3 Strand or 8 Plait for Anchor Line

[sww914]

I'll start asking on the net tomorrow for some used chain. Thanks all.

[sww914]

AND my wife made up a flyer.

[Capt Phil]

Also consider canvassing marine repair shops... these guys know alot about who has what and where to find it. I'll bet that in PV and the surrounding area if you have a few of them keeping there eyes open, something will turn up. A finders fee might encourage them as well. Phil PS Nice Flyer!

[Bash]

Originally Posted by sww914

AND my wife made up a flyer.

Depending on the chain, 5/16" chain might suffice for your boat. On the used market in PV, would this open up a few options?

[model 10]

Not sure where you are shopping but a 1/2 barrel (275') of 5/16 G40 is only $1200. Free shipping too at 1st chain Supply!

[JPA Cate]

SWW914:

I understand about the money, but if you're going to follow Jedi's suggestion: "Then you need to buy 2nd hand chain. The areas you are sailing in, you really need all chain like zeehag stated," be aware that this is a good news/bad news sort of thing. The good news is that galvanizing is pretty affordable in Mexico (or was when we were there), but getting good quality used chain there may not be possible.

Here's a used chain story. It was back in '89 when the skipper of a boat purchased used chain from a fisherman in La Paz, BCS. The fisherman had sold it because it had broken, and he disclosed that. The skipper cut off about a foot from the chain, and used it to anchor his ferro boat. About a week or two later, his boat was on the beach because the chain broke again. How surprising! ;-) In case you've never met someone who has lost their boat, we know 4 families who have. It is quite a devastating experience. One of those couples replaced with all rope, then lost their second boat due to chafe, as well....

Maybe something will turn up so as to make it possible for you to get good chain before you head out to the sometimes very deep (60-80 ft.) anchorages of the South Pacific.

Ann Cate, s/v Insatiable II

[sww914]

I can't use 5/16 chain because of my gypsy. I can't buy new chain because we have $2500.00 in the bank and 1 SSDI check a month. I can't continue to use the junk rode that we've been using.
I have to either buy nylon rode or used chain.
I've picked up some work, my wife is finding some work as well and we'll be fine and we'll be better off than this soon but I don't think that any of you in this situation would spend 75% of your money on chain either.

[Bash]

Originally Posted by sww914

I can't use 5/16 chain because of my gypsy. I can't buy new chain because we have $2500.00 in the bank and 1 SSDI check a month. I can't continue to use the junk rode that we've been using.
I have to either buy nylon rode or used chain.
I've picked up some work, my wife is finding some work as well and we'll be fine and we'll be better off than this soon but I don't think that any of you in this situation would spend 75% of your money on chain either.

You're absolutely right.

[sww914]

On a brighter note and on the subject of work, we met some people on the docks last night and as we introduced ourselves the man said "I hear you're a brilliant mechanic!"
He's friends with a couple whose boat I fixed a couple weeks ago. If I can keep that going we'll be in great shape.

[model 10]

Ok, new 3/8 bbb is $1027 for 300' ! Used chain should be free, you get what you pay for.

[sww914]

I'm in Mexico, after duty and shipping the cost goes up.

[Hydra]

Depending on the boat size and the water depth, going for all chain isn't always feasible.

I have a 30' boat and I sail in the English Channel, where the tide range reaches 12m / 40'. To stay afloat at low tide, I need approximately 2m / 7' of water. This means that at high tide, with 14m / 47' of water plus 1m /3' of freeboard with 5x scope, I would need 70m / 230' of chain. But 8mm / 5/16" chain is 1.45kg/m or 0.97lb/ft. Then, the chain would be more than 100kg / 220lb. It would not be sensible to carry this weight in the bow of a 30' / 3.5t sailing boat.

Then, I have settled for 30m / 98' of chain at 43kg / 95lb for the bow anchor and 40m / 131' at 58kg / 127lb for the storm anchor in a cockpit locker, each rode also including 45m / 147' of rope for deeper anchoring.

