Chain Supplier in Panama

[belizesailor]

I will need to purchase new 5/16 G4 chain this season. Anyone know of suppliers in country? I already know the import options, so want to see if there are any good in-country options.

[lorenzo b]

Abernathy or Marine Wharehouse in PC or regalvanize in PC.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

I will need to purchase new 5/16 G4 chain this season. Anyone know of suppliers in country? I already know the import options, so want to see if there are any good in-country options.

Definitely Marine Warehouse. other local options will kill your wallet.

Marine Warehouse operates from Miami (Dutch owner) but they have a local warehouse in Panama with items that are often needed like chain, batteries, dinghies etc.

Try arturo@marinewarehouse.net as he is the local man and knows what he has in stock. The main phone number in Miami is +1 (305) 635-0776

[belizesailor]

Thanks, did not know MW kept any local stock. Will check with them.

[colemj]

MW is a good source, but they only sell ACCO chain. Our experience with ACCO, along with 14 others we met in Grenada, was terrible. Their 5/16" G4 chain did not last one year before it was unusable - sheet rust flaking off it and no longer fitting the gypsy. ACCO told me to pound sand when I complained. Our Maggi (Italian) chain bought in Grenada looks new after 3 years of continuous anchoring. Unfortunately, you can not get Maggi chain in Panama without paying a lot for shipping from Italy or New Zealand.

I now only trust Italian, French and German chain. The Eastern Carib is great for sourcing these, but they are unavailable in the Western Carib.

Mark

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by colemj

MW is a good source, but they only sell ACCO chain. Our experience with ACCO, along with 14 others we met in Grenada, was terrible. Their 5/16" G4 chain did not last one year before it was unusable - sheet rust flaking off it and no longer fitting the gypsy. ACCO told me to pound sand when I complained. Our Maggi (Italian) chain bought in Grenada looks new after 3 years of continuous anchoring. Unfortunately, you can not get Maggi chain in Panama without paying a lot for shipping from Italy or New Zealand.

I now only trust Italian, French and German chain. The Eastern Carib is great for sourcing these, but they are unavailable in the Western Carib.

Mark

Yet my ACCO chain holds up very well. I think you may have received a knock-off??

[colemj]

Doubt it. Bought it from Defender. Others with problems got theirs from Defender, West Marine, Marine Warehouse and several other places. I thought you had G70? This seems to be a problem with their G4 in general and their 5/16" specifically. I know many people with their 3/8" G3 and BBB with no problems. Almost everyone I know with ACCO 5/16" G4 has problems and are very angry, and others (though fewer) with ACCO 3/8" G4 with the same problem. One variable - I don't know of a single boat with problems that has ACCO chain bought before they were acquired by Peerless and moved their manufacturing facility. All problems I know of have been post this.

Mark

[cheoah]

I would not dismiss the possibility that it is was mis-represented farther up the supply chain, and with the right imprint, nobody would know better... more likely manufacturing if there really is a difference post-aquisition

My Acco chains have lasted a long time; my mooring chain lasts a few years but it is 3/8 in full time use....whereas the 5/16 is in the locker more.

I'm still struggling to source some G43 Campbell chain locally here in NC, and they are supposedly based here....

[colemj]

I still doubt it was misrepresented. Defender orders directly from ACCO and ACCO confirmed that the batch I had was their chain sold directly to Defender. Other people with problems maybe different, but I also doubt West Marine, et al were duped somewhere in the supply chain or misrepresented their product.

Again, I met 14 people besides ourselves in one summer in Grenada that had ACCO chain that was unusable within a year. Those people came from all over and purchased their chain from various places. A mis-represented supply or product over that many and various purchases would be improbable.

Did you have 5/16" G4 purchased after the Peerless acquisition and the move of the manufacturing facility? Mooring chain is a completely different beast altogether. I have not seen any problems with ACCO G3 or mooring chain.

Mark

[cheoah]

Originally Posted by colemj

I still doubt it was misrepresented. Defender orders directly from ACCO and ACCO confirmed that the batch I had was their chain sold directly to Defender. Other people with problems maybe different, but I also doubt West Marine, et al were duped somewhere in the supply chain or misrepresented their product.

Again, I met 14 people besides ourselves in one summer in Grenada that had ACCO chain that was unusable within a year. Those people came from all over and purchased their chain from various places. A mis-represented supply or product over that many and various purchases would be improbable.

Did you have 5/16" G4 purchased after the Peerless acquisition and the move of the manufacturing facility? Mooring chain is a completely different beast altogether. I have not seen any problems with ACCO G3 or mooring chain.

Mark

I think my newest section of 5/16 is from 2011, but could have been in this guys inventory for a little while.

Perhaps they've figured out the problem by now, and doubt they would publicize it unless they had no choice. If someone could identify a weakness in a similar way that guy did with the Rocna's....

Do you think this is purely a galvanizing issue?

[colemj]

Originally Posted by cheoah

Do you think this is purely a galvanizing issue?

That is my guess. Their press releases when they moved manufacturing actually discussed changing galvanization methods and formulas (to the "better", of course). Old ACCO was well-known for their galvanizing quality. I think the new Peerless/ACCO methodology is not as good. Could also be regulatory issues that made them change. Or it could have just been manufacturing hiccups in the change over years. I found superior chain and haven't looked back to see if the problems still exist. I won't buy ACCO again.

Mark

[belizesailor]

And of course looking at the MW site, all their 5/16 G4 is Acco...

[cheoah]

So Mark, what are you using now?

I just sent my second request to Campbell/Apex to try and learn more about their chain, or where I can get G43. I'm curious where it is manufactured, and how the gavanizing process compares with Acco. It is the holidays, so I'll keep at it later and report back to CF.

belizesailor, good luck with the chain sourcing. It's nearly $5 a ft here...

[colemj]

We bought Maggi (Italian made) chain in Grenada. Good Italian and French chain is available throughout the Eastern Carib.

Campbell is from NY or PA - somewhere around there. I rarely see their marine chain anywhere, so don't know much about it. It is very unlikely you will get anyone to describe their galvanizing process in any sufficient detail to understand differences. All will tell you theirs is the best.

Mark

[lorenzo b]

Hot dipped regalvanizing @ 43c/lb in PC and it needs to be spun as it's pulled out.