How to Connect Two Rodes

[tinkrman69]

I have one all chain rode on my primary anchor and 40 foot of chain and 100ft of line on my second, with a thimble on the bitter end so I can attach another line if I need more scope....anchoring in 20+ foot of water. That way when I anchor with two anchors I can easily unwind it at the bow. I've only had need of the configuration described above when anchoring in areas with high tidal current.....causing the boat to ride up on one of the rods and fowling in on the keel. I like that shackle shown above. I drilled a hole through a clevis hook and put a pin in to keep it in place.

the draw back with doing that is, the all chain rode twists up and kinks if I'm there more than a week or so. Unless I were to put a swivel in the chain rode at 40 or 50 feet from the anchor. Which wouldn't be much of a strength problem, but the swivel wouldn't go down my hause pipe to the chain locker. I've tried those stainless streamlined ones and found they don't work with a load of any kind on them...the chain still twists up.

I find it a lot easier to deploy two anchors from the bow and unraveling it once every couple weeks or so and sometimes sooner, when ever it gets 5 or so wraps.

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by knockabout

a stainless shackle or carabiner thin enough to go through the chain link is used all over the place to hold the weight of the boat on the snubber line in just about anything / if you use 2 shackles attached to a short piece of chain looping off your main line then attach your second chain to the centre of the small loop you have doubled the strength of your attachment / half metre length of chain for the loop / another way is to place an anchor on each end of a chain rode a strong anchor swivel shackled to the centre using the chain loop system then attach your anchor chain to the swivel / these can be buoyed off and left in place if you need to move quickly / it pays to have a third anchor on board if that happens - don't ask

Typically these are < 1/2 of the strength of G43 chain. If you have specific examples, please share. Yes, you could use several shackles and equalizing rigging. Same with the loop of chain. I believe I have listed simpler alternatives.

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by tinkrman69

I find it a lot easier to deploy two anchors from the bow and unraveling it once every couple weeks or so and sometimes sooner, when ever it gets 5 or so wraps.

I've never anchored for more than a few days, but I do like this one place where you can spin dozens of times in a day, wind against tide. I counted 8 spins just during dinner one evening! So long as only one rode come over the roller, I could always unwind them in less than a minute.

And that is the point of the thread. The best way to connect the rodes.

[knockabout]

yes thinwater, I didn't explain clearly / mooring shackles have big eyes and are very strong / pass the 1/2 metre length of chain through the eye of the mooring shackle then connect to either side of the centre of the double anchor rode / doesn't have to be stainless shackles to connect through the chain as long as they are quality galv / to leave your bottom tackle in place it's best to use a short length of chain with mooring float attached to the other side of the swivel marked anchor with the boat name and phone number / saves people pulling it up to see what it is while you are over at the fuel wharf topping up victuals / by connecting your main rode to your anchor chain below the float you can adjust the length for swing and comfort to suit the depth / there are many variations some people prefer to cut the chain and connect 2 equal lengths to the swivel with large shackles around the swivel eye then small shackles to the chains / most people don't like to cut a usable length of anchor chain unnecessarily.

[GMac]

If you have one side of the system continuous and want to tap a length off chain off that to another anchor to form a V as shown in the picture earlier about the best option you have is a high load shackle or possibly a dyneema loop. Assorted chain hooks, those fancy chain shackles etc are all weaker than low grade chains and bend easily. Most things with retaining pins are damn good until the pins bend, usually the 1st or second use.

The only real safe option for longish anchoring is to make where the Y meets a connection point meaning 3 bits of chain.

[SVNeko]

My bridle is routinely attached with a soft shackle and has held through hundreds of nights, some including quite high winds. We've used it occasionally for a second anchor precisely as described above. Works a treat and strong like bull.

[SVNeko]

Originally Posted by GMac

If you have one side of the system continuous and want to tap a length off chain off that to another anchor to form a V as shown in the picture earlier about the best option you have is a high load shackle or possibly a dyneema loop. Assorted chain hooks, those fancy chain shackles etc are all weaker than low grade chains and bend easily. Most things with retaining pins are damn good until the pins bend, usually the 1st or second use.

The only real safe option for longish anchoring is to make where the Y meets a connection point meaning 3 bits of chain.

The problem with a shackle is that, unlike at the main anchor end, each link already has two other links through it, leaving insufficient room for a shackle of appropriate size.

[conachair]

Another option would be a spanset attached to the second chain prussiced onto the main chain.