Which term describes an anchor that has set properly?

Which term describes an anchor that has set properly?

• A. Fair
• B. Fouled
• C. Shawed
• D. Aground

Answer: (A)

Understanding how an anchor’s status is described helps you read a boat’s situation quickly. When an anchor has dug into the bottom and is holding as it should, mariners call that state fair. It means the anchor is set securely, the rode is running freely, and there’s a solid hold with no unwanted obstruction. Fouled describes a problem: the anchor or the rode is tangled or the anchor hasn’t been able to bite because of weeds, rocks, or other hindrances, so it isn’t holding properly. Shawed isn’t a recognized term in this context, so it doesn’t describe the anchor’s condition. Aground would mean the vessel or anchor is resting on the bottom or grounded, which isn’t the specific description of a properly set anchor.

Understanding how an anchor’s status is described helps you read a boat’s situation quickly. When an anchor has dug into the bottom and is holding as it should, mariners call that state fair. It means the anchor is set securely, the rode is running freely, and there’s a solid hold with no unwanted obstruction.

Fouled describes a problem: the anchor or the rode is tangled or the anchor hasn’t been able to bite because of weeds, rocks, or other hindrances, so it isn’t holding properly. Shawed isn’t a recognized term in this context, so it doesn’t describe the anchor’s condition. Aground would mean the vessel or anchor is resting on the bottom or grounded, which isn’t the specific description of a properly set anchor.