Disney Fantasy loses an anchor

[Ex techie]

A Guest just returned from a Fantasy cruise has reported on the DIS that the Fantasy had a brake fail on the anchor windlass and dropped her Port side anchor and all of the chain when anchoring of Cayman.

 

DCL have apparently instructed a company to retrieve the anchor and chain from the sea bed and return it.

 

Ship Happens!

 

ex techie

[Ex techie]

Chengkp75,

 

Funny how you were posting on another board about the emergency release pin to remove incase of becoming stuck with an anchor away!

 

ex techie

[Tonka's Skipper]

Anchors and 10 to 12 shots of chain (roughly 1000 feet) are expensive and with the proper barge and crane and equipment in relatively shallow water, they are easy to retrieve.

 

Chances are they will of brought to a convenient port to meet up with the Fantasy and reconnect. Likely PC or maybe wait until the Fantasy returns to the Cayman's in 2 weeks. In the mean while is seems they have some repairs to either the brake and the connecting point of the emergency release pin.

 

FYI, once a anchor chain is running wild, little can stop it. The release pin is designed to pull away and let the chain just run out and prevent additional damage to the vessel.

 

AKK

Edited July 3, 2016 by Tonka's Skipper

[Host Mick]

Losing control of the anchor winch is extremely dangerous.

Watch this ship lose one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-XlbUDPt7A

[Ex techie]

Anchors and 10 to 12 shots of chain (roughly 1000 feet) are expensive and with the proper barge and crane and equipment in relatively shallow water' date=' they are easy to retrieve.

 

Chances are they will of brought to a convenient port to meet up with the Fantasy and reconnect. Likely PC or maybe wait until the Fantasy returns to the Cayman's in 2 weeks. In the mean while is seems they have some repairs to either the brake and the connecting point of the emergency release pin.

 

FYI, once a anchor chain is running wild, little can stop it. The release pin is designed to pull away and let the chain just run out and prevent additional damage to the vessel.

 

AKK[/quote']

 

Great information Skipper!

Chief just recently was advising why there is a sledgehammer and pin to hit to release a stuck anchor and enable a ship to move on in another thread!

 

ex techie

[Steelers0854]

Losing control of the anchor winch is extremely dangerous.

Watch this ship lose one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-XlbUDPt7A

 

 

 

That's insane. Pretty sure once it started going I wouldn't have still stood next to it like those guys did. I'd be at the back of the boat!

[AdoraBelle]

Wow. Cameraman takes a few steps back but doesn't even flinch when the fire breaks out or the final whip happens. Just another day at the office?

[Ex techie]

That's insane. Pretty sure once it started going I wouldn't have still stood next to it like those guys did. I'd be at the back of the boat!

 

They are behind the whiplash of the end of the chain.

And are doing their best to stop it until the bitter end.

Yes sometimes you should remove yourself from a situation if you know it is a lost cause, but the same as paramedics and firefighters and police, sometimes to rescue the situation you have to put yourself in harms way, or stay in harms way.

 

Crew members are seamen and mariners first, and cruise ship workers last.

 

ex techie

[Ex techie]

Wow. Cameraman takes a few steps back but doesn't even flinch when the fire breaks out or the final whip happens. Just another day at the office?

 

It happens from time to time, and not regularly.

 

They were probably just as stunned at what was happening in front of them to not think about moving away.

Plus they were behind the safety marker chain.

 

ex techie

[Steelers0854]

They are behind the whiplash of the end of the chain.

 

And are doing their best to stop it until the bitter end.

 

Yes sometimes you should remove yourself from a situation if you know it is a lost cause, but the same as paramedics and firefighters and police, sometimes to rescue the situation you have to put yourself in harms way, or stay in harms way.

 

 

 

Crew members are seamen and mariners first, and cruise ship workers last.

 

 

 

ex techie

 

 

 

True. But first responders are generally dealing with situations that they can directly impact. I'm no mariner but when that chain gets going and a fire has started I'm certainly not standing that close to it as there is nothing you can do when it's you against the inertia of a huge anchor chain. Plus other than the fire there appears to be no direct harm that can come to the ship by letting it just go. Seems like more damaged would be caused by trying to stop it vs letting it go.

[Capt_BJ]

ever notice that large commercial vessels typically carry a spare anchor and often a spare prop too?

 

Now to be sure they can't put these on at sea, nor even very easily while at a typical pier. So why carry them?

 

Because losses DO happen, and the lead time to get a new one can be measured in YEARS in some cases!

 

This is QM2 ... the big silver things, some people think are art and the crew refers to them at the Captain's Cufflinks. What they are is spare blades for the props on the pods (these blades can be changed individually.) Look to the right, and forward. You see a black hatch and forward of that is a big black spare anchor . . .

