Climbing rope vs marine rope for rode

[Franziska]

Regarding rope to chain, we use a Dyneema shackle for well over a year now.

It's oversized. Maximum shackle thickness you can get through the last chain link.
Added a zip tie for safety.

No problem regarding chafe.
As it is oversized it has a huge safety factor and a much higher breaking strength than the chain.

[Lrak]

Originally Posted by thinwater

Can't splice. The anchor will be attached with a knot

16 strand splicing is different and time consuming, but not hard.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=HLTPZe2i8BA

[Kettlewell]

It's oversized. Maximum shackle thickness you can get through the last chain link.
Added a zip tie for safety.

How big a soft shackle can you fit in 5/16 G4 chain? I know it will take a 3/8" steel shackle.

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by Franziska

Regarding rope to chain, we use a Dyneema shackle for well over a year now.

It's oversized. Maximum shackle thickness you can get through the last chain link.
Added a zip tie for safety.

No problem regarding chafe.
As it is oversized it has a huge safety factor and a much higher breaking strength than the chain.

Just curious.


Why do you prefer a soft shackle over just splicing the rope to the chain? So that they can be separated more easily, perhaps for end-for-ending? Of course, the rope required two eyes and a soft shackle needed made. End-for-ending a spliced rope is just one splice.



The downside is that most windlasses won't accept anything other than a splice, and some are fussy about splices. But that may not be a problem for you.

[Kettlewell]

Why do you prefer a soft shackle over just splicing the rope to the chain? So that they can be separated more easily, perhaps for end-for-ending? Of course, the rope required two eyes and a soft shackle needed made. End-for-ending a spliced rope is just one splice.

I'm not the one using the soft shackles, but I have always attached my rope to the chain using an eye splice on a thimble and a galvanized shackle. Have a manual windlass that I just pull the thimble over when I get to that point, but it is rare to have all the chain out to that point. I like to have the ability to easily swap out anchor rodes when/if necessary, or to use the rode for something else. For example, one time I had no engine and I needed to get my boat to a boat ramp to haul out. I strung together hundreds of feet of line from the boat to shore and just pulled it over. Another time I had out long rodes in anticipation of a hurricane approach and a local fishing boat ran over them causing severe damage. I was easily able to swap out the damaged rodes for better ones. Another time I unshackled the anchor rode and reattached way down the chain on a mooring to act as an additional storm pendant. As you mentioned, end-for-ending is fast and easy. Periodically I pull all the chain and rode out of the boat and wash off the crud, untangle, clean out the anchor locker, etc. It is easier dealing with smaller lengths of just chain and just rode. I just find it more versatile with no downsides to use the traditional eye splice on a thimble with a shackle.

[Rockinar]

Originally Posted by Tin Tin

I often look at these safety items through the lense of an insurance assessor.

Who cares about the insurance people. Im the one on the boat, not them. I look at whats going to save my skin in a blow.

[Franziska]

Originally Posted by thinwater

Just curious.


Why do you prefer a soft shackle over just splicing the rope to the chain? So that they can be separated more easily, perhaps for end-for-ending? Of course, the rope required two eyes and a soft shackle needed made. End-for-ending a spliced rope is just one splice.



The downside is that most windlasses won't accept anything other than a splice, and some are fussy about splices. But that may not be a problem for you.

This way we can easily detach the rope and add the other 15m chain from the second anchor should the need arise.
End for end is of course possible too.

Soft shackles are easy to make.

A normal metal shackle of similar strength does not fit through the chain link.
Our soft shackle just fits through with a fair bit of wiggling.

Regarding windlass. Hasn't been a problem so far, all is lifted with a manual S&L Anchorman windlass.
Once the soft shackle is at the windlass you just turn the knot away from the gypsy and it goes right over it.

We have a 20kg Spade and 25m chain on it.
On the other side we have a 14kg Kobra2 and 15m chain.

[Franziska]

Originally Posted by Kettlewell

How big a soft shackle can you fit in 5/16 G4 chain? I know it will take a 3/8" steel shackle.

I can't really say that as we have only standard chain in metric size.

As said, we can just about fit ours through the chain.

Measure the G4 chain and calculate with this:
https://l-36.com/soft_shackle_9.php

[Kettlewell]

One other thing I have done a couple of times is create a star pattern with three anchors that get shackled to a giant shackle I attach to the main anchor rode. This is for leaving a boat at anchor for extended periods or for a hurricane mooring.

[Fi2010]

What type of fiber is used and how it’s woven into rode seems more important than whether or not it’s called an anchor rode or climbing rope. The rode we supply with para-anchors, storm drogues, and ground tackle was not intended for the marine industry. However, we make sure the fiber is a marine grade thread to handle the outdoors. There’s a lot of cheap fibers, which can lack endurance.

We use Dacron, Nylon or a mix, since a heavier rode increases the performance of a drag device or ground tackle.

The rode used for the NASA para-anchors is essentially a custom Kermantle. We have to stitch the eyes and then place a plastic coating over the stitching to prevent chafing. The rest of the braided or stranded rodes are spliced by hand to form an eye (s). Seine twine is then added to the splice for added strength.

[Kettlewell]

The rode we supply with para-anchors, storm drogues, and ground tackle was not intended for the marine industry. However, we make sure the fiber is a marine grade thread to handle the outdoors.

Do you have a link to the rope you supply?

[Fi2010]

We use a local manufacturer to make our rode. It’s a Dacron/Nylon mix. Braided for easier handling. Recently, New England Ropes started making the same blend. As do many rope manufacturers. Type 6-6 nylon is the marine grade fiber to use. We happen to include the splices with the cost of our rode. Basically, shop around for pricing if you want a good deal.

We’re unable to mention any further details about the Kermantle in order to avoid an ITAR violation.

[Kettlewell]

We happen to include the splices with the cost of our rode. Basically, shop around for pricing if you want a good deal.

Where can we read about your products?

[Fi2010]

Originally Posted by Kettlewell

Where can we read about your products?

Info/photo on our website is dated. It does reiterate what was written. https://www.para-anchor.com/pro.rode.html

[Kettlewell]

Info/photo on our website is dated. It does reiterate what was written. https://www.para-anchor.com/pro.rode.html

Thanks! Looks like good stuff for the right situation. What is the stretch characteristic compared to double-braid nylon and three-strand nylon? I would think that it would be too little stretch at the short lengths many might use for anchoring. For example, in my typical anchoring depth I might often only have out 75 feet of rode, and at least 50 feet of that would be chain. OTOH I have hung on long lengths of only 1/2" nylon in some big blows and never felt I was getting too much stretch. In fact, I don't ever recall feeling I was getting too much stretch, though I do read others who feel it lets their boats wander/sheer about too much.