Submarine anchors - used when and where?

bottomcrawler · 06-16-15, 05:51 PM

Last year, I saw a photo of a submarine from below, and the caption said that it showed the submarine's anchor!

It had never occurred to me before that subs have anchors, but apparently they do.

Now, when and where do subs anchor? Are they used routinely or just for emergencies?

I can't imagine that dropping and retreiving an anchor can ever be anywhere near silent.

james_nix · 06-16-15, 06:00 PM

Maybe something similar, but when I was in the Coast Guard we had a sea anchor on our ship when the ocean was too deep for a regular anchor.

We only used it once, and maybe just because the Captain was bored. It was used for the same reason you'd use a regular anchor, just to hang out in one spot without engines idling.

bottomcrawler · 06-16-15, 06:20 PM

What I'm referring to are definitely proper anchors, intended to catch on the bottom.

And I know what anchors are for, just not how subs use them (they're, after all, a bit different from surface vessels in many ways).

ETR3(SS) · 06-19-15, 09:12 AM

As it was told to me during my qualification process (on an Ohio class) We only had one because of coast guard requirements. The only time we ever used it was in drydock, to make sure it worked.

Aktungbby · 06-19-15, 10:43 AM

While looking up 'submarines at anchor' I came across this long forgotten gem with great pictures. http://www.navsource.org/archives/08/08023.htm How stupid am I; you cant really see a sub's anchor when it's anchored anyway.

james_nix · 06-19-15, 07:00 PM

Why not the same reason that ship uses them? Anchoring in a harbor, for example when there are no slips available.

to the mark · 09-24-16, 02:04 PM

When a diesel submarine is on maneuvering watch, the anchor manifold is manned so the anchor can be dropped in case of an emergency, other times the anchor might be dropped off shore just to keep the boat in place, for whatever reason, I actually served on a diesel submarine and saw this happen under both scenarios

Aktungbby · 09-24-16, 02:52 PM

to the mark!

https://www.quora.com/Does-the-submarine-have-an-anchor!

Indeed!Baleo's do and so do VII-C/41's

Osmium Steele · 09-26-16, 07:43 AM

The only times I remember us using the anchor were when we anchored out in Bermuda and Nassau.

billofat · 02-01-18, 03:25 PM

We would anchor out sometimes (rarely!) on the SSN's I served aboard. The trick was to ensure we had sternway on when dropping the hook ... otherwise you run the risk of dinging the rudder and possibly the screw.

billofat · 02-01-18, 03:29 PM

Here's a picture of USS Phoenix (SSN-702) anchored out at Nassau ... note the black "anchor" ball dayshape flying from the sail.
1[/IMG]https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10200482600081046&set=g.17642919199 0&type=1&theater&ifg=1

06-16-15, 05:51 PM	#1
bottomcrawler Mate Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 53 Downloads: 15 Uploads: 0	Submarine anchors - used when and where? Last year, I saw a photo of a submarine from below, and the caption said that it showed the submarine's anchor! It had never occurred to me before that subs have anchors, but apparently they do. Now, when and where do subs anchor? Are they used routinely or just for emergencies? I can't imagine that dropping and retreiving an anchor can ever be anywhere near silent.

06-16-15, 06:00 PM	#2
james_nix What's happenin' Cap'n'? Join Date: Feb 2015 Posts: 325 Downloads: 719 Uploads: 6	Maybe something similar, but when I was in the Coast Guard we had a sea anchor on our ship when the ocean was too deep for a regular anchor. We only used it once, and maybe just because the Captain was bored. It was used for the same reason you'd use a regular anchor, just to hang out in one spot without engines idling. __________________ USS COPPERFINS-05

06-19-15, 09:12 AM	#4
ETR3(SS) Ocean Warrior Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Between test depth and periscope depth Posts: 3,021 Downloads: 175 Uploads: 16	As it was told to me during my qualification process (on an Ohio class) We only had one because of coast guard requirements. The only time we ever used it was in drydock, to make sure it worked. __________________ USS Kentucky SSBN 737 (G) Comms Div 2003-2006 Qualified 19 November 03 Yes I was really on a submarine.

06-19-15, 10:43 AM	#5
Aktungbby Gefallen Engel U-666 Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: On a tilted, overheated, overpopulated spinning mudball on Collision course with Andromeda Galaxy Posts: 27,886 Downloads: 22 Uploads: 0	While looking up 'submarines at anchor' I came across this long forgotten gem with great pictures. http://www.navsource.org/archives/08/08023.htm How stupid am I; you cant really see a sub's anchor when it's anchored anyway. __________________ "Only two things are infinite; The Universe and human squirrelyness; and I'm not too sure about the Universe"

06-19-15, 07:00 PM	#6
james_nix What's happenin' Cap'n'? Join Date: Feb 2015 Posts: 325 Downloads: 719 Uploads: 6	Why not the same reason that ship uses them? Anchoring in a harbor, for example when there are no slips available. __________________ USS COPPERFINS-05

06-16-15, 06:20 PM	#3
bottomcrawler Mate Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 53 Downloads: 15 Uploads: 0	What I'm referring to are definitely proper anchors, intended to catch on the bottom. And I know what anchors are for, just not how subs use them (they're, after all, a bit different from surface vessels in many ways).

09-24-16, 02:04 PM	#7
to the mark Bilge Rat Join Date: Sep 2016 Posts: 1 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	dropping the anchor When a diesel submarine is on maneuvering watch, the anchor manifold is manned so the anchor can be dropped in case of an emergency, other times the anchor might be dropped off shore just to keep the boat in place, for whatever reason, I actually served on a diesel submarine and saw this happen under both scenarios

09-24-16, 02:52 PM	#8
Aktungbby Gefallen Engel U-666 Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: On a tilted, overheated, overpopulated spinning mudball on Collision course with Andromeda Galaxy Posts: 27,886 Downloads: 22 Uploads: 0	Welcome aboard! to the mark!https://www.quora.com/Does-the-submarine-have-an-anchor! Indeed!Baleo's do and so do VII-C/41's __________________ "Only two things are infinite; The Universe and human squirrelyness; and I'm not too sure about the Universe" Last edited by Aktungbby; 09-24-16 at 03:04 PM.

09-26-16, 07:43 AM	#9
Osmium Steele Ace of the Deep Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Upper midwest USA Posts: 1,101 Downloads: 22 Uploads: 0	The only times I remember us using the anchor were when we anchored out in Bermuda and Nassau. __________________ In the month of July of the year 1348, between the feasts of St. Benedict and of St. Swithin, a strange thing came upon England... My U297 build thread

02-01-18, 03:25 PM	#10
billofat Nub Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 2 Downloads: 2 Uploads: 0	We would anchor out sometimes (rarely!) on the SSN's I served aboard. The trick was to ensure we had sternway on when dropping the hook ... otherwise you run the risk of dinging the rudder and possibly the screw.

02-01-18, 03:29 PM	#11
billofat Nub Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 2 Downloads: 2 Uploads: 0	Here's a picture of USS Phoenix (SSN-702) anchored out at Nassau ... note the black "anchor" ball dayshape flying from the sail. 1[/IMG]https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10200482600081046&set=g.17642919199 0&type=1&theater&ifg=1