Chain and Chain Locker

[Phil Fill]

*
Since I had nothing better to do over the 4^th week end, I decided to drag out all the chain, clean and WD-40 the chain and chain locker.* Its been about 10 years since I have done any maintenance on the chain and locker.* The reason I did was to make sure the chain links where not kinked as that happen to me one time, which scared the you know what out of me.* I thought the chain was going to tear up the deck as I let the 75+ lb anchor and chain free fall.* I mean the chain rattling out of the locker is/was bad enough.*
*
The first 100+ ft was not so bad, but as the chain got closer to the end the more rust and uglier it became.* Some of the links kinked/rusted together, but mostly it was just plain rusty.* I put a tarp down on our nice pretty teak wood deck so it would not get dirt/scratched.* Took a bucket with soap/stiff brush and *clean as much dirt/rust as possible, let dry, and then WD-40 the chain before dropping it into the chain locker.
*
I use the shower in the bow to wash off most of the dirt/raw water, but it appears not well enough as the end of the chain and locker had about 1/2" of dirt/yuck.* So how often and what do you use to maintain you chain and locker.* At least if we ever get the crazy idea to drop the anchor it should not scare me to much.*
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[Sharkey]

Just did the same thing, well, sort of... We are out of the water for a bottom job and dumped the chain out. Just as you said, the last of it was not so pretty......

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[Larry M]

Phil Fill wrote:*
Since I had nothing better to do over the 4^th week end, I decided to drag out all the chain, clean and WD-40 the chain and chain locker.* Its been about 10 years since I have done any maintenance on the chain and locker.* The reason I did was to make sure the chain links where not kinked as that happen to me one time, which scared the you know what out of me.* I thought the chain was going to tear up the deck as I let the 75+ lb anchor and chain free fall.* I mean the chain rattling out of the locker is/was bad enough.*
*
The first 100+ ft was not so bad, but as the chain got closer to the end the more rust and uglier it became.* Some of the links kinked/rusted together, but mostly it was just plain rusty.* I put a tarp down on our nice pretty teak wood deck so it would not get dirt/scratched.* Took a bucket with soap/stiff brush and *clean as much dirt/rust as possible, let dry, and then WD-40 the chain before dropping it into the chain locker.
*
I use the shower in the bow to wash off most of the dirt/raw water, but it appears not well enough as the end of the chain and locker had about 1/2" of dirt/yuck.* So how often and what do you use to maintain you chain and locker.* At least if we ever get the crazy idea to drop the anchor it should not scare me to much.*
*

Phil:* From what you described you have*2 options; re-galvanize or replace.* (WD-40 doesn't do much other than make us feel good).* Once you have done that,*since you spend a lot of time at the dock, put a hose down in the anchor locker and rinse*the chain after you return from*each trip.

Be careful if you anchor locker drains into the bilge.* 15 years ago we were rinsing the anchor locker down when the drain got plugged.** By the time I realized what was going on the water was up over the chain locker and flooding*the forward cabin.* Drinks were on me that night.

*

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[Nomad Willy]

Phil,

I know you're very close to a good galvanizer. On Leary Way just west of the Ballard Bridge. I think it's Scott Galvanizing. Good prices and good quality.

 

[markpierce]

Ugh, what an ugly job.* Perhaps*hosing the chain with fresh water every time one hoists the chain would help, but I can foresee that isn't always/frequently possible even if one has a fresh-water pressure system with exterior faucets such as the Coot.

Perhaps one could wipe/swab the chain with*a light*oil on occasion as it is slowly/sectionally hoisted?

 

[Delfin]

Phil, we anchor a lot, and always wash the chain as it comes aboard with fresh water via a high pressure washdown. As noted, WD 40 isn't going to do anything, but Fluid Film will do a fine job of stopping the corrosion process. It is basically lanolin in a can, and out of the sun sticks and stays put with about 10 mil film. If you're planning on anchoring, re-galvanizing probably makes sense, although 100' of chain will be sufficient a great deal of the time.

 

[Steve]

Lately I have been mixing up some Salt-X concentrate in a gallon or so of fresh water and dumping it down the chainlocker pipe once the anchor is hauled, followed a few minutes later by a a gallon of plain fresh water. I can't really tell if it is helping but figure it won't harm anything. I also give the chain pile a shot of Fluid Film spray once in a while I find it does help keep the chain running out more smoothly.
Steve W

 

[bshanafelt]

I have a raw water anchor washdown connected to a hose and nozzle which does an adequate job of removing the goop that comes up on the chain, but since it is salt water, the chain will always have salt on it.

When we are on a long cruise, 60 days or so, we will tie up at a marina at least once every 10 days or so to provision and take on water etc. I will pull out the chain and lay it on the deck for a wash in fresh water on such occasions.

Additionally, when returning to the home dock from any cruise where we drop the hook, same procedure of a fresh water rinse of the chain.


My chain has 6 seasons and I have not even had to swap ends yet. The galvanizing looks to be in good condition and no rust is apparent.

There is no gunk in the chain locker and no smell.

 

[Tidahapah]

Markpierce,
If you put any oil on your chain it will leave a slick and pollute the water around you.
The EPA would give you hell, at least down here they would and I wouldn't feel too good about it myself.
I haul out all my chain every 2 years and end for end it about every 4/5 A re gal most likely happens after about 12/14 years depending on use and treatment.
This time I renewed my chain after 14 years and not re gal as I upsized.

 

[GarryP]

This gives me another reason to stick with my plan for a part-chain rode on Mango Mama. On a previous boat, I used 75 ft of chain with 200 ft of nylon rope. The chain is long enough to provide the protection and resist lifting off the bottom even in deeper anchorages (20 - 30 ft. here on the US southeast coast). I always set all of the chain even in shallow water. The nylon rope provides a built in snubber so I don't have to rig a snubber to an all-chain rode. If I had to set up for much deeper anchorages I might reconsider.

