Thoughts on Stainless Steel Anchor Chain?

[Mickeyrouse]

As far as stainless chain goes, it seems like a large expense for almost equal performance. Our 3/8” chain was last hot-dipped 15 years ago. No rust yet, and it gets a lot of use.

[allanc]

Hello,
My first thought is to create a deck access hatch to your chain locker:
To clear any jamming
To hose down a dirty chain
To not use a crew member just to clear a pile
To access the bitter end
Because you should have one anyway

My second thought is not to go anywhere near SS chain for all the reasons that others have stated, particularly on dissimilar metals and electrolytic action.

My third thought is that the better solution, as above, would spend a lot less than 9000 dollars and, with the change, would probably enable you to upgrade your anchor, or something else.

[GB32]

Quote:
Worthless trivia: it’s the spruling pipe that goes into the chain locker, hawse pipe goes from deck overboard.
Sp. Spurling:

Find the crustiest old salt with the greatest knowledge and bring him down a few pegs:-
What's a Windlass - Ans. The winch that pulls the anchor in!
What's a Hawse Pipe - Ans. The eyes of the ship, where the anchor chain comes out.
What's a Spurling Pipe - Ans. The pipe that leads the chain down to the Chain Locker.
Ok then what's a Spur-lash - Ans. What.. no such thing....... It's the noise the anchor makes when it hits the water!

[Mike Banks]

You could try using a coiling cone on the sole of your chain locker. The cone reaches to just a foot or two below the chain inlet hawse. It stops the chain rattling. The cone deflects the chain making it coil at an angle to the vertical. It will still climb the cone, but it takes longer to reach the top, and often collapses back down. The cone can be as simple as one of those big orange plastic conical witches-hat road markers the wind keeps blowing away to god knows where--

[arthur.watson.1]

I have a question—two, actually.

First, the OP stated that his problem was the chain piling up until it got in the way of the bottom end of what we came to learn was the “spurling pipe.” My question is, why do we need a spurling pipe? I do not have one on my boat, and my chain simply falls vertically into a heap. When the heap gets too tall or too steep, the chain simply slides off to one side or other and keeps piling up. This system works fine for me. If the chain is piling up to the bottom of the pipe, perhaps the OP could add more usable height to his locker by shortening or eliminating the pipe.

Second, while we're on the subject, has anyone tried installing a pipe or hose that guides the chain down and aft into a deeper (and possibly larger) space, for example under the V berth? More space, weight lower and further aft.

If anyone has tried this and had a good outcome, I would be interested hearing more about their experience.

[Siberian Sea]

I’ve sometimes wondered if stainless chain being much more slippery would come up off the bottom cleaner then the G-4 chain I use. Of course given the horrible price for quality stainless chain I suppose I can wash off some mud every once in a while.

[Simi 60]

Originally Posted by Mickeyrouse

As far as stainless chain goes, it seems like a large expense for almost equal performance. Our 3/8” chain was last hot-dipped 15 years ago. No rust yet, and it gets a lot of use.

Amazing these stories of chain and galv longevity.

Ours shows signs of rust within 6 mths and is generally rusty over the used length within 12 mths.
The first lot was an unknown breed, but was near new when we got the boat.
Showing sign of rust within 6 mths and replaced at 2 years due to stretching slightly from a storm and not going nicely through chainwheel.

Second lot using Australian made PWB and it was rusting within 6 mths
Daily use dragging through sand and mud has it come up shiny, but within hours that rust colour is on it.
About to chop out the first 30m as it doesnt run through the chainwheel nice anymore either.

[Djarraluda]

Originally Posted by groundtackle

Hmm is anybody going to discuss WLL of stainless vs galvanized chain and also issues with crevice corrosion and sudden failure of stainless steel vs galvanized steel?
I wouldn’t want stainless chain if it was offered free.
Nick

I understand that many insurance companies will not pay-out for anything related to failure of SS ground tackle.
Insurance companies in Australia certainly object if the survey identifies SS chain and when I bought this boat the surveyor emphasised the weakness/risk of sudden failure. Having said that, a similar comment was on the survey when the previous owned bought the boat and he consistently ignored it for 5 years.
So I would check if your insurance company accepts it and set-up a replacement regime appropriate so as to minimise your risk.
Roger

[Adelie]

Originally Posted by allanc

Hello,
My first thought is to create a deck access hatch to your chain locker:
To clear any jamming
To hose down a dirty chain
To not use a crew member just to clear a pile
To access the bitter end
Because you should have one anyway

My second thought is not to go anywhere near SS chain for all the reasons that others have stated, particularly on dissimilar metals and electrolytic action.

