Regalvanization of anchor chain

[CassidyNZ]

Reversing the chain to avoid using the rusty bits is a bad idea in my opinion.

I haven’t done it but I have had a spare chain on which the galv had deteriorated and it lay in the anchor locker for a longer-than-usual time. A month ago I ditched both my old chains and put new chain on the boat. When I came to remove the spare chain it had rusted into an almost solid ball that took me a couple of hours to separate with a jimmy bar and big screwdriver. When I vacuumed the locker after removing the chain, I got nearly half of my shop vac filled with rust particles. Never seen such a mess.

Having rust-inclined chain from reversing ends lying in the locker that rarely sees the light of day and lies under the “good” chain will produce a similar result.

Having new chain with no rust on deck and a windlass working exactly as it should is well worth the extra coin I paid (over re-galving).

[Godshalk]

My sad experience: a yard in Ulsteinvik, Norway suggested re-galvanizing and I agreed. I left the yard in the spring and sailed north to an anchorage. The newly re-galvanized chain would not come out of the hawse hole as every third or fourth link was welded to its neighbor. I have no idea how they got it into the chain locker but they created a serious safety issue, as they must have known. I then proceeded to a dock and spent the next day with hammers and wrenches breaking the welds. But that left residue so that the chain would no longer fit on the gypsy. Also, they did the galvanizing with the anchor attached, which welded the shackle closed. I have subsequently heard that the heat of re-galvanizing weakens the chain. (BTW, I replaced the chain with higher strength, smaller/lighter and longer but more expensive chain and have been happy with that.)

[Brewgyver]

To all who encounter premature rusting, and or loss of galvanization, you may want to have a good boat electrician check for stray voltage using the chain for a conductor... Pretty sure there are threads on here about that possibility.

[Simi 60]

Originally Posted by Godshalk

. I have subsequently heard that the heat of re-galvanizing weakens the chain. (BTW, I replaced the chain with higher strength, smaller/lighter and longer but more expensive chain and have been happy with that.)

Re galvanising high test chain will bring it back to standard chain strength but regalvanising standard chain does not affect its strength.

The acids used to clean the chain apparently also has an affect on high test chain causing hydrogen embrittlement.

[wsmurdoch]

I have had anchor chain re-galvanized by both AZZ in Bristol, VA and by South Atlantic in Haw River, NC. In both cases there was a (approx) 275 lb minimum charge which I met by adding anchors and short lengths of chain. The cost was about 1/2 of new chain. Both did an excellent job. I dropped off and picked up my orders while traveling, so transport cost were zero. Two years ago when I checked neither was doing chain any more. Both had more structural steel business than they could take and had no reason to take on a labor intensive job. I was forced to buy new chain, but got a deal on a whole drum. Maybe with the current market conditions...

[sailian89]

Painting an anchor chain results in paint chips all over, some get ground into the deck and stain. DONT PAINT! We are happy having regalvanized but did so in NZ at a place set up for it, both anchor and chain. Two years of heavy use, full time live aboard so lots of up and down with electric windlass, lots of ware. Three hundred feet of half inch chain. We also paid just under half cost of new. If u can find a place which specializes in it and cost is half of new go for it!

[GILow]

Adelaide is a long way away for the OP, but I had mine done here for a low cost and very well finished. (No sticky links)

One thing I did before I took the chain to be galvanised was drag it gently up and down a sandy dirt road for a few km to clean it up. The galvanising guys were very impressed and said they’d recommend the same approach to anyone who had significantly messy chains.

On the whole strength thing, my galvanisers said that you could regalvanise chain at least once, twice at a pinch, but no more after that as the process weakens it. They are a big outfit who service most of the South East of Australia so I am inclined to trust their advice.

[Caliber40]

Had my chain regalvanized just North of Richmond Va. Try Virginia galvanizing in Ashland Va...turned out great! There are 2 other regalvanizers in this area!

