Do you use an anchor snubber?

[Ohlin Karcher]

I rarely disagree with you but I will on this and your following post.

I use a dogbone next to the ungated hook on my anchor snubber. The dog bone allows lots of stretching for low and moderate force which is great when the chain is just 12m in 3m depth - fine with 3m snubber for 30ish top gusts and veering in a crowded anchorage. I can then extend the nylon snubber if the weather gets up and with the dogbone fully extended (much less often than you would think) the nylon warp provides the elasticity.

The ungated hook ensures that if I need to leave the anchorage the snubber falls off when the chain takes the strain which is vital as every second counts if boats are dragging down on you. Until then it can never come off as the first action after putting the snubber on is to release enough slack chain to loop down well below the water so the snubber always has lots of tension.

Good point about the snubber hook falling away when you take up on the chain. I have thought it best to lash my snubber hook to the chain, for security, but you have given me pause for thought. Depends on the likelihood of needing shift hastily, of course.

 

[LadyInBed]

Good point about the snubber hook falling away when you take up on the chain. I have thought it best to lash my snubber hook to the chain, for security, but you have given me pause for thought. Depends on the likelihood of needing shift hastily, of course.

My chain hook (French) has a sprung pin gate to hold it in place.
PS THIS ONE

 

[Neeves]

My chain hook (French) has a sprung pin gate to hold it in place.
PS THIS ONE

I bent our pin, with the chain locked in! I needed a Mole wrench to draw the pin. Its a Witchard hook and expensive.

Maybe I was unlucky

Jonathan

 

[SlowlyButSurely]

I bent our pin, with the chain locked in! I needed a Mole wrench to draw the pin. Its a Witchard hook and expensive.

Maybe I was unlucky

Jonathan

No, not unlucky; exactly the same thing happened with mine. The pin on the Witchard hook is far too feeble.

 

[Robert Wilson]

I see what they mean about swell fro passing ferry (see 9 minutes in).
Quite a disruptive effect, especially if he wasn't expecting anything at all?

Poor guy.

Good thread folks, food for thought on all matters snubber etc.:encouragement:

 

[RichardS]

No, not unlucky; exactly the same thing happened with mine. The pin on the Witchard hook is far too feeble.

And mine!

I re-straightened mine a few years ago and it has stayed unbent so far, but it does tend to get in the way when one is using the hook.

Richard

 

[GHA]

Good point about the snubber hook falling away when you take up on the chain. I have thought it best to lash my snubber hook to the chain, for security, but you have given me pause for thought. Depends on the likelihood of needing shift hastily, of course.

Big long soft shackle works well through a link as long as you don't have really skinny chain. Little slower than a chain grab but nothing really after a bit of practice.

 

[noelex]

Big long soft shackle works well through a link as long as you don't have really skinny chain. Little slower than a chain grab but nothing really after a bit of practice.

A soft shackle is certainly worth a try. I have used this for most of the chain/snubber connections and it is my preferred option.

It is a little slower than a chain hook that will automatically fall off once the snubber tension is removed, but on the other hand there is no danger of an accidental disconnection. The better design of soft shackles are quick to connect and disconnect. This can be done with one hand if necessary. There is also no danger that a soft shackle can bend and jam in place, as can occasionally happen with some designs of chain hook. A soft shackle can always be cut.

The final advantage is that the soft shackle is kinder on the galvanising.

Anyway, if a soft shackle does not prove to be the best solution, they have a multitude of uses on a yacht so the time taken to make one will not be wasted.

 

[Graham376]

Good point about the snubber hook falling away when you take up on the chain. I have thought it best to lash my snubber hook to the chain, for security, but you have given me pause for thought. Depends on the likelihood of needing shift hastily, of course.

Snubber falling off is good, not just when leaving. If needing to let more chain out, it just needs tightening first until the hook falls off and then let more out.

 

[noelex]

Snubber falling off is good, not just when leaving. If needing to let more chain out, it just needs tightening first until the hook falls off and then let more out.

Good point.

 

[GHA]

Good point.

Not so sure about chain hooks on snubbers. Don't think I'd want to risk one falling off when you didn't want it to, or not falling off when you did. Snubbers on deck have an advantage of not needing to pull in a load of chain to release the snubber if you want to veer more chain . And also not get covered with jellyfish tenticles :nonchalance:

 

[LadyInBed]

I bent our pin, with the chain locked in! I needed a Mole wrench to draw the pin. Its a Witchard hook and expensive.

Maybe I was unlucky

Jonathan

Thanks for the heads up, I will treat it with respect.

 

[geem]

Not so sure about chain hooks on snubbers. Don't think I'd want to risk one falling off when you didn't want it to, or not falling off when you did. Snubbers on deck have an advantage of not needing to pull in a load of chain to release the snubber if you want to veer more chain . And also not get covered with jellyfish tenticles :nonchalance:

If you have a windlass its no issue at all to pull some chain in and release the chain hook. Alternatively you can add line to the snubber and just let more chain and snubber out. We have done that and it works fine. An open chain hook only falls off in my experience in very light wind when you have more snubber length deployed than there is depth of water. In these conditions the snubber is doing very little so just shortening it to less than the depth of water solves the problem.

 

[LadyInBed]

If you have a windlass its no issue at all to pull some chain in and release the chain hook. Alternatively you can add line to the snubber and just let more chain and snubber out. We have done that and it works fine. An open chain hook only falls off in my experience in very light wind when you have more snubber length deployed than there is depth of water. In these conditions the snubber is doing very little so just shortening it to less than the depth of water solves the problem.

:encouragement:

 

[DJE]

Getting back to security of the anchor chain connection. Don't you have pawls in your windlasses? We have a manual windlass with a friction brake and a pawl.

 

[Neeves]

Is a pawl the same, in this instance, as a chain lock?

We don't have a pawl but we do have a claw on a strop, the stop is attached to a strong point independent of the windlass. that acts as a chain lock. If the pawl is part of the windlass then if the pawl is needed - then all the tension is on the windlass. Many windlass are not particularly well reinforced (some don't actually seem to be reinforced at all) - I prefer an independent back up with independent reinforcing (but there is no pawl, nor option as an extra)..

Jonathan

 

[NormanS]

Nah, people want to be able to wind chain in and out, using a radio controlled switch from their bunks. A pawl would stop them from letting chain out without going out in the cold.

My old hydraulic windlass had a heavy duty pawl, but I think you will find that most electric ones don't.

 

[LadyInBed]

Nah, people want to be able to wind chain in and out, using a radio controlled switch from their bunks. A pawl would stop them from letting chain out without going out in the cold.

My old hydraulic windlass had a heavy duty pawl, but I think you will find that most electric ones don't.

My old electric S-L Seawolf also has a pawl to lock the gypsy.

 

[KellysEye]

I always used a snubber and a riding sail to cut down swinging.

 

[Neeves]

My old electric S-L Seawolf also has a pawl to lock the gypsy.

Sorry but you are all showing your age. We young chaps, with gearbox casings made from GRP, and shiny gypsies don't have pawls (and frankly did not know windlass have, or could have, pawls).

How did you guys survive the removal of the rum ration?

(Doffs cap)

We live and learn

But we do not all have remote controlled windlass controls. Some of us have compliant crew who do all of this technical work (its called multi tasking (apparently), there is need to keep them busy. .

Jonathan