Extremely Disappointed in Maggi Chain

[accomplice]

Originally Posted by CookiesnTequila

[...] We switched from 12 mm G4 to 10 mm Aqua 7 last February. [...]
The chain jumps off the gypsy when under heavy load (like snubbing up when it sets fast).

Do you believe it is a defect in the chain that is causing it to jump?

[Polux]

Originally Posted by CookiesnTequila

...
I have another very serious problem with the Aqua 7. We switched from 12 mm G4 to 10 mm Aqua 7 last February. We have a 57kg anchor. Maggi (and others) advertise that the higher strength chain is a great way to reduce weight (which is important to us on a cat), yet after a very painful year, I do not believe it works, at least not with this combination of light chain/heavy anchor. The chain jumps off the gypsy when under heavy load (like snubbing up when it sets fast). We have been working all year (and spent in excess of 2000 euros) with a Maggi distributor to correct this problem to no avail. The jumping is very dangerous - over 1000 of this cost was to repair damages cause by the jumping.

I too will let everyone know if they step up to the plate to correct this. And, I will get very vocal on the forums if they don't, which I have resisted until right now!

When changing from 12mm to 10mm you have to change the circular piece that on the windlass pulls the chain, this piece:

Have you done that?

[CookiesnTequila]

Originally Posted by Polux

When changing from 12mm to 10mm you have to change the circular piece that on the windlass pulls the chain, this piece....
Have you done that?

That is called a gypsy - and yes we replaced it. In fact we bought both together from the same distributor.

Originally Posted by accomplice

Do you believe it is a defect in the chain that is causing it to jump?

No - at least not that we know. We've measured it, and the dealer who supplied it (Alex Marine in Athens), is also a Lofrans dealer and supplied the matching gypsy, is absolutely convinced there is nothing wrong with either the chain or gypsy! He had 3 different "experts" inspect it.

[SVNeko]

We have this issue occasionally also. I attribute it to having a horizontal windlass and lighter chain. Laying the chain with the boat moving more slowly seems to minimize it happening.

[CookiesnTequila]

Originally Posted by SVNeko

We have this issue occasionally also. I attribute it to having a horizontal windlass and lighter chain. Laying the chain with the boat moving more slowly seems to minimize it happening.

You are correct, it absolutely does. But once at the wrong time is all it takes to do serious damages! I am extremely careful and have not had any damage to the boat since the first few times it happened, but the risk is still there.

We were hit by a particularly nasty gust, 40+ knots and from about 25 degrees off of the prevailing wind direction just as we were backing off after lowering the anchor. When the boat snubbed up and the chain jumped off and then caught the gypsy again it tore the center catwalk where our roller is mounted almost completely off the boat. And we do not have a lightly built cat - it's a Catana 50. The FRP at that point is almost 10mm (1/2") thick.

And - after one season we have 2 or 3 edges knocked off the gypsy. At this rate we will be replacing the gypsy every few years! But I guess that won't be the case, because at the rate that this chain is rusting we will need a new one after two years - and it certainly won't be Maggi A7!! Back to 12 mm for me!

An expensive lesson indeed

[Jack Sanford]

I have used Maggi G7 chain for the past four years, anchoring out at least 100 times per year. So far, it has been great - no significant rusting at all.

[double u]

1. there are two types og 10mm chain: ISO (inner link-length 30mm) & DIN (inner link length 28mm) - different gypsies
2. the length of chain hanging down between gypsy & chainpile is lighter with the 10mm chain than with the 12mm chain, so if it was marginal (as is often the case with shallow chainlockers)with the 12mm cgain, it is not going to be enough with the 10mm one.
3. I have yet to read the anchorwindlass manual where they give the ok to loading the windlass with the boat's windage/wave-jerking. They all say how important it is to take the load off it. Now setting the anchor, if done right, puts an equivalent load at least of 25-30kn of wind on the whole gear. I have a chainhook on a short dyneema-strop close to the windlass & before the boat can put a load on the gear the hook is engaged & the clutch on the windlass open again.

[Jtill]

Was wondering how your chain issue was resolved and did the replacement chain perform better.

[SVNeko]

They replaced it with 10mm G4 and I put the old wildcat back on, and it performed perfectly. That is great chain. It stayed on the boat until we sold it and I think it is still in service today.