Chapter 7

Anchor & Parts

Parts of the anchor, chain, windlass and chain locker.

A normal merchant ship has two STOCKLESS anchors; one fitted on
each side of its bow, hence called “bower anchors”. In addition to these,
a spare anchor is kept secured on the main deck in case one of the
bower anchors requires replacement due to loss or damage. .
Lugged Shackle

Anchor chain
Depending on the size of the ship, mainly its length, the bower anchors
will be fitted with anchor chains of certain lengths. A medium size ship
15000 DWT would generally have 10 shackles. (1 shackles=15
fathoms=27.4 m). A VLCC may have up to 15 shackles (410.00 m).
One end of the chain is secured in the chain locker and is called the
“BITTER END.” On the other end is a ‘D’ type shackle attached to the
bower anchor. The ‘bitter end’ will be secured such that in an
emergency it can be released quickly to let go the whole anchor chain.

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Kenter Shackle

Typical electric windlass with warping drum (winch drum)

The windlass is a machine primarily provided to handle the anchor
chain either as a means of letting the anchor cables run out or haul it in
again.
The prime mover could be an electric motor or even steam/hydraulic
type; the two (port &starboard) ‘gypsies’ heave or lower the cable. The
gypsy will rotate freely and pay out cable to anchor a ship. The gypsy
gear has to be engaged to heave up the anchor. The warping drums will
rotate with the gypsy in gear or with the gypsy gear disengaged.
A bow stopper arrangement between the windlass ‘gypsy’ and hawse
pipe holds the cable mechanically to take the strain off the brakes when
the vessel is riding on her anchor.
Process of securing the anchors.
The anchor chain has to be well secured while the ship is at sea. This
ensures that the flukes are resting tightly against the shell plating. This
ensures that the anchor does not have a play against the ship's side
plating when the ship is rolling or pitching or the sea is rough.
Additionally precautions have to be taken to avoid sea waves and water
entering the chain lockers.
Following is a step-by-step method recommended for securing the
anchors after they are hove up tight: -

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a) Ensure that the windlass brake is tightly secured. The bow stopper is
placed in position and the windlass is out of gear.
b) Reave the anchor lashing steel wire rope through one of the chain links
or alternatively place the devil’s claw on the cable.
c) If the wire is used connect bottle screw and screw the bottle screw up
tightly.
d) Put the hawse pipe and spurling pipe steel plate covers in position.
e) Cover these plates with a canvas cloth.
f) The spurling pipe must be additionally coated with a good protective
coat.

Process for engaging and disengaging the windlass system

1. Request the engine room for power to the windlass system. (Usually
called “forward deck power”)
2. Ensure that a spike, small hammer, sledge hammer, crowbar, can filled
with Lub oil, goggles and a torch (at night) are near the windlass area.
3. Make sure that the brakes are on.
4. Remove the anchor lashings leaving the ‘bow stopper on.
5. Turn the windlass over slowly to a position. Where the gears can be
engaged.
6. Put one anchor in gear and turn windlass ‘in’ to take the weight of the
anchor.
7. Remove the bow stopper.
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 8. Open the brake.
9. The windlass gear is now engaged. You can now lower the anchor out
of the hawse pipe to the water level if required.
10. When ordered to ‘lower’, lower the anchor slowly clear of the hawse
pipe.
11. Screw brake tightly home, turn windlass such as to take the weight of
the ‘anchor on to the brakes only’.
12. Take the windlass out of gear. The anchor is now ready to let go by
releasing the brake.
Importance of securing spurling pipe covers weathertight.
The Department of Trade and Industry (UK), now Maritime Safety
Agency, drew attention to the following two incidents where the ingress
of water through spurling pipes was a contributory cause to these ships
becoming casualties. In the first case, referred to below, the ship
foundered resulting in loss of life.
Case 1
A loaded ship on passage from Holland met with heavy weather in the
English Channel. The canvas covers to the spurling pipes were torn
away and the chain locker and forecastle store became flooded. The
ship being already down by the head the additional flooding was
sufficient to bring the weather deck under water thereby placing the air
pipes and subsequently the cargo hatchways in jeopardy. Progressive
flooding occurred and eventually the ship was lost.
Case 2
The second ship also outward bound from Holland encountered heavy
seas, which were sufficient to break the cement, which had plugged the
starboard spurling pipe. Seawater thus gained access to the chain
locker and the forward stores space producing trim by the head and
bringing the foredeck awash. Fortunately, the Master took early action
and returned to port where the spurling pipes were re-cemented.
In the first case the mere fitting of canvas around the spurling pipes was
not sufficient but had close fitting supported the canvas steel plates or a
more efficient means of preventing the ingress of water provided the
casualty would have been avoided. The second case showed that the

