North Star Port

Ground Tackle: What Holds the Ship Anchoring a vessel is a necessary and normal oper- ation, but the process is a complex one that requires expertise with the equipment and an understand- ing of seamanship. It requires the ability to release (drop) the anchor, stop the fall of the anchor, set the anchor and retrieve the anchor with all actions under control. The anchor is part of a system referred to by mariners as "ground tackle" that enables a vessel to anchor securely. Ships are required to carry two bower anchors, one each on the port and starboard side of the bow. The basic components of ground tackle are the anchor, anchor chain (cable), windlass (wildcat), hawsepipe and the chain locker that is used to stow the chain when not in use. When the ship was built, all elements of the ground tackle must have been tested and approved by a classification society such as the American Bureau of Shipping. Periodic retest- ing is required, and all replacement equipment must meet class standards. Anchors Through the Ages Anchors have evolved over the centuries, but all the variations have one primary purpose: to securely hold the ship from moving while the vessel is wait- ing. An anchor on a 30,000-ton vessel will only weigh about 15 tons, so the weight of the anchor alone would not hold the vessel against the pull of wind and current. A modern Baldt stockless anchor has a ring for connecting the anchor chain, the shank that runs from the ring to the rounded crown, a tripping palm at the crown and two rounded arms with flukes extending at right angles. The shape of the anchor is key to its ability to hold the vessel in place. Anchors work by becoming embedded in the bottom so that the vessel's pull on the anchor chain drives the anchor deeper into the lakebed. Older anchors had a stock at the top of the shank to help turn the flukes into the seabed, but they were difficult to retrieve and stow. DULUTHPORT.COM | 11 GET A GRIP // A ship's ground tackle setup includes several components that work together in securely anchoring a vessel. A SANDY SETBACK // A November gale drove the anchored Liberian ship Socrates aground on Minnesota Point in 1985, creating quite the spectacle for Duluth beachcombers. ZEA ANCHOR IS HEAVY // It's not uncommon for a freighter anchor to weigh 30-50 tons.

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