 

[Anthonyd]

Since I am still learning about owning a boat I was wondering if anyone has painted their anchor chain. All the commercial boats I have sailed on paint the chain according to shots, red, white and blue with white tracer bands in between the shots to denote the difference in repitition. A shot is six fathoms I believe. I would suspect this helps keep the chain from corroding and it makes the wash down during retrieval really easy. Just wondering if it would be worth the effort.

 

[dwhatty]

Anthonyd wrote:
Since I am still learning about owning a boat I was wondering if anyone has painted their anchor chain. All the commercial boats I have sailed on paint the chain according to shots, red, white and blue with white tracer bands in between the shots to denote the difference in repitition. A shot is six fathoms I believe. I would suspect this helps keep the chain from corroding and it makes the wash down during retrieval really easy. Just wondering if it would be worth the effort.

*I don't paint the whole chain. Just a red band every 30 feet and a white band every 10 feet.

 

[Codger2]

I used to have all chain and decided to paint bands (1 foot long) with the colors of our flag. At 50 feet the color was red, 100 feet, white, 150 feet blue and at 200 feet (which is all I had) multiple bands of red, white & blue. It was so easy to know how many feet I had deployed. (example: If I saw a white band I knew I had 100 feet deployed.) I didn't need to know (within 25 feet) the exact amount of chain to deploy. I also used Rustolium (sp?) and it held up well.

 

[skipperdude]

When I hit the lottery I'm gonna go all chain stainless.

Untill then it's 300' 5/8" nylon with about 40 ft of 3/8 galvanized.

Works so far.

SD

 

[Steve]

When I hit the lottery I'm gonna go all chain stainless.

Untill then it's 300' 5/8" nylon with about 40 ft of 3/8 galvanized.

Works so far.

SD


I got a quote recently for 5/16" G4 in 316 SS $15.50 + freight At some point I'd like to go 100' of SS then 150' nylon. I very seldom anchor in more than 12'
Steve W.

 

[dwhatty]

I got a quote recently for 5/16" G4 in 316 SS $15.50 + freight At some point I'd like to go 100' of SS then 150' nylon. I very seldom anchor in more than 12'

Steve W.

I assume that you mean $15.50/ft? Otherwise I'm in at $15.50 for 100'.

 

[koliver]

My 200ft of chain sits on 200ft of 5/8 nylon rode, so the chain gets to drop its wetness onto the nylon and always comes out dry (or nearly dry) and relatively clean. Sort of like lining the locker with a towel. I also use a sal****er hose if the chain is coming up with muck on it.
The nylon gets pulled out and washed off every time we anchor in deep enough water. My locker hasn't needed to be cleaned, but I have had to hose out the bilge under the forward cabin. Just did that, so twice in 17 years. I did replace the chain about 15 yrs ago and I haven't had to end for end it yet. We anchor almost every night on our Desolation Sound trips, usually three weeks, and most long weekend trips, so on average the chain gets wet, say 25 times a summer.

 

[GarryP]

skipperdude wrote:
When I hit the lottery I'm gonna go all chain stainless.

*Stainless steel is NOT recommended for underwater use. It would be subject to pitting and possibly crevice corrosion that may not be evident until it fails. Stainless only works well when it's clean and has free access to oxygen which forms a passivated layer on the surface. That's why you get little rust spots on the handrails if you don't keep the salt spots cleaned off.

I would only use SS chain if you didn't plan on anchoring much at all, otherwise I would worry about unexpected failure at the worst time. It may have similar strength as galvanized steel when new, but after a little use, the surface will be covered with mud, salt, etc. and you won't know how much it has weakened from seemingly small corrosion pits which can be surprising deep. I learned this on my sailboat's chainplates which had pitting below the deckline where the caulk failed to keep it dry.

 

[Sailor of Fortune]

Stainless anchors and chain are just SILLY!

 

[Codger2]

Sailor of Fortune wrote:
Stainless anchors and chain are just SILLY!

*I couldn't agree more! :teevee:

 

[Phil Fill]

SeaHorse II wrote:Sailor of Fortune wrote:
Stainless anchors and chain are just SILLY!

*I couldn't agree more! :teevee:

*
Ah, but they look Purdy!
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The Eagle does have a wash down connected to the fresh water tank, but I do not use it as the shower is right there. The Eagle use to have a 800 gpd water maker but I took it out as we did not use, and I took out and filled in the raw water through hull. We hold 400 gallons of water, which is more then enough for a couple of weeks. However, we presently have 4 grandchildren staying with us so 400 gallons last maybe a DAY.
*
We have about 200 ft of ¾ line/rope also in the locker, but it is not attached the chain which is not a bad idea but I am still aching from last week end. The locker could probable hold another 100 ft of chain as its deep so the chain can pile higher. I WD-40 most items that are sotred for long periods of time as it leave a film on it that protect aslong as it does not get weathered/used, and I have NO intention of anchoring.* I am a confirmed DOCK QUEEN.
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My present view of anchors are they a like emergency brakes and only used in emergencies, just like a sea anchor which we have never used.*Since we do not anchor or for that matter leave the dock much, new chain is on the future want list along with several dozen other things.

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[skipperdude]

SeaHorse II wrote:Sailor of Fortune wrote:
Stainless anchors and chain are just SILLY!

*I couldn't agree more! :teevee:

*I know that is why I said if I win the lottery.

We don't even have a lottery in Alaska.

Like phil/Fill says sure looks purdy.

I read the practical sailor report on Stainless chain.*

*like GarryP said. Not practical

SD

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