The question is meant more with regard to any metaphorical meaning of this term.
I picked up a copy of a book called “The Kedge-Anchor or Young Sailors Assistant” by one William Brady. Who was a sailing master of the USN. It seems to be a modern re-print of a fourth edition with a date of 1849.
The work itself refers to a technical definition for a kedge-anchor as:
“The smallest of the anchors, to which a hawser or cable is generally bent, and used for warping ship.”
The book is collection of some 544 tips, discussions, instructions for various age of sail topics. Heavy on square rigger terminology and operations. Also has pages and pages of tables listing the number and type of blocks used on various class of ships, etc.
From the context of the introduction and the subtitle I am guessing the term has a more general meaning, such as: something to be leaned on or relied on as a go to source. There are even some contemporary reviews of the book included at the end of the book which after praising its usefulness concludes with “on the whole, we are inclined to think, that, though the author modestly calls it a Kedge Anchor, there is many an old salt who will look upon it as his best bower.”
Just never heard this in common usage or among the older euphemisms, jargon, etc passed on during training that seem to be handed down regardless of origin.
Anyone ever heard it being used in this generic sense? With reference to some equipment or perhaps even a person?
Here are some helpful hints on maintaining good order:
“they might abstain, perhaps, but they cannot refrain” love it.
I have seen Kedge anchors used on landing craft type vessels. They are used to help pull them off the beach. In this context they are used to assist in maneuvering/docking/undocking.
The kedge is typically used to help get underway (usually in unfavorable conditions) or making way with no wind/sail. In the former use, it seems an apt metaphor/title for a book of basic knowledge for the young sailor just starting out.
My understanding of the kedge anchor from a small boat perspective is typically rigged off the stern to stabilize the swing radius on your main rhode. It’s very common when attempting to anchor close ashore off of a beach and want to keep the vessel in a stationary position with little effect from the tides and currents.
I’ve never used it on a commercial vessel but I’ve also never worked on anything that had a stern anchor arrangement. I’ve seen it on smaller geared coasters, designed to go up into rivers and do cargo ops in less than industrialized areas.
Now to Figure out how to keep my crew from being “exposed to the evening dew” and “sleeping over full bilges.” I’ve got some things to think about…
Without propulsion, favorable winds or outside help, the kedge anchor was the only possibility to move a ship for benign reasons or to remove her from a ship- and life-threatening situation.
Everybody was aware of its importance – even the book’s author!
Thanks to you all. So not completely archaic concept and the metaphor is as straight forward as I thought. The book is soft covered and I found it in a used book store. The square rigger terminology way over my head but might make sense to those in those sail training programs.
And Damn Yankee don’t forget to not paint indoors in the tropics!
Also used to keep stern upstream in strong currents during beach landings. Letgo the kedge upstream; get set down on your desired landing; anchor the ramp/bow on the beach; haul back on the kedge wire to assist engines in keeping vsl trued up for cargo ops.
In the old days of sail a kedge anchor was used when a ship ran aground. The anchor was rowed out in a boat and set… then the line was attached to a halyard. Pulling on the halyard caused the ship to incline and possibly allow it to float free.
[QUOTE=AHTS Master;192626]I have worked with many types of anchors but never a kedge anchor.[/QUOTE]
It’s not a type of anchor, it’s a maneuver. Any type of anchor can be used for kedging which means placing an anchor away from the vessel and using it to pull (kedge) the vessel toward it, most often used to slide off a shoal to deeper water.
[QUOTE=c.captain;192628]Who the PHUCK cares about such arcane nonsense anymore[/QUOTE]
Mostly recreational sailors with full keel boats in places like the Bahamas where there is plenty of skinny water and shifting sand bars. You don’t need a special anchor. Any anchor will work.
[QUOTE=Lee Shore;192629]Mostly recreational sailors with full keel boats in places like the Bahamas where there is plenty of skinny water and shifting sand bars. You don’t need a special anchor. Any anchor will work.[/QUOTE]
then this question should be discussed at Cruisers Forum
[QUOTE=c.captain;192641]then this question should be discussed at Cruisers Forum[/QUOTE]
I didn’t start this thread, nevertheless I’m shocked and dismayed by your total lack of compassion for our WAFI brothers and sisters who just can’t seem to avoid stranding themselves like drunken whales.
I think the grounding on a mining dredge was called a kedge, not real sure but I think so. (hopefully this can job someone’s memory) it had to be moved as the dredge worked its way through the grounds as the dredge pulled on this to reposition itself.
tr[QUOTE=c.captain;192628]Who the PHUCK cares about such arcane nonsense anymore except to pass a BS license exam.
Just like a sounding lead, no modern commercial vessel has or would need a separate anchor for kedging purposes today.
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For commercial ships the function formerly performed by the kedge anchor has now been almost entirely taken over by assist tugs. However the sounding lead still occasionally finds use aboard modern ships.
It is sometimes useful to know the actual soundings around the ship in locations other than near the transducer. For example when the ship is aground, either after loading at a berth that has silted up or during an inadvertent grounding a sounding lead can be used to determine in detail soundings around the ship.
