Anchor chain?

Groucho

Well-Known Member
Jun 11, 2008
1,614
Albany/Lake George NY
Boat Info
2004 320 DA
Engines
6.2 V-Drives
Looking to buy...hopefully used, 5/16 anchor chain. at least 75 feet or so.
Anyone have any they want to sell?
 
I bought color coded cable ties today. My plan is to mark 20 or 25 foot sections with color coded chain so that I will know h0w much rode I have out
 
I bought color coded cable ties today. My plan is to mark 20 or 25 foot sections with color coded chain so that I will know h0w much rode I have out
Are they special ties for this, or just generic? I would like to do this, but not sure what I should use on the chain portion, vs the rope portion, and ensure it will not cause the windlass to get stuck, or the windlass would break the cable ties over time.
 
that site has great prices for anchor chain.....do you know if that chain works well in a Progress 1 windlass?

Thanks...
cliff

I have 5/16 on mine and it works great...... that's what my 290 was supposed to have from the parts list provided.

You can get your parts list from searay.com and see what originally came with your vessel.
 
I have 5/16 on mine and it works great...... that's what my 290 was supposed to have from the parts list provided.

You can get your parts list from searay.com and see what originally came with your vessel.


thanks...I do have 5/16" chain but I think I remember reading on the forum that you have to be careful about the shape and size the links to insure the chain will work well in a specific brand of windlass....

cliff
 
that site has great prices for anchor chain.....do you know if that chain works well in a Progress 1 windlass?

Thanks...
cliff
Just got this chain and it works perfectly in my Progress 1. Having all chain allowed me to finally put the pressure finger back on and rest easy knowing I'll never have to worry about the rope going back into the locker.

I also used this link to join the new chain to the existing chain and it also goes through the windlass perfectly.
 
thanks...I do have 5/16" chain but I think I remember reading on the forum that you have to be careful about the shape and size the links to insure the chain will work well in a specific brand of windlass....

cliff

You want to use 5/16 BBB, as recommended by Lofrans.
 
You want to use 5/16 BBB, as recommended by Lofrans.


thanks...what is the difference between the 'BBB' grade and 'G4' grade.....the measurements are very close to each other....is it just that the G4 has a higher breaking strength than the BBB?....

cliff
 
thanks...what is the difference between the 'BBB' grade and 'G4' grade.....the measurements are very close to each other....is it just that the G4 has a higher breaking strength than the BBB?....

cliff

I'm just using what the Lofran's tech rep advised. For me it has worked flawlessly.

YMMV.
 
Are they special ties for this, or just generic? I would like to do this, but not sure what I should use on the chain portion, vs the rope portion, and ensure it will not cause the windlass to get stuck, or the windlass would break the cable ties over time.
I got 3 different color of Rustoleum in spray cans, stretched my all chain rode out on my dock property, and sprayed about a 3’ section every 30 feet (red, blue, green, repeat).
Not fancy, but it does the job and still very visible in the second season.
Plenty of paint left in the spray cans to touch it up as needed every few years.
 
I got 3 different color of Rustoleum in spray cans, stretched my all chain rode out on my dock property, and sprayed about a 3’ section every 30 feet (red, blue, green, repeat).
Not fancy, but it does the job and still very visible in the second season.
Plenty of paint left in the spray cans to touch it up as needed every few years.

Did you prime first? I figured the zinc plating wouldn't bond paint well, so I used self-etching primer first and then fluorescent green every 10 feet and fluorescent orange for the last 10 feet as a warning color.

I thought about more complex schemes like yours, but the admiral handles the windlass and its a damn sight easier to just yell "7 yellow stripes" than to argue for 30 minutes about what each of 3 colors means. Anchoring is beer time, not time for a courts martial by the admiral.
 
thanks...what is the difference between the 'BBB' grade and 'G4' grade.....the measurements are very close to each other....is it just that the G4 has a higher breaking strength than the BBB?....

cliff

In a nut shell, yes. BBB or G-4 can be used in Progress 1 windlasses. The difference is BBB is 2400 lbs SWL and G-4 is 3900 lbs SWL. My boat has 5/16" G-4 running through a Progress one.
 
Did you prime first? I figured the zinc plating wouldn't bond paint well, so I used self-etching primer first and then fluorescent green every 10 feet and fluorescent orange for the last 10 feet as a warning color.

I thought about more complex schemes like yours, but the admiral handles the windlass and its a damn sight easier to just yell "7 yellow stripes" than to argue for 30 minutes about what each of 3 colors means. Anchoring is beer time, not time for a courts martial by the admiral.
No priming. Just sprayed the Rustoleum on. Held up well all last season and still looks good. I’ll probably freshen it up next year.
Any system of marking will work equally well.
I went with multi colors because it’s difficult for me to see the rode as it pays out when someone is up at the bow.
When I have an assistant I just tell them to raise their hand when they get to whatever color represents what I want to let out. For example: red, or second blue, etc.....
When there is no assistant, I can see the chain somewhat easier sonI tried to pick colors that would jump out.
 
Cliff, the OEM optional all chain rode for my 2002 340DA, and the Progress 1 was 125' of 5/16" HT (High Test) chain. That's grade 40 chain, sometimes labeled HT, G4. The BBB is Grade 30 chain. I guess they both can work on that gypsy, but the HT chain is lighter, stronger, and will settle better in the anchor locker because the link steel is thinner, so the chain is less likely to bunch up in the locker. When I replaced my rode, I went with 125' of the 5/16" HT chain backed with another 100' of 5/8" nylon. I just looked at the parts guide and saw that Sea Ray was using the HT chain, so I went with it too.

There's an interesting article in Cruising World from a few years back that gets into this a little more:
https://www.cruisingworld.com/how/your-chain-explained-understanding-anchor-chain
 

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