Alain

[ontno1]

When I see questions like this:
"250' 3/4" three strand is $250.00
250' 5/8" 8 plait is $407.50 and they're virtually the same strength.
Should I spend the extra money?"
My answer is: and
39' of boat is $150,000

I carry an all chain rhode, a chain and 3 plait (good stuff, no hocking) and an 8 plait, plus I could probably scrounge up a couple or three more out of the lazarette.
Don't scrimp when it comes to anchors and rhode.

[GMac]

On some winches 8 braids will not work well. On some winches 3 starnds do not work well. There are 8 braids and then there are 8 braids. There are laid ropes and then there are laid ropes.

You can not generically say 'use a XX construction rope on all gypsies' nor can you say 'just get a XX construction rope'. Doing that will cost you money for no good reason and often it will also cost you performance. Like all things there are good ropes and there are bad rope, often they look the same and to the untrained eye it's often they look identical. 2-3 times a day we fix issues with people who have done the above. It usually costs them money they had no need to spend in the first place.

These quotes will cost money not needed to be spend and are just not 100% correct (I have removed the names as they are commonly said myths so who said them here is irrelevant)

The only advantage of three-strand, besides price, is that it is much easier to splice.

Some winches will eat 8 braid and 3 strand is the only option you have to use on them. In many cases a good 3 strand is far superior and stronger to many 8 braids.

Some folks have tried to convince me that there's nothing wrong with 3 strand, just that there's something wrong with the 3 strand that I have here.

100% true. We have 2 different lines of 3 strand ropes. One is purchased in the east based on price, as most is theses days, and it's good for 99% of uses, including anchoring BUT we'd never ever suggest using that range in a anchor winch. We get a 3 strand from Samson in the US, at nearly 3 times the price, as it does work a dream in anchor winches. The key thing being the materials the rope is made from and the manufacturing quality. I bet I could get this winch working well in a few minutes just by changing the rope. He says with confidence, but only as he already doses it many times a week.

One very interesting thing we have learnt over the last decade plus is the supposedly very pricey US made Samson rope is that it is the cheapest laid rope when you look at the ;lifetime cost'. By that I mean even though it can cost 3 times more it will generally last 6 times, if not a lot longer, than a cheap nasty laid rope. Loomat things lifetime cost and it will save you money.

Rope strength, don't fixate on that as if you use your gear correctly in a good seamanship manner strength shouldn't be an issue. Also to compair strengths you have to know how the rope loads are being reported. We have 2 local manufacturers who both make the same thing using the same materials. On a item they often show a 30% difference in loads. One reports minimums with terminations i.e a splice in the end, the other reports the best load they get in testing with no terminations. Both ropes will break at the same load on the test bed. So watch for that as it can make 2 identical ropes look very different.

Do you have a windlass? 8 plait will cooperate with the gypsy far better than 3 strand.

Wrong sorry. That statement should read '8 braid will cooperate with some gypises far better than 3 strand BUT some gypies will take nothing but a 3 strand'

Strangely, not that many people use double-braid, but it is in-between in price, flakes beautifully, and lasts a really long time.

If yours lasted a really long time you are the exception to the rule, generally double braids don't last long. They are serioulsy fragile compared to 3S and 8B's. Nick the cover and you have a instant 50% lose of strength, there abouts, and a rope that is only heading fast for the trash bin. Double braids are not a good choice for serious anchorers.

Depending on the boat size and the water depth, going for all chain isn't always feasible.

In the area you boat you don't have coral so having all chain isn't so important as the OP who looks to be on coral country in which case stay away from rope and do go all chain.

We do 100's of anchor systems a week, many being rope to chains, have for many many years. We also test with a few winch guys.

US$1800 for 300ft of 3/8" chain? Is that what it costs where?
Here 300ft of a EN made G40 10mm would set you back US$982, plus 15% sales tax if you aren't a visitor. US$1200 for the fully certified version... complete with 8 pages of 3rd party testing results on that very length of chain.

Sorry about the length, waiting for girls again. At times it is good to be a bloke, they are currently bra shopping

[zeehag]

Originally Posted by Michael Samson

Not sure where you are shopping but a 1/2 barrel (275') of 5/16 G40 is only $1200. Free shipping too at 1st chain Supply!

barrel ends are better priced and i found 194 ft in the one i bought and the 5/16 was for me 600ish us dollars. 5/16 hi tensile. downwind marine, san diego.