Basics of Ship Hull Design

Hull is known as the foundation of the ship. It withstands extremely harsh climatic and weather
conditions. Hull should be designed in such a way that it is not affected by the different forces that
acts on it while the ship is sailing. In this article we will have a look at different hull designs. slide 1
of 6 Introduction The hull is one part of the ship that requires extra concern during design and
construction. In the history of naval architecture, hull designs has evolved over a period of time,
from cylindrical wooden shanks to steel columns. Engineers have been continuously innovating
hull designs to provide greater structural strength. As hull is continuously in contact with water, it is
under the effect of different types of forces acting at the same time. Not only that, a hull requires
high durability and resistance to prevent structural damage in case of collision or grounding. Naval
architects use different methods for hull construction keeping in mind the purpose and type of ship.

- See more at: http://www.brighthubengineering.com/naval-architecture/32007-basics-of-ship-hull-

design/#sthash.E9zbXEUF.dpuf

In this article we will have a look at the basic ship hull designs which are commonly used. slide 2 of
6 Terms in ship hull design

For understanding a hull structure, it is important to know the basic terms. We will quickly go
through the basic terms that are required to understand a design.

• Frame- It is a steel plate that runs longitudinally or transversely throughout the hull structure.
Frames are welded to the sides of the hull as shown in the figure. They form the basis of any
design and all hull designs consist of frames.
• Plate Floor or Floor plate - A steel plate which is welded to the floor of the hull. Plate floors run
longitudinally throughout the hull floor as shown in the figure.
• Flanged Bracket -Triangular shaped Iron brackets that are welded where the two frames meet.
They are attached to the margin plates to resist excessive bending stress.
• Side Girders - Inter coastal plates that are used to join two floor plates.
• Keel plate - They are used to join floor plates to the keel of the ship. The two main methods
that are used for hull construction are : Transverse framing Longitudinal framing. slide 3 of 6

Transversally Stiffened

Though this hull design is outdated, it is still used for smaller ships of length less than 120 meters.
In this design there is a plate floor every 3.05 meters and a frame every 1 meter. The frames run
tranversally to the hull structure. The frames are joined together with the help of floor angle iron
transverse. In this design every floor plate will have 3 frames. The frames are attached to the
margin plates with the help of flanged bracket as shown in the figure.

Iron transverse is attached between two floor plates to provide additional support and increase
structural strength. Refer the diagram for a better understanding of the design.

slide 4 of 6
Longitudinally framed hull- For Tankers

In longitudinal framing the frames are attached longitudinally to the floor plates instead of
transverse. This helps to resist the bucking force in a much effective way. Frames( Vertical and
horizontal frames) are joined at the intersection of two sides is the same way as in transverse
design but with the help of web as shown in figure. Sealing plates are used wherever the floors are
to be made water tight (Generally in tankers). They are welded to the longitudinal frames as shown
in the figure.

slide 5 of 6

Longitudinally framed hull-For Dry cargo

In Longitudinal framed hull for dry cargo, brackets are used to provide strength to the frame. The
size of the brackets keeps on increasing as the height of the deck increases. Brackets are used to
provide additional structural strength to the bulkhead as there are high number of inter-decks in
ships used for dry cargo. slide 6 of 6
References Practical ship design by D.G.M Watson - See more at:
http://www.brighthubengineering.com/naval-architecture/32007-basics-of-ship-hull-
design/#sthash.E9zbXEUF.dpuf

Designs and Components of Sailing Ships

written by: Ricky • edited by: KennethSleight • updated: 8/28/2011

A sailing ship is a wind-powered vessel and this article describes the design, function, and
nomenclature of the main components of a sailing ship.

