Anchor line snubber

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by CaptTom

I'm still experimenting, and the chain hook seems to work so far, but I'd like to hear more.

I'm also curious as to what's wrong with letting the bridle line run through the eye of the chain hook, rather than splicing two lines, port and starboard. Obviously I'm missing something, but it seems to me it might even absorb more shock loading since it's spread across the whole length, not just one side or the other.

If a bridle rigged like that breaks or comes loose anywhere, it's gone, if you splice it on port and starboard, one side will keep holding even if the other breaks or comes loose.

Besides that, you don't want the bridle just running through the chain hook when the boat veers and one side has a disproportionate load. One point of a bridle is to create some resistance to veering.

[SailFastTri]

Originally Posted by CaptTom

snip
I'm also curious as to what's wrong with letting the bridle line run through the eye of the chain hook, rather than splicing two lines, port and starboard. Obviously I'm missing something, but it seems to me it might even absorb more shock loading since it's spread across the whole length, not just one side or the other.

The principal reason not to allow the bridle to run through an eye, is chafe. If leg of a bridle isn't independent (or fixed by some type of splice/knot) it would slide through the chain hook and saw back and forth as the boat sails around. Even a little movement can become a problem, over time or under extreme storm loads.

[Curmudgeon]

If you can splice nylon (stretchy) line to a chain hook, you can make a decent snubber for under $20. You just want your foredeck cleat to take the load instead of the windlass. You don't need a bridle or anything like that.

If you want to get really fancy, cut up an old hose and use it as chafing gear in the spot where the snubber runs through your hawse hole. Use duct tape to fasten it to the snubber.

[dohenyboy]

and where do you snub the line to? A cleat or sampson post?
A couple of months ago, two "very experienced" boat captains snubbed the anchor line on my boat to the capstan on the anchor windlass.

[colemj]

Originally Posted by dohenyboy

and where do you snub the line to? A cleat or sampson post?
A couple of months ago, two "very experienced" boat captains snubbed the anchor line on my boat to the capstan on the anchor windlass.

If you mean the cleat on top of your windlass, this isn't necessarily wrong. Your windlass should be mounted and backed strongly enough to use as a cleat. When everyone warns against letting the windlass take the load, they are talking about the clutch/gears taking the load. Many windlasses have locking pawls on their gypsy that does allow it to take a load.

Mark

[tomfl]

Originally Posted by Curmudgeon

SNIP

You don't need a bridle or anything like that.

SNIP

Can't speak for monohulls but every multihull I have seen uses a bridle. Even monohulls are capable of sailing at anchor and a bridle helps mitigate this.

[SVNeko]

Originally Posted by colemj

If you mean the cleat on top of your windlass, this isn't necessarily wrong. Your windlass should be mounted and backed strongly enough to use as a cleat. When everyone warns against letting the windlass take the load, they are talking about the clutch/gears taking the load. Many windlasses have locking pawls on their gypsy that does allow it to take a load.

Mark

This is exactly what we do for setting the anchor. Our windlass is extremely strongly installed and we use a short piece of technora on a hook to take the snubbing load off the gypsy. Then set we transfer the load to the bridle.

Sent from my SM-T210R using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by colemj

If you mean the cleat on top of your windlass, this isn't necessarily wrong. Your windlass should be mounted and backed strongly enough to use as a cleat. When everyone warns against letting the windlass take the load, they are talking about the clutch/gears taking the load. Many windlasses have locking pawls on their gypsy that does allow it to take a load.

Mark

+1

Exactly. Some horizontal windlasses (like Lofrans) have a cleat on top specially for this purpose. Even a crappy vertical windlass like mine (Lewmar Ocean) could take the load as long as you tied off the snubber around the capstan drum, so that the gears are not taking the load.

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

+1

Exactly. Some horizontal windlasses (like Lofrans) have a cleat on top specially for this purpose. Even a crappy vertical windlass like mine (Lewmar Ocean) could take the load as long as you tied off the snubber around the capstan drum, so that the gears are not taking the load.

Still puts bending loads on the shaft... could cause a problem if a sudden load came up.

Jim

[Curmudgeon]

Originally Posted by tomfl

Can't speak for monohulls but every multihull I have seen uses a bridle. Even monohulls are capable of sailing at anchor and a bridle helps mitigate this.

LOL, I have a bridle on my mooring pennant and it mitigates nothing. The boat follows the wind and the current and when I get down to the boat everything looks like a pretzel.

But if you want a bridle, that's fine. You need two splices instead of one. Alternatively, just make two snubbers, each with its own chain hook. One goes to the starboard cleat, the other goes to port.

[markpierce]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

...
Gorgeous windlass. Why are so many good boats provided with wimpy vertical windlasses and no sampson posts?

As opposed to horizontal windlasses with sampson posts?

[markpierce]

Recovering snubber:

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by markpierce

As opposed to horizontal windlasses with sampson posts?

Exactly!

[colemj]

Originally Posted by Curmudgeon

LOL, I have a bridle on my mooring pennant and it mitigates nothing. The boat follows the wind and the current and when I get down to the boat everything looks like a pretzel.

But if you want a bridle, that's fine. You need two splices instead of one. Alternatively, just make two snubbers, each with its own chain hook. One goes to the starboard cleat, the other goes to port.

I think you misunderstood tomfl. A bridle doesn't stop one from following the wind and current - it stops one from sailing around when pointed into the wind and/or current.

A bridle is pretty much mandatory on a multihull, and most mono's I have been on also benefit to various extents from a bridle vs. a single snubber. Some mono's don't benefit enough to make a practical difference while others, like our old CCA design with long overhangs, benefit greatly from a bridle.

I have seen mono's tacking back and forth 90* on anchor while continually traveling the downwind 180* of their swing circle.

Mark

[SailFastTri]

Originally Posted by Curmudgeon

LOL, I have a bridle on my mooring pennant and it mitigates nothing. The boat follows the wind and the current and when I get down to the boat everything looks like a pretzel.

But if you want a bridle, that's fine. You need two splices instead of one. Alternatively, just make two snubbers, each with its own chain hook. One goes to the starboard cleat, the other goes to port.

Here's how to avoid knotted mooring pennants, and keep them from wrapping on the chain beneath the ball:
1) Float the pennants so they don't sink when they go slack. (I use inexpensive split closed-cell foam pipe insulation from Home Depot but you could be more "nautical" by using a series of small fishing floats tied every foot or so.)
2) Either use a cylindrical mooring shape, or size your mooring ball so the middle is at or below the waterline. This allows pennants that have wrapped around the ball during a slack period to slide over (not beneath) the float when the wind/current causes the boat to start pulling again.