Anchor
Anchor is a nautical word that indicates a piece of iron attached to a rope or chain and used to immobilize a floating object .
Originating from the Greek ágkyra , an anchor is usually massive, heavy and very resistant, formed by a ring and two or more ends. The it is connected to a cable and then thrown into the sea or river, serving to keep the vessel in question steady.
In a figurative sense , the word anchor can indicate shelter , protection or support . Ex: In the most difficult moment of my life, you were the anchor that saved me.
The expression “raising or dropping anchor” can also be used figuratively to indicate the act of settling in a certain place or leaving for another place.
Anchors are also very popular in tattoos , because they also symbolize firmness, hope, stability, fidelity, tranquility and strength.
In the Bible the word anchor is seen in Hebrews 6:19: ” We have this hope as an anchor of the soul, firm and sure …”, passage that refers to hope according to God’s promise.
anchor in journalism
In the field of journalism, the word anchor refers to the journalist who presents a newscast.
This professional coordinates and narrates the events, connecting and balancing the various elements transmitted, such as: live reporters, guests in the studio, recorded reports, etc. The aim of the anchor is that the transmission of contents is professional, stable and credible.
Expressions with the word
- Exchange rate anchor: expression in the economic area that refers to a peg of the currency value and a fixed exchange rate parameter in order to maintain its purchasing power. It is an economic policy instrument used in situations of accelerated inflation or hyperinflation. The value of a currency is fixed to the exchange rate as a means of stabilizing it;
- Floating anchor: in the Navy, it is an expression that identifies a floating device used to keep the vessel adrift in the direction of the wind or tide. The device is launched into the sea and keeps the vessel tied to the current, mainly in cases of bad weather. The expression is also known as a cover anchor;
- Monetary anchor: also in the area of Economics, it is a monetary policy instrument, which aims to stabilize the value of a currency by controlling the issuance of coins as a way to cover government deficits;
- Raise anchor: expression that means that the vessel can depart after raising the anchor.
Types of anchors
fisherman’s anchor – also known as an Admiralty anchor
This traditional anchor consists of two arms (flakes) attached to the hock. When it hits the bottom of the sea, one of the arms digs to the surface. Compared to other anchors, it holds well on seabed covered with grass or seaweed, but the downside is that it is extremely heavy (it doesn’t hold well if it’s lighter than 27 kilos). As a result, it is now more typically used for large vessels with a deep draft. Another advantage is that, being flat and taking up little space, this anchor is easy to store on board.
CQR (plow) – suitable for anchoring in sand
While the name CQR sounds technical, it’s actually a play on words – read aloud, it sounds similar to the word “insurance”. It is a type of plow anchor and is still used relatively frequently. It is not ideal for anchoring in seagrass or kelp beds, although it is well suited for anchoring in sand and mud. However, when subjected to significant drag, this actually plows the sea floor, although this usually only occurs in dire conditions when anchoring is virtually never recommended. Today, the CQR anchor is somewhat outdated and its successor, the Delta anchor, is more common.
Delta – digs deep into the seabed
This is basically an updated variant of the CQR anchor that digs better and deeper into the seabed thanks to the extra weight on the tip. It performs well on most types of seabed except those heavily covered with seagrass or algae. When he throws it away, it usually hits the ground lying on its side, and only turns and digs when subsequently pulled.
Bruce – suitable for a soft seabed
In general it has similar characteristics to a plow anchor and is best suited for soft to moderately soft seabeds as it does not grip well in hard ground. Its functionality improves its size, which is not really a problem for pleasure sailboats. In general, its performance is already a little behind the market, since more modern forms of anchor are already around. It is said to hold better on a shorter chain.
Danforth – with sharp points
This compact, flat, casual style anchor has a large surface area for its weight with sharp edges. It is suitable for anchoring on a soft or semi-soft seabed, but may not penetrate particularly hard surfaces well. They are popular as secondary anchors on board due to their compact and flat design, which makes them easy to store.
mushroom
This is probably the first that everyone remembers of its captain’s course and, as its name suggests, it is shaped like a mushroom. This is a special type of anchor that is not commonly used, complicated by the fact that it is often extremely heavy (up to several hundred kilos). This makes handling impractical, although it is recommended on very soft seabed, such as Baltic mud, where it holds very firm.
shrapnel – with folding arms
This is a multi-weapon anchor, an older version of which can often be seen in films about the Vikings. As its arms are articulated or even detachable, the anchor is foldable. Nowadays, it is mostly used by small pleasure boats, sailing or motoring, as well as small fishing boats.
There are also a large number of more or less common anchors, such as Navy, Next Gen, Brittany, Fortress, Cobra, FOB, etc. On routes or while sailing we sometimes find a special type of anchor for use in extreme situations – the marine anchor.
The marine – the brake of the boat
A unique device for ensuring safety in a storm. You might find it tucked away in the closet or storage compartment inside the boat, but don’t look for anything resembling a conventional anchor, look for a bag of some sort, usually a different color. It is also sometimes called a parachute anchor, drift anchor, drift sock, para-anchor or boat brake. As the names imply, this anchor does not dig into the seabed, but resembles a parachute and floats. It is used to stabilize the boat in a storm, slowing it down and keeping the bow facing the wind and waves. There is a legend among sailors that ships using a sea anchor have never been sunk in a storm, so we recommend trying a sea anchor for some practice.
