Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 06-26-2012, 09:50 AM   #1
Veteran Member
 
Third-Reef's Avatar
 
City: Santa Barbara, California
Vessel Name: Fleur De Lys
Vessel Model: 1988 Nova 36 Sundeck
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 56
Anchor chain recomendations / experiences

I am going to purchase 300' of 5/16 BBB hot dip chain for my Nova trawler. My first thought is to get the West Marine hot dip chain that they gauranteed for 2? years not to rust? Does anyone know if this is different from the Acco that say 1st chain supply has? Has anyone used it and have an experience with it. 1st has about the same price that i can get through WM using my brokers port supply acct. but i would need to deal with shipping it to the boat.

Thanks in advance for any advice
Third-Reef is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-26-2012, 10:20 AM   #2
Guru
 
rwidman's Avatar
 
City: North Charleston, SC
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 4,871
West Marine will match most vendor's prices so you may be able to walk into a West marine store with a printout of a vendor's price and walk out with your chain at the Internet price (plus local tax).

Their "catch" is, it must be the same brand so if they have "West Marine" brand chain, they may not honor your price. It doesn't cost anything to try though.
rwidman is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 06-26-2012, 03:58 PM   #3
Guru
 
psneeld's Avatar
 
City: Ft Pierce
Vessel Name: Sold
Vessel Model: Was an Albin/PSN 40
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 28,154
check locally or the nearest fishing town...just bought 200 feet of acco 5/16 chain for $2.20 a foot in Cape May, NJ...that was almost 1/2 of everyone else's price and no shipping.

marine stores are generally not the place to get anything that may also be on a commercial boat.
psneeld is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 06-26-2012, 05:58 PM   #4
Veteran Member
 
Third-Reef's Avatar
 
City: Santa Barbara, California
Vessel Name: Fleur De Lys
Vessel Model: 1988 Nova 36 Sundeck
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 56
I have looked around. While there is a good bit of comercial fishing in Santa Barbara Ca there is not alot of commercial supply type companies. Just movie stars and high priced food. Even if i look up in the PNW Portland area the best price is still 1st chain. West Marine is going to match the price at 3.31/' and i am working on getting it delivered to the slip also. This california weather is expensive, somebody needs to pay for it.
Third-Reef is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-06-2012, 12:57 AM   #5
Veteran Member
 
Third-Reef's Avatar
 
City: Santa Barbara, California
Vessel Name: Fleur De Lys
Vessel Model: 1988 Nova 36 Sundeck
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 56
Put my 300' of new 5/16 BBB chain on tonight. Dam that 14" of chain i can see between the anchor swivel and the windlass looks good up on the bow! Now i just need a small hatch so i can push the chain castle over if i put out all 300 and try to bring it all back in at once.
Third-Reef is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-06-2012, 01:40 AM   #6
Scraping Paint
 
City: -
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 13,745
The first thing you need to do is get rid of that swivel. You don't need it and it's a potential weak link in your anchoring setup, particularly if you installed the swivel backwards, which most people seem to do for whatever reason.

And if you absolutely insist on using a swivel, at least get the only one wrth using (in my opinion), which is the WASI Power Ball.

We got rid of our swivel over a decade ago and we've never wished we had it back. And that way you'll see more of your nice new chain.
Marin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-06-2012, 08:34 AM   #7
Veteran Member
 
Third-Reef's Avatar
 
City: Santa Barbara, California
Vessel Name: Fleur De Lys
Vessel Model: 1988 Nova 36 Sundeck
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 56
Ah yes, the to swivel or not to swivel debate. I am still on the fence on this one. My swivel does help getting the anchor on board as i have a sprit with a slot in it where the anchor needs to be aligned just right or it is not comming up that last bit. I let it hang, reach down twist it and go the last bit. As for installation. i will post a picture. I needed dual shackels at the anchor as my anchor has a very thick shank, and also to eleminate the side loading that the swivels can get if attached directly to the anchor. my resarch indicated that the side loading is the usual cause of swivel breakage. It is criminal what they try to sell as a "normal" swivel. I believe that mine is rated for more load than my chain (it better be or it is coming off for sure). Pictures later, to be continued.....
Third-Reef is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-06-2012, 12:06 PM   #8
Scraping Paint
 
City: -
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 13,745
There has been at least one lengthy discussion of the pros and cons of swivels on the forum. Should be easy to find in the archives.
Marin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-06-2012, 12:15 PM   #9
Guru
 
ben2go's Avatar
 
City: Upstate,SC
Vessel Name: Shipoopi
Vessel Model: derilic sailboat
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 2,884
Never used a swivel.Never seen the need for one in any of my anchoring situations.
__________________
This is my signature line. There are many like it but this one is mine.

