How long is the anchor chain exactly?
Release time:
2017-09-05
First, it’s important to note that the length of an anchor chain should not be measured in meters but rather in nautical fathoms—the unit most commonly used in navigation. Each link of the anchor chain is approximately 27.5 meters long. It’s worth explaining here how this unit came about.
First, it’s important to note that the length of an anchor chain should not be measured in meters but rather in nautical fathoms—the unit most commonly used in navigation. Each link of the anchor chain is approximately 27.5 meters long. It’s worth explaining here how this unit came to be.
The length of an anchor chain’s link is different from the nautical unit “knot,” which is commonly used in navigation. In fact, the link length of an anchor chain originates from the British imperial unit known as the fathom. One fathom is approximately 1.8288 meters long. Due to the British Empire’s dominance in maritime affairs, this unit eventually became an internationally recognized standard. Subsequently, it was uniformly standardized such that each link of an anchor chain measures 27.5 meters in length. In practical use, each link of the anchor chain is connected to the next by a shackle, and the links themselves are joined together via detachable chain links. Typically, these chain links are painted white so that crew members can easily keep track of how many links of the anchor chain have already been deployed.
The last link of the anchor chain is usually painted red to warn crew members that they’ve reached the end of the chain. Normally, the anchor chain is secured to the chain locker; if the ship hasn’t yet slowed down by the time the chain has been fully deployed, there’s a high risk that the chain could snap loose and fly off the vessel. To prevent this from happening, the second-to-last link of the anchor chain is typically painted yellow—much like how traffic lights use different colors.
According to international practice, each anchor chain on a large commercial vessel typically consists of only 12 to 13 links, with a total length ranging from 330 meters to 357.5 meters. However, this is merely a rough guideline; the exact number of links required for a particular vessel depends on its outfitting number. The calculation method for the outfitting number is quite complex and will not be elaborated upon here. Suffice it to say that the higher a vessel’s outfitting number, the greater the impact of wind and waves on the vessel while at sea. Consequently, such vessels need to be equipped with heavier anchors as well as thicker anchor chains and cables. Generally speaking, military vessels have a higher outfitting number than ordinary cargo ships. But once an anchor chain reaches 13 links, it becomes impractical to extend it further, as this would significantly increase the time required to retrieve the anchor. Therefore, it becomes necessary to thicken the anchor chain or even use multiple anchor chains to ensure stability.
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