MODULE 13. ANCHORS Aim: To provide crew with an understanding of the ship s anchoring equipment and how to use it safely. Overview: This gear is heavy and potentially dangerous so NO attempt should be made to operate it unless under the supervision of an experienced operator. SAFETY REQUIREMENT: All crew, while operating anchor equipment on the exposed anchor deck, must wear both, a safety harness and a self inflating life jacket. Care must be taken to prevent lanyards catching in equipment and machinery Module covers; 13.1 Definitions 13.2 General description of equipment 13.3 Anchor cable 13.4 Layout of anchors and cable stowage 13.5 Stockless anchor - General 13.6 Hauling out the stockless anchor to make it ready for immediate use 13.7 Hauling in the stockless anchor for sea 13.8 Anchoring - general 13.9 Dropping anchor (Stockless and Admiralty) 13.10 Weighing anchor (Stockless and Admiralty) 13.11 Layout of starboard Admiralty anchor 13.12 Preparation to use the Admiralty anchor 13.13 General views of the anchor deck 13.14 Emergency release of the Admiralty anchor 13.15 Dropping the Admiralty anchor from the cathead 13.16 Handling the Admiralty anchor to deploy from and stow on, the deck 13.17 Anchor Signals Assessment: Windlass section in Module 16.1 must be signed off before this assessment can be undertaken. Stockless Anchor - after satisfactorily completing a training session, written test and practical assessment by an Officer, crew will be signed off as an operator in their Diary of Service and Experience Log book. Admiralty Anchor - after taking part in the anchor party in three complete evolutions using the anchor and satisfactorily completing an oral and practical assessment by an Officer, crew will be signed off in their Diary of Service and Experience Log book. Outcome: Crew are to become fully conversant with the operation of the equipment and be confident and safe when working with the anchor party. 1
13.1 DEFINITIONS. A vessel secured to the seabed by one anchor and cable is said to be ANCHORED or "lying at single anchor." A vessel secured to the sea bed by two or more anchors is said to be MOORED. A vessel secured to a mooring buoy (which has two or more anchors) is also said to be MOORED. By contrast, a vessel secured alongside a jetty, wharf, dolphins or berth is said to be BERTHED (Refer Module 9.). 13.2 GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF EQUIPMENT. This module relates to ANCHORING and is specific to James Craig. WINDLASS operation is covered in Module 16.1. Crew are to be fully conversant with this Module before operating the anchor equipment. James Craig carries three anchors and two lengths of studded-chain cable. ANCHORS There are two Admiralty anchors. One lashed down on the port side of the anchor deck and is not shackled to a cable. The starboard Admiralty anchor is shackled to a length of studded-chain cable and ready for use. Refer to picture below. Spare Admiralty anchor Cat heads Starboard Admiralty anchor Starboard anchor cable Port anchor cable The third anchor is a stockless anchor stowed in the port hawse and shackled to a length of studded-chain cable. 2
The Stockless anchor, in the port hawse pipe, is the working anchor normally used in James Craig. 13.3 ANCHOR CABLE Stockless Anchor The port and starboard cables each contain seven "shackles" of studded link chain. Each "shackle" of cable is 27.5 m (or 15 fathoms - or 90 feet) in length. The port and starboard cables are stowed in the cable lockers below the deck aft of the collision bulkhead. Cable with lugless joining shackle. Lugless joining shackle parts. The cable for the port anchor leads over the windlass port gypsy - a cast drum is shaped to match the contours of the cable links to maintain a positive grip on the anchor cable when heaving in or veering (lowering under power) the anchor. The gypsy can be disengaged from the shaft of the windlass and allowed to rotate freely. The rotation is controlled by a hand wheel operated band brake on the gypsy brake drum. BLAKE SCREW SLIP ASSEMBLY Anchor cable Windlass motor Tongue Pin Turnbuckle When at sea the anchor is hove in on the windlass - a blake screw slip is put on the cable between the anchor and the gypsy and the anchor is held hard up into the hawse pipe using the blake screw slip. The anchor is never held for any length of time on the 3