Design and Components of Sailing Ships

Today sailing is done mostly for pleasure and sailors want the best quality boat in order to enjoy
the day out with their friends and family. Please note that the term sailor here does not refer to
commercial sailors or seamen but rather to the causal boater.
So, what are the parts of a sailing ship that are most important and why? This will be described
below to give you a better understanding of what you need to consider before buying or building a
sailboat. It is important to understand their significance for your safety and to avoid any unwanted
accidents while having fun.
It is imperative to use the best materials and methods to provide safety and durability for the
sailor’s satisfaction. To do this as effectively as possible, the design must be directed toward
certain components:

Sail ships move using the force of the wind. By placing sails across the path of the wind, it pushes
against them to create a force which, in turn moves the vessel. This means that the design
requires the following:

A strong hull- the hull of many boats is built strong to withstand the powerful force of the waves.
In the case of a sail ship there is another feature that adds to the strain on the hull, namely the
masts. They hold the sails thus exerting huge amounts of force on the hull. For the hull to be strong
and not rupture while sailing, the hull needs to be reinforced around the mast area.
The mast - it could be responsible for holding up to three sails at a time thus requires to be very
strong and flexible. This is the component of the vessel that powers it, so it is very important that
the mast be strong to avoid breakage. If the mast was weak and was to break in the open sea the
sailors would most certainly be stranded until a rescue team found them.
Sails- the winds exert force against the sails and, as such, produce the main source for propulsion.
For this reason, the best quality material is used to make a good sail. Both the Main sail and the
Jib sail are very important as a form of propulsion. Beside the sail material there are the rope
fastening hooks and rings that need to be strongly stitched to avoid inconvenience that may occur.
Center board- plays an important part to counter the force of the sail from turning over the boat. It
is an important part of smaller sail ships and most of them will have it. It can be found as
permanent or temporary fixtures that can be adjusted to suite the wind pressure. The center board
is an important part of smaller and lighter vessels since it help counter the wind force on the sails
to stop the vessel from turning over and sinking.
Rudder- with the wind force pushing continually a sail boat must have a form of steering. Older
vessels did not have this component but modern vessels have added this feature. Without the
rudder the ship would just drift with the wind, rudders help control the vessel as it moves. Rudders
also have extensions that can be added reaching near the mast. They are known as tiller
extension. It is useful when the sailor is doing something near the sail and he can maintain control
of the ship.

What are the Basic Dimensions of a Ship?

written by: Raunekk • edited by: Lamar Stonecypher • updated: 2/6/2010

Before understanding a ship's structure, it is extremely important to known and remember the
basic terminologies that are used in building a ship.Known as the language of naval architecture,
these dimensions not only describe a ship but also exhibit its true worth. Read inside to know
more.

Preface
Before we get deeper into the vast field of naval architecture let us first learn the language of naval
architecture. Language of naval architecture means the basic terminologies of naval architecture
that we will use frequently in our future topics and it is of vital importance that we know them like
the back of our hand. This will not only help for a faster and easier learning but will also make a
topic more interesting.
Whenever we want to construct or design something we initiate it from the base or bottom of the
structure. For example, if we want to draw a lay out of a building we first start with the base or
foundation of the building. In the same way, for understanding and designing a ship we start from
the base of the ship, i.e. its hull. The hull is the foundation and the most essential part of the ship.

The ship’s hull form determines almost all of its main attributes; its water displacement capacity, its
load carrying capacity, its resistance in water, the power needed to propel the ship, its ability to
maneuver smoothly, and also its seaworthiness. Thus, it is of utmost importance that the hull
shape is defined with extreme precision and without any ambiguity.

Dissecting a ship’s hull

Let’s assume a symmetrical hull form, which is symmetric around fore and aft plane. The hull plane
is divided into three sets of mutually orthogonal planes. The horizontal planes are known as the
waterplanes and the lines intersecting the planes are known as waterlines. The planes which are at
right angle to waterplanes are known as transverse planes or transverse sections. These planes
form the buttock lines and also the profile of the hull.
slide 3 of 5

Definitions and terminologies

First, let’s learn the definitions of some very important terminologies which are essential from the
dimensioning point of view.

