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Author Topic:   chain for anchor

Swellmonster posted 01-25-2003 04:01 PM ET (US)
FWIW, Home Depot has rubber/vinyl coated 3/8 chain and its bright orange in color.
Sounds safe and cheaper than a marine store!
BugsyG posted 01-25-2003 07:18 PM ET (US)
I like the fact of having a chain instead of line. I have a 3/8 in. line for my anchor. Trouble is, is that the rope stays moist. Thats bad because that can cause blistering in my case (I had the boat painted. Maybe nextime I will get chain. Good luck with it.
JAZZ
triblet posted 01-25-2003 07:36 PM ET (US)
Swellmonster:
Is that chain galvanized? And in saltwater
will get under the rubber and accelerate
the rust. My chain: stainless.
Bugsy: YOU can haul that chain up. I'm sure
not going to haul up enough chain to anchor
in 130'. I dry my anchor line by winding
it on the side rails after I rinse the boat
(and rinse the anchor line). And I'd worry
more about mildew than blistering.
Chuck
triblet posted 01-26-2003 08:16 AM ET (US)
I have a 200' rode. 200' of 3/16" proof coil
would weigh 78 pounds. Think what that's
going to do to your bowlocker when the things
start pounding. And to your rubrails or
chock as you haul it out. And to your back.

Chuck
wayne baker posted 01-26-2003 10:21 AM ET (US)
Uh do you guys really think swellmonster is talking about replaceing the entire rode with chain? I belive he made this post for the people who have five or six foot of chain on the anchor to attach that 200 or 300 foot of anchor line to. The chain is used to hold the front of a fluke anchor down so the flukes will set faster. People who have river anchors and such may not understand what it takes to anchor a boat in the sound on an outgoing tide.
triblet posted 01-26-2003 08:11 PM ET (US)
Bugsy was planning on replacing the whole
thing. Replacing only part wouldn't have
solved his dampness problem.
A few feet of chain does two other things
besides holding down the anchor so it digs
in:
- It acts as a shock absorber. Wave energy
goes into lifting the chain, not into the
anchor.

- It prevents abrasion to the first few feet
of rode.
Chuck
kglinz posted 01-26-2003 08:29 PM ET (US)
The general rule on rope/chain rodes is 6" of chain per foot of boat length, but one foot per foot is even better.
Kemp Lindsey
JOHN W MAYO posted 01-26-2003 08:30 PM ET (US)
thanks for the info,....I always think it is great when someone passes along tips and information that can help out, or save you money.
j_h_nimrod posted 01-27-2003 02:35 AM ET (US)
Going totally chain would make the ultimate anchor line, yet as said earlier it would be a little heavy for normal small boat use (although I have seen many commercial fishing boats up here with 5/8" chain for their anchor line). If you are someplace where there is much tidal action, wind or waves chain is absolutly necessary to stay hooked. For my 18' alum. skiff I have 10" of 1/4" galv. that has worked great except in the worst of conditions (mud/kelp bottom with 30+ knot winds), 16 foot would be much better. SS chain is quadruple the price of galv. and I have had mine for 4 years and it has not appreciably rusted in that time. And if you are in an area where anchors are lost frequently (Liberty Ship; Destin, FL or any other wreck) it it much easier to swallow.
elaelap posted 01-27-2003 08:11 PM ET (US)
Nimrod,
Chapman warns against the use of an all chain rode for small boats: "Chain, especially in large diameters, has considerable weight and produces a sag in the anchor line that acts like the 'spring' in fiber to ease shocks from surging. However, when the sag is out, it is generally agreed that the shock on both boat and anchor is greatger than with nylon or even manila. Too much emphasis should not be placed on the cushioning effect of a chain's sag, in small sizes. One test, made in a moderate wind with a generous scope of 10 to 1, revealed not a single link of chain resting on the bottom."
I like the idea of 15-30 feet of chain between anchor and line for a small boat; some chain for sure in almost every situation.
Tony
doobee posted 01-28-2003 12:07 AM ET (US)
who'd a thunk that swellmonster could have caused such a chain reaction?
BugsyG posted 01-28-2003 06:30 AM ET (US)
CHAIN! HA! thats a good one :D~!
JAZZ ; )
Capt_Tidy posted 01-28-2003 05:57 PM ET (US)
A good rule of thumb from the racing world (sailboats) = two lengths of chain equal to the LOA and two 150 feet of rode.
I have a couple of aluminium fortress anchors and need the chain to hold them down.
That may seem like a lot... until your sitting in the bar and the wind comes.
Swellmonster posted 01-29-2003 02:13 PM ET (US)
Thanks Wayne...
I use a 6 foot white rubber coated chain in my boat, and from where rocks have pierced the rubber coating, I see some rust.
Home Depot chain appears galvonized.
Ah yes,,,the missing link!

