G'day
Gulfislander. On my 32fter of some 7000lb I have a Alloy 60 Spade 15mts of 7mm chain (pretty much the same a s US 1/4" HT) followed by 12mm Polyester Brait. I don't have a
winch, an Anchor Wench I do, if said out of her earshot.
I use the Spade due to it's weight while I'm in
Race mode, it works well. I've had a Rocna 10 on for a few months and had zero issue with it, it also worked very well. I would like to go to a Rocna 8 but they don't make one. The 6 is a fraction lite even for me. I do have
gear lighter than most similar boats, don't take this one
offshore but do extended open
water coastal and
race it often.
I'd say with the 5/16" chain and a Rocna 10 you'd be well parked. If for a bit of extra peace of mind I don't see any problem going up to a 15 and then you'll be very well parked. Actually the 15 on the
rope and chain you suggest would be a very good system and I don't see any reason to up size anything more.
Almost all common shackles are made in
china now. The loads can be surprisingly low but then failures are not common. All ways go to the biggest size you can fit. You could find a Green Pin which are a hi-load shackle and very reliable.
As for a Snubber if you follow Pblais
advice you'll be all good to go. Some just use a
single line but as Snubbers are prone to chafe if not watched having 2 legs does give you some level of 'redundancy', all ways a handy thing in 50kts. There are some off-the-shelf hooks you can use. The Wichard Gord shows is an interesting item. The lock pin can be handy to stop it falling off during deployment but I suspect it could be bent if your not careful.
I like your thinking Gulfislander and agree you're on the right track.