Anchoring

Applied Research International

Index

The factors to be considered in choosing an

anchorage are:................................................2
Nature of bottom and anchor design...................2
But will drag in softer sea beds such as :.............2
Improved design of anchor................................3
Amount of cable required..................................3
An approximate formula for forged steel cable is:..3
Holding pull of an anchor..................................4
Anchoring large vessels....................................4
Advantage......................................................5
Dredging one anchor........................................6
Dredging two anchor........................................6
2. Swinging on an anchor..................................6
Anchoring plan...............................................9

/var/www/apps/conversion/tmp/scratch_2/297064208.doc

Anchoring

Applied Research International

ANCHORING
The factors to be considered in choosing
an anchorage are:

Holding quality of the bottom:

The nature and the slope (irregular) of the
bottom should be considered poor holding
ground
Adequacy of room for swing
Protection from wind land sea
Strength of tidal stream and wind
Duration of stay at anchor
Type of anchors and cable

Nature of bottom and anchor design

Older types of anchors will hold satisfactorily in

firm seabeds such as:
Clay
Soft chalk
Sand
Sand/shingle
Heavy mud

But will drag in softer sea beds such as :

Soft mud
Shingle
Shell

/var/www/apps/conversion/tmp/scratch_2/297064208.doc

Anchoring

Applied Research International

Recent improvements in anchor

design have resulted in obtaining
satisfactory hold in any kind of
seabed
No an anchor, no matter how well
designed, will hold on rock, except
by a fluke of the anchor.

Improved design of anchor

Diagram

Amount of cable required

The cable must be long enough to ensure that a

part of it near the anchor always remains in the
seabed.
The rest of the cable acts as a spring in preventing
the anchor from being jerked when the ship is
yawing from side to side, or pitching.
The amount of cable required depends on
Depth of water
Weight of cable
Length of stay
Weather
Nature of bottom

/var/www/apps/conversion/tmp/scratch_2/297064208.doc

Anchoring

Applied Research International

An approximate formula for forged steel

cable is:

Amount of cable to veer in shackles is one and a

half times the square root of the depth of water in
meters.
The amount of cable to be veered depends upon
many factors, but it should always be enough to
ensure that it imparts a horizontal pull to the
anchor at all times, otherwise the anchor will lose
much of its holding power and will probably drug.
A pull in a direction only 15 degrees above the
horizontal will reduce by more than a half the
holding power of the anchor.
0
A pull in a direction only 5 above the horizontal
will reduce by 25% the holding power of the
anchor.

Holding pull of an anchor

Holding pull of an anchor is expressed as a ratio

of holding pull and anchor weight, and varies,
depending on type of anchor from 3:1 to 10:1
cable offers a resistance of its WT- letting go:
Ship approaches the anchorage at slow speed
and usually heads into wind or tidal stream.
When anchoring in deep water (over 27m) the
anchor is veered under power to within 18m
of bottom before it is let go, otherwise the
anchor may be damaged.

/var/www/apps/conversion/tmp/scratch_2/297064208.doc

Anchoring

Applied Research International

Initially a length equal to twice the depth of

water is allowed to run out freely before brake
is applied.
Thereafter the cable is kept growing at an
angle of about 300 with the vertical.
When approaching age heading into the wind,
the head is cast off about 100 from the wind
and the weather side anchor is let go.

Anchoring large vessels

Anchors and cables are capable of

holding a loaded vessel in a current of 3
knots and a wind of 28 knots, maximum
They are not designed to stop a vessel
with way on.
There are generally 13 shackles on the
stabd and 12 shackles on the port.
The windless motor is designed to lift 3
shackles vertically plus the weight of the
anchor, with a 50% allowance on test
when new.
The cable stopper should be able to carry
approx. twice the proof load of the cable
and
The windlass brake holding power is
approx. half the breaking strength of the
cable.
The usual way of anchoring a VLCC is
to stem the wind and tide, stop the ship
and put the engine astern.

/var/www/apps/conversion/tmp/scratch_2/297064208.doc

Anchoring

Applied Research International

The anchor is walked out to just above

the bottom, after which it is let go or
walked back until the required length of
cable is on the bottom.
Anchoring equipment of 150,000 D.W. tanker as per
class rules:
Windlass brake holding force
395 tonnes force
Cable stopper safe working load
650 tonnes force
Ultimate tensile strength of cable
600 tonnes force
Weight of one shackle of cable
2.5 tonne force
Weight of anchor
10 tonne force
Lifting power of anchor windlass
32 tonne force

Mooring
Advantage

The vessel occupies little swinging room,

turning almost in her own length about her
stern.
The scopes can be pre-adjusted for the
prevailing strength and wind or stream.

Disadvantages

The second anchor, or lee anchor lies astern

and is of no value to the ship if a headwind
increases or if the vessel begins to drag.
There is a risk of getting a foul hawse.
Considerable time to hove in cables.