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 quantity of cement used must be adequate not only to plug the spurling
pipes but also to prevent lateral movement of the cable within them.
Markings on the anchor chain.
Cable markings
When anchoring, it is important to know how much cable has run out.
The chain is therefore marked at each joining shackle.
First shackle is marked by a piece of seizing wire (flexible and thin
galvanised iron wire) on the first studded link on both sides of the
shackle.
Second shackle is marked by the wire on the second studded link on
both sides of the shackle.
Third shackle is marked by the wire on the third studded link on both
sides of the shackle, and so up to the last shackle.
In addition, since the seizing wire markings cannot be easily seen at
night, a system of marking by white paint is also employed. Different
ships have different systems. For example, some ships paint all the
joining shackles and the links, which have seizing wire marking.
Whereas other ships do not paint the joining shackle at all but paint all
the studded links on both sides of the shackle, up to the links which
have seizing wire markings.

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Anchoring terminology & anchoring terms.
The following are a few of the expressions used in anchoring and as
assistant to the officers who may be in charge of the forecastle cable-
party you will do well to acquaint yourselves with all of them, for
misunderstood order from the bridge may give rise to some un-
diplomatic language.

Wind rode A vessel is so described when she is riding head

to wind.

Tide rode A vessel is so described when she is riding head

to tide

Lee tide A tidal stream which is setting to leeward or

downwind. The water surface has minimum of
chop on it, but the combined forces of wind and
tide are acting upon the ship.

Weather tide A tidal stream which is setting to windward or

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 upwind. The water surface is very choppy, but the
forces of wind and tide are acting in opposition on
the ship.

Shortening-in The cable is shortened in when some of it is hove

in board.

Growing The way the cable is leading from the hawse pipe,
e.g. a cable is growing aft when it leads aft.

Short stay A cable is at short stay when it is taut and leading

down to the water close to the vertical.

Long stay A cable is at long stay when it is taut and leading

down to the water close to the horizontal.

Come to, These are used when a vessel is holding to her

Brought up, anchor and the cables.
Got her Cable

Snub the To stop the cable running out by using the brake
Cable on the windlass.

Range the To lay out the cable on deck, or wharf, or in a dry

cable dock etc.

Veer the cable Walk back: or to pay out cable using the windlass
motor.

Walking back To lower the anchor under power.

the anchor

Surge cable To allow cable to run out freshly, without using the
brake or the windlass motor.

THE ANCHOR

A cockbill Used to describe the anchor which has been

lowered clear of the hawse pipe and is hanging
vertically.

Foul anchor Used to describe an anchor which is caught in an

under water cable, or which has brought old
hawsers to the surface with it.

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 Up -and The cable is up and down when it is leading
down vertically to the water.

Foul hawse When both anchors are out and the cables are
entwined or crossed.

Open hawse When both anchors are out and the cables lead
broad out on their own bows.

Clearing Anchors and cables are cleared away when the

anchors securing gear on deck is removed.

Nipped cable The cable is nipped when an obstruction, such as

stem or hawse-pipe lip, causes it to change
direction sharply.

Render cable The cable is rendered when the brake is loosely

applied so that the cable runs out slowly.

Ranging Cables
Ranging cables of both anchors is done in dry dock. The cable is
walked back under power and at the same time ranged in dry dock.
Then cable is washed by hosing down and all muck is removed for
visual inspection. If any defects in cable , they are rectified and
surveyed by classification society surveyor.

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