brake only, an exception is during a transit of the harbour when it is held in readiness for immediate release in an emergency. When lying at a single anchor the weight of the ship is always taken on the Blake screw slip. 13.4 LAY OUT FOR PORT ANCHOR AND CABLE STOWAGE. Port bow cutaway view showing the anchor cable system. Starboard is the same, however there in no Blake screw slip. Blake screw slip Warping drum Windlass Gypsy Brake control Hawse pipe Isolation switch box location Anchor cable Spurling pipe Anchor locker 13.5 STOCKLESS ANCHOR - GENERAL James Craig hawse pipes were not made to house stockless anchors. The slope of the hawse pipes is such that, when the anchor is hove up fully into the hawse pipe, the anchor stock jams and will not allow the anchor to fall clear of the hawse under its own weight. The anchor must therefore be hauled out using a hauling out line until it is clear of the hawse and free to run when the windlass gypsy brake is released. NOTE; For Safety the Anchor hauling strops are made from rope with a breaking strain less than that of the hauling out line. In the event of an overload the strop will break first, preventing injury to crew and equipment from line recoil. Anchor that has been hauled and hanging a-cockbill ready for dropping. Hauling out strop 4
13.6 HAULING OUT THE STOCKLESS ANCHOR TO MAKE IT READY FOR IMMEDIATE USE. i.e. when about to manoeuvre in a harbour or come to anchor. NOTE: When hauling out the anchor, and subsequently when veering the hauling out line, there is a tendency for the hauling out line to ride over the end of the warping drum or to develop over-riding turns. If this is about to happen, the operation must STOP immediately. A stopper must be applied to the hauling out line to take the load so that the hauling out line can be adjusted on the warping drum. A dedicated strop is stored in the ship s seaman s head for this purpose and should be set up beforehand. Hauling out requires the following sequence to be carried out under direction of an officer or qualified crew member. Orders used by Officer/crew in-charge are shown in italics. The orders are acknowledged by operating crew repeating them back to the Leader. Responsible crew are shown in LD type. Leader s Orders Action By; Responding Action/ Remarks Preparation 1. Assemble windlass crew (C) and allocate positions (Refer to Watch and Station Bill and Crew Cards): - Leader (L) - Control Pennant operator () (This may also be carried out by the leader) - Brake operator () - Warping drum hand (WDH) - Spare hand (SH) 2. Clear the area around the windlass and erect barriers. 3. Windlass checks refer Module 16. 4. Gather all equipment - Strop for stopper - Gloves - Goggles - Blake screw slip hook - Spare anchor strop - Bucket of water 5. Check cable locker is clear and safe to run. 6. Connect hauling out line to the strop on the top anchor fluke. There should be a strop on each fluke. 7. Connect control pennant and ensure Stop button is pressed in. Operation Leader s Orders Action Responding Action/ Remarks by; Stations to haul out stockless anchor. C Crew go to their assigned stations. Both brakes on. Make sure both brakes are on. Dog out starboard, Dog out port Screw both dogs out. Exercise windlass Rotate windlass shaft, without load, 3 turns. Hook up hauling out line SH Place the hauling out line hook into anchor strop. Pass the hauling line around the port warping drum. WDH Haul taut the hauling out line and pass 4 turns clockwise around the drum. 5
Leader s Orders Action By; Responding Action/ Remarks Pour water on the rope and drum. Standby to haul on the running end and prepare backup in need. Blake screw slip off. SH Fully extend the turnbuckle and remove the slip. Port brake off Release Port brake. Haul away L Operate the windlass. Haul out the anchor until the swivel is clear of the hawse pipe. Stop. Brake on. Stop and Press emergency stop button. Apply brake. Prepare to veer the hauling line. WDH Hauling line is powered out by the windlass with the running end held taut, DO NOT EASE. Veer* on the windlass. *Veer Pay out rope or cable under power with load on the running end. The windlass is reversed to power out (Veer) the hauling out line and lower the anchor to a-cockbill. This may require a couple of steps. Problem If additional steps are required to lower to a-cockbill e.g. Line coming off the end of the warping drum or sort out a dangerous situation. Also refer to NOTE above. Stop. Stop and Press emergency stop. Pass the stopper SH Passes a stopper on the hauling out line, a head of the warping drum. Veer* on the windlass. L Veer under power to transfer the anchor weight to the