My third thought is that the better solution, as above, would spend a lot less than 9000 dollars and, with the change, would probably enable you to upgrade your anchor, or something else.

So you suggest creating a very large hole in the hull in a locations likely to see lots of water running across the deck and the occasional wave crashing down on the cover?

[Gaia]

We were faced with that problem on our shallow draft Gazelle. Without enough drop the chain would pile up like you describe. We solved the problem by dropping the chain on a sloping platform equipped with a trap door equipped with bungee cords. The chain flows over the trap door into the aft part of the chain locker until that is filled and then it piles up on the trap door further forward opening it. Works for us.

Jim sv Gaia

[Muaddib1116]

Originally Posted by Adelie

So you suggest creating a very large hole in the hull in a locations likely to see lots of water running across the deck and the occasional wave crashing down on the cover?

That's a good point, most boats that have deck access to the anchor locker have anchor lockers that are isolated from the interior cabin by a water tight bulkhead. Depending on the size of the anchor locker, it might be possible to make those modifications by walling off the interior access, adding external hull drain holes, and creating a deck hatch.

[Gaia]

Originally Posted by arthur.watson.1

I have a question—two, actually.

First, the OP stated that his problem was the chain piling up until it got in the way of the bottom end of what we came to learn was the “spurling pipe.” My question is, why do we need a spurling pipe? I do not have one on my boat, and my chain simply falls vertically into a heap. When the heap gets too tall or too steep, the chain simply slides off to one side or other and keeps piling up. This system works fine for me. If the chain is piling up to the bottom of the pipe, perhaps the OP could add more usable height to his locker by shortening or eliminating the pipe.

Second, while we're on the subject, has anyone tried installing a pipe or hose that guides the chain down and aft into a deeper (and possibly larger) space, for example under the V berth? More space, weight lower and further aft.

If anyone has tried this and had a good outcome, I would be interested hearing more about their experience.

In my previous reply I failed to mention we have insufficient drop height directly under the spurling pipe necessitating that the chain be moved further after where there is more room and height. We did that with a PVC pipe just as you ask thus leading the chain under the V berth.. But that requires sufficient slope and or drop height otherwise the chain due to friction will hang up in the pipe. That slope will eat up drop height and room. We experimented quite a bit and used polyethylene kingboard because it is slippery. After a few iterations we got it mostly right and usually do not need to go below while retrieving the chain. Important when short handed in tight situations. The secret is in experimentation. It is surprising how much slope is required for the pipe particularly when the chain weight dangling from the end of it diminishes.

Jim sv Gaia

[Chris Cringle]

I agree with 'Groundtackle'. One cannot trust stainless steel. Using stainless chain for an anchor chain is just getting down on your knees and begging for it.

[Muaddib1116]

Originally Posted by Chris Cringle

Using stainless chain for an anchor chain is just getting down on your knees and begging for it.

I think 318LN chain has changed that dynamic, but the price obviously remains a limiting factor. I think if the price were closer to galvanized steel chain, the conversations about it would be very different. That being said, there is an argument to be made that you could come out much more even if you consider that you may go through multiple new galvanized chains in the lifespan of 318LN chain. That of course depends on your galvanized chain's lifespan. We have many reports of people using galvanized chain for a decade or more, and just as many of people having to replace theirs every couple years.

[skyhawk]

Originally Posted by HopCar

Here is a link to a discussion of anchor chain piles on Trawler Forum.
https://www.trawlerforum.com/forums/...ver-30374.html

Many things are suggested to put into the chain locker to prevent the chain from piling up. A traffic cone sounded like the easiest.

i have zero experinece a=or knowledge of such things, but as I was reading this I was thinking to slope the floor of the locker slightly so that the pile would slide off in some direction from center.... just sort of a blind brainstorming idea...but the cone or post seems brilliant!