Anchor chain diameter, weight and holding ?

[Bean Counter]

Using chain joiners or underspec chain on a 48ft cat seems a bit too penny pinching considering the damage that could be caused to the boat, any other boats around it should the chain (which is 20% underspec from the anchor manufacturers recommendation), part. You only need 1mm of rust or wear on one link to bring it down to 7mm and so it would be 30% underspec. Not something I would not want to explain to an insurance company.

[clownfishsydney]

Not sure where you intend to sail, but on our voyages up and down the east coast of Australia, we have never had to anchor in water deeper than about 15 metres. We have 70 metres of 10 mm chain and we have never put out more than 50 metres. I would stick with the 70 x 10 as now.

[Tornadosailing]

Originally Posted by Dave_S

If I use nylon for my bridal do I need a snubber?

I don't think you need them, but I put them in my bridle. The damping is awesome.

[mitiempo]

Originally Posted by roland stockham

The difference in weight between 8 & 10mm chain is .5kg/m so on 100m you drop 50kg. Even if you only add half of that to the anchor it would be impossible to handle! The amount of extra wt you can add to the main anchor is insignificant in the total as the anchor weight is normally only 5-10% of the total. From experience I have anchored in 50kn on 12:1 scope ond not snubbed. If I did I would led out nor chain.

I didn't suggest putting all the saved weight into the anchor. For a given weight of anchor and chain the best place for the weight is the anchor. That is why some are now using grade 70 chain, Dashew included.