stopper. Ease out sufficiently to slacken the hauling out line between the stopper and the drum. Stop WDH Stop and press emergency stop button. Re arrange the line on the drum. Haul in on the windlass. Haul in. This will take up the slack on the hauling out line and allow removal of the stopper. Stop, cast off stopper Veer on the windlass Stop. SH WDH L Stop and press emergency stop button. Spare hand Removes the stopper. The windlass is reversed to continue veer the hauling out line under power. Continue to maintain load on the running end. When anchor is vertical or nearly so. Stop and Press the emergency stop button. Surge on the warping drum. WDH With the anchor almost vertical it is safe to carefully surge the hauling out line on the warping drum after slipping off a couple of turns. Make up lines and gear. L When all is complete. 6
Leader s Orders Action By; C Responding Action/ Remarks Remove the hauling out line from the anchor strop and stow. Inform the quarterdeck that the anchor is ready to let go. Tidy up all lines and equipment. The Blake screw slip is not applied while the ship is transiting the harbour. 13.7 HAULING IN THE STOCKLESS ANCHOR FOR SEA When the ship is proceeding to sea the anchor must be stowed as the ship is about to leave harbour. Under direction of an Office/qualified crew the following steps are taken; Leader s Orders Action by; Responding Action/ Remarks Preparation 1. Windlass Crew assemble. 2. Gather equipment. Refer section 13.6. 3. Windlass checks. Refer Module 16.1. 4. Advise Chief Engineer. Operation Leader s Orders Action Responding Action/ Remarks by; Stations to haul in the anchor C Crew go to assigned stations. stow for sea Exercise windlass Brakes on and Dogs out. Windlass is rotated through three revolutions. Port Dog in. Screw in port dog. It may be necessary to move the arm to locate Brake off, Haul away. L the dog next to a lug for hauling in the cable. Port brake off. Anchor is hauled in under power. DO NOT HAUL THE ANCHOR IN HARD. APPROX 6 OR 150MM OF THE SHANK SHOULD BE SHOWING OUTSIDE THE HAWSE. When judging distance to stop, allowance should be made for time for cable to slow down. Stop. Stop and press Emergency Stop button. Brake on. Apply the brake. Blake screw slip on. SH Apply Blake screw slip and screw up turn buckle. Dog out. Make up lines and secure C Stow all gear. Screw dog out. It may be necessary to move dog arm to reduce pressure so dog can be moved. 7
Leader s Orders Action Responding Action/ Remarks by; equipment. L Advise the quarter deck that the anchor is secure for sea. 13.8 ANCHORING - GENERAL On letting go the required length of cable for the particular anchorage and weather conditions, the brake is applied and the blake screw slip put on the cable. The brake is then eased until the weight of the ship is taken on the screw slip. The brake is then tightly applied. Markings on the cable after each shackle, indicate how much cable has been veered.e.g. In James Craig the cable marks are one red link (joining link) followed by the appropriate number of links painted white. As the anchor cable runs out the bell is struck to indicate the number of shackles in the water. E.g. One shackle out, bell is struck once, two shackles out, bell is struck twice and so on. The release speed of the gypsy and cable is controlled by the brake to prevent excessive flicking movement of the cable that may develop at high speed. When secure at anchor, raise appropriate at anchor signal refer page 12. 13.9 DROPPING ANCHOR (STOCKLESS AND ADMIRALTY). Under direction of an Officer/qualified crew the following steps are taken; Leader s Orders Action Responding Action/Remarks by; Preparation 1. Windlass crew assemble. 2. Clear the area of non essential crew and passengers. Erect a barrier. 3. Windlass crew assemble with gear. Tasks are assigned. 4. Advise Chief Engineer. 5. Check that the cable locker is clear to run. 6. Prepare the required anchor; Stockless refer to Section 13.6 Admiralty refer to Section 13.12. 7. Check over the side to see all is clear. 8. Report to the quarter deck when the anchor is ready to be dropped. Operation Leader s Orders Action Responding Action/Remarks by; Stations to drop anchor. C Crew take positions assigned. 8
