safety chain as chain snubber.....

CliffA

Well-Known Member
Dec 29, 2009
4,712
Lake Norman, NC
Boat Info
2001 Sea Ray 340DA
Name: 'Happy Place'
4.5kW West. Generator
Purchased Nov. 2014
Fresh Water Use
Engines
Twin Merc. 6.2L (MPI)
640 hp (Total)
Raw Water Cooled
V-Drive Transmissions
i am switching to chain for my anchor in the next couple weeks....instead of installing a dedicated snubber for the chain to relive the stress off of the windlass when the anchor is deployed can I just use the safety chain that is already there as a snubber?....we boat on an inland lake so the water does not get very rough....usually just a foot or so wake from passing boats....normally the water is pretty calm.....

thanks...
cliff

here is my set up now.....not my boat but similar....

PDR_3055.JPG
 
No... I wouldn't use the safety cable... not strong enough. I use a 10' piece of 5/8" braided line with a SS chain hook on one end and a cleat loop on the other.
 
Not a good idea. Too small, and too tiny of attachment to deck. I use a 30' three strand line and tie one end to the chain with a rolling hitch knot and then tie it to the anchor cleat at the length I want at the time. Super easy to do and just takes a few seconds.
 
I'm sure other will chime in, but I would not use that safety cable to act as a snubber. That is really only meant to hold the weight of the anchor. I use chain hook attached to two lines that form a bridle that I loop over the two front bow cleats. This also lowers the point where the boat is anchored from, effectively increasing the scope. If you wanted to keep it simple you could use a chain hook with a short piece of line to go right to that anchor cleat. It wont act as a snubber, but it will take the load off the windlass.
s-l1600.jpg
 
I would not rely on the white, vinyl-coated cable to withstand the stress of anchoring... nor would I rely on it's deck mount. In light situations, sure, just about anything will work. But then, in light situations, there's really no reason you need to use anything as the stress on the windlass is so minimal. If the wind picks up, or something, then you can attach a snubber. Aside from taking the stress off the windlass, though, a snubber eliminates the chain noise you would hear.

For daytime anchoring, I simply used a properly sized clevis hook tied to about 12' of line. For $5, it worked amazingly well. With the clevis hook about 3' or 4' under the anchor roller, it always stayed attached with the weight of the chain below it.

EDIT: As you can see (looks like we were all typing at the same time), there's multiple ways/ideas of employing the use of a snubber that will be better suited than the safety cable.
 
aw come on guys....quit beating around the bush and just tell me what you really think.....:p.....

thanks for the ideas....

cliff
 
I'm sure other will chime in, but I would not use that safety cable to act as a snubber. That is really only meant to hold the weight of the anchor. I use chain hook attached to two lines that form a bridle that I loop over the two front bow cleats. This also lowers the point where the boat is anchored from, effectively increasing the scope. If you wanted to keep it simple you could use a chain hook with a short piece of line to go right to that anchor cleat. It wont act as a snubber, but it will take the load off the windlass.
s-l1600.jpg

Just curious where did you get the hook... I like it and would love to buy one like that..
 
I use a bridle on my boat Cliff, 2002 340DA, almost the same as yours. The bridle lets me take the weight off the bow roller and windlass, and the 5/8" nylon three strand provides a little stretch if there's significant wave/wind action. The legs are long enough so that they join at the chain hook below the water line. The chain from the boat to that point has a little slack in it, and so it seems to be quieter that way. It also divides the load across two cleats instead of one.
 
I use a bridle on my boat Cliff, 2002 340DA, almost the same as yours. The bridle lets me take the weight off the bow roller and windlass, and the 5/8" nylon three strand provides a little stretch if there's significant wave/wind action. The legs are long enough so that they join at the chain hook below the water line. The chain from the boat to that point has a little slack in it, and so it seems to be quieter that way. It also divides the load across two cleats instead of one.
Okay, I can see what you are describing. I have chain just at the beginning of the anchor line, so typically chain is is completely submerged. I would like to relieve the stress, but I don’t want anything more than 12 or 24 feet. Not sure how I would attach this to just the rope portion of the anchor line. Or, is it just easier to simply take some slack on the anchor line and tie to the cleat?
 
I'm new to windlasses and have a rope and chain rode. I'm having trouble visualizing what you are describing. Can anybody post some pics of these various set ups in use?
 
I'm new to windlasses and have a rope and chain rode. I'm having trouble visualizing what you are describing. Can anybody post some pics of these various set ups in use?
Lowers the scope angle, takes the load off the windlass, and that chain isn't banging around on the boat all night...….
1-Anchor-bridle-e5d16ae0.jpeg
 
Found a post on using a snubber with an all chain rode. The comments include people mentioning that for rope/chain combo, either use a “rolling hitch” for the connection to the snubber, or simply attach the rode to a cleat to relieve the stress on the windlass.
Link: http://commutercruiser.com/7-tips-for-using-a-snubber/
This is my case, I have rope chain combo and couldn’t figure out how the chain hook was going to me any good except in shallow water.
 
Found a post on using a snubber with an all chain rode. The comments include people mentioning that for rope/chain combo, either use a “rolling hitch” for the connection to the snubber, or simply attach the rode to a cleat to relieve the stress on the windlass.

This is what I currently do.
 
thanks guys....since we anchor in relatively calm waters (inland lake) I don't think i'll need a full size bridle (snubber) that attaches to the two front bow cleats....I think i'll try a simple clevis hook with a short section of 1/2" rope to simply hook onto the chain in front of the chute and tie off to the anchor cleat to just relive the stress on the windlass...

cliff
 
https://www.mantusmarine.com/mantus-bridle/
This has a description of a commercial (expensive, but very well built) bridle, also has a video showing how you'd employ it when anchoring. The photo ttmott posted looks very similar to my set up, although my bridle to chain link is under water, longer legs on the bridle I guess, but the same idea.
 

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