Can I extend my anchor chain?

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by Guy

C links should be called "leap of faith links". You have no idea how corroded those 2 little pins are but you still trust it.

Guy, do we need to again remind you that those two little pins are NOT load bearing. They merely hold the two halves of the Cs together. Evans does not even peen them over in his usage... uses some sort of akenpuckey to hold them in place.

In all our years of cruising, we've only known of two chains breaking. neither one had a joining link installed.

It is fine if you don't want to use them, but your belittling of those who do (successfully, for years of full time cruising/anchoring) is getting annoying.

Jim

[brianlara 3]

Gettin' loud again Jim.

[waterman46]

When I bought my boat it had an insufficient length of BBB chain and I added maybe 100 feet to it using the C links. Didn't notice any problem with the gypsy but if so, it really wouldn't be too hard to just wait for a bit of slack to appear when bringing it in then manually yank it past the gypsy.


Appears there is a need for actual test data on C-link strength relative to chain.


I was wondering if it is possible to weld two lengths of chain together - cut last link open, insert first link of the other chain and weld the cut back together? Sure it would not be galvanized any more - and maybe that's the biggest problem long term.


As an aside, I am fairly new to this forum but I have received lots of great and thoughtful advice here. I am somewhat surprised, given the usual mature and courteous demeaner of the majority of posts, to see childish use of terms like "FOS" being used here. I don't think folks who present their ideas honestly deserve to be treated so rudely, and certainly without some explanation of the disagreement.


Doug

[Terra Nova]

Jim--try not to take it so personally. Not everyone wants to trust the safety of his vessel to a cobbled together anchor rode, regardless of how many times others may have got away with it.

Doug--welding would seem to be the absolute worst way to join sections of chain, unless it were done under certified lab conditions with Xray and other testing.

[brianlara 3]

I'm new too Doug. FOS etc seems rare but there a few here who love to draw attention to themselves at the expense of others. Who knows? awful life experiences souring the? poor breeding?
Plenty of good people too, truckloads.
With some notable encouragements I'm hangin' there, filtering out the seaweed.

[model 10]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Guy, do we need to again remind you that those two little pins are NOT load bearing. They merely hold the two halves of the Cs together. Evans does not even peen them over in his usage... uses some sort of akenpuckey to hold them in place.

In all our years of cruising, we've only known of two chains breaking. neither one had a joining link installed.

It is fine if you don't want to use them, but your belittling of those who do (successfully, for years of full time cruising/anchoring) is getting annoying.

Jim

I don't think I've belittled anyone, I just don't think you understand how a C link fails. If you want to use one fine and I don't give a rip what you think either.

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by Guy

Plenty of fat guy's weigh 250. I see several fat guy's in one dinghy all the time. Replace 1 or 2 fat guy's with chain, no problem.

I resemble that remark!!! ... and who rows the dinghy if I get out to let the chain in?..answer me that

Seriously I thought the Q from 'OurH' was about bringing chain out to the yacht from ashore. Simply lower from dock to dinghy and bring aboard using the spare roller or take the working chain of the roller and secure it to a cleat if you only have one roller.

[brianlara 3]

Gotta love Guys style.

[brianlara 3]

Terra Nova. You sent me a PM and I lost it, can't find it, in a maze (daze?).
Please resend.

[Terra Nova]

Re-sent.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by Guy

Hey Ann; Ships use anchor chain with studs in the links (stud link chain.) It keeps the chain links from collapsing in the middle which is the failure mode of chain. Picture a chain link with a stud in the middle between both sides. You can't call this feature anything feminine, sorry.

....but, what the "stud" looks like is totally up to your imagination. I won't post a pic of a "stud" link and spoil it for you.

[colemj]

Originally Posted by waterman46

Appears there is a need for actual test data on C-link strength relative to chain.

There is, and a link to it was given in post #2: https://coxengineering.sharepoint.com/Pages/Clinks.aspx.

It lists the test data for different C-link brands, as well as for the chain. It also shows the failure mode of a C-link.

These actual experimental data don't agree with the personal biases of a couple of the posters here who have no actual experience with them or their use, so the results tend to get glossed over and redirected.

Spoiler alert: they had to use 10mm chain to test a 8mm C-link because the 8mm chain was breaking and deforming before the C-link breaks. Also, the failure mode is not anything like what has been presented here as "fact".

Mark

[carambo46]

Colemj
Thank you
most liked answer.
Lol

[Canibul]

Originally Posted by colemj

There is, and a link to it was given in post #2: https://coxengineering.sharepoint.com/Pages/Clinks.aspx.

It lists the test data for different C-link brands, as well as for the chain. It also shows the failure mode of a C-link.

These actual experimental data don't agree with the personal biases of a couple of the posters here who have no actual experience with them or their use, so the results tend to get glossed over and redirected.

Spoiler alert: they had to use 10mm chain to test a 8mm C-link because the 8mm chain was breaking and deforming before the C-link breaks. Also, the failure mode is not anything like what has been presented here as "fact".

Mark

Personally, I have to wonder about a sailor who settles for only G40 chain knowing full well that grade 80 and 100 and titanium chain is available for the application. Don't we all need anchor chains strong enough to stretch the shank on a six ton anchor? I know I certainly do!
I use titanium chain, hot dipped with unobtainium. It costs eleventy six dollars a millimeter and I change it ever three weeks whether it needs it or not. Don't even think of arguing with me, you KNOW I'm right.

People using 3/8" G30 should be keel hauled for even considering anchoring upwind of us.

[Liam Wald]

Originally Posted by brianlara 3

Acco swivel.
Please dear poster, Im very inexperienced. Would you explain to me how you get the swivel to pass thru the gypsy. But if it can't, how do you man-handle it around the gypsy
'into the hawser, especially when there is so much load on the chain (6knots current or 50kt winds) that the catenary has virtually disappeared?
My boat is small so I don't know much and am keen to learn.
To those who expoll the virtues of joiners....are these joiners always as strong as the chain, g3, BBB, or whatever?
Is it just me who thinks that the a/chain of my home should have no potentially weak links.
Some of these posts bewilder me, but, then my small boat has never travelled more than 150nm of the Tasman Sea in one trip, nor in anything more than 4 metre seas.
I feel life a fish out of water as a poster....should it be a requirement that to qualify as a poster one MUST have, at least, crossed one of the 3 oceans?
Or own a boat valued at in excess of, an arbitrary figure, say $75,000 USD.
Or perhaps have graduated university minimum 3 times.
Drifting here.....
Please help.
SO...many posts confuse me.
In anticipation, thanks Brian Metcalfe.

It will not pass a gypsy.
BTW, if you are in 6 knots of current and 50 knot winds and are using your windlass to haul in the ground tackle, my guess is that even if the windlass completes the task without exploding you will have a lot more problems than getting a chain swivel passed a gypsy.