Summer load waterline or design waterline: The line that runs along the waterplanes, from aft to
the fore of the ship is known as summer load waterline. It is the line at which the ship is generally
floating with its load.
Fore perpendicular: It is the vertical line passing through the point of intersection of the summer
load line with forward side of the stem.
Aft perpendicular: It is the line perpendicular to the waterplane and passing through the centerline
of the rudder pintles.
Length between perpendiculars (lbp): The distance measured along the summer load water
plane from fore to aft perpendicular is known as length between perpendiculars.
Length overall (loa): It is the distance measured parallel to the summer load waterline between
the extreme points at the forward and the aft. The extreme point at the forward can be taken on the
bulbous bow.
Length on the waterline (lwl)

What is a Ship's Stern Tube?

written by: Raunekk • edited by: Lamar Stonecypher • updated: 7/2/2013

Everyone knows that a ship is propelled with the help of a propeller located at the aft of the ship.
However, they may not now how the propeller is connected to the engine located inside the ship. A
stern tube, situated at the aft of the ship, helps in this purpose.
The propeller is the only part of ship’s machinery, apart from the rudder, that is located outside the
ship’s engine room. Have you ever seen the propeller of a ship and wondered how it is connected
to the inside of the ship? Have you ever wondered where the shaft holding the propeller goes when
it vanishes into the ship’s hull? If so, then you have come to the right place.
The propeller, a part of the propulsion system of the ship, needs a power source to rotate it. A
marine diesel engine located inside the ship supplies the power to the propeller. Both the diesel
engine and propeller are very heavy: locating them both at the same place inside the ship would
disturb the ship’s stability. It is for this reason a stern tube along with a propeller shaft is used.
What is a Stern Tube?
The stern tube, as the name suggests, is a hollow tube-like structure at the stern or rear part of the
ship. A ship needs a propeller to drive it forward against the waves. The propeller, located outside
the ship, needs to be connected to the engine inside the ship’s engine room.
A long shaft known as the propeller shaft is used for connecting the ship’s engine and the
propeller. The stern tube is a narrow hole in the hull structure at the rear end (aft peak) of the ship,
through which the propeller shaft passes and connects the engine and propeller.

Inside the Stern Tube

The stern tube of a ship has a peculiar shape and arrangement for carrying the propeller shaft. As
the shape of the ship is streamlined at the aft end, there is very little space to accommodate the
propeller shaft arrangement. The stern tube is situated at the aft peak of the ship’s hull and the
propeller shaft arrangement is also situated at the same level. The forward end of the stern tube is
supported by the aft peak bulk head and the aft end of the stern tube gets its support from the
stern frame of the ship. Throughout the length, the shaft is supported by specially designed
brackets and narrow floors inside the stern tube.
Stern tube Bearings and Glands

The total weight of the propeller shaft inside the stern tube is carried by the bearings known as the
stern tube. The weight of the overall stern tube arrangement, along with the bearings is carried by
the stern frame and the internal framing of the ship’s hull structure at the aft peak area. Moreover,
there are generally two bearings inside the stern tube for supporting the shaft, located at both the
ends. The main function of stern tube bearings is to allow an unrestricted and smooth rotation of
the propeller shaft.
Apart from stern bearings, the stern tube also houses water and oil sealing glands known as the
stern glands. The stern tube is a sensitive part of the ship where the sea water can easily seep
inside. The stern glands thus seal the area between the stern tube and the propeller shaft. The
glands are attached at the forward end of the stern tube and prevent the passing of sea water into
the ship. The glands also prevent the leaking of oil from the stern bearings into the sea.

Seawater Lubricated Stern Tube Bearings

Editor's Note: Thording Bearings, Inc. contacted us to say we should include information on Seawater Lubricated, a
method that is recommended by the EPA. As we were not familiar with this method, they graciously provided the
following content and illustration to supplement this article.
Prior to the 1950’s, propeller shafts operated in water lubricated lignum vitae (a dense wood)
bearings and used stuffing boxes as seals at the hull penetrations. The bearings however required
regular replacement and the packings then available for the stuffing boxes were not ideal.

With increased environmental awareness and new legislation, there has been a return to seawater
lubricated stern tube bearing systems. Improvements in water lubricated material technologies
have resulted in greater choice of materials which can now offer improved and predictable bearing
wear life with zero risk of oil pollution from the stern tube.

