New anchor chain questions (2)

[partingclouds]

Just stowed 100' of new G4 galvanized aboard to replace the aging 75', thus adding more weight to my bow locker. The boat is a Doug Peterson 35', and I'm concerned that l have too much weight forward. What's the consensus out there?

Question two: Does anyone have a simple way to protect the end link of chain that inevitably starts rusting in the nylon rode splice? I don't have a fresh water pump to rinse out the salt.

Thx, Sailors.

[tkeithlu]

You didn't say what size chain, but 5/16" is 1.1 #/ft, while 3/8" is 1.5 #/ft, so you've added 25.5 or 37.5 pounds to your bow. That's not likely to make a noticable difference, being well below the effect of a person walking forward.

You could use a stainless steel shackle on the anchor and minimize corrosion, trading zinc to stainless and stainless to salt for zinc to salt.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by partingclouds

Does anyone have a simple way to protect the end link of chain that inevitably starts rusting in the nylon rode splice? I don't have a fresh water pump to rinse out the salt.

No, but:

[partingclouds]

l was talking about the OTHER END of the chain, tkiethlu; the nylon line splice at the inboard end of the chain. That last link on the old chain looked rather funky.

Hahah!, Gord! That's very funny. Luckily, I have a dynamite grinder.

[HankOnthewater]

Hi there
Can I assume you have 8 mm (5/16") shortlink chain? That weighs around 1.4 to 1.5 kg per meter, let's say 0.5 kg (1 lbs) per foot.
You had 75 ft ft what would have been around 38 kg (~80 lbs) and increase that to 100 ft around 50 kg (110 lbs). An increase hardly worth talking about.
Although these boats do not take weights lightly (pun not intended).

Second question, about rusty end link.
Maybe not a bad thing to cut that link every year, and redo the splice. A job of 15 minutes, plus another hour getting all the chain out and back in again. Good opportunity to check everything and clean the dirt and crud from anchor locker.

[tkeithlu]

QUOTE: "l was talking about the OTHER END of the chain"

Sorry. So was I, before a brain freeze that resulted in my saying "anchor" when I meant "chain." A stainless steel shackle at the inboard end of the chain would prevent salty wet rope against the galvanizing.

[rslifkin]

Originally Posted by tkeithlu

QUOTE: "l was talking about the OTHER END of the chain"

Sorry. So was I, before a brain freeze that resulted in my saying "anchor" when I meant "chain." A stainless steel shackle at the inboard end of the chain would prevent salty wet rope against the galvanizing.

It would, but if the rode is being handled on a windlass that'll pull both rope and chain on the gypsy, the shackle won't work. Anything other than the rope spliced directly to the chain means you'll need manual intervention to transition between the 2.

[01kiwijohn]

That little weight won't be a problem.
If you've got rust at the splice end, it may indicate that it's time for re-galvanizing? I anchor about 100 times per year and re-galvanize at the first signs of rust; about every 6 years or so. Costs about 1/3 the price of new chain.

[jipcho]

Originally Posted by rslifkin

It would, but if the rode is being handled on a windlass that'll pull both rope and chain on the gypsy, the shackle won't work. Anything other than the rope spliced directly to the chain means you'll need manual intervention to transition between the 2.

BCorrect, by the time you get to the chain to nylon rode splice, you should no longer need to use the windlass and gypsy, either for letting out more rode or bringing it back on board. Therefore, the larger shackle should not interfere.

[Don C L]

I agree the weight difference will not be noticeable, or are you racing? I have 100' of 1/4" in the bow of my boat which is considerably smaller and lighter than yours and it is fine.
I think Gord's got it right, cut off the last link, and the rusty nylon section, and splice it again.

[SaltyMetals]

There is another solution. I coil my multiplait warp and tie it on the securing eye with cable-ties. That keeps the multiplait off the bottom of the chain locker and dry most of the time. At the same time it creates a longer fall for the chain to the bottom of the locker and avoids the inevitable build up of a pile which will jam yr windlass. I also give the whole chain a good spray with Zn cold-galvanising spray every 5 years or so as well as a good wash with tap water when available from the pontoon. I know the Zn wears off but much easier to do than send it to a galvaniser
Andrew