 

Edited July 4, 2016 by Capt_BJ

[Ex techie]

ever notice that large commercial vessels typically carry a spare anchor and often a spare prop too?

 

Now to be sure they can't put these on at sea, nor even very easily while at a typical pier. So why carry them?

 

Because losses DO happen, and the lead time to get a new one can be measured in YEARS in some cases!

 

This is QM2 ... the big silver things, some people think are art and the crew refers to them at the Captain's Cufflinks. What they are is spare blades for the props on the pods (these blades can be changed individually.) Look to the right, and forward. You see a black hatch and forward of that is a big black spare anchor . . .

 

Interesting facts there Capt_BJ!

Thanks for sharing!

 

Also interesting is that the Magic and Wonder both have a spare anchor on deck 5 forward, but yet the Dream and Fantasy do not.

My guess is a spare is held in a FL warehouse along with the other spares the ships need incase an anchor is lost and unrecoverable.

 

ex techie

Edited July 4, 2016 by Ex techie

[chengkp75]

True. But first responders are generally dealing with situations that they can directly impact. I'm no mariner but when that chain gets going and a fire has started I'm certainly not standing that close to it as there is nothing you can do when it's you against the inertia of a huge anchor chain. Plus other than the fire there appears to be no direct harm that can come to the ship by letting it just go. Seems like more damaged would be caused by trying to stop it vs letting it go.

 

Well, the only thing you can do to try and stop it is to wind on the brake harder, but that's what they apparently did (like I say, I can't do video) and it caused the brake to catch fire, which is all it can do. One of our sister ships had an anchor run on them, and even though the bitter end pin is designed to break, it caused some serious structural damage to the chain locker as it pulled the pin and its attachment point upwards. Sometimes you can catch a running anchor, most times not, it depends on how long it's been running, and how deep the water is.

[Capt_BJ]

when Cheng gets to see the referenced video I'm sure he'll see the same boo-boos I see ... BIG safety mistakes.

 

For one, when the chain stops running out early, the brakeman just keeps turning for release of the brake, and turning and turning. When the chain starts running again lord knows where the brake is. In NAVY training "major safety violation"

 

Fortunately this ship (the video) had a chain winch where the chain goes up and over rather than AROUND a 'capstan/windless' style. On my ships we always had the 'around' style and a runaway was much more of a concern as when the bitter end comes out on deck it would whip around the windess and could chop sailors off at the knees!!!!!!

 

The smaller class of cutter I commanded was notorious for the anchors not wanting to run until they were walked out about 5 feet below the keel. The geometry of the chain's run introduced so much friction that "it" needed that much weight over the side before it could pull chain up from the chain locker . . .

 

btw this post says nothing about what happened on DCL .... "it" happens . . . I am not saying they did anything unsafe

[Ex techie]

Fortunately this ship (the video) had a chain winch where the chain goes up and over rather than AROUND a 'capstan/windless' style. On my ships we always had the 'around' style and a runaway was much more of a concern as when the bitter end comes out on deck it would whip around the windess and could chop sailors off at the knees!!!!!!

 

The smaller class of cutter I commanded was notorious for the anchors not wanting to run until they were walked out about 5 feet below the keel. The geometry of the chain's run introduced so much friction that "it" needed that much weight over the side before it could pull chain up from the chain locker . . .

 

btw this post says nothing about what happened on DCL .... "it" happens . . . I am not saying they did anything unsafe

 

Capt_BJ,

 

Your set up sound like this?

Skip to 4:24 to when they lose control, and 5:16 to see what happens when the bitter end comes up on deck whipping around.

Sure wouldn't want to be anywhere near that!

WARNING! LANGUAGE IS A LITTLE ADULT AT THE END!

 

[YOUTUBE]b7pRfix_sNg[/YOUTUBE]

[Capt_BJ]

yep

 

but ship was smaller so not as large of chain which is good and bad .... lighter chain gets airborne easier . . .

 

when you see the red shot it is time to get out of Dodge . . .

[chengkp75]

when Cheng gets to see the referenced video I'm sure he'll see the same boo-boos I see ... BIG safety mistakes.

 

For one, when the chain stops running out early, the brakeman just keeps turning for release of the brake, and turning and turning. When the chain starts running again lord knows where the brake is. In NAVY training "major safety violation"

 

Fortunately this ship (the video) had a chain winch where the chain goes up and over rather than AROUND a 'capstan/windless' style. On my ships we always had the 'around' style and a runaway was much more of a concern as when the bitter end comes out on deck it would whip around the windess and could chop sailors off at the knees!!!!!!

