Chain Hooks - for snubbers/bridles.

laika said:
Sorry to ask an ignorant question about these, but do people using these chain hooks have a dedicated bit of warp spliced onto them? Could be the pictures I've googled but the eyes on these things seem a little narrow for threading a chunky bit of 3 strand nylon through on a regular basis.
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I'd like to know what the answer to that is too :)
 
To answer Laika and FairweatherDave.

I have a Wichard hook. Threading the line (20mm from memory) through the hole was not difficult at all. As long as you tape the ends of the strands together you can persuade them through by gently rotating the line to keep the strands together. After that it is a matter of removing the tape and separating the three strands so that they can be spliced. At the inboard end of the line put a soft eye that will fit easily over your mooring cleat. Make the length of the line enough to have the hook some 3 or 4 metres below the surface, taking into account the slope from the freeboard at the bows and the distance of the cleat from the bow roller or the fairlead(s). I was surprsed at how long the line had to be. It lives in the anchor locker on top of the chain.

p.s. When the anchor is back on the bow roller I clip the hook back onto the chain below the hause pipe thus preventing the anchor from going for an unplanned walkabout.
 
FairweatherDave said:
But do you use some nice thick stretchy line on the shackle, and if so have you made an eye in it?
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It's the 'stretchy' that's important. A snubber shouldn't be too thick so that it provides elasticity. Mine is 12 mm doublebraid nylon, tied to the hook with a bowline. Boat 35 ft, 7 tons total. In a reasonable blow I can watch it extending and relaxing in the gusts.
 
Thanks for the details. I was "working" on my boat today and spotted my Christmas present, the hook, still without a line, so I brought it home to prod me into action... and I saw Laika's comment :)
 
FairweatherDave said:
Thanks for the details.
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+1.

Once the chain's gone taught I find it easier to tie a rolling hitch outside the pulpit than tie on deck (don't ask). It's a miracle my glasses/sunglasses haven't yet fallen off whilst doing this. Hook thingy cheaper than a new pair of Oakleys so I've been thinking about one for a while...
 
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laika said:
+1.

Once the chain's gone taught I find it easier to tie a rolling hitch outside the pushpit than tie on deck (don't ask). It's a miracle my glasses/sunglasses haven't yet fallen off whilst doing this. Hook thingy cheaper than a new pair of Oakleys so I've been thinking about one for a while...
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My glasses are fastened to the back of my head with one of those string thingies. Likewise my phone is on a lanyard... otherwise they would have soon followed my pipe-tool - of which I lost several until I tied their replacement to a fishing float!
 
laika said:
+1.

Once the chain's gone taught I find it easier to tie a rolling hitch outside the pushpit than tie on deck (don't ask). It's a miracle my glasses/sunglasses haven't yet fallen off whilst doing this. Hook thingy cheaper than a new pair of Oakleys so I've been thinking about one for a while...
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Do you anchor by the stern :disgust:
 
sailorman said:
Do you anchor by the stern :disgust:
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I was wondering if that was a euphemism but I see where I went wrong (edited in my post, for posterity in everyone else's): Sorry: had just been looking at alternatives for attaching an ensign holder and the wrong word was uppermost in my mind...
 
RupertW said:
That's a really useful piece of information - I prefer knots to gadgets like fender clips and chain hooks and so on, but apart from the extra time taken tieing a knot I hadn't thought of any other disadvantages (although thinking about it I have spent a few minutes sometimes undoing the knot but was never in any hurry). Something quick release does make sense, though, provided it cannot fall off, or bend or whatever.
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Try an Icicle Hitch.
http://www.animatedknots.com/icicle...ge=LogoGrog.jpg&Website=www.animatedknots.com
 
laika said:
I was wondering if that was a euphemism but I see where I went wrong (edited in my post, for posterity in everyone else's): Sorry: had just been looking at alternatives for attaching an ensign holder and the wrong word was uppermost in my mind...
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I have seen cloggies anchored by the stern on their lakes to take advantage of the sun in the cockpit
 
vyv_cox said:
It's the 'stretchy' that's important. A snubber shouldn't be too thick so that it provides elasticity. Mine is 12 mm doublebraid nylon, tied to the hook with a bowline. Boat 35 ft, 7 tons total. In a reasonable blow I can watch it extending and relaxing in the gusts.
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Sorry but its been overnight in Oz so I had other priorities.

But thank you for the many and varied answers.

Vyv is correct - its the stretch you need and many of the snubbers bridles described by people posting will not stretch unless the winds are 40 knots or so. Snubbers and bridles need to be considered as consumables, if they do not break every 2 years or so then they are not stretching enough! and a 2 or 4m snubber is not taking advantage of the elasticity of nylon.

Snubbers can be 3 strand or multi plait - it makes little difference in performance, much depends on price, availability and whether you want to splice. 3 stars can be easier, but neither is rocket science.

Its all about 'energy' and the ability to absorb energy. Imagine that bungy jumper leaping off the bridge restrained only by the bungy cord. When they reach the bottom of the fall they are moving at a fair lick - they have kinetic energy. But they feel absolutely nothing as all that energy is absorbed in the bunng cord. If they jumped attached by chain - they would, sadly, die - wripped apart.

Your snubber needs to absorb that same energy of the veering yacht and roughly a 12mm 10m length of nylon will absorb all the energy of a 35'/40' yacht. It does not do so as there is some catenary, the nylon stretches and maybe the anchor moves 10mm. Once you go larger, than 12mm, some of the energy will need be absorbed by the anchor and bow fittings, if you go smaller the line will stretch more but will have a shorter life. For stronger winds, more than 40 knots, you might want to have larger snubber. A shorter snubber, less than 10m will also not be capable of absorbing as much energy.

We attach our bridle to the stern cleats and run up the side decks, through the stanchion bases, to a dedicated turning block we attached to each bow. Our snubbers are about 12m, so we have little hanging in the water. Monos can usually make some arrangement to get a snubber up the side decks and to a chain hook (or whatever) but watch for areas of potential abrasion. We leave our bridle attached permanently.

We attach each arm of our bridle to a common shackle which is then attached to the chain hook, cast stainless type. We used to use 3 strand and splice but now use 11mm lead climbing rope - which is unspliceable. Artificial climbing walls must discard climbing rope after a specific time or if suffering a major fall. We have been given lengths of retired ropes, ask they need to get rip of it, the lengths are 13m -15m perfect for a snubber. Climbing rope for the lead climber is specifically made to stretch so as to minimise injury to the climber it has slightly less strength than the equivalent 3 strand or multi plait but more elasticity. It will be too small for a 50' yacht.

Jonathan
 
sailorman said:
I have seen cloggies anchored by the stern on their lakes to take advantage of the sun in the cockpit
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There is another reason. Huge clouds of tiny insects gather downwind of obstructions, such as spray hoods. The cockpit becomes most unpleasant on most sunny days. Anchoring by the stern causes them to gather on the forward side of the hood, leaving the cockpit insect-free. We anchored this way many times when we lived there.
 
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