Anchor Repairs

Anchors are one of the key aspects of a vessel’s components. Naturally, it allows for safety, stability of location when the ship is at a bay, port, or mid-sea. Anchor size and quantity is dependent on vessel size. An anchor’s components are the shank, which connects it to its chain, the arms, and the palms.

There are many types of anchors, most common of which are the admiralty patterned anchors, the martins, and the Danforth ones. Anchors are classified in bower, spare, and stream anchors. All vessel types must have two bower anchors. Anchors are tested in many ways. All anchor components are stress-tested against bending, then percussed by dropping the anchor onto a metal object and finally struck with a large hammer. If an anchor passes the tests, it is given a certificate of quality, which is delivered to the shipowner upon purchase. 

An anchor, when dropped, has its crown strike the sea bottom. When the ship moves, the anchor’s flukes embed themselves into the seabed. Regardless of the drop height, the anchor is designed in order for its crown to hit the bottom. The flukes are embedded into the seabed with aft movement and they face downwards. Instead, when the anchor is lifted and the chain is lifted, the flukes are driven up and uprooted from the seabed. Three facts influence the anchor’s power: its construction, the seabed’s nature and the cable’s scope. The equipment of the vessel affects the anchor’s weight and the chain’s length.

There are three anchor types: normal holding power, high-holding power and super high-holding power anchors. The latter is lighter than other anchors since their flukes are larger. Anchor weight does not influence its holding power exactly, but affects the ship remaining in the same ship.

Importance of Anchor Repairs

The anchor’s bore, the ‘hole’ with which the anchor is connected to the chain, can be worn out with time. In addition, the anchor and its chain can deteriorate. Anchors need to be reconditioned and their chains must be replaced. Despite the routine of anchoring operations, maritime history has shown many incidents in the past. This suggests that the human factor still affects anchoring operations, either through lack of maintenance, repairs and overhauling, or through negligence.

Vessel Types

Our collaborating service providers can operate in the maintenance, repair and overhauling of deck winches in all vessel types.