Bitter End
Inboard end of the anchor chain secured in the chain locker; from which 'to the bitter end' is derived.
In practice
Master orders 'slip the cable' in extremis to abandon anchor and chain. Releasing the bitter-end is a one-way decision; the anchor is lost.
Regulatory detail & full definition
Inboard end of the anchor chain secured in the chain locker — the origin of the colloquial expression 'to the bitter end'. The fixing arrangement allows release in extremis (to slip the cable in an emergency) while normally being secure against chain runaway. Class rules under IACS UR A1 cover the strength of the bitter-end fitting, which must allow rapid release from a position outside the chain locker. Inspection at intermediate and renewal surveys covers the stop, release pin, and the locker structure local to the bitter-end attachment.
Related
Source: Standard seamanship
High confidence
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