My Lucky Wire

[troppo]

I have a small piece of twisted wire which I show people and tell 'em it is my lucky wire. They look at it puzzled and ask me why it is lucky. I say it is lucky I found it.

On my first sail with my new (old) boat, I had spent weeks cleaning and fixing and had checked the anchor rode but not closely. The old rusty CQR was replaced with a shiny new Sarca of about $500 worth. Due to a variety of problems, I ended up returning to the mooring after a long day on the water instead of anchoring out in a choppy sea.

Later, I did check the chain closely, and was stunned to find it was two lengths joined together by fencing wire. If I had anchored for the night, most likely I would have lost the Sarca and risked life and boat. I shudder to imagine me sleeping soundly, relaxed knowing the anchor holds so well, but drifting slowly toward the rocks because the wire had given way.

In the anchor well, I also found two shackles, one of which would have been perfect for joining the chain. In a box in the cabin were a half dozen shackles. Makes me wonder about the previous owner who used the wire but also makes me blush that I did not adequately check such a key safety item as the chain.


Can you spot what is wrong in this picture?

[Therapy]

............

[chadlaroche]

WOW ! would make a good necklace !

[Khagan1227]

You don't suppose someone in a chandlery might have "tied" some lengths of chain together to combine two lengths of chain into one for easier storage?

I can't imagine any owner silly enough to trust that wire to hold their boat in any kind of weather.