Leader s Orders Action Responding Action/Remarks by; Brake on. Brake is applied. Blake screw slip off SH Fully extend Blake screw slip and cast off (stockless only) Dog out Dog is screwed out. May need to move dog clear of a lug. Let go the anchor Brake is released and the anchor cable runs. Use the brake to control the speed, as required. Stop. Brake on. When the required amount of cable has been run. Brake on. Secure anchor. When all is set. SH Blake screw slip is applied. Ease for the ship s weight to be taken on the slip. Re-apply the brake. Hoist anchor signal SH Hoist the appropriate signal. Tidy lines and secure gear. C L Stow gear. Advise quarter deck that all is secure. 13.10 WEIGHING ANCHOR (STOCKLESS AND ADMIRALTY). Under direction of an Officer/qualified crew the following steps are taken; Leader s Orders Action by; Responding Action/Remarks Preparation 1. Clear the anchor deck and windlass area of non essential crew. Erect safety barriers. 2. Ensure power is available at the windlass. Check with the Chief Engineer to ensure main (large) generator is in use if ship is under way. 3. Fire hoses and brooms, for cleaning the cable and anchor, are to be made ready and water on deck, is to be provided via fire pumps. 4. Three or four hands are required to flake the cable in the locker to make sure cable is stowed as flat as possible and not allowed to form a pyramid. 5. A radio or communication relay link must be set up between the anchor deck and cable locker. Operation Dog in. Engage the gypsy to the windlass (Dog in on working side only). It may be necessary to move the dog arm to enable dog to be engaged and aligned with gypsy lug. Brake off, Heave in. Brake off. Stockless only - Heave in, just sufficiently, to take the weight off the blake screw slip. Stop. Brake on. Stop and press emergency stop button. Cast off Blake screw slip. (Stockless only) SP Apply the brake. Fully extend the turnbuckle and cast off blake screw slip. 9
Leader s Orders Action Responding Action/Remarks by; Heave in. SH L Brake off. Heave in as directed by the Officer. A bell is struck indicating the number of cables hauled in. Direction of the cable from the ship is indicated by calling, when required, Long stay port, starboard, or ahead, Short stay etc, :Up and down when vertical. Note. While the anchor is being hauled in the cable locker team are spreading the cable. They may call for the operation to STOP at any time. Stop. Brake on. When the anchor is clear of the water it can then be hove in to a-cockbill position and held on the brake. Stop and press emergency stop button. Brake on. Take in the signal SH Anchor signal is lowered. Securing for sea. Refer to section 13.7 above Hauling in the Stockless anchor for sea. Refer to section 13.13 for Admiralty anchor. 13.11 LAYOUT OF STARARD ADMIRALTY ANCHOR. Anchor can be stowed in chocks on deck (See picture on page 2) or as shown above. The following is an outline only of procedure to lower and recover the anchor. To deploy and stow the admiralty anchor, weighing1200kg, requires a team of experienced crew. Extreme caution and concentration are required at all times. 10
13.12 PREPARATION, MANAGED RELEASE AND RECOVERY OF THE ADMIRALTY ANCHOR To ready the anchor deck for deployment and recovery of the admiralty anchor the following steps are taken; Preparation. 1. Gather the following equipment. From the forepeak; - Admiralty anchor crate containing Lanyards Stopper strop Big rope strop Spare shackles From the Sailor s head; - Spud (Crow) bar - Heaving lines (2) - Anchor windlass pendant control - Eye protection - Gloves - Adjustable spanner and spike From the deckhouse - 3 Capstan bars 2. Rig the Fish Burton Unreave the starboard tack line from its block. Tie a heaving line, as a tag line, to the bottom block of the Fish Burton and control by using a belaying pin on the fife rail. Pass the tail of the fish burton fall, via the tack block to the capstan (two turns). Back up with a turn on the cruciform bollard or the pin through the cathead on the port side. Cut the fish burton fall seizing. Ready the fish burton fall strop by looping around the strong back between the carrick bits. 3. Trice up the starboard headsails sheets well clear on the end of the jibboom whisker. 4. Attach a tag line to the head of the spud (crow) bar and secure the running end. 5. Attach cat gear hook and block trip lines and ends secure the running ends. 11
