replacing anchor chain

[seattleboatguy]

How do you guys decide when it’s time to replace your anchor chain? It’s such a qualitative decision, and the wrong decision could put your boat on the beach some windy night.

 

[jjorgenson3]

My chain was 30 years old and showed much age the last 50yards. Replacing all of it as we speak. That said make sure your new chain matches the wild cat on the windless as not all chain is created equal.

 

[Mike Lowthian]

Questions come to mind - condition, length, common uses (lengthwise, etc) but have you considered reversing the chain? If you usually anchor and only let out say 100 feet of chain then most of the chain has remained in the locker. To get a little more life out of it you can take it all out on the dock and inspect. If OK put it back in reverse so that now you are using the little used part??

 

[RCook]

How do you guys decide when it’s time to replace your anchor chain? It’s such a qualitative decision, and the wrong decision could put your boat on the beach some windy night.

My 26-footer had 40+ feet of chain spliced to 300 feet of rope. After every summer cruising I would cut off a few feet of rope, reverse the rope and chain, and re-splice. The rope was replaced about every 6 summers.

I considered two things to decide when to replace the chain: too much rust, or wear noticably thinning the links where they rub together. Others might suggest how much thinning is too much. If excess rust or thinning is on only a few links at one end, cut those links off and keep anchoring.

When we bought the 2002 NT37, pulled all 250 feet of chain out on the float and inspected. It was still fine.

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

Inspect it and determine its condition. Chain tends to out last the boat.

I have 550 feet of chain rode for ASD which is 48ft long.