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Author	Topic: chain for anchor
Swellmonster	posted 01-25-2003 04:01 PM ET (US) FWIW, Home Depot has rubber/vinyl coated 3/8 chain and its bright orange in color. Sounds safe and cheaper than a marine store!
BugsyG	posted 01-25-2003 07:18 PM ET (US) I like the fact of having a chain instead of line. I have a 3/8 in. line for my anchor. Trouble is, is that the rope stays moist. Thats bad because that can cause blistering in my case (I had the boat painted. Maybe nextime I will get chain. Good luck with it. JAZZ
triblet	posted 01-25-2003 07:36 PM ET (US) Swellmonster: Is that chain galvanized? And in saltwater will get under the rubber and accelerate the rust. My chain: stainless. Bugsy: YOU can haul that chain up. I'm sure not going to haul up enough chain to anchor in 130'. I dry my anchor line by winding it on the side rails after I rinse the boat (and rinse the anchor line). And I'd worry more about mildew than blistering. Chuck
triblet	posted 01-26-2003 08:16 AM ET (US) I have a 200' rode. 200' of 3/16" proof coil would weigh 78 pounds. Think what that's going to do to your bowlocker when the things start pounding. And to your rubrails or chock as you haul it out. And to your back. Chuck
wayne baker	posted 01-26-2003 10:21 AM ET (US) Uh do you guys really think swellmonster is talking about replaceing the entire rode with chain? I belive he made this post for the people who have five or six foot of chain on the anchor to attach that 200 or 300 foot of anchor line to. The chain is used to hold the front of a fluke anchor down so the flukes will set faster. People who have river anchors and such may not understand what it takes to anchor a boat in the sound on an outgoing tide.
triblet	posted 01-26-2003 08:11 PM ET (US) Bugsy was planning on replacing the whole thing. Replacing only part wouldn't have solved his dampness problem. A few feet of chain does two other things besides holding down the anchor so it digs in: - It acts as a shock absorber. Wave energy goes into lifting the chain, not into the anchor. - It prevents abrasion to the first few feet of rode. Chuck
kglinz	posted 01-26-2003 08:29 PM ET (US) The general rule on rope/chain rodes is 6" of chain per foot of boat length, but one foot per foot is even better. Kemp Lindsey
JOHN W MAYO	posted 01-26-2003 08:30 PM ET (US) thanks for the info,....I always think it is great when someone passes along tips and information that can help out, or save you money.
j_h_nimrod	posted 01-27-2003 02:35 AM ET (US) Going totally chain would make the ultimate anchor line, yet as said earlier it would be a little heavy for normal small boat use (although I have seen many commercial fishing boats up here with 5/8" chain for their anchor line). If you are someplace where there is much tidal action, wind or waves chain is absolutly necessary to stay hooked. For my 18' alum. skiff I have 10" of 1/4" galv. that has worked great except in the worst of conditions (mud/kelp bottom with 30+ knot winds), 16 foot would be much better. SS chain is quadruple the price of galv. and I have had mine for 4 years and it has not appreciably rusted in that time. And if you are in an area where anchors are lost frequently (Liberty Ship; Destin, FL or any other wreck) it it much easier to swallow.
elaelap	posted 01-27-2003 08:11 PM ET (US) Nimrod, Chapman warns against the use of an all chain rode for small boats: "Chain, especially in large diameters, has considerable weight and produces a sag in the anchor line that acts like the 'spring' in fiber to ease shocks from surging. However, when the sag is out, it is generally agreed that the shock on both boat and anchor is greatger than with nylon or even manila. Too much emphasis should not be placed on the cushioning effect of a chain's sag, in small sizes. One test, made in a moderate wind with a generous scope of 10 to 1, revealed not a single link of chain resting on the bottom." I like the idea of 15-30 feet of chain between anchor and line for a small boat; some chain for sure in almost every situation. Tony
doobee	posted 01-28-2003 12:07 AM ET (US) who'd a thunk that swellmonster could have caused such a chain reaction?
BugsyG	posted 01-28-2003 06:30 AM ET (US) CHAIN! HA! thats a good one :D~! JAZZ ; )
Capt_Tidy	posted 01-28-2003 05:57 PM ET (US) A good rule of thumb from the racing world (sailboats) = two lengths of chain equal to the LOA and two 150 feet of rode. I have a couple of aluminium fortress anchors and need the chain to hold them down. That may seem like a lot... until your sitting in the bar and the wind comes.
Swellmonster	posted 01-29-2003 02:13 PM ET (US) Thanks Wayne... I use a 6 foot white rubber coated chain in my boat, and from where rocks have pierced the rubber coating, I see some rust. Home Depot chain appears galvonized. Ah yes,,,the missing link!