What Came First, The Anchor or the Sails, or the Egg, wait?

[AThompson]

Hi, all.

So, it's my understanding that the raising of an anchor in a 74 or First Rate would potentially take hours (well, I've been told that), as the men onboard aren't really raising an anchor, but they're pulling the ship towards the anchor, then once there they have to basically deadlift the anchor off the seabed and up the side.

What I'm thinking is, do you set your sails first, or secure the anchor first?

I image that if you raise the anchor then you're potentially at the mercy of wind and tide without your sails set, and likewise, if your sails set before the anchor goes up then you potentially have the risk of ripping the cable out of the hawse.

Unless, of course, there was enough crew so that when the anchor is up the topsails drop and are set immediately?

[marcelo_malara]

Hi, all.

So, it's my understanding that the raising of an anchor in a 74 or First Rate would potentially take hours (well, I've been told that), as the men onboard aren't really raising an anchor, but they're pulling the ship towards the anchor, then once there they have to basically deadlift the anchor off the seabed and up the side.

What I'm thinking is, do you set your sails first, or secure the anchor first?

I image that if you raise the anchor then you're potentially at the mercy of wind and tide without your sails set, and likewise, if your sails set before the anchor goes up then you potentially have the risk of ripping the cable out of the hawse.

Unless, of course, there was enough crew so that when the anchor is up the topsails drop and are set immediately?

Well, a man of war had plenty of manpower to rise the anchor and immediately it is up set some sail to control the ship. Another aspect to consider is that to clear an anchorage you need favorable winds, and that favorable winds would not make the ship go ashore if no sail is set. You would not rise anchor with an onshore wind.

[OpanaPointer]

Tugs when available. Otherwise you could drop an anchor at angle to yours and pull that way until you had to shift it to continue with an advantage.

CI can expand that if it's too terse. (I'm in drydock right now myself, heart probs.)

https://www.merriam-webster.com/diction ... %20desired