What's the Anchor Holder Called?

[newhaul]

All good however it is an.anchor nest ( just like a birds nest) it is where the anchor sits on the bow. It usually incorporates a roller and sometimes a chain stopper. Sometimes the nest hangs the anchor on the pulpit like my fortress on my islander.

[SSgtPitt]

Originally Posted by StuM

Essentially an overhead, projecting, load-bearing arm.

How about a few dictionary definitions:
Oxford?
"a large, tall machine used for moving heavy objects, typically by suspending them from a projecting arm or beam."

Cambridge?
"a tall metal structure with a long horizontal part, used for lifting and moving heavy objects:"

Merriam-Webster?
"3: an often horizontal projection swinging about a vertical axis: such as a : a machine for raising, shifting, and lowering heavy weights by means of a projecting swinging arm or with the hoisting apparatus supported on an overhead track"

Collins?
"a device for lifting and moving heavy objects, typically consisting of a moving boom, beam, or gantry from which lifting gear is suspended"

Derivation of the word? From the "crane" - a long necked bird.

Wikipedia -
Cranes are a family, Gruidae, of large, long-legged and long-necked birds in the group Gruiformes. There are fifteen species of crane in four genera. Unlike the similar-looking but unrelated herons, cranes fly with necks outstretched, not pulled back. Cranes live on all continents except Antarctica and South America.

[Alan Mighty]

A quick search of English usage for nomenclature of a device comprising a roller and place for stowing a self-launching anchor shows:

* no-one uses 'anchor nest' for such device. 'Anchor nest' has been used instead in maritime law for a group of anchored boats in an anchorage. See anchor nest 1977.jpg.


* 'bow fitting' is used as a catch-all for most any fitting at the bow of a vessel, but mainly for a fitting to which the forestay and the tack of a jib could be attached. See bow fitting 1992.jpg.


* 'bow roller' shows up around 1870 (and used since) for a roller used for handling wire warps, wire ropes, and cables used in deep sea fishing, cabling laying and so on. See bow roller 1870.jpg.


* 'Bow Anchor Roller' was used as a product name by Bremer Manufacturing in 1971 for a metal device including one or more rollers to aid in manually recovering anchor rode and anchor. No sign that it was useful to stow a self-launching anchor. See Bow Anchor Roller 1971.jpg.


* 'anchor roller' was used (I hestitate to say first published use, but I've not yet found an earlier usage case) in 1975 in Jack Wiley's book "Modifying Fiberglass Boats" for a device that incorporates a roller and allows stowage of a self-launching anchor. See Anchor roller 1975.jpg.


If you want to play, a good start might be with Google's ngram engine. Then you need to examine each cited use to make sure it is not an artifact of OCR or is about something completely different. See anchor roller vs bow roller.jpg.

Note that the Bow Anchor Roller as made by Bremer Mfg Co. Inc. in 1971 might fit the definition of an 'anchor davit'.

[newhaul]

Here is a ten second google for anchor nests complete with pictures.
https://www.google.com/search?safe=i...loc=0&hl=en-US

[downunder]

Anchorright uses the term bowsprits for the ones they sell.

Heavy Duty Bowsprits - anchorright.com.au

[Hudson Force]

Originally Posted by StuM

Essentially an overhead, projecting, load-bearing arm.

How about a few dictionary definitions:
Oxford?
"a large, tall machine used for moving heavy objects, typically by suspending them from a projecting arm or beam."

Cambridge?
"a tall metal structure with a long horizontal part, used for lifting and moving heavy objects:"

Merriam-Webster?
"3: an often horizontal projection swinging about a vertical axis: such as a : a machine for raising, shifting, and lowering heavy weights by means of a projecting swinging arm or with the hoisting apparatus supported on an overhead track"

Collins?
"a device for lifting and moving heavy objects, typically consisting of a moving boom, beam, or gantry from which lifting gear is suspended"

Derivation of the word? From the "crane" - a long necked bird.

So "overhead" or "tall" is the factor that would be discounting the use of the term anchor davit. 'sort of a frame of reference to where your head is or how high your bow is from the water.

From my background and among those in the Chesapeake from fifty years ago, I'm accustomed to using the term "anchor davit", but terms change by time and geography.