Chain - is it all 'calibrated'

dgadee

dgadee

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New electric windlass arrived and I'm just wondering about chain. I called up the local ships chandler and he said "all chain is calibrated these days because it is machine made". Not quite sure what to make of that - will any 8mm chain made today fit a windlass? He suggested anyway I bring the windlass over to him to test the chain, which makes me think maybe all chain isn't calibrated after all.
 
Co incidentally I am just 5 minutes off the phone from local chandlery having ordered a Lofrans windlass and when I mentioned calibrated chain ,he said pretty much exactly what you were told . Anyway I am buying chain from the same people who are supplying the windlass so if there are any issues its their problem.
 
8 mm chain could be DIN 766 or ISO 4565, which to all intents and purposes are the same although there are small differences in the tolerance. There are other standards but a chandler is unlikely to stock them. For 10 mm the situation is different as the two standards have different dimensions and a chain to one will not fit a gypsy of the other. All the info is on the website under Anchoring.
 
vyv_cox said:
8 mm chain could be DIN 766 or ISO 4565, which to all intents and purposes are the same although there are small differences in the tolerance. There are other standards but a chandler is unlikely to stock them. For 10 mm the situation is different as the two standards have different dimensions and a chain to one will not fit a gypsy of the other. All the info is on the website under Anchoring.
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Thanks. I note that your equation suggests force on the rode of just under 400kg for an 11 meter boat in 40 knots winds. I'm surprised it is so little. Certainly seems no problem in using 8mm chain.
 
dgadee said:
Thanks. I note that your equation suggests force on the rode of just under 400kg for an 11 meter boat in 40 knots winds. I'm surprised it is so little. Certainly seems no problem in using 8mm chain.
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That pretty much bears out my practical experience. I have been able to haul the boat forward manually in force 6 winds. I have been meaning to measure actual loads and have even bought a spring balance for the purpose but never got around to it.
 
>"all chain is calibrated these days because it is machine made".

To be called Calibrated the chain has to be strength tested and is normally a slightly different link size to uncalibrated chain so the gypsy might need to be changed if you buy it. We bought it for peace of mind.
 
dgadee said:
New electric windlass arrived and I'm just wondering about chain. I called up the local ships chandler and he said "all chain is calibrated these days because it is machine made". Not quite sure what to make of that - will any 8mm chain made today fit a windlass? He suggested anyway I bring the windlass over to him to test the chain, which makes me think maybe all chain isn't calibrated after all.
Click to expand...

From experience I wouldnt trust that. Instead take the gypsy off the windlass and take it with you when you buy the chain. Run the chain through it to test.

It might all be calibrated but it isnt calibrated all to the same size.
 
birdseye said:
It might all be calibrated but it isnt calibrated all to the same size.
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I don't think that applies today. In the past several windlass makers had their own calibrations, e.g. SL and Lofrans were different. Nowadays all the windlass makers I know quote international or national standards, in UK DIN 766 most often but ISO 4565 perhaps increasingly. The vast majority of chain in UK chandleries is made on the same machines in China, all to the same dimensions per wire gauge. I do agree that it doesn't do any harm to take the gypsy along when buying though.

I suggest that carrying out the bend test on a sample link, shown here http://coxengineering.sharepoint.com/Pages/Chaindefinitions.aspx is well worth doing. I found a couple of surprisingly poor examples.
 
Gentlemen, calibrated chain (tested for dimensional and strength characteristics) in the Continent is so according to ISO 766.
But BEWARE! On some measures there are TWO ISO stds: not on all measures of wire but, of course, for the very common "10 mm" chain they exist. One chain link is 48mm long, the other 50mm; the latter is also 1 mm wider. So when ordering the chain bring the gipsy to the shop OR notice which 10mm ISO 766 is designed for. If You check the catalogue of any serious chain producer (i.e.: Catenificio Rigamonti, Maggi Group,...) You will find which chain size have the two different ISO stds.
Cheers.
 
Last edited:
gianenrico said:
Gentlemen, calibrated chain (tested for dimensional and strength characteristics) in the Continent is so according to ISO 766.
But BEWARE! On some measures there are TWO ISO stds: not on all measures of wire but, of course, for the very common "10 mm" chain they exist. One chain link is 48mm long, the other 50mm; the latter is also 1 mm wider. So when ordering the chain bring the gipsy to the shop OR notice which 10mm ISO 766 is designed for. If You check the catalogue of any serious chain producer (i.e.: Catenificio Rigamonti, Maggi Group,...) You will find which chain size have the two different ISO stds.
Cheers.
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See post #3. You could also check the page on my website.

Why do chandlers charge 50% more for calibrated? And what standard (BS or ISO ) does non calibrated comply with?
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When a friend bought Maggi chain recently he had the option of one price for standard chain or a higher one for proof tested. I believe that all Chinese made chain is proof tested on the machine, but I don't know about Maggi. William Hackett and Bradney proof test samples of their imported chains but not every length. AFAIK it is all to the same standard and proof testing will not stretch it (assuming it passes).
 
Yup, I'd read Your #3 thread and wanted to add the dimensional data.
I really dunno why they charge more for proof tested chain, as long as it is effectively calibrated to ISO766.
I went for Maggi's grade 70 chain, getting 75 meters of 8mm chain at the weight of 50 m. of 10mm.
My experience with nautical matters made in china prevents me to have anything that has to do with safety manufactured there. IMHO.
 
gianenrico said:
My experience with nautical matters made in china prevents me to have anything that has to do with safety manufactured there. IMHO.
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It may apply to some things but when it comes to chain I have been told by several UK major players that Chinese chain is the best in the world. The video probably shows one of the machines, German made, installed and commissioned. For some time they were operated by German technicians, don't know now. My destructive testing showed quite clearly that Chinese chain was stronger and at least as good as European.

I bought Maggi chain in Corsica, the galvanising had almost completely failed within three years.
 
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