[DBASailor]

I'm upgrading my boat and buying a windless and all chain rode. But how to size the chain. I have a C&C 39, which loaded down might weigh about 25,000lbs. What size chain is appropriate. I'd like to go with the cheaper BBB chain. What size and type of chain to you recommend.

 

[svHyLyte]

I'm upgrading my boat and buying a windless and all chain rode. But how to size the chain. I have a C&C 39, which loaded down might weigh about 25,000lbs. What size chain is appropriate. I'd like to go with the cheaper BBB chain. What size and type of chain to you recommend.

Acco (or equal) 3/8" BBB will do but you'd do better, with less weight in the bow, and likely not much greater cost, with 5/16" G4...

 

[IStream]

+1 on the 5/16" G4.

 

[DBASailor]

How much chain do most people buy if they want an all chain rode? 300 feet? 400 feet? More?

 

[TQA]

200 ft of chain attached to 200 ft of rope is what I use. The rope gets used in deep anchorages 60 ft +.

5/16th or 3/8 will both do the job.

 

[DBASailor]

Is there any advantage to all chain?

 

[DBASailor]

What is I said my boat loaded down might weigh as much as 30,000 pounds, would you still say 5/16 inch G4 would be the way to go?

 

[pdqaltair]

Is there any advantage to all chain?

Oh no!! This is one of those topics where opinions abound.

The best thing to do, on such common topics, is to use the search function. You will get a lot more information in a lot less time. Anchors and chains have been flogged to death.

AYBC recomends 2400 pounds working stength for a 40' monohull, though for durability most sailors go up one size, inspite of the fact that the AYBC guidline is already conservative. Thus, 5/16" G4 is a common suggestion. 1/4" G70 would meet the requirement, but is a more unusual choise.

There are 3 reasons for all chain:
1. won't cut
2. feeds through the windlass better (the rope/chain splice can be a problem)
3. the weight helps the anchor wet and helps it stay

The down sides are:
1. weight
2. cost
3. less shock absorption, specifically in shallower water (a long snubber can solve this)

I've used both and favor ~ 100 feet of chain backed by rope for my boat, but it will be a long discusion.

 

[Minnewaska]

I can sleep on all chain. The idea of all rope chafing or the rope splice onto chain being the weakest link, just doesn't do it for me.

 

[Don L]

what size and type of chain to you recommend.

5/16 g4

 

[TQA]

Why all chain well I have a picture of a rope anchor rode that chafed through in less than an hour.

This was in Dominica and there was a piece of coral and an old mooring roughly where the rode was.

The boat owners had to flag down a boat boy and head out to sea to recover their boat.

 

[Minnewaska]

Why all chain well I have a picture of a rope anchor rode that chafed through in less than an hour.

This was in Dominica and there was a piece of coral and an old mooring roughly where the rode was.

The boat owners had to flag down a boat boy and head out to sea to recover their boat.

There are a couple of anchorages around here where the towing companies stand in wait for a boat to drag, let alone chafe and let go. They monitor both ch16 and the local harbor master, if there is one. The moment another anchored boat calls to say someone is dragging down on them, they have all the justification they require. If you are ashore when it happens, its a salvage and they lay claim to 10s of thousands in salvage rights.

I'm sure some have tried to debate whether they were dragging, but that third party call probably seals your fate. It would not be uncommon for a boat with all heavy chain to believe a boat with all rode or rode/chain is dragging, because rope will be pulled straight as it swings, even in low winds, while all chain will not.

Another great reason to be running an anchor app on a tablet or smartphone that keeps a persistence line to prove exactly whether you did or not.

 

[killarney_sailor]

There is an advantage to the 3/8" and that is the weight helps with the hold. There is an obvious trade off with wanting the weight in the water and not wanting it when it is on the boat. I re-rigged our boat so the chain is about four feet further aft than originally. Helps a bit I am sure but I did not see a huge problem when it was further forward.

The amount of chain very much depends on where you plan to sail. To take an extreme case, in the Bahamas you do not need much at all. We have 200' with 300' or rope attached. In the Caribbean the chain was perfectly adequate. In parts of the Pacific, Easter Island, Pitcairn, some parts of French Polynesia, I wished I had 300'. There were't many of those but in an exposed spot like Easter where the water is over 50' you appreciate all you can get.

When you are buying, look for good prices on full barrels and half barrels. We found the best deal was West Marine because they would deliver for free to your local store, plus they had quite good prices on a half barrel (200') of BBB. I know that ACCO is better than Chinese chain, but I have not been impressed with the galvanizing.

 

[Bene505]

There is an advantage to the 3/8" and that is the weight helps with the hold.

This has been disproven from the standpoint that you are better off putting the extra weight into more length. (And by extension, put any planned kellet weight into a bigger anchor instead.)

Scope is king, and when a chain is bar-tight, it doesn't matter much what it weighs. Those conditions that make your chain bar-tight are the same conditions where you'll wish you had more scope.

Regards,
Brad

 

[DBASailor]

I'm thinking 300 feet might be a nice round number. Are there any other that have more than 300 feet of chain?

 

[Bene505]

There's some good reading at this site. And it's a good reminder to factor in the height of your bow roller above the water.

The Most Critical Factor in Anchoring? Scope!

We have 60' of line at the end of our chain. It gives shock absorption and helps keep the chain off the bottom of the anchor locker. Not sure that last part is important, but I can picture better drying out of the anchor as a result.

Regards,
Brad

 

[Minnewaska]

Bene, our 200ft of all chain, sits on a raised floor on the bottom of the locker, with holes to drain. I've seen rode begin to rot when buried for extended periods. Mildew and dirt from the chain have to work on the fibers over time.

I would like to have 300ft and believe the boat would be just fine with the extra weight. If not, I'll just add a bigger dinghy on the other end. kidding

 

[Ajax_MD]

Oh no!! This is one of those topics where opinions abound.

(snip)

AYBC recomends 2400 pounds working stength for a 40' monohull, though for durability most sailors go up one size, inspite of the fact that the AYBC guidline is already conservative. Thus, 5/16" G4 is a common suggestion. 1/4" G70 would meet the requirement, but is a more unusual choise.

(snip)

pdq-

2400lbs SWL for a 40' monohull of what displacement? Designs vary wildly and there are some pretty light and pretty heavy boats out there.

Can you please post a link to that AYBC recommendation?
It's not that I doubt you, I'm just curious at how they arrived at that SWL number, for that length, and what the displacement is.

Thanks.

 

[SVAuspicious]

I have seen some pretty spotty galvanization over the last couple of years, even from Acco. Wherever you purchase from inspect the whole chain before accepting delivery.

 

[IStream]

Bene, our 200ft of all chain, sits on a raised floor on the bottom of the locker, with holes to drain. I've seen rode begin to rot when buried for extended periods. Mildew and dirt from the chain have to work on the fibers over time.

I like the perforated floor idea but as a stopgap, I put a sacrificial coil of old three strand at the bottom of my locker to keep the chain off the bottom. Seems to work and it's fast and cheap.