ANSWERS: 10
  • I've wondered the same thing! Good question Chief :) +5
  • Often the ship maneuvers to directly above the anchor and pulls straight up. The 'hooking' is generally a result of pulling at an angle. For small boats the 'scope' (length of anchor line:depth) is a minimum of 5:1, as much as 10:1.
  • What a perfect scenario! I can relate to this BIG TIME! It would be when you have become tired of being in this spot. When there is no more that can be done while in this spot. Time to move on to a better life and a better fishing hole! .+5 OR When the seas have become to rough to continue trying to hold down the fort. (so to speak) If you can't quiet the storm then off to a calmer area of the sea/ocean!!!
  • Pressure and tension. Most anchors are on some kind of mechanical pulley.
  • I guess that would depend on what's hooked. I have heard of times when they had to cut the anchor loose.
  • the powerful winch
  • The ship will either move straight over it's anchor and try, or failing that it will move in the opposite direction to pull the anchor free.
  • The hooks are to retard dragging. An iron bar with hooks on it will be harder to drag, even on a sandy bottom, than an iron bar without hooks.
  • The anchor is designed to dig into soft bottom when lying on its side. You always let out plenty of rope/chain so that it is laying along the bottom and the tension is horizontal; if there is any tension, the flukes have to plough through the mud or sand on the bottom. When you haul in the anchor chain, the ship moves towards the anchor until the chain is vertical which rotates the anchor so that its points no longer dig into the sand or mud.
  • Normally, an anchor holds by digging into the sea-bed like a plough. It doesn't have to actually snag on something on the sea-bed. It grips into the sea-bed itself. In order for the anchor to hold it is very important that you let out enough anchor rope so that the pull of the anchor is horizontal. The horizontal pull is achieved by letting out sufficient anchor rope (or cable) so that the rope forms a curve (called a catenary), the bottom of which lies flat, horizontal on the sea-bed. This creates a horizontal pull on the the anchor so that it digs deeper into the sea-bed until it holds firm. To dislodge the anchor, you need to shorten the cable until it no longer forms a catenary and the horizontal pull is replaced by a vertical pull. When the pull is vertical, the plough effect is lost and the anchor will break out of sea-bed quite easily....unless it is snagged on something on the bottom. If this happens you have two options; you could swing the boat around on her engines and hope that by pulling in the opposite direction the anchor will dislodge....or you will probably have to cut the anchor cable.

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