Chain stopper - how to fit / use?

[ccscott49]

Just discovered my new anchor winch, (yet to arrive) has a built in chain stopper, which relieves the strain on the gearbox/motor, which is what I wanted it for anyway, so dont actually need one, but may fit one modified anyway, as belt and braces.

 

[Robin]

I always rig a snubber line (nylon with a rubber mooring compensator wound in it) once we are anchored but would also like to use a chain stopper before that is rigged whilst we dig the anchor in. For a simple mechanical device it seems to be very useful.

 

[john_morris_uk]

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Robin, Ours has a 'removable' pin. The pin has a sprung ball bearing in its nose and is very secure when pushed through. I have got a spare pin and body if you want - but no flapper thing. (The flapper thing was missing when we bought the boat and I eventually found a complete identical one in a french chandlery for a few euros, so I have used the flapper from the new one on the old body already on the boat.)

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Thanks John but I think I need the whole bit. I looked in all the French chandlers and have their catalogues but couldn't find one so you were lucky. I think the Jimmy Green one is the same as yours and the pin is as yours too so it would be easy enough to remove the flapper at the last moment to allow the anchor shank to sit in place for it's final stowage.

We still anchored out 15 nights out of 35 this trip so on the basis of say £25 per night not paid to marinas the saving of £375 makes anchoring cost effective even with the occasional windlass repair bill! Not that we anchor merely to save money (but it helps) just simply because we like to stay out in the nice spots. I dread to think what 35 nights spent in UK marinas would have cost!

[/ QUOTE ]I have had a think, and I am fairly confident that I bought our 'replacement' for spares one from the Comtoire Maritime in Lorient. I could ask our friends (who live about a mile away and drive past it every day) to have a look for you if you want. Or perhaps it will wait until next year? OTOH Jimmy Green might not be such a bad price...?

 

[Robin]

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I have had a think, and I am fairly confident that I bought our 'replacement' for spares one from the Comtoire Maritime in Lorient. I could ask our friends (who live about a mile away and drive past it every day) to have a look for you if you want. Or perhaps it will wait until next year? OTOH Jimmy Green might not be such a bad price...?


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Thanks John that is very kind of you but I think the Jimmy Green price (for once..) isn't too bad so I'll order one. I had looked at one before somewhere in the UK but baulked at a price of around £70! The real key is to get the windlass sorted anyway and I'm waiting for Lewmar's expert to call me to suggest what might have happened before I start taking it apart. I'm pretty certain it is a simple winch type pawl or spring fault but in failing (and my bodge repairs) other bits now need replacing as well. I did fit a couple of plastic cleats on the foredeck either side of the stowed anchor shank just to lash it in place after we bought this boat and I might beef these up with a heavier version and backing plates as somewhere to take a quick turn if handling the chain again manually, but I still like the idea of the flapper valve as well.