[Akapeterc]

Here in Australia we can get 90 m of 8 mm chain re-galvanised for less than $200 takes about three days from the time you drop it there to when you get it back that includes cleaning the chain before they were galvanised it is definitely worth it

[billgewater]

Re-galvanizing usually involves either chemical and/or physical cleaning. Don't hand over the chain if it has paint on it as this usually means that blasting is required.
Zinc is a very active metal and it protects the chain by being sacrificial. If you use any acid to clean the chain, any zinc will react with the acid and thus be depleted.
The usual process is that the chain is run through molten zinc and this largely explains why you are charged by the chain mass. It is the chain mass that absorbs the heat which the factory must continuously replace. Zinc is not a particularly expensive metal.
According to my local galvanizing agent the cleaning process is really a major cost whereas new steel chains are actually clean on arrival at the galvanizing yard. The removed zinc usually ends up as a water soluble salt and is an environmental problem as zinc effects both flora and fauna. Zinc oxide is used in talcum powders and in most copper based anti foulings due to its toxic anti fungal properties. This helps explain why new galvanized chain is usually about the same price as re-galvanized chain.
As mentioned by others, the chain needs to be spun after it leaves the molten zinc bath to prevent excess zinc locking up of the links and you should check with the galvanizing yard that they can actually do this.
Zinc can be applied by electroplating, but it is an expensive process considering the amount of zinc required. It also tends to be not reasonably uniform in thickness around each link.
An alternative is to cut off the seriously rusted part of your chain and replace that section with new chain. Check out the joining links which are usually available at most chandlers. Check the load rating of the joining links as some are possibly questionable. Obviously the joiners must match the chain perfectly to avoid gypsy problems.
You can also extend the life of any galvanizing by spraying the incoming chain with fresh water.
One cruising boat I encountered had a fairly short chain but had a very long nylon (stretchy) rope attached. At a few places along the rope they would attach a large lump of metal. It seemed to work for them but I am not sure it would be a good idea near a reef.

[captlloyd]

You might try a product called POR. It goes on like paint but it is not paint, it reacts with rust and forms an almost ceramic like coating, very hard. If you reverse your chain and coat the rusty end you would save a lot of money and you can do it yourself. I have used it and was impressed by its durability. POR is popular in the auto restoration world, very good on frames and suspension components. Google POR coatings.

[captlloyd]

Originally Posted by captlloyd

You might try a product called POR. It goes on like paint but it is not paint, it reacts with rust and forms an almost ceramic like coating, very hard. If you reverse your chain and coat the rusty end you would save a lot of money and you can do it yourself. I have used it and was impressed by its durability. POR is popular in the auto restoration world, very good on frames and suspension components. Google POR coatings.

Forgot to add that there are some great POR Company videos on YouTube. The one where the guy is coating a wire wheel would be similar to what you want to do. Also once the cans are opened you must use it all so you might want to buy smaller cans if you can’t do the job in one session. If you try this idea let us know how it turned out.

[contrail]

I am also in the re-galvanize crowd. In 2010 I was in the Chesapeake for the summer. My five year old chain was shedding rust badly (ACCO, schedule 40, from West Marine). To be fair, I am based in the Caribbean and anchor a lot. Anyway, there was no one between Trinidad and the DR that could regalvanize. Even Puerto Rico which has a good bit of heavy industry. Anyway, I was at Solomon's Island, not far from the OP, and I found a place just north of Richmond. Looking at the posts, I think it may have been Ashland, as several have mentioned. It's a huge, well organized but very toxic looking plant, and was very busy, but they did a super job. It cost about 40% of new chain, and came back like new, although the galvanizing was definitely thicker. Ten years later, it has barely rusted. I would do it again, in a heartbeat. I also started rinsing the chain in fresh water, which I think really helps, as well. If you buy new chain, you are just buying another poorly galvanized chain, it seems to me.

[akopac]

Originally Posted by skipmac

I have had chain regalvanized twice by a plant in Jacksonville FL and am very happy with the quality and cost. It was a fraction of the cost of new chain and the results were excellent.



Only issue, they have a minimum you have to pay no matter the size of the job (they do it by weight). So I got together another boater and with about 350-400' total 3/8" BBB we had enough to meet the minimums.

I did the same thing with several buddy boats in Ecuador. We arrange for a chain pickup at the dinghy dock. Couple days later the dropped all are chains off.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by Gregg927

I had mine regalvanized by Metalplate in Jacksonville, Florida. The first 1,000 pounds was about $325, I had only, maybe, 400 pounds. I was very pleased. I do regret not gathering all of my gear (dinghy anchors, spare rode, etc).

This is where I had chains galvanized twice. Both times I went in with another boater so the cost to each of us was only half the minimum, about $170 or so.

When I picked up the chain a few links were stuck together but just lightly and a tap with a hammer freed it up.

Considering 200' of new 3/8 BBB would run close to $1,000 with shipping regalvanizing was an easy decision.

Been using one of the chains for several years now and it's still good as new.