Anchor chain repair

[Clipper4730]

Hey y'all so we pulled our entire rode out and found some badly rusted sections. The previous owner had put in short pieces of yellow propylene rope to to mark the chain. Unfortunately the rope held the saltwater and rusted the chain just in these spots. The rest of the chain is in good shape just these spots. Any ideas on how to fix it? It's about three hundred feet of BBB 3/8". A total of maybe three or four feet is rusted, six inches at a time every 20 ft for about two thirds of the rode. Was thinking of getting someone to cut the bad links out maybe then reweld dunno, thoughts?

Thanks as always
Will

[sanibel sailor]

Initial thoughts- regalvanize or replace. Doubt rewelding is viable/trustworthy option

[SailFastTri]

I'd use some "rust converter" then overcoat with cold galvanizing paint such as you can get from ZRC, Rustoleum or Pettit. The rust converter chemically converts the rust to a black coating that can be your primer coat.



You might have to revisit this job in a year or two but you won't compromise chain strength, nor spend a fortune.

This link is just one company of many who make rust converter


Corroseal Rust Converter Primer-82320 - The Home Depot

[thinwater]

And then paint your markings on, over the primer.

There was an article in Good Old Boat a few months ago on painting the chain while hanging in a box. Slick method; no missed spots, no mess.

[HopCar]

Since BBB is not a high strength chain, I'd be comfortable cutting out the bad section and rejoining it with connecting links like these.
Peerless Industrial Group :: Marine Chain and Accessories :: ACCO Marine Chain Accessories :: Oval Connecting Links

[JPA Cate]

clean up the rusty links. Measure them with the calipers. If they are wasted, that's bad news. Sometimes, all that shall have happened is a little surface rust. If that is the case, then re-galv makes a whole bunch of sense.

The rust converter will scrape off in sandy anchorages. The cold galv. paint will also.

That's a lot of joiners, one every 20 ft. for 300 ft. We have used joiners when we've added chain, but that's 60 of them. And you're going to have to trust your boat's welfare to each and every one of them. It really is too bad that the rusted sections are so spread out. Just saying that I personally, might get nervous about them, we trust the ones we have.

To me, it would be a re-galvanize or replace decision, but only if the actual damage is minimal.

Ann

[Terra Nova]

If the rusting is bad, replace the chain. What's the safety of your boat worth?

[Jim Cate]

How badly rusted are the links? Superficial rust can look very bad but not cause significant strength reduction. If you don't feel competent to judge this, take the chain to a regalvanizing shop and have them look at it. They have the experience to judge the damage.

Jim

[Lepke]

When galvanized steel rusts, is has given off zinc, but also some zinc thickness in near by chain. Why not take the chain to a galvanizer and have it done. They might just do the bad areas. Or price it first and compare to buying new chain.
Here (PNW) they sand blast, etch and galvanize. BBB doesn't get weaker with a new galvanizing. I do it when out of the water. Back my truck up to the bow and have the winch lower the chain in the bed. Makes it easy.