Operating instructions

4A2: Anchor Chain Locker & Anchor Jams
Anchor Handling:
The anchor is forward on the bow pulpit, raised and lowered by the electric windlass.
The chain goes then into the chain locker through the chain pipe behind the chain wheel
(“wildcat”). From here, the chain goes into a compartment just forward of the bow locker.
Be careful when using ths equipment! If a crew member is operating the
windlass keep fingers, hands, arms, etc. away from the chain!
Use the foredeck foot switches, not the helm switch, so you can see
where the chain is going and be sure it is clear of the boat properly
when raising or lowering the anchor!
Lowering anchor:
The windlass does not force the anchor to lower, it only brakes its fall! If the chain
jams while lowering anchor, it is because one loop of the chain on top of the pile has fallen
inside another loop of chain when the chain may have shifted. There is no way the chain can
be tangled; do not ever need to disconnect it! One way to disentangle the chain is, while
wearing gloves, grasp the chain on the forward side of the windlass, and, while lifting it above
the wildcat manually, rapidly yank it up and down. This will usually free it. If this “yanking”
technique fails, look into the chain locker to un-overlap the layers of chain in the pile.
Hauling anchor:
The anchor is both raised and lowered by the windlass. The chain goes from the
windlass below into the chain locker through the chain pipe behind the chain wheel (“wildcat”).
It is a reality that anchor chains often stack in a perfect cone when
being hauled in, and the top of the cone then may block the entry
pipe (hawse pipe) so the full chain cannot be hauled. Therefore, it is
a good thing when the cone-stack falls over, so more can be put into
the chain locker. You may have to send a crew member to the
forward stateroom to open the chain locker and actually knock the
chain over as it is being brought in!
Be careful when dealing with the chain! Be especially careful to keep
fingers, hands, arms, etc. away from the chain! Use a windlass
handle or broomstick to deal with the chain without fingers or hands
near it or the windlass.
4A3: Anchor Chain Measurement
The chain is measured by marks on the chain. The markings are as follows:
10' Red-Yellow-Red Stripe
50' Yellow Stripe 100' Red Stripe
150' Yellow Stripe 200' Red Stripe
250' Yellow Stripe 300' Red Stripe
350' Yellow Strip 375' Red-Yellow-Red
Section 4A: Anchor & Ground Tackle 4.2