Anchor Chain

rcknecht said:
I have welded Stainless steel without a TIG or MIG set up... I just use a stainless steel rod... IMO the easiest rod to weld with...

That said, why don't you just use a smash link?

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I used a smash link I bought in WM for $5.00 to attach additional '75 of 5/16" chain to my rode...
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I have tried this smash link, its what gets hung up in my windlass.
 
Henry Boyd said:
Stainless welding requires a TIG set up. No big deal, but a different skill set from from production MIG welding.

Sure welding a chain link is no problem. Because normally a chain link has no tolerances and you are just after strength, many people think it is ok. The issue is not welding a link that is as strong as the original, the issue is welding a link that is dimensionally identical to the original. That includes no weld bead - anywhere The chain meshes in the gypsy just like two gears mesh. It must be precise, if not the gypsy is damaged, and the rode jam.

I see, ok. I will ensure he understands. The gypsy seems to have some tollerance. It will pull in my stock galv chain and the stainless chain that I added and the links are different, the problem is the connection (smash link) gets caught. Once passed it it goes right through.

But hey, Lofran's gypsies run from $ 200 to about $ 600, its probably worth the risk to try to let your friend experiment.


Funny I was told by another member they were inexpensive and easy to replace. I think I will bring it with me.


Henry
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Thanks for your help
 
The Smash Link has worked well on my windless, maybe it is has to do with its size... Since I added '75 off BBB calibrated chain to the original '25, and I anchor in '5 or less water, I usually don't let out more than the '75... Also, since I still have rope, I believe the Smash link is stronger than the rope... Another thought I had was to put the original chain on the other side of the rope...


Russ Calasant said:
I have tried this smash link, its what gets hung up in my windlass.
Click to expand...
 
Noooooo... :)

For a planing hull, keep it light.

For reliability and strength, keep it simple.

Purchase one length of stainless steel chain (if you want it pretty) or high tensile G4 galvanized steel (if you want it as strong as possible) that is between 1 to 2 boat lengths. Any more chain and you are killing your boats performance and costing you more fuel. More chain than 2 lengths won't make much difference as far as the pull angle on the anchor is concerned provided you have out enough scope. It wont make any difference as far as abrasion resistance on your rode is concerned either.

Get about 250 to 300 feet of three strand nylon line. (a standard spool is 300 feet) Eye splice the nylon line onto the end of the chain. No thimbles, swivels, quick links etc at the rope to chain connection...none of that. This way your splice will go around the wildcat (the device that grips the chain) with no problems.

With 300 feet of anchor rode you will be able to anchor in water up to 42 feet with a 7:1 scope. You will want this if you have an engine failure and it is blowing like hell. 42 feet is not all that deep and the greater scope buys you time for the anchor to start functioning if you are being blown towards shore. If you think about it, its not overkill.

Don't weld. Especially high tensile G4 chain. Welding will take much of the strength right out of the chain. Do not use one of those of those weaker smash links. Smash links are not necessarily stronger than your nylon anchor rode. That depends on nylon lines diameter and construction.

I have been running boats commercially for a living and for fun for over 30 years. I have seen all kinds of amateurs crazy ideas for ground tackle. This will work for your application. Trying to reinvent the wheel will not work. Stick to the tried and true.

The only other question is the size of your anchor and whether or not it is appropriate for the types of bottoms that you typically encounter. Hopefully you have sized your anchor properly. One size up from the anchor manufacturers recommendations will let you sleep at night....with the GPS alarm set or someone on anchor watch.

Your ground tackle is your insurance policy so you don't have to file an insurance claim. This is something you definitely want to have right.

Be sure to practice anchoring, especially when the wind and current is up and the bottom conditions are questionable. Color code your rode with fluorescent spray paint so you can clearly see it from the helm. The ribbon markers with the numbers on them that you tuck through the yarns tend to pull out on the windlass drum.

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Don't shrink the tubing and risk melting the nylon. It will stay in place well enough.
 
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rcknecht said:
The Smash Link has worked well on my windless, maybe it is has to do with its size... Since I added '75 off BBB calibrated chain to the original '25, and I anchor in '5 or less water, I usually don't let out more than the '75... Also, since I still have rope, I believe the Smash link is stronger than the rope... Another thought I had was to put the original chain on the other side of the rope...
Click to expand...

9/16 nylon 3 strand has a tensile strength of 9400 pounds
a 3/8" cold link has a rated strength of 1250 pounds,
5/16" BBB type 30 chain is rated at 1900 pounds working and 7600 minimum breaking.

Henry
 
Henry Boyd said:
9/16 nylon 3 strand has a tensile strength of 9400 pounds
a 3/8" cold link has a rated strength of 1250 pounds,
5/16" BBB type 30 chain is rated at 1900 pounds working and 7600 minimum breaking.

Henry
Click to expand...

And, just for reference, Grade 43 (HT or "G4") is 3,900 Working Load... I just checked on Acco's site.
 
I guess you guys don't like the smash link idea... I went to chain not for strength... The Delta anchor my 340 came with stinks... I need the weight of the chain so the anchor holds... Also, one of the places I like to anchor (Tice's Shoal) people run over your anchor lines, and chain is harder to cut... About 5 years ago when I had a 300, I comming back to the boat after a day on the beach, and there was a boat with it prop wrapped around my anchor rode, and the owner had a knife out cutting my anchor line... We got back just in time to save my boat... I had a Good windless with that boat and I could not go with all chain... I like the idea of removing my smash link, and attaching the rope directly to my '75 of chain... I will just at that to my long list of things to do...
 
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