Managed release. 1. Big Rope Strop. (Refer to diagram below) A Attach a lanyard (A) to the strop as a release line, and secure the other end to a fixed point. B Attach the strop to the anchor shank using a cow hitch (B) with the release line secured at the peak of the bight (C). Attach the other end of the Big Rope Strop to the fish burton hook (D) by a Blackwall (hook) hitch (E). Big Rope Strop Diagram A C B Big Rope strop short splice position D E Anchor shank Fish Burton Block 2. Fish Burton Use the fall on the capstan to take up the weight of the anchor until the chain securing the anchor to the stag horn is loose. Make fast the fish burton fall to the cruciform bollard or cathead pin. Remove the chain. Ease the fall of the fish burton around the capstan whilst easing the anchor off the topgallant rail with the spud (crow) bar. Make sure that at least one and a half turns are on the capstan, that the person easing is well back and not within a bight of line, and that (s)he is backed up by another person with the line around a suitable friction point. Keep easing until the anchor is hanging vertically below the cat head. capstan.. Remove the fish burton fall from the 12
3. Big Rope Strop. Remove from the fish burton and make the fish burton block safe. Remove the big rope strop from the anchor shank with the lanyard. 4. Cat Head Gear. Using the capstan, in slow gear, raise the anchor head to ease the anchor weight off the quick release gear. Beware of jamming the cat block becket into the cat head sheave, but within one or two mm. 5. Release the quick release and remove the safety chain from the eye of the anchor and stow clear. Release closed Release open.. Quick release lever 6. Cat Tackle Using a stopper, reduce the turns on the capstan to at least one and a half turns, backing up with a turn on the fife rail or other suitable friction point.. Remove the stopper and carefully surge the cat tackle line around the capstan until the anchor is hanging vertically from its cable. Overhaul the cat tackle and use the tackle release line to free the hook from the anchor eye. Recover and stow the cat tackle. Replace the safety chain and stow the gear in assigned locations. 13
10. Inform the quarter deck that the anchor is ready to be dropped. 11. Dropping anchor, refer to section 13.9. NOTE. To prevent damage to the hull it may be necessary to haul the anchor in and up close to the hawse if the ship has a lot of way on and there is a distance to go before dropping anchor. Refer Section 13.10 Managed recovery 1. Weighing anchor, refer to section 13.10. 2. Recovery ceases when the anchor is fouling the hull and Seven (7) cable links are clear of the hawse hole. 3. Catting the anchor. Over haul the cat tackle and lower. Attach the cat hook to the anchor eye. Make sure the hook enters the eye from the hull side. Haul in taut and pass at least two turns around the capstan. Backing up with turns around the port staghorn bit. Raise the anchor with the capstan until the cat block becket is within 1 or 2mm of the cat head sheave. Backup with a turn abound the port staghorn bit. Beware of jamming the cat block becket into the cat head sheave, but it must be within 1 or 2mm. Pass the quick release chain through the anchor eye and lock into the quick release lock. Secure the lever. Surge the cat recovery line until the anchor weight is taken on the safety chain. 14
Remove the cat tackle fall from the capstan, tension up and make fast on the pin on the starboard cathead. 4. Big Rope strop. Make a very large cow hitch and secure with rotten cotton. Lower and capture the inboard fluke of the anchor. Attach the inboard end of the Big Rope strop to the hook on the fish burton. Place the hauling end of the fish burton around the capstan and haul away. Use the spud (crow) bar and /or timber baulks to ease travel of the fluke up the bill board.. Watch that the anchor cable does not get caught on top of the anchor stock. Be aware that the pea of the fluke may catch under the coping rail. Ease over with the spud (crow) bar. Warning the fish burton may two block, in which case it will be necessary to pass a chain stopper on the anchor and reorganise the big rope strop. rail. Bring the fluke clear above the topgallant Temporarily capture the anchor with the staghorn cleat chain to take the weight with the fluke clear above the rail. Ease the fish burton and remove the strop from the anchor fluke and cow hitch around the anchor shank. Take the weight on the fish burton and take off the staghorn chain. Lower the fluke almost to the topgallant rail and chain up permanently. Lower the fluke all the way to the topgallant rail. This tensions the anchor chain lashing. Remove the big rope strop and make safe the fish burton tackle. Replace the topgallant safety chain. Re-stow the fish burton and apply seizing. Stow all gear in assigned places. 15
