A grapnel is a lightweight, multi-pronged anchor used mainly with smaller boats. It can be adapted for various other uses and has multiple flukes for easy hooking. It is typically used for fishing and can be folded for easy storage. It has also been used for other tools and by comic book heroes.
A grapnel is a kind of many-pronged anchor. It is mainly used with smaller boats. Its lightweight, multi-pronged design has allowed it to be adapted for various other uses as well. The word ‘grapnel’ is believed to have originated from the French word ‘grapin’ or ‘hook’. May have alternate spellings of “grip” or “grip hook.”
The anchor can have as few as three or as many as six points called “flukes.” These flounders curve backwards, somewhat like the parted ribs of an umbrella, and can have sharp points. By contrast, other styles of anchors are simply round weights or have just two large flat wings.
Due to its multiple flukes, you don’t need to carefully aim a gaff when thrown into the water, but it will be in just the right position to hook onto just about anything. It works best around rocks or reefs, as the sharp points will not be able to establish themselves in mud or muck.
The light weight of the hook makes it a type of temporary anchor. In order for a ship to be so firmly anchored that it can stay moored even in storms, it will be necessary to use a much heavier anchor that can support more than twice the weight of the ship. One of the downsides to using a grapnel anchor is that it can sometimes catch so firmly on something that it’s hard to remove.
This type of anchor is typically used with smaller boats, such as fishing boats. It can also be used to dredge a river bottom for objects or to retrieve things floating on the side of a boat. During the early days of naval warfare, boats would be thrown into the rigging of rival ships to facilitate boarding.
Some modern gaffs are made so that their teeth are folded. They can be locked into place at different angles for different conditions. They can also be folded and closed for easy storage in the boat when not in use. Some modern grapples avoid having sharp edges on their tines to avoid potential accidents.
The basic design has also been used on a small scale for other tools that have nothing to do with ships. Miniature grappling hooks, when thrown from special rifles, can be dragged with their attached cords through areas to activate land mines. Various comic book heroes have also made grappling hooks part of their arsenal.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
