimum of stress, only its own
weight in fact. The wire can then either be surged off one set of bitts until it runs free, or
one end can be on a warping barrel and similarly surged from that, or the wire can be cut
at the hawse-pipe lip using a re axe of the felling type. The inboard ends of the wire will
leap aft when it is cut through, and to avoid injury chain stoppers could be passed from
forward to prevent this, one to each part of the wire. A better method than any of these is
to incorporate a patent slip close up to the hawse pipe. The end of cable should be buoyed
to effect later recovery.

FIGURE 1.11
28 The Theory and Practice of Seamanship

(2) Slipping from the Locker

Here the entire cable will be run out. It is veered until it is slackly up and down in the locker.
Work the engines ahead as before so that the cable bears only its own weight. A 24-mm (3-in)
wire hawser is passed through the cable forward of the gypsy and led to a winch warping-barrel,
the other end being belayed. The wire is hove taut and the cable is cast adrift in the chain locker.
The gypsy is then revolved under power very slowly, and the wire hawser is veered.
The cable will then come off the gypsy and is eased out through the hawse pipe on the
wire hawser. When the end of cable is well down the pipe the wire hawser is cut or
slipped as before. If the end of cable is allowed to clear the pipe before slipping the wire
it will fall heavily into the sea, and the resulting jerk may part the wire—a desirable
effect, but it may happen at a dangerous time and place.