Recommend a Bridle Chain Hook

Irish Rover

Irish Rover

Well-Known Member
Joined
5 Feb 2017
Messages
8,638
Location
Türkiye
Visit site
I've just replaced the anchor chain on my 13M powercat. The chain is 10mm galvanised DIN766. The old setup had a 10mm snap hook attached to the bridle which clipped onto the chain - it did the job but I was never entirely happy with it and put a replacement on a long finger list of things to do. Anyway my hand has been forced now. The snap hook won't actually fit into the links of the new chain. So what to buy? I want something that will be easy for my wife and daughter to attach and unattach. So what do others recommend?
- regular chain hook
- Wichard chain grip
- Mantus M2 or M3.
 
Supertramp said:
One of these. I anchor a lot and its quick and easy either with a bridle or a single line attached.

View attachment 208118
Click to expand...
You beat me to it. We’ve used one of these for years. In fact as I write this we’re anchored with the length of nylon snubber attached to it onto the chain right now. Easy to use and as soon as you release a bit more chain it doesn’t fall off. Put the load back on the chain and it usually comes off very easily. Exactly as required.
 
That's the one I use. Originally I had one made of welded wire - it bent open during surging in a harbour in the Sporades. The boat hit the wall, pushing our stern platform through the transom.

The replacement has been excellent, never came off under load but released instantly when chain is taken in. Photos and video here Snubbers
 
Irish Rover said:
Yeah. I have one sitting here which I planned to use to make up a longer snubber bridle for overnight anchoring. My previous experience with them on a bridle is that they come off easily when not under load.
Click to expand...

The idea is that the weight of a lazy loop of chain holds it on. You must keep that tension on it at all times. Of course, if it touches the bottom (long bridle on cat, and we can anchor shallow) it comes right off.

The M2 can be a little fussy to get on and off. It is no longer made but you can find it. Same wit hte M1.

Many people use a Prusik hitch or soft shackle. The advantage is they can go over the roller for recovery and deployment. Very reliable. Both should be on the list.

My favorite is a custom made, locking bridle plate.

The best choice often depends on the geometry you are working with.
 
As I'm sure most of you will appreciate deploying a bridle or a snubber on a catamaran is a bit different and more tricky than on a monohull with a bow roller. The anchor chain roller on mine is below deck and a full 3M aft of the bow. I took this photo just now.
20260322_131025.jpg
 
Irish Rover said:
As I'm sure most of you will appreciate deploying a bridle or a snubber on a catamaran is a bit different and more tricky than on a monohull with a bow roller. The anchor chain roller on mine is below deck and a full 3M aft of the bow. I took this photo just now.
Click to expand...
Go through some of @Neeves posts. I seem to remember that his anchor roller was well inboard. On my Cat the roller is right at the front ...
 
Boathook said:
Go through some of @Neeves posts. I seem to remember that his anchor roller was well inboard. On my Cat the roller is right at the front ...
Click to expand...
Lucky you. Having the roller so far back is an absolute pain. If I want to attach a snubber to the deck cleats I either have to get in the water or try fishing from the bow to grab the chain in the water.
 
Irish Rover said:
Lucky you. Having the roller so far back is an absolute pain. If I want to attach a snubber to the deck cleats I either have to get in the water or try fishing from the bow to grab the chain in the water.
Click to expand...
I see your challenge - but not sure your original question about best type of chain hook really helps (we use the same one as Supertramp and others - with the caveat that we also double secure the chain with a second shackle overnight).

It looks like the issue of getting the chain, potential under load, accessible near the bows which seems to be the issue, not the hook type.
Could you put a large tough metal pulley on the chain, attached by a rope to an accessible place at the bows, and lower through that - then use this to pull the chain forward to attach the bridle?
 
dunedin said:
but not sure your original question about best type of chain hook really helps
Click to expand...
The regular chain hook needs to be kept under load, the Wichard less so, and the Mantus hooks are otherwise secured.

It's very easy to drop the bridle when recovering it, and if you do it's an absolute pain to recover it. For that reason I fitted a recovery cord which you can see in my photo at #7. I can also use that cord to keep tension on the bridle when I'm deploying it, until the chain takes up the slack.
dunedin said:
we also double secure the chain with a second shackle overnight).
Click to expand...
Could you elaborate on this procedure or attach a photo.
 
thinwater said:
The idea is that the weight of a lazy loop of chain holds it on. You must keep that tension on it at all times. Of course, if it touches the bottom (long bridle on cat, and we can anchor shallow) it comes right off.

The M2 can be a little fussy to get on and off. It is no longer made but you can find it. Same wit hte M1.

Many people use a Prusik hitch or soft shackle. The advantage is they can go over the roller for recovery and deployment. Very reliable. Both should be on the list.

My favorite is a custom made, locking bridle plate.

The best choice often depends on the geometry you are working with.
Click to expand...
How shallow is shallow? We’re currently anchored in just over three metres of water.

Each to their own of course.
 
The type shown in #2 is not optimal for multihulls. Multihulls need hooks that positively lock onto the chain and will not drop off when unloaded. The reason for this need on multihulls is 1) They tend to anchor in shallower water and 2) the bridle is long when attached to the bows of the outer hulls. It is common for the hook to end up on the seabed because of these reasons and if not locked on will soon drop off. I use a Mantus M2 for these reasons. I don't know if you can use a bridle with your arrangement but reason 1 still applies.
 
Irish Rover said:
...
Could you elaborate on this procedure or attach a photo.
Click to expand...
As said previously we use the same open hook as post #2 on the long anchor bridle.
We also have a closed chain shackle on a short length of rope which we put on above deck, between windlass and the bow roller - with one of these Chain Gripper - Aisi 316 fast attachment for chains - KONG

We call this the "lunch hook" as very quick and easy to put on above deck for a short stop. Also used as secondary overnight just in case other hook came off or stretch rope broke. Neither has yet happened in hundreds of overnights, but just in case.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top