Anchors Up -

: The windlass is engaged, and the brake is released. The "U" flag may be hoisted to signal the operation.

: As the chain becomes "up and down," the weight of the ship or the pull of the windlass breaks the anchor free from the bottom. Anchors Up

The official status when the vessel is safely held by its anchor and no longer maneuvering. : The windlass is engaged, and the brake is released

: The anchor chain is hove in close to the ship's side but not yet vertical; it is slackening as the vessel moves toward the anchor. The official status when the vessel is safely

Communication between the bow (the location of the windlass and anchor chain) and the bridge is strictly standardized using a clock-face reference to indicate the of the chain relative to the ship's bow.

Raising the anchor requires coordinated efforts between the Cable Party and the Navigation Officer (N/O).

: The windlass pulls the chain in. The deck officer reports the number of "shackles" (standard lengths of chain) as they come on board.