Recently, a freight ship was under way in 15 ft seas when the forepeak flood alarms activated. The crew investigated and discovered the starboard anchor had slipped 10-15 links, causing it to strike and puncture the hull. As a result, seawater flooded the bow thruster and emergency fire pump compartment. The casualty resulted in excess of USD 1 million in vessel damage and a month's lost revenues while the vessel was out of service undergoing repair. During the repair period, it was discovered that the anchor windlass brake pad had worn down to 2-3 mm thickness. With only this amount of pad, the fully applied brake could not achieve its designed holding power.
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