A seawater lubricated open system uses seawater as the lubrication medium in place of oil. The
seawater is taken from the sea, pumped through non-metallic shaft bearings and returns to the
sea. No stern tube oil is needed. There is no aft seal; only a forward seal to prevent seawater from
entering into the engine room. Proven materials and new designs of non-metallic bearings now
offer performance similar to metal shaft bearings.
Drydocking Explained: Types of Dry Dock Methods
written by: Raunekk • edited by: KennethSleight • updated: 4/23/2009

Maintenance at regular intervals of time is the key to have an elongated and efficient life of a ship
at sea. Maintaining the internal parts of the ship is fine, but what if the outer parts or the parts
under water require maintenance and repair? Let' see how these kind of repairs are done.

What is Drydock and why it is done?

We learnt in another article about types of ship repairs and know that a ship needs to be kept in
ship-shape by following various methods described over there. Drydocking was mentioned as one
of the methods and can be compared to taking your car to the garage for maintenance. All marine
vessels ranging from say the smallest F1 Power Boat to the largest cruise liner of the world need
repairs. The garage mechanic simply uses hydraulic aid to lift your car off the ground, but the same
cannot be said about big ships such as bulkers, tankers, reefers or any type of ship for that matter
and it is there that the concept of a drydock comes into the picture.

Dry dock is a large dock made out from the shore, from which water can be pumped out in order to
repair parts of the ship which are below the waterline. According to a SOLAS requirement, every
sea going ship should be dry docked at least twice every 5 years. Dry docks should also be carried
out if demanded by the Classification Society. This is usually asked to be done in case the ship has
met with a collision, has been grounded in past or has a lousy maintenance practice. Inspection
during dry docking is also carried out if the ship is to be sold.

Also, the time gap between two drydocks shouldn't be more than 3 years. Excemptions are
provided only if the ship is well maintained and that too just by replacing one drydock with an in
water survey.

Dry Dock Methods

The type of Dry docking method selected depends on the type of the ship and the severity of
maintenance and repair required. The four main types of Dry docking Methods are as follows:
• Floating Dock
• Excavated Dock
• Patent Slip
• Ship lift

Floating Dock
A Floating Dock is a kind of a pontoon with sponsons on both the sides. The pontoon is divided
into number of tanks. When the ship has to be docked, the tanks are filled with water due to which
the dock submerges into the water. The ship is then navigated into the dock and the tanks are
emptied so that the dock rises above the water.
The pumping of water is done with the help of ballast pumps which are located in sponsons. The
sponsons are also equipped with cranes and bollards. Both the sponsons are connected with a
bridge. Apart from the ballast pumps, the water is also filled manually with the help of manual
valves.
To prevent any movement of the ship, keel blocks are provided. These keel blocks are placed on
the tanktops. For increased stability side blocks are also provided.The side blocks are provided in
such a way that the forces they exert don't damage the hull. Special reinforcement material is
provided to prevent this.
 1. Keel Blocks
2. Side Blocks
3. Side Sponson
4. Rails for crains

Excavated Dock
This method of docking is almost similar to that of Floating dock. The Only difference is that it has
a closing door at the opening. Also, the dock is sloped slightly towards the opening and the ballast
pumps are located near the door itself. Excavated dock can be a floating structure or a dock at the
harbour.
Patent Slip
This system is generally used for small ships of length 140 meters or less. It works something like
the "jack up" system. The system consists of cradles that moves with the help of rails. The cradles
roll into the water till they reach exactly beneath the ship. Once there, they are pulled in a
perpendicular direction which brings the ship above the water surface.
Ship lift
This system is somewhat similar to the Patent Ship method. It also consists of cradles which are
used to slid a platform into the water, below the ship. Once the platform reaches below the ship,
the ship is properly navigated on the platform.After that, Winches are used to lift the ship and to
place it in the desired position. This system can lift ships only of length up to 125 meters.
Approximately 14 cradles are used to move the platform.
What are the Different Types of Propellers Available in the Market?
written by: Raunekk • edited by: Lamar Stonecypher • updated: 2/11/2012

We all know the use of a propeller in a ship but how would we find out what kind of propeller is
suited for a particular type of ship. This article deals with the different types of propellers and their
application according to the type of the ship.Let us have a brief overview.

