Anchor bridle aka snubber - advise please

[markguthrie]

I making up an anchor bridle, which I believe is also called a snubber. Here is my plan...wondering if anyone has any input.

- Two separate legs, 20' each, for port and starboard
- Weave in a thimble on each end with a loop on the opposite ends for the cleats
- Attach both of the thimble ends together with a shackle
- Use a hook to attach the shackle to the chain. https://www.e-rigging.com/three-eigh...evis-grab-hook

I have heard that Mantus has good solutions
latest, but not sure it is worth $115:
- https://www.mantusmarine.com/product...el-chain-hook/
Now only available in 1/4"
- https://www.mantusmarine.com/mantus-chain-hook/

Any input? And specifically, thoughts/ideas for attaching the shackle to the anchor chain. 53' Navigator

[tkeithlu]

I'd use a second shackle to attach to the chain. Hooks manage to release themselves. But then, getting two thimbles into one shackle and then adding a shackle for the chain is going to be awkward. You might consider seizing one thimble at the midpoint of a single bridle, and not putting loops at the cleat ends, such that you can adjust the bridle to match different conditions.

All that said, are you anchoring a catamaran?

I use the term snubber slightly differently, but I may be wrong. I think of a snubber as a single length of line taking the load off the chain and supplying some spring.

[ilenart]

I have a similar snubber except:

• I use a splice instead of a shackle to join the two lines together and have a short 6 foot single section;
• my two lines are around 30 feet each and I adjust the length I pay out by tying each one off the forward cleats. I have found in shallow water I can shorten the snubber to stop the hook from hitting the bottom and falling off the chain. Then in windy conditions I can pay out the snubber to provide further stretch.

Ilenart

[Off Trail]

What you've listed will work. We've settled on a single nylon snubber. The rode end has a spliced eye that we soft-shackle to the chain. I like the soft-shackle rather than hooks or hardware to avoid dings in the boat during handling or if the boat rides forward on the rode.

The aft end of the snubber is made fast to a stern cleat. No eye on that end so we can adjust the length by moving the cleat hitch.

-Dan

[Bill O]

We use a double legged bridle w/a ABI chain grabber and ~40' of line for each leg. Also added a piece of tube webbing between the shackle holes so it the chain doesn't pop out.

ABI doesn't make them any more. but Sea Dog makes a similar chain gripper plate.

Here is a write up from PS about the ABI chain grabber.

[Manateeman]

Hi. I’m assuming this Navigator is the power yacht..nice boat. We have three different types. #1 one continuous line twice our beam, I think it’s 3/4” lay line one thimble in the middle, dyneema small stuff to mantis chain hook, deck ends spliced eye. Each leg has rubber shock absorbers. Chafe gear on line.
#2 ,1” Megabraid, each leg twice our boat length plus a 6’ , no eyes, thimble in middle, ultra hook on dyneema. Chafe gear but no rubber snubbers.
#3, 180’ mega braid one piece. Eyes spliced both ends with chafe tubing on eyes. This is hurricane gear. Huge ss swivel used on New Bedford scallop boats.
Line goes Kodiak style from low drag floats on anchor chain to big ss block at waterline eye, up to bow roller and over to post. The snubber is then parallel to the water. Kodiak fishermen know how to anchor.
There was a post on engineering snubbers somewhere on the web...dial in your displacement, beam,etc. You want shock spring but not too much or you yo yo.
We are 60x17, sail 80k #. Hurricane stuff is completely different from day to day but it’s fun to see how fast you can put it out before it starts blowing and rain.
I’m looking at dyneema rather than hooks. You got to be careful with dyneema.
Neat boat. Happy trails to you
Captain Mark and his “slow down in creeks “ manatee friends.

[markguthrie]

Thanks. My vessel is a Navigator stink pot, '53. I would like to use a second shackle to attach to the chain, but I'm concerned about being able to get off of it quickly...when all heck is breaking loose...like high-winds and dragging, probably raining.... ;-)

Originally Posted by tkeithlu

I'd use a second shackle to attach to the chain. Hooks manage to release themselves. But then, getting two thimbles into one shackle and then adding a shackle for the chain is going to be awkward. You might consider seizing one thimble at the midpoint of a single bridle, and not putting loops at the cleat ends, such that you can adjust the bridle to match different conditions.

All that said, are you anchoring a catamaran?

I use the term snubber slightly differently, but I may be wrong. I think of a snubber as a single length of line taking the load off the chain and supplying some spring.

[markguthrie]

Yes, I have heard of that technique, but I am thinking the separate lines will give redundancy.

How often do payout in the 20 to 30' range. I am always second guessing myself on lengths.

Originally Posted by ilenart

I have a similar snubber except:

• I use a splice instead of a shackle to join the two lines together and have a short 6 foot single section;
• my two lines are around 30 feet each and I adjust the length I pay out by tying each one off the forward cleats. I have found in shallow water I can shorten the snubber to stop the hook from hitting the bottom and falling off the chain. Then in windy conditions I can pay out the snubber to provide further stretch.