What a pain in the transom.

ben2go is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 07-06-2012, 11:20 PM   #10
Guru
 
BruceK's Avatar
 
City: Sydney
Vessel Name: Sojourn
Vessel Model: Integrity 386
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 13,333
Quote:
Originally Posted by ben2go View Post
Never used a swivel.Never seen the need for one in any of my anchoring situations.
I use my swivel as a paperweight on my desk, works flawlessly. Can`t understand the criticism. BruceK
BruceK is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-07-2012, 12:38 AM   #11
Guru
 
ben2go's Avatar
 
City: Upstate,SC
Vessel Name: Shipoopi
Vessel Model: derilic sailboat
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 2,884
Quote:
Originally Posted by BruceK View Post
I use my swivel as a paperweight on my desk, works flawlessly. Can`t understand the criticism. BruceK






__________________
This is my signature line. There are many like it but this one is mine.

What a pain in the transom.

ben2go is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 07-07-2012, 02:50 AM   #12
Senior Member
 
av8r's Avatar
 
City: Anacortes
Vessel Name: Selah
Vessel Model: Ocean Alexander 40
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 315
I use mine as a sounding weight when I don't trust the depth-sounder at anchor. It would stay cleaner if I used it as a paperweight, I hadn't thought of that....
av8r is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-07-2012, 08:31 AM   #13
Guru
 
rwidman's Avatar
 
City: North Charleston, SC
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 4,871
I've never used a swivel and have not seen the need for one. The anchor may spin on the way up, but that really doesn't hurt anything.

I watched a slip neighbor as he installed a new anchor and rode on his boat. He had gone to West Marine and bought the anchor, rode, and swivel.

He installed the swivel on the bitter end of the rode, the end that attaches in the anchor locker! Then he pulled all the rope out of the box and laid it on the dock, virtually guaranteeing that it would twist and kink when he tried to get it into the anchor locker. (He had done all this by the time I got there.)

I explained to him that the swivel goes between the rode and the anchor and he said he would go buy another one. I also helped him lay the rope out and try to untwist it.

These are nice people, but even though they use their boat on a regular basis, they are more "partyers" than boaters.
rwidman is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 07-07-2012, 09:09 AM   #14
Veteran Member
 
Third-Reef's Avatar
 
City: Santa Barbara, California
Vessel Name: Fleur De Lys
Vessel Model: 1988 Nova 36 Sundeck
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 56
Good idea, i think i will put 2 swivels on my anchor. You know for redundency, if one breaks i will still have one (hanging on the end of my chain without an anchor). After a little more checking my Kong is rated at 4400 lb Max. The 5/16 BBB chain is rated at 1900 SWL and 7600 Breaking strength. The swivel is going to go.

Interestingly, walking down the dock (43' slips on one side and 36' on the other) 4 out of 5 boats have swivels. Only one is the nice sst Kong like i have, all the others are the galvenized ones that look like 2 shackels with a bolt between them. These are not the plastic fantastic searays weekend joyriders. mostly salty looking sail boats like islander 36, swan 42 ??? Mabey we should let Heraldo know about the swivel conspericy perpetuated by the yachting 1%
Third-Reef is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-07-2012, 01:50 PM   #15
Scraping Paint
 
City: -
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 13,745
We installed a swivel (correctly) when we installed a new Bruce anchor on our boat the day after we got it to Bellingham. But then I started noticing that the boaters around us-- power and sail-- who we met and learned did a lot of anchoring didn't use swivels. A few conversations with them on the subject convinced us and we removed ours.
Marin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-07-2012, 06:00 PM   #16
Guru
 
Nomad Willy's Avatar
 
City: Concrete Washington State
Vessel Name: Willy
Vessel Model: Willard Nomad 30'
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 18,743
Stayed on topic fine for 5 posts. Then it swiveled all over the place.

