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Old 30-01-2011, 13:09   #1
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Joining Chain

I have 225 feet of G4 chain and am looking at adding an additional 100 feet as we are heading for the South Pacific and want to have enough chain for the anchorages out there. Any suggestions as to the best way to splice chain together? I've seen the extra links that have to be bent to be joined and then there is the one with small rivet like protrusions that you pound down to fix the joint.
Anyone out there have any history joining chain. While the extra length won't get used often, it will be nice to have. I don't want to have to buy all 300 feet of new chain.
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Old 30-01-2011, 19:22   #2
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There's enough thread history on this topic you'd find using the search function.

I'll quote myself:

1) The strongest and simplest way is going to be with two high load shackles.
2) The permanent but most involved way is to get a link custom fabricated in place. You will have to proof test the section including the new link to 50% the chain's break figure.
3) A semi-permanent C link per this thread. See below.

C-links

YBW in the UK published a destruction test of connectors including C links some time ago. The author's own write-up is online, see link above. The predictable answer is that you get what you pay for, most are junk, some are okay. Chicken Little rants to avoid C links per se are ignorant of the facts.

In the context of 8 mm G40 chain, the ACCO connector was 96% as strong as the chain and the Crosby connector was 92%.
Measurable reductions but workable if you know about them. Maintain the link, keep it clean and examine for wear routinely.

The American C-links above are more likely to suit American chains, anecdotal reports are that they are fine even with metric EN and DIN too even if they don't match the chain dimensions exactly.
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Old 30-01-2011, 20:05   #3
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any reason not to use a "quick link" (defender link)?
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Old 30-01-2011, 20:28   #4
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Check the Hammerlock connectors
Hammerlock Link
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Old 30-01-2011, 20:35   #5
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G'Day again Craig,

Can you identify a vendor for Acco (if still as good as at test time) or Crosby c-links in Australia? All we seem to find are the Chinese stainless ones, and the one industrial chain vendor I found said that they were not approved for sale in Oz.

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Old 30-01-2011, 20:53   #6
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Can't help you with Aus sorry Jim. In NZ frankly I expect specific American brands like this to be a special order deal - there is www.chainsropesandanchors.co.nz who list Crosby C-links, give them a call maybe - postage 'cross the Tasman wouldn't be much. Don't trust their web listings, they seem mixed up with Maggi and it doesn't look as though what's listed is the same as in the YBW test above. Alternatively best to phone Crosby in Oklahoma or Peerless in Minnesota and ask them who their Australian importer is.

I would avoid stainless for this particular application on account of the restricted geometry, unless it's a high grade duplex (unlikely) it's going to be either 316 or a ferritic grade, neither of which is appropriate.
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Old 31-01-2011, 00:47   #7
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You may get by just fine with 225' of chain. In French Polynesia, we never used all 230' of our chain. With the exception of one Island in the Tuamotus where no amount of chain would have been enough, we seldom anchored in more than 40' of water and usually 1/2 that. Understand that there are some areas further west with extremely deep anchorages but believe they are few and far between. You might be better just adding a 100' or more of nylon for those occasional times that you need it.

Might want to do a search of this site as I believe there was a thread about chain lengths needed some time back, if you haven't already researched it.
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Old 31-01-2011, 04:34   #8
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The big question is if the "link" needs to go through a gypsy? If it does the link NEEDS to be similar dimensioned to the chain itself... If not, use whatever you want that is load rated similar to the chain
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Old 02-02-2011, 01:35   #9
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You may get by just fine with 225' of chain. In French Polynesia, we never used all 230' of our chain. With the exception of one Island in the Tuamotus where no amount of chain would have been enough, we seldom anchored in more than 40' of water and usually 1/2 that. Understand that there are some areas further west with extremely deep anchorages but believe they are few and far between. You might be better just adding a 100' or more of nylon for those occasional times that you need it.
I was going to make a similar comment.

After having been right through the South Pacific and now most of the southern high latitudes places, including the Patagonia fjords/channels and Antarctica, we can reach some conclusions about 'required' chain lengths. There's no place on the planet that necessitates deeper water anchoring for cruising yachts.

Basically there is never the need to anchor in water much deeper than about 30 m / 100' (and if there is - anchoring in the middle of god knows where - you can safely use rope). 60 m / 200' of chain will give you 2:1 scope in that, which is going to be enough mostly (you do get some useful catenary effect with that much chain out). More scope is easily attained with rope, with no danger to it - 2.5:1 scope would require an extra 15 m / 50' of rope, which could never reach more than halfway to the bottom in flat calm conditions, and up to near 3:1 could usually be attained perfectly safely.

