Simon 420
Well-Known Member
I'm making up an anchor bridle using an eyed chain grab hook. My question is would you leave the rope simply through the eye of the hook so that it can move around or whip/splice it into a fixed position in the centre?
Anchoring bridle
- Thread starter Simon 420
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Neeves
Well-Known Member
Fixed position.
Most eyed chain hooks will not have a big enough eye for two ropes. You may need to use a shackle and attach each arm of the bridle separately.
If nothing else - if you leave the eye free to move - wear will be an issue - but there are other issues.
All multihulls use a bridle, each arm is of a fixed length.
Use of a bridle is common on a multihull but unusual on a monohull - why are you making a bridle?
Jonathan
Most eyed chain hooks will not have a big enough eye for two ropes. You may need to use a shackle and attach each arm of the bridle separately.
If nothing else - if you leave the eye free to move - wear will be an issue - but there are other issues.
All multihulls use a bridle, each arm is of a fixed length.
Use of a bridle is common on a multihull but unusual on a monohull - why are you making a bridle?
Jonathan
vyv_cox
Well-Known Member
Definitely fixed. Wear may not be a major problem with a nice shiny chain hook but it definitely is against a rusty shackle. A very famous yachtsman lost his boat on Gigha due to exactly that.
Supertramp
Well-Known Member
I use a double bridle on a monohull as I have two cleats and fairlead each side of the bow roller. Made it myself using a Brummel splice I think to attach the chain attachment. Works well.
Simon 420
Well-Known Member
Thanks Jonathan. I want to take the weight off the anchor winch and spread it between the two bow cleats. Wasn't planing to use separate ropes for each side, but a single rope with spliced loop in each end and chain hook in the middle. This is only for occasional use as any anchoring is likely to be secondary to staying in marinas
Neeves
Well-Known Member
If you can splice an eye into the centre of the rope that will allow you to achieve what you are trying to do. I suspect that it will be easier to splice an eye if its a 3 ply rope.
You will then achieve what you want, which is spreading the tension between the two horn cleats but I suspect you will not have much if any elasticity as your ropes will probably be short and beefy..
If you want to considering producing elasticity then you will need thin ropes and longer - consider securing them at an amid ships cleat, or at the transom. Run each snubber between stanchion and toe rail, or through the stanchion bases if design will allow and then outboard at the bow fairleads. You then have a snubber that is deck length.
I know you suggest that you will only anchor under benign conditions but if you have an elastic snubber it will make it much more comfortable - and spread the tension if a MoBo goes past creating a big bow wave. The shock snatch load will be 'managed' by the elasticity - not your horn cleat and the crew
. Once you have tried a long snubber you might be encouraged to consider being more adventurous with your anchoring - slowly, slowly catches the monkeyDefine your yacht and I'll make a stab at snubber size.
If you send me your email as a PM I'll send you some more detailed information on long snubbers etc. I cannot post here - the pdfs are too big (and my skills don't extend to compressing the files).
Jonathan
roaringgirl
Well-Known Member
We live on a 12T, 13m mono. I made a single-line snubber by splicing a thimble & eye into a thick piece of nylon 3-ply rode. It is secured to the chain with a soft-shackle of 5mm dyneema that just fits through a link of my 10mm chain. I also have a chain-hook for securing the chain quickly when working at the bow, but I wouldn't leave it there as the snubber as it *could* come off the chain in a bounce. To answer you specific question: the hook snubber has an eye with a thimble in it the hook is secured to the eye with a soft shackle in 5mm dyneema.
In our first few months of living aboard I made and tried different snubbers, including double and singles, and different ways of attaching snubber to chain including rolling hitch, hook and soft-shackle.
2-arm bridle was prone to chafe that I couldn't fully solve, and it was uncomfortable as both arms are quite short relative to thickness of line used (which has to be sized so that a single line can hold it when boat is beam-on to a gust).
Chain hook attachment can, and did come off the chain at least once. Rolling hitch attachment worked, but twists chain around itself when stretched, causing chafe.
Single-line snubber is far more comfortable than double and doesn't snatch nearly as much. It is easier to add chafe protection. As I write, we're in the Bay of Virgins, Fatu Hiva. 2 nights ago there were catabatic gusts, we recorded 49.5kts. I was very happy with all parts of the anchor system.
In our first few months of living aboard I made and tried different snubbers, including double and singles, and different ways of attaching snubber to chain including rolling hitch, hook and soft-shackle.
2-arm bridle was prone to chafe that I couldn't fully solve, and it was uncomfortable as both arms are quite short relative to thickness of line used (which has to be sized so that a single line can hold it when boat is beam-on to a gust).
Chain hook attachment can, and did come off the chain at least once. Rolling hitch attachment worked, but twists chain around itself when stretched, causing chafe.
Single-line snubber is far more comfortable than double and doesn't snatch nearly as much. It is easier to add chafe protection. As I write, we're in the Bay of Virgins, Fatu Hiva. 2 nights ago there were catabatic gusts, we recorded 49.5kts. I was very happy with all parts of the anchor system.
geem
Well-Known Member
We anchor for hundreds of days per year. The only time we have had a chain hook fall off is when it has hit the seabed. Running the snubber across the deck to the middle cleat so less snubber length is in the water will solve the problem.
I like the simplicity of a chain hook. It can be hooked and unhooked quickly. It's robust durable
vyv_cox
Well-Known Member
Exactly our experience. The only problem with a chain hook was with a wire type that bent open. The forged replacement has been perfect.
ColinR
Well-Known Member
I use a single line of Anchorplait, take it over the bow and cleat it off amidships so its long and stretchy and absorbs snatch loads.