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Sandero · 21-10-2012, 20:20

My experience is limited... Never rode out a hurricane or close on the hook... not left it down in one place for more than a few weeks (in the Caribbean)...

Having said that I use 5/16 chain and a 1" braid on braid nylon line with a eye splice and 3/8" stainless steel shackle which has a REEFING hook made from maybe 5/16 rod stock attached to it. I let out the chain to proper scope... using the windlass... hook the reefing hook which has a deep U or V shape to it... through the chain.... let out another 15 feet of chain and tie off the 1" line to a bow cleat. The snubber line has a mooring compensator with 3 wraps and will stretch when the wind pipes up and pushes the boat and lifts the catenary of the chain. If it doesn't stretch the hook is dragging.

This system has never failed, relieves the tension on the vertical windlass to a deck cleat. The snubber line is led over the bow anchor roller to the deck cleat. No chafe worries.

Retrieval is accomplished by using the windless which take the snubber back over the bow roller where it is unhooked and the rest of the chain is brought up.

In can't even imagine this snubber failing ... but who knows?

jackdale · 21-10-2012, 20:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by rebel heart

Rolling hitch? I've heard people say they pop loose but I've never personally seen it. Knock on teak.

That is what I use. I have used hook systems and find them to be a bother. KISS.

phorvati · 21-10-2012, 21:17

I think you guys might be over-thinking this. I spliced 3 strand braid onto a chain link, I guess its called rope to chain splice. I've been using it since 2005. It held through 2 hurricanes. It was under for abut 16 months while I left my boat unattended. I had two anchors down though, one was a thimble splice onto a hook because I had 300' of chain on that one and not all was down. But the other was a 3 strand splice onto a chain link. I had 100' of chain and another 200ft of rhode. I would trust that knot in a hurricane again. I inspect it every time I use it and it did not change much since I did it.

JonJo · 21-10-2012, 22:15

The rope/chain splice only works if the depth of water suits the chain rope ratio you can deploy, if its shallow you have not enough rope (or none) if its deep you have too much rope. It comes up against a problem if you anchor in coral as then the rope can be devoured overnight.

To allow for these variations if we deploy chain and then have a bridle - we have the chain we need to deploy and with a long enough bridle, 2 x 20' has been mentioned, we use 2 x 40', we have the nylon option to give us the elasticity.

Jonathan

Andrew Troup · 21-10-2012, 23:13

Here's an alternative:

Endless webbing sling, attached to the chain with a kleimheist hitch.
Snubber attached to sling using sheet bend.
Double sheet bend for severe snubbing.
Chafe performance and security are unmatched
Negligible weight, minimal cost.
Fits through the bow roller.
Might even pass round the gypsy and down the navel pipe, depending, if time is of the essence

Beer knots are good for endless slings.

(beer slings as opposed to gin slings)

JonJo · 21-10-2012, 23:25

I've seen one cat using 4x4 snatch retrieval tape, about 2 inch, as a bridle? But it would have no more elasticity than 3 strand nylon or nylon anchor plait?

Jonathan