Malaysian Maritime Academy/Seamanship/May 2003 Page1 o f 4

ANCHOR WORK a. Clear hawse pipe

Anchoring Terms b. Clear spurling pipe
1. Windrode - Riding head to wind c. Release bow stoppers
2. Tiderode - Vessel riding heading to tide d. Test windlass
3. Lee Tide - Tidal stream setting to leeward or 2. When speed has been sufficiently reduced, the
downwind required anchor should be lowered clear of
4. Weather Tide - Tidal stream setting to the hawse pipe:
windward or upwind a. Put windlass in gear
5. Shortening In - Cable is shortened in when b. Release brake
some of it is hove inboard. c. Walk out the cable
6. Growing - The way the cable is leading from 3. After anchor has been walked out to the
the hawse pipe. required position:
7. Short Stay - When the cable is taut and a. Apply brake
leading down to water, close to the vertical. b. Take windlass out of gear
8. Long Stay - When the cable is taut and c. Now the anchor is ready for letting go.
leading down to the water close to horizontal. 4. On command ‘ Let Go ‘ check and see that
9. Brought Up - When the vessel is riding to her there is no one / obstruction under the anchor:
anchor and cable and the anchor is holding. a. Release the brake
10. Range the Cable - To lay the cable on deck or b. Pay out cable gently as weight comes on it,
wharf or in drydock. and stop it as it becomes up and down.
11. A cockbill - When the anchor has been c. Apply brake after required amount of cable
lowered clear of the hawse pipe and is had been paid out
hanging vertically. d. A black ball or anchor light is to be displayed
12. Foul Anchor - Anchor caught in an under as soon as the anchor is dropped.
water cable or which is fouled by its own e. Inform bridge when anchor is ‘ Brought Up ‘
cable. then tighten brake and apply bow stopper.
13. Up and Down - When the cable is leading Weighing the Anchor
vertically to the water. 1. Preparations:
ANCHORING PROCEDURES a. Test windlass - Power on
(At Forward Station) b. Test Communication
1. Both anchors to be prepared in good time:
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c. Rig washing gears - (Hose or other) and have 4. Determine when anchor is aweigh or brought
water on deck up.
d. Remove bow stopper Safety Gears for Anchor Party;
e. Engage windlass gear 1. Helmet
2. On order ' Heave away’: 2. Goggles
a. Release break 3. Safety Boot
b. Heave away 4. Torch
c. Wash down cable as it comes up 5. and Walkie Talkie.
d. Indicate how many shackles come up Care of Anchor and Cables
e. Indicate direction of cable lead and weight on 1. Try to use the anchors alternately whenever
it possible
f. When anchor is aweigh, remove anchor lights 2. At least once a year the cable should be
and shape ranged in dry dock or on wharf and shackles
g. Heave the anchor home unless it is required change end to end and marked it again.
for use 3. If any link is worn out by more than 10% of
h. Apply brake, disengage windlass gear. their diameter the shackle should be replace.
i. Apply bow stopper, lashings and cover the 4. Joining shackles should be opened and all
hawse and spurling pipe. parts examined closely and assembled after
Anchor Party inspection and lubrication.
Usually comprises of: 5. Links should be given a hammer test to
1. Officer-in-charge ensure that the material is in god condition. If
2. Windlass Operator no defects are present, a clear ring will be
3. Assistant heard.
INDIVIDUAL DUTIES 6. If any of the cable is replaced it should be
Officer-In-charge properly tested to its statutory proof load and
1. General supervision certificate obtained.
2. Check overboard to see no obstruction before 7. Check for corrosion and paint the cable and
letting go the anchor or during heaving up the anchor as an added precaution.
anchor 8. The swivel pivoting mechanism of a stockless
3. Control of heaving or paying out the chain as anchor should be kept well lubricated with
per Master order.
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thick grease as prolonged exposure to sea may the link, being forelocked at one end. The
freeze these parts. forelock is removed, when the link is to be
9. Whenever the cable is ranged advantage must disconnected, and the pin knocked out.
be taken of the chance to clear the sludge and 2. The end link is taken to the upper part of the
discale in the chain locker. A coating of chain locker, where it can be reached by a
bitumastic or other anti corrosive paints helps man standing in the lower forepeak
to protect it internally. storeroom, and is similarly secured a strong
10. Whenever the cable is ranged, the releasing bracket.
arrangement of the bitter end should also be 3. The end link is placed through a slot cut in a
checked and overhauled or lubricated. stiffened area of plating so that it projects
11. Whenever the anchor is being weighed the through the deck of the lower forepeak locker,
cable must be washed or hosed down to or into one of the storerooms at the break of
remove sludge and thick mud which can foul the forecastle. A pin secures it as before.
the links. Also the lead pellets and spile pins COMING TO A SINGLE ANCHOR
should be sighted to ensure that they are in 1. Select a suitable anchorage.
position and not knocked off. 2. Inform anchor party which anchor to be use
12. If the anchor is badly covered with mud it can and the length of cable to be paid out.
easily washed by trailing it at water level 3. Stem the current or wind whichever is
when the vessel is proceeding at slow speed. stronger.
The flow of the water will wash off the 4. Approach anchorage at slow speed.
encrusted mud and debris. 5. When in position, stop engines and go astern
SECURING CABLE WITHIN THE LOCKER to stop the vessel over ground and to gather
In the past times, the inboard part of a ship's cable sternway.
was belayed on bitts, and the term bitter end is still 6. Let go anchor, then pay out anchor chain
used. Methods by which the bitter end is secured slowly. Adjust engine to maintain a steady
vary greatly from ship to ship. The following are 3 sternway to ensure that the chain is stretched
efficient methods not including a patent slip in along the seabed.
their components: 7. Hold on the chain when the required amount
1. The end link is placed between 2 steel lugs has been paid out. Use ahead engine
welded to the centerline bulkhead of the movement to ease strain on anchor chain.
locker and a pin is driven through the lugs and
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8. When the ship is brought up, tighten the brake

and engage the bow stopper.
DRAGGING ANCHOR
Generally speaking, once an anchor starts to drag,
the vessel gathers sternway and this may become
excessive. Prompt action is necessary action is
necessary.
However, there are exceptions, and a vessel riding
out a gale has been known to drag slowly and
steadily for roughly a mile per day.
Extra cable should be laid out when the wind rises.
Yawing is likely to start the anchor dragging. And
one of 3 actions is advisable:
1. Let go the second anchor underfoot at the
center of yaw. This is an excellent plan if the
brake is held just slacky. If the first 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. Seamen sometimes do
this 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 first anchor, sheer away and
let go the second anchor. The first cable is
hove in while approaching its anchor. Both
cables are then veered so that the vessel rides
quietly with an anchor fine on each bow.