Introduction
While designing a ship, the amount of resistance produced and the design of ship lines are the two
important factors that should be taken into consideration. Both these factors depend considerably
on the type and number of propellers used. Higher propeller efficiency attained within the desirable
cost and least usage of machine power is the ultimate goal of any ship designer. The choice of a
propeller mainly depends on the type and draft of the ship.

Factors affecting the choice

If the speed and power required by the ship is more and also the allowable draft is high, it is
imperative to use twin propellers with the diameter that can be easily accommodated within the
draft.
Twin or multiple screw type propellers are generally used where the degree of reliability required is
more or in case of a break down, the cost expected for the mobility of the vehicle for repairs will be
extremely high, e.g. cruise lines. Multiple screw propellers are also generally used in the vehicles
where the risk of accident is high or where there are high chances of a part or machinery of ship to
get damaged, e.g. war and ice breaker ships.
Multiple screw propellers are also used where the requirement of better and smooth
maneuverability is high. A slow speed maneuvering can be controlled by bow thrusters or high
performance rudder, but a high speed maneuvering needs multiple screw propellers.

Controllable pitch propeller

This type of propeller is used in spite of its low efficiency due to the smooth and easy
manoeuvrability it provides, especially when the ship has to often move in the confined waters.
This propeller is also used when the ship has to continuously operate at one speed or for fuel
efficiency reasons where the ship has to move of different speeds and displacement. This propeller
is often used in war ships where the cruising speed is half the full speed. A controllable pitch
propeller prevents the over-torquing of the cruise propeller that might be caused by fixed pitch
propeller.
An alternative to two pitch propeller will be a two speed gear box.

Highly skewed propeller

A highly skewed propeller can be a fixed pitch propeller or a controllable propeller. Skewing
contributes negligibly to increase the efficiency of the propeller but plays an important role in
reducing the propeller forces on the hull. This type of propeller is mainly fitted on cruise ships or
passenger ships where the avoidance of vibration is of utmost importance.
Self Pitching propellers
These types of propellers are generally used for low power vessels. They are highly found in
yachts or smaller vessels, as there are higher chances of facing mechanical errors when they are
used in heavy and high powered vessels. An interesting point is that the open water efficiency
obtained at astern is same as that at ahead.

Other propeller types

There has been a massive advancement in the innovation and development of the propellers for
increasing efficiency. Some of the newly developed propellers are tip vortex free(TVF) and
balanced thrust loading(BTL) propellers. They are not so extensively used as they do not provide
the kind of efficiency that they promise.
One more type of propeller is contra-rotating propeller which reduces the rotational losses and thus
increases the efficiency. This type of propeller is generally used in a direct electric drive propeller
where the usage of gear box can be avoided. They are generally fitted on smaller ships. This type
of propellers if used in bigger ships gets confronted with problems such as high mechanical
complexity, high cost of gear box and shafting and propeller limits. Thus they are used in smaller
ships with less power and higher steering performance requirement.

CPP - Controllable Pitch Propellers Explained

written by: Raunekk • edited by: KennethSleight • updated: 2/11/2012
Most of the propellers that we come across are Fixed Pitch propellers(FPP). But there are
propellers known as Controllable Pitch Propellers (CPP), that can move their blades about their
own axis. So what are the uses of movable blades and how it is more beneficial than the Fixed
Pitch Propeller.
Introduction
Generally propellers are of two types- Fixed Pitch Propellers( FPP) and Controllable or Variable
Pitch Propellers( CPP).
A FPP consists of fixed blades. This means that the position of blades cannot be changed. On the
Contrary, CPP can move its blade in the desired position by changing the pitch of the blades. So
what difference does that make?
In FPP the power generated by the engine and the propulsive forces produced by the propeller
cannot be controlled. This leads to high amount of power wastage and increased stresses on the
propeller. But in a CPP all these can be prevented by just changing the pitch of the propeller. This
function of CPP makes it an integral part of the propulsion system of a ship.

A striking aspect of a CPP is that the propeller rotates in only one direction, unlike FPP. Thus there
is no need of a reverse clutch, which is an integral part of FPP for producing reverse thrust, in case
the ship needs braking or reversing.