 

The smaller class of cutter I commanded was notorious for the anchors not wanting to run until they were walked out about 5 feet below the keel. The geometry of the chain's run introduced so much friction that "it" needed that much weight over the side before it could pull chain up from the chain locker . . .

 

btw this post says nothing about what happened on DCL .... "it" happens . . . I am not saying they did anything unsafe

 

Yeah, Capt, we have that problem a lot. But with merchant ships, which have typically broader bows than military ships (and cruise ships), it is normally prudent seamanship to "walk" the anchor on the winch hydraulics down to the water's edge, then set the brake and disengage the clutch. Provides much less chance of punching a hole in the forepeak tank that way, which is never a good way to end a day at sea. :D

[Capt_BJ]

that's pretty much standard for "us" too ... dropping from the "pocket" is an emergency procedure and standard process for pilot waters has the anchor walked out aka 'at the dip'. Peak tanks and bulbous bows are cheap as compared to sonar domes on combatants!

 

what I was saying about the 210 WMEC I had many years on was, water's edge wasn't even enough .... we'd have to get the anchor below the keel b4 the weight overcame the friction. Getting the darn thing to drop was a PITA and the temptation for a new kid on the brake was to just keep turning, just keep turning ... hence the need for adult supervision ;);)

 

Of course you also have twice or more the freeboard of the hulls I have experience on .... and a lot more weight in the anchor and each link .... just mentioned it as a trivia point . . .

 

 

and as you know the anchor works best when used frequently. I've seen the chain and anchor so rusted that it would never drop .... would not surprise me if this was a factor in the NAVY video posted.

Edited July 6, 2016 by Capt_BJ

[chengkp75]

that's pretty much standard for "us" too ... dropping from the "pocket" is an emergency procedure and standard process for pilot waters has the anchor walked out aka 'at the dip'. Peak tanks and bulbous bows are cheap as compared to sonar domes on combatants!

 

what I was saying about the 210 WMEC I had many years on was, water's edge wasn't even enough .... we'd have to get the anchor below the keel b4 the weight overcame the friction. Getting the darn thing to drop was a PITA and the temptation for a new kid on the brake was to just keep turning, just keep turning ... hence the need for adult supervision ;);)

 

Of course you also have twice or more the freeboard of the hulls I have experience on .... and a lot more weight in the anchor and each link .... just mentioned it as a trivia point . . .

 

 

and as you know the anchor works best when used frequently. I've seen the chain and anchor so rusted that it would never drop .... would not surprise me if this was a factor in the NAVY video posted.

 

I've found it amazing what the precise application of a sledge hammer will do! :D Slack the brake, and if it doesn't run, hitting the wildcat wheel a good thwack (that is a marine engineering term ;)) will vibrate everything enough for it to go. Deck gang just recently popped the windlass bands and chipped the drums.

[Tonka's Skipper]

Another good ship board term and procedure...............If it doesn't fit, get a bigger Hammer.:D

 

AKK

[Capt_BJ]

I've found it amazing what the precise application of a sledge hammer will do!

 

Standard procedure and NAVY approved

 

even if I was CG

 

give it a good WHACK or 10 b4 you futz with the brake .... if the brake is OFF ... it is OFF ... looking for more OFF is bad . . .

[NurseDave]

I'm curious about the extra anchors carried on deck as well.

[Tonka's Skipper]

I'm curious about the extra anchors carried on deck as well.

 

Simple, spare Anchors are not easy to find and take time to make. All Ships carry 1 or 2 spare anchors that fit the vessel, both in shape, size and weight.

 

It the vessel does not have a crane or means to lift the spare anchor and connect it up to the chain, a barge and crane will likely be brought alongside and the anchor hooked up that way.

 

AKK

[chengkp75]

Simple' date=' spare Anchors are not easy to find and take time to make. All Ships carry 1 or 2 spare anchors that fit the vessel, both in shape, size and weight.

 

It the vessel does not have a crane or means to lift the spare anchor and connect it up to the chain, a barge and crane will likely be brought alongside and the anchor hooked up that way.

 

AKK[/quote']

 

Yeah, you can't walk down to your local boat supply and buy one. :D

 

And no one wants to invest in 15,000 lbs. of cast steel and keep it in "inventory" just in case some ship needs it. You get these when the ship is built and you're buying the other two anchors.

[NurseDave]

Yeah, you can't walk down to your local boat supply and buy one. :D

 

And no one wants to invest in 15,000 lbs. of cast steel and keep it in "inventory" just in case some ship needs it. You get these when the ship is built and you're buying the other two anchors.

 

Guess I just didn't realize they were something that gets "lost"