A Question for the "Big Ship" guys

[AlaskaProf]

Over the years I've wondered about the constant stream of water pouring out of the hawse pipe(s) of ships riding at anchor. What's that about?

 

[O C Diver]

Over the years I've wondered about the constant stream of water pouring out of the hawse pipe(s) of ships riding at anchor. What's that about?

They're probably preparing to get underway. That stream is the anchor wash down pump. I've seen it turned on well before they haul in the anchor. It's interesting to watch them haul up the anchor and get underway. I've seen paint dry faster than them hauling in the anchor.

Ted

 

[AnsleyS]

Sometimes the crew forget to turn off the pump. I finally called, on the VHF, an achored tanker off of St. John New Brunswick to tell them that their anchor chain pump had been on for over an hour and the officer on watch thanked me for the info and shortly later it stopped.

 

[AlaskaProf]

They're probably preparing to get underway. That stream is the anchor wash down pump.
Ted

a reasonable explanation, but when I had mooring adjacent to Commencement Bay, I've seen multiple ships do it, some for multiple days.


In fact, if you look at my illustration, the tanker which seems to be riding to a single anchor has two streams of water.

 

[O C Diver]

In fact, if you look at my illustration, the tanker which seems to be riding to a single anchor has two streams of water.

I can't remember whether there are always 2 streams or not. While I don't know, I would imagine the pump(s) that runs those is probably small enough compared to the massive generator to run the electrical load of the ship, that it may just be setup to run both whenever on. Except when accidentally left on, I would imagine they're designed to run less than an hour and maybe used once a week.

Ted

 

[SaltyDawg86]

It's their fire pump. They open the anchor wash down to keep from dead heading the pump, but they have the fire pump running in case they have an issue coming into port.

 

[AlaskaProf]

It's their fire pump. They open the anchor wash down to keep from dead heading the pump, but they have the fire pump running in case they have an issue coming into port.

Seems plausible, thanks


Boatless Bill

 

[AlaskaProf]

It's their fire pump. They open the anchor wash down to keep from dead heading the pump, but they have the fire pump running in case they have an issue coming into port.

Clearly the best answer. The more I read, the more likely it becomes, as in:

 

[jgwinks]

Clearly the best answer. The more I read, the more likely it becomes, as in:

Even on the 65 footers I ran, the fire pump had multiple uses depending on which valves were open.

 

[Mako]

For yachts, most of the Class rules allow a single pump to function for both bilge and fire. Just a single valve, as you say. With the fire pumps serving double duty as wash down, at least the unit gets exercised.