How Variable Pitch Propellers Work?

The mechanism that controls the blades movement is located in the boss of the propeller. This
mechanism can be operated from both, the engine room and bridge, with the help of hydraulic
cylinders. Incase the hydraulic system fails, the blades can be locked in the ahead position with the
help of a locking device. Now let's have a look as to how a ship can be propelled forward and
backwards just by movement of the blades.

The diagram shows the cross section of blades. We will assume that the ship is moving in the
ahead direction and the arrows shows the direction of the forces generated that pushes the ship
forward. When the blade is at zero position, the propulsive forces acting on both the sides are
equal in magnitude, but opposite in direction. Even though the net propulsive force is zero, the
propeller absorbs a large amount of energy to convert it to wake turbulence. If the ship is to
reverse, the blades are moved even further, this will result in a propulsive thrust in the forward
direction, facilitating the ship to reverse.

The position of blades are adjusted according to the load of the ship.
Advantages of CPP
A CPP can operate with minimum or negligible loss in power. This helps to improve
manoeuvrability of the vessel. The direction from ahead to astern can be changed in a matter of
few minutes or even seconds depending on the condition of the load of the ship. This not only
helps to absorb all the power generated by the engine but also helps to prevent wastage of fuel. In
some CPP the direction of the thrust can be changed within 15-40 seconds. A CPP can also be
connect to a shaft generator.
It can be used for a wide range of rotational speed.

Disadvantages of CPP
The main disadvantage of CPP is that it is a highly complex system
It is vulnerable due to numerous hydraulic components and sealing rings. As the sealing rings are
outside the ship, damage of a single sealing ring can result in oil pollution. As the system is
complex, repairs and maintenance is difficult.

Additional Features
A CPP can be connected to a Shaft generator. A shaft generator can supply power on the ship till
the time the main engine is running. CPP can be used to maintain the frequency of the generator
as the Engine moves on a constant rpm. - See more at:
http://www.brighthubengineering.com/naval-architecture/32845-cpp-controllable-pitch-propellers-
explained/#sthash.tGaRcTQB.dpuf

In case during the navigation time additional energy is needed, an auxiliary generator can be used
to provide additonal power to the shaft generator. This is mainly used during maneuvering. If this is
done, main engine should be disconnected from the reduction gear to prevent it from getting
damage. –
See more at: http://www.brighthubengineering.com/naval-architecture/32845-cpp-controllable-
pitch-propellers-explained/#sthash.tGaRcTQB.dpuf

References Ship Knowledge- A Modern Encyclopedia by K. Van Dokkum - See more at:
http://www.brighthubengineering.com/naval-architecture/32845-cpp-controllable-pitch-propellers-
explained/#sthash.tGaRcTQB.dpuf

Anchor Systems for Ships

written by: Willie Scott • edited by: Swagatam • updated: 6/13/2011

A ships anchor is used to prevent the ship from drifting from its location due to wind and tidal
currents, larger ships having two bow and one stern anchor. There are numerous types of ships
anchors and the heavy ones are normally produced through casting or drop-forged from carbon
steel.
Operation of Anchors Using a Capstan or Windlass

Ships bow showing hawsepipes, with stdb anchor home; the port one being raised; courtesy of
www.blueoceantackle.com.
Anchor chains are connected to a windlass that can either be of vertical or horizontal design. A
vertical windlass is known as a capstan, and we shall describe the operation of the anchor and its
components using a capstan.
The capstan has a drive wheel called a gypsy that is notched to suit the forged steel chain links.