13.13 General overviews of anchor deck. Anchor is about to be lowered to hang from the cat head. Managed release section 2. Fife rail Fish burton strop and snatch block Cat tackle fall Sheets brailed clear Capstan Safety chain clear Stopper strop Big Rope strop Port staghorn Bit Fish burton tag line Windlass Fish burton fall Fish Burton Anchor is being catted using the capstan. Cat fall with a turnaround staghorn bit Two turn on the capstan 16
13.14 EMERGENCY RELEASE OF THE ADMIRALTY ANCHOR. This method is only considered in an extreme emergency situation. It is a very dangerous operation so unnecessary crew must clear the area. THE AIM IS TO DROP THE ANCHOR IN A HORIZONTAL ATTITUDE TO AVOID FOULING THE ANCHOR CABLE AND QUICKLY TO DROP WELL CLEAR OF THE SHIP 1. Pay out the anchor cable until a bight touches the water. The crew with the cable hook, under the anchor deck, will be required initially to drag the cable out. 2. Clear the cat-tackle. 3. Ensure the space under the anchor deck is clear of crew. 4. Untie the safety line of the quick release lever and have it permanently manned. 5. Windlass set port dog out and brake off. The brake will have to be monitored to prevent excessive cable running out too early under its own weight. Also once the cable is running to control the speed. 6. Carefully and cautiously release the staghorn cleat chain. a. If the anchor fluke is moving, stand clear and activate the quick release b. If the anchor fluke is not moving, encourage with the spud (crow) bar and then 6 a. 13.15 DROPPING THE ADMIRALTY ANCHOR FROM THE CAT HEAD. This is an alternative method for dropping the anchor. It is not a method used regularly as there is potential to damage the ship s hull. 1. The anchor is transferred to the cat head as described in Section 13.12. 2. The weight on the anchor is held by the safety chain, and the tackle cleared. 3. Cable is paid out until just clear of the water. 4. The windlass brake is manned. 5. When the order is given to drop anchor the quick release lever is released to slip the safety chain and windlass brake taken off. 6. The windlass brake is then used to control the speed of the gipsy until the required amount of cable has run out. 17
13.16 HANDLING THE ADMIRALTY ANCHOR TO DEPLOY FROM, AND TO STOWAGE, ON THE DECK 1. Deck equipment has to be prepared to lift and maintain control of the anchor. 2. Once on deck, anchor is placed in chocks and securely lashed to deck. Refer to picture on page 2 showing the port anchor. Rigging gear to deploy starboard admiralty anchor. 1. Remove chain guard rail. 2. Place cow hitch around crown of anchor. 3. Lead line through block on the outboard end of cat head and back to capstan. Cow hitch 4. Place a strop around bill of forward fluke, half hitch around fluke and secure end to the running block of a tackle. 5. The standing end is secured to a ring bolt in the top gallant rail. 6. Running end is controlled around a pin on the main rail. 7. The running end of another tackle is secured around the forward fluke of the anchor. 8. The standing end is secured to the port leg of the forward fife rail. 9. The fall is controlled at the top of the post. 18
10. A strop is cow hitched around the shank of the anchor and placed in the hook on the fish burton. NOTE. When moving the heavy fish burton from the strop on the forestay use a tag line to control the block. 11. Lead the running end of the fish burton through a snatch block made fast with a strop to the starboard post of the fife rail. 12. The running end passes to the warping drum on the windlass. 13. The fore aft tackles and capstan out haul, control the swing of the anchor when it is lifted by the fish burton. 14. Once the gear is in place the anchor is lifted with the fish burton. 15. Other tackles are used to carefully manoeuvre it over the side. 16. It is then lowered carefully, assisted with the use of a pinch bar, to roll it clear. 17. When over the side the anchor is lowered with the weight being taken by a release chain on the cat head. 18. Refer to earlier section in this module for lowering the anchor from the cat head. 19. Recovery is the reverse. 13.17 ANCHOR SIGNALS. When a ship is at anchor, a signal is hoisted to let other vessels know that she at her anchor and therefore unable to manoeuvre. Day signal. One black ball forward. Night signal. Because the James Craig length exceeds 50 metres; One all-round white light forward and a lower all-round white light at the stern. 19
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