I think most skippers use chain primarily to help control catenary. And we established some time ago that the best place for the weight of the chain was about 80 percent of the way from the bow roller to the anchor shank. So ideally one would have a really big short piece of studded chain there and decending sizes of chain to each end or about half way to the bow roller. But ther'e are very few winches that will accommodate a rode made up of several different sizes. So for most boats I'd say about 30 or 40 feet of chain and the rest nylon line to be as close to optimum as possible w a spliced rode. And for those that don't trust the chain to line splice all chain would probably suffice. I would like to find a winch that had a gypsy/wildcat right next to each other to change from line to chain when the chain came up. There is not many but they are out there. I think there is no doubt that a combination rode is best and the real question is how to handle it.
Nomad Willy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-07-2012, 08:57 PM   #17
Guru
 
psneeld's Avatar
 
City: Ft Pierce
Vessel Name: Sold
Vessel Model: Was an Albin/PSN 40
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 28,154
Quote:
Originally Posted by manyboats View Post
Stayed on topic fine for 5 posts. Then it swiveled all over the place.

I think most skippers use chain primarily to help control catenary. And we established some time ago that the best place for the weight of the chain was about 80 percent of the way from the bow roller to the anchor shank. So ideally one would have a really big short piece of studded chain there and decending sizes of chain to each end or about half way to the bow roller. But ther'e are very few winches that will accommodate a rode made up of several different sizes. So for most boats I'd say about 30 or 40 feet of chain and the rest nylon line to be as close to optimum as possible w a spliced rode. And for those that don't trust the chain to line splice all chain would probably suffice. I would like to find a winch that had a gypsy/wildcat right next to each other to change from line to chain when the chain came up. There is not many but they are out there. I think there is no doubt that a combination rode is best and the real question is how to handle it.
One CAMP believes a combination rode is the best unless you think like some that ALL chain and a snubber is really a combination.

I think all any forum has ever established is there's always another opinion with possibilities.
psneeld is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 07-07-2012, 10:15 PM   #18
Grand Vizier
 
Delfin's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 3,816
Quote:
Originally Posted by Third-Reef View Post
Good idea, i think i will put 2 swivels on my anchor. You know for redundency, if one breaks i will still have one (hanging on the end of my chain without an anchor). After a little more checking my Kong is rated at 4400 lb Max. The 5/16 BBB chain is rated at 1900 SWL and 7600 Breaking strength. The swivel is going to go.

Interestingly, walking down the dock (43' slips on one side and 36' on the other) 4 out of 5 boats have swivels. Only one is the nice sst Kong like i have, all the others are the galvenized ones that look like 2 shackels with a bolt between them. These are not the plastic fantastic searays weekend joyriders. mostly salty looking sail boats like islander 36, swan 42 ??? Mabey we should let Heraldo know about the swivel conspericy perpetuated by the yachting 1%
Perhaps the reason why 4 of 5 boats have swivels is that 4 of 5 find them useful. If one's anchor weighs about the same as the average bag of flour, maybe a swivel isn't needed. If it weighs a bit more, they are helpful in positioning the anchor before bringing it on board. Mine is stronger than the chain, so if one is worried about the swivel breaking before the chain, perhaps a better swivel is in order, or at least one matched to the job it is supposed to do.

For example, this swivel for 5/16" chain has a BL greater than the 5/16" chain. 360 Degree Anchor Swivel | Shackle.
Delfin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-08-2012, 07:04 AM   #19
Guru
 
Steve's Avatar
 
City: Thibodaux, Louisiana
Vessel Name: Gumbo
Vessel Model: 2003 Monk 36
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 3,882
I haven't used or needed one for years. My current boat came with one of the ACCO galvanized swivels which looked very strong but I took it off.
When reading these threads I often wonder how many (correctly installed) actually break? I have never known of it happening.
Steve W
Steve is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-08-2012, 07:21 AM   #20
Guru
 
Sailor of Fortune's Avatar
 
City: St Augustine,Fl
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 3,798
I think Geraldo is the 1% yachting establishment. He used to keep his large sailboat in Mattapoisett,Ma. He is a very experienced sailor by the way.
Sailor of Fortune is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Trawler Port Captains
Port Captains are TF volunteers who can serve as local guides or assist with local arrangements and information. Search below to locate Port Captains near your destination. To learn more about this program read here: TF Port Captain Program





All times are GMT -5. The time now is 07:09 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.6.0
Copyright 2006 - 2012