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NAVIGATOR OPERATING MANUAL
NW Explorations
4A2: Anchor Chain Locker & Anchor Jams
Anchor Handling:
The anchor, forward on the bow pulpit, is raised
and lowered by the electric windlass. The
chain goes from the windlass into the chain
locker through the chain pipe behind the chain
wheel (“wildcat”). From here, it goes into the
bow locker.
Be careful when dealing with the chain!
If a crew member is operating the
windlass be especially careful to keep
fingers, hands, arms, etc. away from the
chain!
Do not raise or lower the anchor without
either the engines or genset running.
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:
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 pile may have fallen over or shifted. There is no way the chain can be
tangled so that you will ever need to disconnect it! One easy 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, on the other hand, this “yanking” technique fails, look into the chain locker to un-overlap the layers of chain in
the pile.
Hauling anchor:
Be careful when dealing with the chain! If a crew member is operating the windlass while a
person is accessing the chain locker, be especially careful to keep that person’s fingers, hands,
arms, etc. away from the chain! Use a windlass handle or broomstick to deal with the chain.
4A3: Anchor Chain Measurement
In addition to the Autoanchor System, the chain is measured by marks on the chain as follows:
10’
Red Yellow Red
200’ Red
50’
Yellow
250’ Yellow
100’
Red
290’ Red Yellow Red
150’
Yellow
300’ Total anchor chain length
4A4: Anchoring & Stern/Shore Line: See Section 3B.
The anchor resting on the bow pulpit, windlass pulling its chain.