Joining my anchor chain

lanerboy

lanerboy

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Hi All

Is this what I need to extend my anchor chain I only have about 30 meters and want to extend it to 60 meters, also is it safe to anchor in 12 meters of water if there is not much tide running

_12_zpskpdirdwy.jpg
 
Have a look at Viv's excellent website on testing. C links. Make sure you only use a good quality link there is a lot of rubbish out there.

http://coxengineering.sharepoint.com/Pages/Clinks.aspx

60m of chain in 12m of water + (I am guessing) 1.1m from bow roller to the waterline gives a scope of 60/(12+1.1) = 4.6/1. This is a reasonable scope and will be fine in mild, or moderate winds in reasonable holding ground with a good anchor. In strong wind you will need more rode for this depth of water.

Current strength does not have much influence on anchoring forces until it gets reasonably strong.
 
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Just like to add that if you are using those links, it's important to regularly check ( at least annually) and if necessary replace them!
I had a very nice and shiny stainless anchor, together with 1 metre of nice and shiny stainless chain that was joined with a link to the normal galvanised chain.
When the divers recovered it, I was amazed by the amount of hidden corrosion on the remaining bits, and it was only 2 seasons old.
 
From bitter experience do not use links. New chain is the only way to go, it's not dear in the big scheme of things and if nalink breaks at the wrong moment it can go very wrong.
 
lanerboy said:
Hi All

Is this what I need to extend my anchor chain I only have about 30 meters and want to extend it to 60 meters, also is it safe to anchor in 12 meters of water if there is not much tide running

_12_zpskpdirdwy.jpg
Click to expand...

Have used them a few times, have always been round with Tig Welder to finnish off, no way it will come apart then and as strong as the other links when tested.
Yes its good to have all in one length but if done properly won't be a problem.
 
aquapower said:
Have used them a few times, have always been round with Tig Welder to finnish off, no way it will come apart then and as strong as the other links when tested.
Yes its good to have all in one length but if done properly won't be a problem.
Click to expand...
I sourced a supply of Crosby links, sold a load on here. The rivetting desnt do anything strength wise, it just holds the halves in place. Welding can make things worse by upsetting the heat treatment.
Stu
 
skipper_stu said:
I sourced a supply of Crosby links, sold a load on here. The rivetting desnt do anything strength wise, it just holds the halves in place. Welding can make things worse by upsetting the heat treatment.
Stu
Click to expand...

That's the reason to have it tested, never yet had one fail, the chain is only welded then tested.
 
I think the image you show in your opening post is a stainless joiner. I have never seen one tested but stainless and anchoring, especially stainless and chain or shackles would scare me. The Crosby links are highly regarded as are forged ones from ACCO (sadly all from America). Techni-link are excellent.

But when all is said and done your 60m of chain, your 2 x 30m sections are reliant on one tiny and cheap little link.

Many of these 'strong' items are quench and tempered and as Stu says welding them can destroy the heat treatment - unless you know what steel they have used and how it has been tempered. You can have it tested, but only Proof Tested, unless you weld one and destroy it and hope the second is as good (or better) than the first. Moreover if you weld you will do nothing for the galvanising - so it will corrode so quickly you will not believe it.



I'd go along with the idea of buying a completely new length of chain, one piece 60m long. If you buy from a reputable supplier it will have been proof tested, every link, and one section from the batch will have been break tested. You should be able to ask for a test certificate of the batch from which you buy. 60m of chain is cheap insurance and should last years.

We regularly anchor in 12m of water and overnight and we only carry 50m of chain - but we only do this when it is pleasant. When the weather looks questionable there is nothing quite like 5m of water, a nice clean sand seabed and a decent anchor (but we need not go there).

Jonathan
 
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