The chain is fed from the capstan along the deck of the fo’c’sle head through a pawl and down
through a hawsepipe pipe in the deck exiting at the ships bow. From here the chain drops
downwards and is connected to the anchor using a shackle whose hardened steel pin passes
through a hole drilled in the anchor central shank.
The anchor chain is stored in the chain locker; where its end is secured to a ring bolt welded to the
chain locker bulkhead. This is known as the anchor chain’s “bitter end”.
Whilst I was serving my time in Harland & Wolff of Belfast, I was working in the windlass room on a
ship at the outfitting berth. I was being shown how to line-up the gearbox coupling on a capstan
electric motor drive. One of the steel fabricators and a welder came in carrying a large steel ring
and proceeded to weld this to the aft bulkhead. Curious as ever, I asked the men what it was for
and, after a few ribald comments was told this was to secure the anchor chain and was known as
the bitter end! Now, as a boy in the shipyard I was subjected to much ribbing being told some tall
stories. So after the men had gone I asked my gaffer and he confirmed this was what it was called.
He went on to tell me that the ring was a “bitt” and when the anchor chain was fully fed out it had
reached its “bitter end” - the end of the chain.
Any I diverge; as I was saying, the vertical windlass or to give it its correct name the capstan, is
fitted to the deck of the fo’c’sle head being driven from underneath by an electric motor and
gearbox located in the windlass room.

A horizontal drum windlass or a combination of widlass/winch can also be used to operate the
anchor chain; these are located on the fo’c’sle head and normally driven from a central motor.
Both windlasses and capstans have a safety device known as a devil’s claw. This is attached to a
wire strop; the other end of the strop is secured to the base of the windlass/capstan, there being a
bottle screw in the middle of the strop. When the anchor is home (has been raised against the
hawsepipe) the claw is inserted into an anchor link and the strop tightened up using the bottle
screw. This prevents any inadvertent or, accidental lowering of the anchor should the brake fail.
When I was at sea sailing as an Engineering Officer on large oil tankers most of VLCC’s had port
and starboard capstans or windlasses driven by hydraulic motors; I seem to recollect steam driven
ones as well, but I may be getting mixed up with winches on deck as this was over 45 years ago.
A sketch of a typical anchor operating system using a capstan, along with an image of a windlass
and, anchor maintenance from Wiki Commons is shown below; please click on images to enlarge.
Anchors are fabricated from a number of materials; the earliest ones being made from large stone
blocks, sacks of sand, wooden logs or from mesh baskets filled with an assortment of stones.
Once the industrial revolution came along, blast furnaces produced the pig- iron from which cast
iron anchors were made. Following the development of carbon steel, this was used to fabricate
steel anchors through drop forging.
The British Navy/Admiralty played a large part in the design of metal anchors eventually designing
the anchors with the familiar pointed flutes. The next stage from this was the design of the anchors
whose flutes pivoted on a head pin allowing a better grip on the seabed.
Stainless steel, brass and bronze alloy LWT (Lightweight) anchors are normally used by yachts,
pleasure craft, and small fishing boats; the heavy cast iron and forged type being used on deep-
sea ships.
There can be two bow anchors known as bower anchors and a stern anchor, the later doubling up
as a means of getting off a sandbank, lee shore, or shallow water rocky prominence.
Anchors can be described as stock or stockless and a sketch and image of a stockless anchor is
shown below; please click on images to enlarge.
Anchor Classification
There are Certification Authorities such as Lloyds, ABS, and DNV who class and certify anchors for
use in naval and commercial ships.
There are two classifications used; HHP (High Holding Power) and SHHP (Super High Holding
Power) and these are noted on the relevant certification.
There are also two basic categories;
1. Temporary Anchors - used aboard ships.
2. Permanent Anchors – used as moorings where the vessel such as a lightship or an object such
as a buoy is to be permanently sited. As this article is examining ships anchors; we shall leave the
examination of permanent types for another day.
Types of Temporary Anchors
Stockless
o Baldt
This is one of the most common stockless anchors, manufactured by Baldt anchor and chain. It
can be be classed as HHP or SHHP having excellent holding power and capable of being housed
snug against the hawsepipe when not in use.
BBI-Delta
High Holding power ensured by large adjustable flukes/ shank angle.

Kedge Admiralty
The sharp flukes provide excellent HHP in many types of ocean bottom terrain

Snug Stowing
Provides HHP and houses snugly into hawsepipe, does not require bolsters at bow.
Images Courtesy of: blueoceantackle.com
Websites Visited

2. blueoceantackle: Featured anchor and tackle supplier.

3. petersmith: Classification of ships anchors.
4. memenet: Anchor types.