Sweet . . . I Get to Spend a Grand on New Anchor Chain

[ActiveCaptain]

I just went through a similar situation with my 8 year old 3/8ths chain. Although I had no links as eaten away as badly as what you showed, the first 150' was pretty rusty and was in need of some TLC.

So I pulled out all 400' and with no surprise found that the last half was in pretty great condition. It seemed like a good idea to treat the rust (Ospho + cold galvanizing paint) and flip the chain - maybe giving me another 5 or 8 more years:
http://takingpaws.blogspot.com/2010/...-in-world.html

With your original picture, it's hard to tell if the bad rusted links of your chain are in the middle or in the first 25' (which I'd assume would be the worst). It might be possible to cut 25' off and flip the chain to get some more time out of it. It's something to consider before spending a lot of money.

[Sandero]

The rust and wear are typically at the working end of the chain. No need to toss it all out.

Since it's rare to pay out the whole length you might just cut off the bad section and you're good to go with a shorter chain.

But there is another possibility - add some new chain using a link at the back end which is perhaps a tad weaker but this weak link will be aft of the working part and the chain stopper and so the working chain is not weakened.

You can even use a strong shackle which will not pass your windlass gypsy, and you'll have to pass this chain joint manually into the chain locker, but then you can use the windlass for all the rest of the chain.

I typically use 100' a chain for my anchoring which is mid point of my 200' rode and occasionally use 150', but your anchoring grounds may be very different.

Don't waste your time and money re galvanzing the entire length for a small bit of chain. A bit of rust is not weakening the chain.

[Surveyor]

Originally Posted by Mark Zarley

Want any easy way to clean the rust off your chain, hook it up to your car and drag it around the gravel parking lot, leaves snaky impressions that will have the whole marina talking.

Or sand

[rebel heart]

I just handed it all off to a guy this morning and he carted it off. The bad links where here-and-there, not confined to any one area. I'm out a grand with defender ($770 for 275' feet of HT, plus ~$250 for shipping) for a whole new rode, but I'll take a lot better care of it. Trying maybe to flip it around every year or so.

I bought a good anchor so I could sleep better at night; no sense in cheaping out in other parts of the ground tackle.

http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?...21083&id=32720