The anchors and their mountings are designed so the anchors can be dropped without hitting anything. (or at least should be).

The real issue is: What happens when those anchors hit the bottom? Firstly, As Art pointed out, if the anchor actually gets properly stuck you will be very lucky if the only thing that breaks is the chain. (And that is the way I would design things - to let the anchor mountings take considerably more strain than the chains).

Secondly, dropping an anchor could seriously conflict with the ships navigation. Which is NOT a trivial thing if you're close to land or in busy ship lanes or just happens to pass near another ship. The forces involved when handling a ship this size is NOT something you play with.

Dropping the anchor is an act of emergency for situations with no propulsion. Usually, the anchor drags along the bottom with considerably resistance (friction) digging into the mud, slowing but not stopping the ship's movement.

OK here is my question,

how the heck did he get to do this? I am not nearly aware enough of boats and ships to know what would happen if the anchor had grabbed on to something. But from a security aspect, how did this drunk guy get into an area where this can be done?

I am truly sorry that anyone was put into any form of danger and that anyone was put at risk. You would think that if dropping an anchor is a dangerous as we think, that there would be more security to prevent it happening (beyond a camera) when someone hits a fifth of vodka and is feeling all nautical.

What's interesting to me is the legal aspect. The ship was in international waters near Mexico. The FBI of the U.S. is prosecuting. I thought the country in which the ship is registered has jurisdiction for criminal acts on a ship. So, either the ship is registered in the U.S. or the FBI got jurisdiction some other way. Extradition? Long arm of the law?

this event is a great education experience on many levels - especially in light of the previous post. that's why i posted this.

in this case the fbi has jurisdiction. go here for details: Crime on the High Seas

this guy fits.

so if we do want to cruise we may want to ensure we come under their jurisdiction.

My sense is that if this case happened off the coast of South America and the FBI did NOT have jurisdiction, then the news probably wouldn't even make it to a blog. The guy would probably just disappear..."Hey, whatever happened to that guy Rick Ehlert? He just kind of fell off the face of the earth."

'The guy would probably just disappear..."Hey, whatever happened to that guy Rick Ehlert? He just kind of fell off the face of the earth."'

A. Might not be a bad idea... it's cheaper.

B. It also might explain some shipboard disappearances.

Sue