Mantus Chain Hook

[model 10]

I thought this thing would be the greatest. Not so. In just one funky anchorage it ended up grabbing the chain a second time in it's jaw twice in just 2 weeks time. There was lots of bouncing around and of course tidal shifts. The chain ended up getting hooked in the jaw a second time and for some reason that caused everything to get twisted up into a mess. I had it on a 20' snubber on about 150' of chain in about 20' of water.
Back to a rolling hitch for me.

[Cotemar]

You may want to try a 3/16” Soft Shackle through your chain link to give you a positive connection.
A 3/16” Soft Shackle size will fit through the link of a 5/16 G4 anchor chain as a chain hook.
The 3/16" line dia. has an Average Tensile Strength of 5,400 lbs , .340 finish dia.

[Kashmir cat]

i've drilled small holes on each side of the jaw opening on my Mantus chain hook and looped a stainless seizing wire between them to prevent the chain hook from coming off the chain as it travels over my anchor roller. It seems this wire across the jaw opening would also prevent the chain hook from hooking the chain twice as you described.

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by Cotemar

You may want to try a 3/16” Soft Shackle through your chain link to give you a positive connection.
A 3/16” Soft Shackle size will fit through the link of a 5/16 G4 anchor chain as a chain hook.
The 3/16" line dia. has a 5,400 lbs working load limit, .340 finish dia.

3/16" Amsteel has a breaking strength of 5400 pounds. This is about 1/2 the strength of the chain. The working load is perhaps 4-7 times less than this. The size Amsteel loop that would fit through the G4 links is limitied.

Not sayin' this won't work, just sayin it might as well be matched with a lighter snubber.

[Cotemar]

Thinwater,

Here’s the numbers, so it makes the anchor chain the weakest member of the ground tackle setup.
5/16 G4 anchor chain has a working Load Limit of 3,900 lbs.
3/16" Amsteel Soft Shackle has a Average Tensile Strength of 5,400 lbs
5/8 three strand nylon snubber with rubber snubbers has outstanding stretch.

This system works very well and its fast to connect and un-connect and it will not come loose in shallow water with your bridle riding on the bottom.

The bridle with the rubber snubbers removes any snatch loads from high wind and waves. It’s much more pleasant at anchor in lumpy bad weather.

[Vasco]

What's wrong with just an old fashioned chain hook? Been using one for years. Does the Mantus or the soft shackle work better?

[Cape Charters]

Cotemar, Just ordered one of your soft shackles. What type/brand rubber snubbers are you using in your setup? Thank Dave

[FSMike]

Interesting.

Guy & Cotemar -
I never let my bridle come in contact with the bottom. There's enough stuff down there to snag an anchor rode without doubling your chances.

Kashmir cat -
I attach/detach my bridle forward of the anchor roller, after the anchor is deployed to my satisfaction.

I haven't had any problems with my Mantus hook, and find it easy to move when adjusting the scope for different weather conditions.

By the way, a bridle implies two lines used to control something, be it a cat or a horse. Bridal implies getting married.

[Cotemar]

Originally Posted by Cape Charters

Cotemar, What type/brand rubber snubbers are you using in your setup? Thank Dave

I am using two Falcon Line Master Mooring Snubber for 5/8 line on my Catamaran.

Falcon Safety Mooring Line Snubber / Compensator - 5/8"

Worked great on my Mono hull also.

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by Cotemar

Thinwater,

Here’s the numbers, so it makes the anchor chain the weakest member of the ground tackle setup.
5/16 G4 anchor chain has a working Load Limit of 3,900 lbs.
3/16" Amsteel Soft Shackle has a working load limit of 5,400 lbs
5/8 three strand nylon snubber with rubber snubbers has outstanding stretch.

This system works very well and its fast to connect and un-connect and it will not come loose in shallow water with your bridle riding on the bottom.

The bridle with the rubber snubbers removes any snatch loads from high wind and waves. It’s much more pleasant at anchor in lumpy bad weather.

What confuses me is that I believe you have quoted a WLL of about 2x what well known (Colligo, Kohlhoff) companies quote and individual testers have reported. Could you explain the descrepancy?

Not that I dislike the idea. I've used spectra slings for years. I just wonder where the numbers come from. The SWL for 5mm shackles is generally listed at about 2000 pounds, which is already a very low safety factor compared to other cordage.

[Cotemar]

thinwater,

Here is the 3/16 amsteel line specs, but test have shown Soft Shackles are much stronger than the Average Tensile Strength of 5,400 lbs

Samson AmSteel-Blue Single Braid

[Kashmir cat]

Originally Posted by Cotemar

I am using two Falcon Line Master Mooring Snubber for 5/8 line on my Catamaran.

Falcon Safety Mooring Line Snubber / Compensator - 5/8"

Worked great on my Mono hull also.

I used those snubbers on my winter storm dock lines at some pretty rough marinas in the PNW and loved them. I then put a set on my boat in Florida for the hurricane season. They lasted one season and then completely disenegrated in the sun. I only got one year out of them compared to several years in the PNW. I like the concept of integrating them into a bridle, but they would have to be replaced yearly if cruising the tropics.

[Cotemar]

Originally Posted by Kashmir cat

I used those snubbers on my winter storm dock lines at some pretty rough marinas in the PNW and loved them. I then put a set on my boat in Florida for the hurricane season. They lasted one season and then completely disenegrated in the sun. I only got one year out of them compared to several years in the PNW. I like the concept of integrating them into a bridle, but they would have to be replaced yearly if cruising the tropics.

Not much holds out in the tropic sun. Your rib inflatable needs expensive chaps. Your Catamaran Tramp degrades faster. Your canvas starts to break down. I would rap these snubbers with a sunbrella cover that lets them stretch, but keeps the sun off of them in the tropics.

Where I am, they last over ten years in sun, wind and waves

[colemj]

Originally Posted by Cotemar

thinwater,

Here is the 3/16 amsteel line specs, but test have shown Soft Shackles are much stronger than the working load limit of 5,400 lbs

Samson AmSteel-Blue Single Braid

Samson is very unclear about the published loads on this line. The 5,400 lb figure is the breaking load (tensile strength), not the working load.

The working load would be a multiple below this (pick your poison).

Mark

[Celestialsailor]

I've not yet had a problem with my Mantus chain hook. My feeling is that somehow it ended up lying on the bottom during a low tide.