What quick release gizmo to connect chain to anchor?

[CaptainBob]

I want to be able to choose between my two anchors by simply un-clipping one, and clipping on the other. Any suggestions as to what to use for this?

I was thinking maybe a standard shackle on the end of each anchor which is wired up so as not to unscrew, and a screwgate karabiner stylee on the end of my chain.

I do have two complete warps, but one is much longer than the other and has a substantial amount of chain involved. Obviously (probably) the best situation would be to have two long chain warps, but even then, in my anchor locker, one would inevitably be piled on top of the other and it would be very handy to be able to switch over the anchors.

Thank you,

 

[CaptainBob]

PS. Wants to be quick release rather than something requiring a tool to tighten it up, otherwise my decision as to which anchor to deploy could not be made in a hurry - which might in an emergency be very handy.

 

[dmmbruce]

Why not just undo the shakle and swap it over. Shakles are strong and reliable. Gizmos are usually not. If you check this regularly (annually) and put some oil on it, the pin should be not too hard to remove.

If you want to mouse the pin, use a small cable tie. They are strong enough to hold the pin from turning and small enough to hide in the angle of pin and shakle so it wont get cut by the larger diameter chain.

Good luck
Mike

 

[Quandary]

Quick release anchor

Good luck with this one, for myself I would not like to try to sleep unless my shackles were big well tightened and moused.

 

[dmmbruce]

Further point, if you need to change fast, have the bower anchor available separately.

I keep mine with chain and anchorplait in a bucket, with the anchor on top. I lift this out of the locker before anchoring with the bower.

If things go wrong, deploy kedge fast!

One problem to remember is that although you will have the bitter end of the main cable firmly attached, I hope. It is more difficult to do the same with the kedge. You have to remember to tie it on! Yes I did forget, once, and had to grab. Very embarassing, even though single-handed and so no one saw me!

Mike

 

[bilbobaggins]

You could get onto 'Gibb', who manufacture snaplinks ( mousquetons, karabiners ) for both the leisure market's Personal Safety Lines and for fully H&S Approved Fall Harnesses as used by construction workers at height and tree surgeons.

There is certainly a range of capability available - I have Gibb 11Kn snaplinks ( UK Pat 1527238 ) on my two Personal Safety Lines, made up with Clogg climbers' tape loops doubled, rated appropriately for the snaplinks. They probably make the snaplinks used by RAF para-despatchers and on the wire of rescue helos.

The setup is less expensive, and very much stronger than, any 'marine' PSLs I could find. I learned the lessons of 'lines breaking and snaplinks bending open' from MAIB and Oz coroners' reports.....

With enough info from Gibb, you should be able to find a device to match your foredeck requirements.

 

[TamarMike]

The yacht I bought last year came with a CQR fastened a the chain with a stainless steel link shackle, which at most needs a spanner or pliers for final tightening. I had been frequently changing between the CQR and a heavier Danforth quite easily. (Recently I have just about given up on the CQR altogether).

 

[barfly4657]

[QUOTE ]You will have the bitter end of the main cable firmly attached, I hope.

Yes, I've seen it all go overboard too!

Nowadays my 30m bower chain ends with a snaphook onto a lanyard long enough to go down the hawsepipe to a secure point so I can extend with one or two reserve 30m warps if required. They're kept aft but the knitting can be all done on the foredeck - no digging through crabs and seaweed in the chain locker, thank you.

 

[CaptainBob]

Thank you for the replies. I think the bucket idea is genius and will organise a secondary warp for my kedge. Quick release, however secure, I guess just can't beat a seized shackle or two.

 

[TamarMike]

I've got a secondary rope/chain cable in the locker directly below the forehatch but have never felt like scrambling up and down with the bucket to actually use it. I am considering adding a tier in the chain locker for the second cable sometime but can't decide how to access it from the foredeck, considering a small hatch of some sort as rope won't easily feed through a navel pipe.

 

[Bilgediver]

Thank you for the replies. I think the bucket idea is genius and will organise a secondary warp for my kedge. Quick release, however secure, I guess just can't beat a seized shackle or two.

Sensible choice. Although there are quick release swivels available, there have been so many comments over the years of the collared stub portion fracturing under load on some that I would be reluctant to buy unless it was clearly marked with a load rating. Some I have looked at in various chandlers look decidedly dodgy chinese specials! I believe there are non swivelling quick release that need an allen key however they can cause problems when trying to take over bow rollers.

 

[grumpy_o_g]

I want to be able to choose between my two anchors by simply un-clipping one, and clipping on the other. Any suggestions as to what to use for this?

Why not permanently attach each anchor to 3 or 4 metres of chain using the usual moused, seized, peened over, split-pinned and loc-tited routine. Both anchor chains would then be attached to the main bower chain by swivel, shackle, welded ring or whatever. You've now got an anchor chain that splits into two a few metres before the end.

When you want to use it simply decide which anchor you don't want to set as the main anchor and just use a carabineer or snap-shackle to attach it to a point on the main anchor chain a few metres up above the split into the two chains.

At worst it'll act as a chum or angel, helping the catenary a bit - it may even set itself as well giving two anchors set and holding.

 

[CaptainBob]

Why not permanently attach each anchor to 3 or 4 metres of chain using the usual moused, seized, peened over, split-pinned and loc-tited routine. Both anchor chains would then be attached to the main bower chain by swivel, shackle, welded ring or whatever. You've now got an anchor chain that splits into two a few metres before the end.

When you want to use it simply decide which anchor you don't want to set as the main anchor and just use a carabineer or snap-shackle to attach it to a point on the main anchor chain a few metres up above the split into the two chains.

At worst it'll act as a chum or angel, helping the catenary a bit - it may even set itself as well giving two anchors set and holding.

Interesting idea. But if I anchored in anything over 4 meters (or however far back the split in the chain is), there'd be the possibility of dropping one anchor on top of the other and hence risks of snagging and tangling - but worse than that, I'd have to haul both simultaneously when weighing (I am manually hauling).

 

[Mark-1]

Holy thread revival batman....

I have exactly this problem. I don't want duplicate anchor cables.

Have any good quick release shackles arrived on the market over the last 10 years or so?