Ilenart

[markguthrie]

Thanks Dan. What is a soft shackle? For the line, are you using 3-stand nylon anchor rope or something else? I'm pretty sure mine is nylon but not I am not sure, without checking.

I think I will do make the eye for cleating, partly because I want to teach myself how to do it...and also just a little more security for what I think will be the standard length.

What length is yours? Sorry, that sounds bad. ;-)

Originally Posted by Off Trail

What you've listed will work. We've settled on a single nylon snubber. The rode end has a spliced eye that we soft-shackle to the chain. I like the soft-shackle rather than hooks or hardware to avoid dings in the boat during handling or if the boat rides forward on the rode.

The aft end of the snubber is made fast to a stern cleat. No eye on that end so we can adjust the length by moving the cleat hitch.

-Dan

[markguthrie]

Thanks Bill. I had not heard of this before, chain grabber. The link doesn't have a pic and shows it is no longer available (as you said) but I found this, same thing? https://www.ultramarinewest.com/prod...tra-chain-grab and this is the Mantus one https://www.amazon.com/Mantus-Chain-.../dp/B07GRGBQFX

Is this the Sea Dog one? Interesting design. https://www.thechandleryonline.com/p...roducts_id=132

Where are you putting the webbing?

Originally Posted by Bill O

We use a double legged bridle w/a ABI chain grabber and ~40' of line for each leg. Also added a piece of tube webbing between the shackle holes so it the chain doesn't pop out.

ABI doesn't make them any more. but Sea Dog makes a similar chain gripper plate.

Here is a write up from PS about the ABI chain grabber.

[Dsanduril]

I’ll second the soft shackle. We switched from a Mantus hook four years ago and never looked back. Soft shackle is Dyneema in a loop. If you look here on CF for instructions from SeaWorthyLass you can tie your own, or buy for way less than a hook.

[markguthrie]

Thanks, Yes I am a stink potter these days, but also a sailor. The stink pots will spoil you with comfort?

Odyssey is '53, with '15 beam, 40k pounds.
Interesting about the continuous line, so from cleat to cleat? So does the load point move along the line? The how do you attach to the anchor chain?

Originally Posted by Manateeman

Hi. I’m assuming this Navigator is the power yacht..nice boat. We have three different types. #1 one continuous line twice our beam, I think it’s 3/4” lay line one thimble in the middle, dyneema small stuff to mantis chain hook, deck ends spliced eye. Each leg has rubber shock absorbers. Chafe gear on line.
#2 ,1” Megabraid, each leg twice our boat length plus a 6’ , no eyes, thimble in middle, ultra hook on dyneema. Chafe gear but no rubber snubbers.
#3, 180’ mega braid one piece. Eyes spliced both ends with chafe tubing on eyes. This is hurricane gear. Huge ss swivel used on New Bedford scallop boats.
Line goes Kodiak style from low drag floats on anchor chain to big ss block at waterline eye, up to bow roller and over to post. The snubber is then parallel to the water. Kodiak fishermen know how to anchor.
There was a post on engineering snubbers somewhere on the web...dial in your displacement, beam,etc. You want shock spring but not too much or you yo yo.
We are 60x17, sail 80k #. Hurricane stuff is completely different from day to day but it’s fun to see how fast you can put it out before it starts blowing and rain.
I’m looking at dyneema rather than hooks. You got to be careful with dyneema.
Neat boat. Happy trails to you
Captain Mark and his “slow down in creeks “ manatee friends.

[endeavour55]

Please do not splice the second line to the first. I did and it failed at the worst possible time. Not only did the first line part, the original line was so close to parting that I was really lucky to get out of the storm without the stand on line parting. Murphy is such a jerk.

[kas_1611]

I have 2 snubbers, short and long for different expected wind strengths.

Each are single lengths of rope with a figure of 8 on the bight (climbing knot) tied at the mid point so as to give two equal legs. The shorter one uses a "Shockles" rubber snubber with shackles at each end to fasten the Figure of 8 to the chain. The longer one I use a 4.5tonne Dynema soft shackle to fasten the Figure of 8 to the chain.

The short one is 14mm mooring line and approximately 8m long so 2x4m legs
The long one is 9mm dynamic climbing rope (on sale in my local climbing store so a bargain) and is 30m long so 2x15m legs - long enough to tie back to the aft cleats if I need to.
I keep the long snubber out of the water with 2 dynema slings over the bow cleats so the line runs neatly from either midships or aft cleats and helps reduce the amount of swinging at anchor by applying significant pressure against the hull.

I use the long snubber if we are expecting a blow as this has a lot of stretch and the benefit of reducing yawing from side to side. The shorter one is used when swinging isn't so much of an issue in lighter winds as the Shockles adds in a significant amount of shock absorbsion.

That's my way of approaching the snubber but there are many other options. The main thing is to use your snubber to protect your windlass and roller from shock loading and damage.

[AJ_n_Audrey]

I have a Mantis snubber that came with the boat. The "hook" has never come off the chain once set, but it has dropped off multiple times while I was in the process of getting the snubber set, i.e., I had put it on the chain and was in process of letting out chain before the snubber took the load. This has made me leery of the Mantis hook, and so I have ordered a Seadog anchor gripper.