How long is your snubber

[Fuss]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

I went through numerous chain hooks. All had problems. Some came off too easily, some were hard to get off, and some were hard to get on properly. I eventually arrived at the wisdom of my sailing elders: a rolling hitch. It’s simple, effective, easy and quick to attach or detach, and stays put.

Don't use metal chain hooks for snubbers, they don't work.
Either they are banging up your boat when not deployed or falling off when deployed.
And for some of them, the amount of time it takes to fit them, you could have tied a knot.

[noelex 77]

There are many options for attaching the snubber to the chain. A Dyneema soft shackle has a few advantages such as:

It never falls off
It never slips
It does not wear the galvanising
It does not weaken the chain
It does not jam. If it did it can be cut
It is inexpensive

There is a lot to love

Oh, and my wife makes them for me .

[B00B00]

I agree, after having to bash my old chain hook off the chain with a hammer after one blow i decided i dont want to be having to try and do that on a dark stormy night when i need to get the anchor up in a hurry(dragging into shore, boats dragging on me, big windshift putting me to close to other boats/shore/reef ect). My soft shackle can be cut very easy and also comes right over the bow roller so can be attached and detached from on deck rather that right forward hanging over the bow which is hard on my boat with the anchor roller extending 0.5m forward of the bow.
I struggle to see any disadvantages...

[yachtgemini]

I keep 2 up front... a fairly inelastic 4 metre with a chain hook and a 15 metre stretchy that I will use in addition to the short one in strong conditions.

The short one takes the load off the windlass and relies on the chain catenary to absorb shocks.

If the chain is lifting and straightening out I run the long snubber, as much as possible although I ensure it is not likely to touch the bottom and drop the chain hook.

The long snubber is cheap 3 ply nylon (18mm and 18 ton boat) and does not last long in a good blow. I have used 12mm before but it melted on the bow roller and snapped in extreme conditions.

Ross

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by Fuss

Don't use metal chain hooks for snubbers, they don't work.
.

They work just fine!

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by billknny

I see your appreciation of sarcasm is somewhat underdeveloped...

Not really if you stop and think about it..

[Baltictim]

We spend a few months at anchor in Zihuatanejo, Mexico. Unless the wind or swell really builds I keep my snubber short enough to keep it above water... this relieves the windlass and keeps my snubber bridle from growing a jungle of weed. If the line remains submerged it doesn’t take long before it becomes completely fouled.
The actual bridle allows me to extend to about 20 ft when needed.

[thinwater]

a. I've tested rolling hitches on a number of chains, with a number of ropes, using a load cell. The rolling hitch moves the links around and slips at about 20-30% of the WLL of the chain.
b. I have also had this reported by several well-know long distance cruisers. Their solution was either a camel hitch or two rolling hitches.

If you have not had a rolling hitch slip you have either been lucky or you have never loaded it very hard. And it was the old salts that put me on to this deficiency. A rolling hitch is just not that secure.

---

For me, the fastest method for 1/4" G43 was a Mantus hook. Just a few seconds with one hand. The second choice, even stronger, was a bridle plate of my design. However, neither of these goes over a bow roller well. If I want to feed it over the roller, either a soft shackle or a prusik. All of these are at least as strong as the snubber and never come off.

[daletournier]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

They work just fine!

Agree. I've used one for 9 years and never had a problem.

[boatman61]

I use a rolling hitch.. behind it I allow a bight of chain heavy enough to act as a stopper to prevent possible slippage.. its also important to have the rolling hitch the right way round so its jamming properties work.
Oh.. and I usually finish it with a half hitch.

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by boatman61

I use a rolling hitch.. behind it I allow a bight of chain heavy enough to act as a stopper to prevent possible slippage...
Oh.. and I usually finish it with a half hitch.

The hitch does not move along the chain, the rope slides through.

Yup, a half hitch would make the difference. Anything to secure the tail. That is another proven cure.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by thinwater

The hitch does not move along the chain, the rope slides through.

Yup, a half hitch would make the difference. Anything to secure the tail. That is another proven cure.

Yes, I add a number of rolls, and then a final 1/2-hitch.

But I think the 90-degree crook created by the lazy chain end that is lowered after the rolling hitch is secured also acts as stopper. The hitch isn’t pulling along a horizontal line of chain. It is working against a 90-degree angle.

The only problems I’ve had with rolling hitches are occasionally when anchored in shallow water, and they come in contact with the bottom. So no wind or current, and the boat is lazily wondering around on the chain. I’ve had a hitch work itself off in that scenario.

[robert sailor]

Originally Posted by thinwater

The hitch does not move along the chain, the rope slides through.

Yup, a half hitch would make the difference. Anything to secure the tail. That is another proven cure.

Same way I did my rolling hitch..never had one slip

[Jimmyhenry]

The attached clip is super strong. It simply goes over the whole chain link. It secures at the narrow end. Fool proof. Never falls off. Comes over the bow roller easy.
We cruise the Sth Pacific and experience all winds. We use a 30ft 19mm nylon twisted 3strand snubber. Actually 10 metres but I know people from USA are using imperial measurements. The rest of the world use metric.

[Jimmyhenry]