So we're happy now to conclude that this figure of 60 m is about as much chain as is ever needed.

Of course 'needed' and 'required' is not the same as 'wanted' or 'desired' - Kiwi Roa has 100 m of chain, more for convenience than anything. She lost 20 m in an incident in Nassau - had to cut the rode and anchor and dump it - before heading across the Pacific, and the 80 m left was a bit of a pain in the Societies a few times - it's no fun manually handling the chain-to-rope transition with 40 m of 12 mm chain hanging off the bow.
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Old 02-02-2011, 06:15   #10
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Originally Posted by mestrezat View Post
I have 225 feet of G4 chain and am looking at adding an additional 100 feet as we are heading for the South Pacific and want to have enough chain for the anchorages out there. Any suggestions as to the best way to splice chain together?

A "connecting link" is a commonly used solution - we used one for years and never had a problem with it.

However we have now switched to a dyneema/spectra lashing - stronger than the steel. I did this after noticing that the dyneema lashings on my mainsail clew chafed less (eg essentially not at all) than the Harken HT stainless shackles did (they would be noticeably worn at the contact point). There is a very very slight/remote chance that such a lashing could get cut by some coral if caught in just exactly the wrong way, so a belt and braces approach of a connecting link plus a lashing would be the bulletproof solution.

I also agree with the posts above that 225' of chain plus 100' of rope would generally do ok in the pacific, but 300' would be more comforting in a few anchorages. We crossed the pacific the first time with only 150' of chain plus rope, but that was a centerboard boat and we could almost always sneak into shallow water.
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Old 02-02-2011, 06:40   #11
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any reason not to use a "quick link" (defender link)?
A threaded “Quick Link” will have a much lower rated Working Load Limit than corresponding sizes of chain.

Ie: A 3/8" “Quick Link” is only rated 2200 lbs. WLL, whereas 3/8 G30 Chain is rated 2650 WLL,
and
a 1/4" Quick Link is rated 880 WLL, vs 1/4" chain @ 2200 lbs.
The comparison is even worse vs high test G40/43 chain.

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Old 02-02-2011, 07:03   #12
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....
However we have now switched to a dyneema/spectra lashing - stronger than the steel. I did this after noticing that the dyneema lashings on my mainsail clew chafed less (eg essentially not at all) than the Harken HT stainless shackles did (they would be noticeably worn at the contact point). There is a very very slight/remote chance that such a lashing could get cut by some coral if caught in just exactly the wrong way, so a belt and braces approach of a connecting link plus a lashing would be the bulletproof solution.
....
Evans,
How are you tying or splicing the dynema onto the chain?
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Old 02-02-2011, 08:02   #13
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Evans,
How are you tying or splicing the dynema onto the chain?
I use the 'standard french racing dyneema lashing' approach. A buntline hitch (with a couple stitches sewn thru to stop slipping) to attach one end of the line to a chain link, then the lashing (4 times around, then half hitches to secure the other end to the lashing, then sew the end of the half hitches to stop slipping and then some rubber rigging tape over the top to make it look clean. Takes no time at all and not much money. The strength reduction of the bunt line hitch is not so important because of the multiple lashing loops.

The only trick is to get the lashing one chain link long, so it will run around the windless well.
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Old 02-02-2011, 08:26   #14
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Seafit clink 3/8 = 2000+ lbs. Available @ your local chandlery. No problem for gypsy as you're only using it in one link.
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Old 02-02-2011, 08:58   #15
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IF it doesn't have to work perfectly around the gypsy at the connection, you can connect G-4 chain end for end, with HT G-4 / "H connectors" sold at common US marine stores. If you get the largest size pin that will go through the links, it is stronger than the G-4 chain itself, and less clunkey than two (one size oversized) bow shackles back to back.

I would replace the cotterpins with SS, and wrap the clevis pins end of the connector with "rig rap" rubber tape, to keep the cotter pins from snagging any rope sections in the rode.

If you remove the tape and inspect at 6 monthe, and replace at one year old, this should be quite reliable. Like I said, They're CHEEP!

Mark

The "H" piece is hot dipped, but the hardened clevis pins, (held in with cotter pins), is only plated. They are really inexpensive, so I would change them out the minute it looked like it needed it.
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