Chain/Rode Dilemma

[UFO]

I have been trying to get 12mm or 1/2 inch chain for quite a while and can not get any at a sensible price - Got quoted $52/M for G30 today plus shipping. The main issue is that I am in the arse end of the world in Perth Australia and with all the covid restrictions this one particular size of chain is in very short supply.


I did find what I was looking for in New Zealand, but shipping was very slow was over $1000, whilst the the East Coast has(had?) some Lofrans chain, but when I asked for the test cert all they could give me was some basic piece of paper signed by Lofrans with no real info on - Not even the country of manufacture and that was not even cheap once you added the shipping to Perth in.


I currently only have 40M of chain which as I am about to move onboard and sail away, is nowhere near enough, so I was thinking of adding rode as a stop gap solution until I can get some new chain, but the problem is my Gypsy does not take rode, so when In deeper water where I may need to pull the chain off the bottom (15 to 20M) of 3KG/M chain - Now I could take it up to the Electric Halyard winch (ST46) or a non electric but bigger Genoa winch (ST53) But I am unsure if that would be too great a lateral force for them? It would also involve running the rode over the saloon roof as well, which I do not really want to do.


I am happy with the chain size and do not want to go down to 10mm, so lets not get into a debate about 10mm vs 12mm.



Any ideas would be welcomed.

[chrisr]

have you tried nobles at welshpool ? Phone: 1300 711 559

cheers,

[StuM]

Plesse don't confuse the terms rode and rope. It causes all sorts of problems when people are talking about scope etc.

Rode is NOT rope. It is everthing between the anchor and the final attachment point in your boat. It can be chain, rope or a mixture of both.

You are talking about adding ROPE to your chain to make a mixed RODE.

[chouliha]

Lofrans chain has a very good reputation. Have you pushed your enquiry further than just what you mentioned above? Lofrans should be able to provide all the specs you are requesting. Wishing you the best of luck.

A quick google search on Lofrans chain specs returned this: https://www.lofrans.com/product/82-c...ain-calibrated

[UFO]

Originally Posted by StuM

Plesse don't confuse the terms rode and rope. It causes all sorts of problems when people are talking about scope etc.

Rode is NOT rope. It is everthing between the anchor and the final attachment point in your boat. It can be chain, rope or a mixture of both.

You are talking about adding ROPE to your chain to make a mixed RODE.

My Bad

[UFO]

Originally Posted by chouliha

Lofrans chain has a very good reputation. Have you pushed your enquiry further than just what you mentioned above? Lofrans should be able to provide all the specs you are requesting. Wishing you the best of luck.

A quick google search on Lofrans chain specs returned this: https://www.lofrans.com/product/82-c...ain-calibrated

I did try contacting Lofrans multiple times to no avail.

[UFO]

Originally Posted by chrisr

have you tried nobles at welshpool ? Phone: 1300 711 559

cheers,

Just tried - No Joy

[rslifkin]

What windlass do you currently have? 1/2" chain is huge for a 44ft cat IMO, so I'd be considering a gypsy change to use 3/8". If you're lucky, you might be able to also find a gypsy that takes rope.

[chrisr]

Originally Posted by UFO

Just tried - No Joy

bugger

another option i have thought about is to take some ungalvanised 12mm and get it galvanised.

not sure how the cost would work out and how it would fit on the gypsy but might be worth investigating. when i looked at it, galvanising chain was surprisingly cheap...

cheers,

[UFO]

Originally Posted by rslifkin

What windlass do you currently have? 1/2" chain is huge for a 44ft cat IMO, so I'd be considering a gypsy change to use 3/8". If you're lucky, you might be able to also find a gypsy that takes rope.

As I said I am happy with the chain and do not want to drop down to 10mm

[UFO]

Originally Posted by chrisr

bugger

another option i have thought about is to take some ungalvanised 12mm and get it galvanised.

not sure how the cost would work out and how it would fit on the gypsy but might be worth investigating. when i looked at it, galvanising chain was surprisingly cheap...

cheers,

Not even sure where to get Un-galved 12mm Short link chain from - Guys at Welshpool had nothing like that

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by UFO

As I said I am happy with the chain and do not want to drop down to 10mm

I accept that you don't want to go to 10 mm, but if you can't get 12/13 mm, what are you gonna do? Your happiness with the larger chain doesn't mean that 10 mm would not be adequate, for surely it would be, so why are you so adamant about it?

Not arguing, but curious as to your reasoning.

Jim

[UFO]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

I accept that you don't want to go to 10 mm, but if you can't get 12/13 mm, what are you gonna do? Your happiness with the larger chain doesn't mean that 10 mm would not be adequate, for surely it would be, so why are you so adamant about it?

Not arguing, but curious as to your reasoning.

Jim

I know its a problem, hence the "dilemma" in the title - I was hoping for some absolute genius idea from someone on the forum.


10mm would from a strength perspective be totally adequate and they do a 10mm Gypsy for my windlass and the lower weight would allow me to carry more chain comfortably, BUT having anchored on a Lagoon440 with 10mm Chain it is a LOT more skittish at anchor than with my 1/2 inch chain. I have also talked to a couple of other 440 owners on a lagoon forum who dropped down to 10mm and said that they regretted it, as having that extra weight on the bottom makes a huge difference until the wind really pick up.


Also if it would take 13 it would be fine, but I tried a sample and it was just a little too big for the Gypsy - I even after testing took the Gypsy in to confirm, but they told me that it may cause problems.

[Midwesterner]

Originally Posted by chrisr

bugger

another option i have thought about is to take some ungalvanised 12mm and get it galvanised.

not sure how the cost works out when i looked at it, galvanising chain was surprisingly cheap...

cheers,

I have heard that there are different methods of galvanizing, that vary greatly in quality. I'd be worried about any galvanizing process that is surprisingly cheap. I have heard of people who got a cheap galvanizing job, and had it wear off and chip, and the chain badly rust in a very short period of time.