/var/www/apps/conversion/tmp/scratch_2/297064208.doc

Anchoring

Applied Research International

Dredging one anchor

Diagram

Dredging two anchor

Diagram

2. Swinging on an anchor
Why??- To steam the tide prior proceeding to berth in
narrow, waterways, perhaps with limited space
down steam.
This manoeuvre can only be conducted if the river
bed is clear of obstructions. Besides the skill and
experience of ship handler, it will also depend on: The depth of water
Under keel clearence
Strength of current
Type of bottom
Type of engine power available
Size of ship
Amount of room available.
Where conditions permit the approach
should be made heading into the
current, if the wind has a greater effect
upon the vessel into the wind.

/var/www/apps/conversion/tmp/scratch_2/297064208.doc

Anchoring

Applied Research International

It is desirable to approach from such

direction that a prominent object or
preferably a transit is available dead
ahead to serve as steering guide.
It is also desirable to have a transit or
prominent object near the beam at the
point of letting go the anchor.
When anchoring in a wind it is usual to
approach the berth head to wind, as no
allowance need then be made for leeway.
In any but strong winds such an
approach is, however, by no means
obligatory because the drift to leeward
can easily be allowed for if a bearing or
transit ahead is watched.
The weather anchor should always be
used, otherw9se the cable will foul the
steam of the ship as the drift with the
wind.
The ships head is cast about ten
degrees to one side or the other just
before letting go the anchor to ensure
she will pay off in the required direction.
In anchorages where hills or mountains
descend steeply to the shore, in cracks,
lochs or fjords, for example; a
particularly sharp lookout on the
weather should be kept, because in such
localities exceptionally strong, squally

/var/www/apps/conversion/tmp/scratch_2/297064208.doc

Anchoring

Applied Research International

winds are liable to occur with little or no

warning.
The extent to which the speed of a ship
should be reduced before anchoring
depends upon her type.
The strength of the wind and stream,
and whether she is to be stopped or have
headway on her when her anchor is let
go.
When alone in a clear anchorage it is
usual to let go the anchor with the ship
stopped and about to gather sternway.
Ensuring that the anchor is given a
chance to embed itself, and subsequently
laying the cable out straight along the
bottom without straining it or unbedding the anchor are important.
When anchoring in less than 30 metres
of water an amount of cable equal to
twice the depth of water should first be
allowed to run out freely to enable the
anchor to embed itself.
Thereafter the brake of the cableholder
or windlass should be applied so that the
cable is kept growing at an angle of
about 30 degrees with the vertical.
The brake shoud not be applied fiercely
or the cable be snubbed; a quarter of a
turn should suffice, so that if the cable

/var/www/apps/conversion/tmp/scratch_2/297064208.doc

Anchoring

Applied Research International

tautens unduly it can render and so

reduce the strain on itself.
When a stationary cable tautens and
then slackens it is sign that the ship has
come to rest. (brought up to)
When anchoring in deep water the
anchor should be lowered to the bottom
and not let go, because there is then a
chance of the anchor being fractured as
it hits the bottom or the links of the first
shackle of cable being fractured as they
pile up on themselves.
In form 40 to 60 metres of water the
cable should be veered slowly on the
brake until the anchor reaches the
bottom, and in over 60 metres the cable
should be veered under power to ensure
it is under full control.
Provided that sufficient cable is veered to
impart a horizontal pull on the anchor,
the veered of any more cable will not
greatly increase the holding power of the
grouped tackle; because while an anchor
in reasonably good holding ground will
hold from about 3.5 to 7 times its weight
according to its type, cable threequarters of its weight.
Cable does, however, act as a spring and
therefore as a shock absorber, and so the
greater the length of cable veered the

/var/www/apps/conversion/tmp/scratch_2/297064208.doc

Anchoring

Applied Research International

less will be the possibility of imparting to

the anchor sudden loads due to pitching
yawing or squalls.

Anchoring plan
If a vessel is to anchor at a predetermined point as
in an assigned birth, an established procedures
should be followed to ensure accuracy of the
placing the anchor.
Several procedures have been devised.
The following is representative.
The position selected for anchoring is located in
the chart, the direction of the approach is then
determined, considering limitation of fand, sholas
other vessels etc.
When working a ship into position, prior to letting
go and swinging on an anchor, it may also be
useful to consider the following points: Plan to conduct the swing in a direction that
favours transverse thrust when going astern,
if that it is practicable.
Endeavor to get the speed down to the
minimum for steerage way when approaching
the swinging area.
Ensure there is ample space for the stern to
swing around in during the turn.
Before letting go make certain that the ship is
canted the right way, so that the tide is on
the correct quarter to assist the turn.

/var/www/apps/conversion/tmp/scratch_2/297064208.doc

Anchoring

Applied Research International

At the instant of letter go the speed over the

ground should be as low as possible and
before the brake is applied the engines
should already be going astern, to ease the
weight on the windlass.

/var/www/apps/conversion/tmp/scratch_2/297064208.doc