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Old 15-12-2024, 11:57   #1
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Repurposing old chain

We all have baskets of old rope. Some of it is good with a chafed spot. Some will get used around the yard or for doubling up in storms. Some folks weave rugs. I spliced my daughter some bear can cozies she loves, but you don't need that many!

What about chain? Often we are switching sizes , getting a longer chain, or just some of it is bad but there are good sections.
  • Dinghy rode leader.
  • Kellet. A small chain coil is easier to deal with than a weight.
  • Chafing leader for dock lines on a concrete dock.
  • Fishing sinkers. Better than leaving lead in the pond. I wonder how it would work trolling.
  • Curtain weights. Only if the galv is still good.
  • Drift anchor. Drag a length when fishing to slow the boat. Adjust by lifting. I've used chain as an anchor when kayak fishing in rocky areas; it doesn't snag as easily and it is free.
  • Drogue weights (not part of the rode, only the tail).
Ideas? I've got a few hundred feet I should do something with. I've done the ones in blue.
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Old 15-12-2024, 12:41   #2
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Re: Repurposing old chain

Donate it to a sailing club: It can be used to moor the course marks they use for racing. Or ask your local shipwright (if you have one) if he wants it. He'll find uses for it. Ours did.

We have often needed to have a drogue for towing the dinghy downwind in 25-35 kn. and made the drogue from old rope and old chain.

We found a jib sheet with diesel on it in the dumpster at the marina. I washed it, and we used that one for the towing generator we had on the previous boat.

We actually keep quite a bit of disused rope, you never know what you'll need it for, i.e.
as you mention for doubling up on someone's lines who are away and you have seen the chafe there. And in fact for springing the boat sometimes. For towing. We actually made up a floating line towing bridle in case we needed to tow our friends with rudder damage. Didn't need it, but it has been repurposed for "brake" in docking. It goes from midships to the outermost cleat on a floating dock.

We've used old rope to hold down the bottom of hatch screens, amorphous blobs to keep out mozzies but let air in, and for a net cockpit enclosure. The netting blows around, but the old genoa sheet holds it down just fine. Also, for dinghy docking lines.

You've found more to use old chain for than we did. But we do have a circle, for trying to un-snag an anchor, as well as the aforementioned drogue.

Lead trolling weights don't rust the lures.

Ann
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Old 15-12-2024, 15:10   #3
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Re: Repurposing old chain

If you are in a rural area you can probably find someone who would throw it in the back of their pickup for a tow chain. Or short pieces used to lock a gate.
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Old 15-12-2024, 15:21   #4
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Re: Repurposing old chain

I just went through this when I replaced rusty old chain for bright shinny new stuff. I actually had a number of people lined up to take the old stuff.

I gave it to a local diesel mechanic, with the hopes of building a little good-will karma points. No idea what he wanted it for. But shortly thereafter another local boater asked for it. And then the marina manager inquired whether he could have it.

So my worries about what to do with the old stuff was wasted angst. Lots of people want old chain ... for whatever reason.
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Old 15-12-2024, 15:24   #5
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Re: Repurposing old chain

We use old chain in the garden to hold down the bird netting at the edges. Also wrapped around the seat it helps weigh down the tractor for snowplowing.
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Old 16-12-2024, 11:12   #6
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Re: Repurposing old chain

Perhaps a less common use for old chain; we keep a few hanks of used chain [but not weeping rust] for the rare times we need to set shore fasts and there are only boulders to attach to. [Chain chokers are easier to manage than galvanized cable, and don’t get kinks if put under strain…]

Artistic welders will use it to fabricate solid objects like street-side mailbox supports, etc.

I have also seen it used as a ‘downspout’ on rain gutters on buildings. The water follows the chain providing much more entertainment than the typical enclosed downspout…

Cheers, Bill
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Old 16-12-2024, 15:50   #7
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Re: Repurposing old chain

Interesting discussion. I especially liked the down pipe idea, will give that a test.

For those that have to tie off to shore points whilst waiting out heavy weather, attaching ropes to short lengths (2-3 mtrs) of chain that encircle trees or rocks on shore helps with a feeling of security. And what I am getting at here is that chain can much better handle chafe against such surfaces.

More generally old chain makes a very cheap and effective fence or gate when strung between strong bollards.

At the sailing club we use short lengths of a metre or so to act as anchors on racing marks. They work very well and are safer and easier to handle in a rib (no sharp pointy bits).

Another really good use is to add bulk and weight to concrete moorings. Typically these are a cubic metre. We make a form and then pour the concrete, adding any scraps of old iron that we've kept for the day. Rusty chain, the odd bit of rail iron, once or twice an old engine block.

And for non structural concrete post holes, paths or driveways old chain is much cheaper than rebar.
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Old 16-12-2024, 17:55   #8
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Re: Repurposing old chain

Some of my old chain that was structurally fine but rusting where one link rubs on the next is now painted and runs post-to-post around a cemetery. A 105 ft length in similar condition was donated to a trail crew and is dragging stones and logs through the woods to build steps and such on hiking trails.
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Old 17-12-2024, 01:11   #9
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Re: Repurposing old chain

Because we don't want to girdle trees, i think it is best to cover (temporarily) the chain links with heavy canvas before we use our chain on the trees.

Ann
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Old 18-12-2024, 09:26   #10
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Re: Repurposing old chain

Quote:
Originally Posted by JPA Cate View Post
Because we don't want to girdle trees, i think it is best to cover (temporarily) the chain links with heavy canvas before we use our chain on the trees.
Ann
Yes absolutely and Ann makes a great point I neglected.
We've some lengths of old fire hose for that task.
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Old 18-12-2024, 09:49   #11
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Re: Repurposing old chain

I just thought of two gates that need weighted closers! I always liked these better than springs.

I could buy the cannonballs, but perhaps a tight loop of chain would do as well.


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Old 20-12-2024, 08:40   #12
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Re: Repurposing old chain

Quote:
Originally Posted by thinwater View Post
We all have baskets of old rope. Some of it is good with a chafed spot. Some will get used around the yard or for doubling up in storms. Some folks weave rugs. I spliced my daughter some bear can cozies she loves, but you don't need that many!

What about chain? Often we are switching sizes , getting a longer chain, or just some of it is bad but there are good sections.
  • Dinghy rode leader.
  • Kellet. A small chain coil is easier to deal with than a weight.
  • Chafing leader for dock lines on a concrete dock.
  • Fishing sinkers. Better than leaving lead in the pond. I wonder how it would work trolling.
  • Curtain weights. Only if the galv is still good.
  • Drift anchor. Drag a length when fishing to slow the boat. Adjust by lifting. I've used chain as an anchor when kayak fishing in rocky areas; it doesn't snag as easily and it is free.
  • Drogue weights (not part of the rode, only the tail).
Ideas? I've got a few hundred feet I should do something with. I've done the ones in blue.
We gift our old chains to local Caribbean fishermen and work boats.
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Old 20-12-2024, 13:16   #13
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Re: Repurposing old chain

If the chain is a usable length, just have it re-plated. I've done it a few times. Plating is typically charged by the pound, and expect to encounter a minimum charge. Gather all your anchors, extra chain, enlist your friends to help make the minimum. It's very cost efficient, and you're pretty much getting new for old. The key thing is finding a plating plant with a centrifuge for the chain.
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Old 20-12-2024, 14:14   #14
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Re: Repurposing old chain

I like grantmc's idea about using scrap chain, engine blocks and whatever to add mass to poured concrete moorings.

Even though our boat lives in Maine (where they generally use granite mooring blocks), we have a mooring in front of our house in Nova Scotia (where they tend to use concrete blocks instead of the (literally) millions of large granite bolders laying around that were deposited by the glaciers.

Each time we get a bad storm on our harbor south of Halifax, some of the larger boats drag their moorings, not a good thing.

So, I think I'll start stockpiling iron for the day when our mooring will need to be serviced, maybe with a newly-poured, denser concrete block enhanced with scrap iron.

Cheers and Happy Holidays to all!
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Old 20-12-2024, 19:10   #15
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Re: Repurposing old chain

Re plating is a losers game. It’s usually corroded to a length unworkable in your wildcat. In The Caribbean there are no plating options either. Life is 4-5 years if you live on your anchor. My next chain will be stainless.
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