ANCHORS
Anchors can be defined by their stowage locations
aboard ship or by their type of construction. Bower
anchors are carried on the bow and are secured (housed)
in the hawsepipes. Stern anchors are carried on the
stern. On landing ships and craft, stern anchors are
secured to the stern and are used to help pull away from
beaches.
The most common types of anchors used aboard
ship are the stockless and the lightweight (or
stock-in-crown) anchors. The two anchors shown in
figure 7-2 are of Navy design. The stockless types are
used chiefly as bow anchors (bowers) on most Navy
ships. Originally, the lightweight types were used only
on small boats and as stern anchors of landing ships and
craft. However, recently they are carried as bowers for
several types of vessels.
ANCHOR CHAIN
Modern Navy anchor chain consists of studded
links of high strength steel. (Studs are crosspieces of
metal forged or welded in the center of the links to
prevent the chain from kinking.) Chains are made up of
15-fathom (90-foot) sections called standard shots. The
number of shots per chain depends on the size of the
ship. Shots are secured together by detachable links that
7-2
Student Notes:
Figure 7-1.—Typical ground tackle and chain stowage.
