Marine Growth on Anchor Chains

[Steve_C]

What does everyone use (If anything) to keep the growth, and smell that goes with it, off of the anchor chain when it spends so much time in the water??

[Vasco]

I anchor a lot sometimes for a couple if weeks but I don't have any growth on my chain.

[RaptorDance]

This isn't usually a problem unless you are in one place for a long time or the waters are "nutrient rich". Zihuatanejo bay is the worst we've seen. After 5 days our chain looked like a bottle brush.

To clean - We have a three sided brush we use when hauling up the anchor. The other strategy that works if the bottom is sandy is to vary your scope every few days and let the normal movement around the anchor clean the section of chain that's down in the sand.

[Cheechako]

I think it depends on where you are. Once after being anchored 4 weeks I tried to leave and actually had to delay a day the chain was so bad!.... I mean it was like 3 or 4" diameter! I dont know what you can do about it... some say to let out chain every now and then so the dragging on the bottom gets rid of the growth... the growth is mostly from the top of the water to the sea bottom. Sounds like a good plan to me, let out one depth of water one week and pull it in the next....

[speciald@ocens.]

Simpson Bay Lagoon in St Maarten is the worst I've ever experienced. Long, hairy growth quickly accumulates. Weuse a deck brush and high pressure hose when we haul the anchor.

[billyehh]

I use a wire brush and seawater when I lift the anchor. It takes a while, but the first 10 to 15 feet is really the only part that needs a lot of scrubbing. Once the chain is away from sunlight the growth is reduced.

Varying the length of chain helps as well as moving every few days. But when you find that perfect spot it is sometimes hard to move.

[Solitude]

On Smaller boats it’s wise to use gloves if doing it by hand. I have had some nasty stings from Jellyfish tentacles tangled in the line.

[GordMay]

Rope & Chain Cleaning Tools:

You can fabricate a DIY chain/rope cleaner:

Assemble a "TEE" fitting with plastic pipe.
The horizontal 'top' of the T will be just large enough to easily draw the rope through.
The vertical 'stem' of the T will be fitted with a garden hose adaptor (perhaps /w a shut-off valve).
Attach the garden hose to the adaptor, and /w water running, pull rope, back & forth, through 'top' tee sleeve.

Or purchase one of these: