Anchor Chain

[ebb]

Craig willingly and successfully riding out hurricane Noel with an untried anchor and knotted chain prompts this post
put forward for discussion.

Most of this info about chain comes from the Acco catalog. Chain comes up on many forums and there seems to be 100% agreement that you have to get american made chain to be certain of quality. Chain comes in GRADES. HERE, concentrating on 1/4" and 5/16":

G3
Proof Coil, marked PC3, standard chain, BBB, mooring chain.
WORKING LOAD../..WT PER 100'../..WT/FT PAIL../..WT/FT REEL

1/4" short 1300#/..66.80#........./..95#..141'...../..51#..75'
.......long 1300#/..62.50#........./..65#..96'
5/16"short 1900#/..96.60#........./..99#..92'....../..55#..55'
.......long 1900#./..93.00#........./..65#..60'
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G4/ G43
High Test, stamped HT4
1/4" short 2600#/..73.26#........./..103#..134'.../..58#..75'
......long 2600#../..63.50
5/16"short.3900#/..103#.........../..102#..90'..../..79#..70'
......long..3900#./..94#
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G7
Transport, marked 70. Galvanizing reduces strength 10%
1/4".......3150#../..66.80#........./..100#..150'
5/16"......4700#./..100.60#......../..104#..100'
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Stainless/ 316L, make sure!
9/32".....2000#../..75#............../............92'
5/16".....2400#../..106.7............/............62'
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PAIL liquid volume (how much room in the locker?) If a PAIL is 20liters = 5+gallons. Not sure. How did chain come to be measured in a pail?
There are 7.5gal in one cubic foot. One PAIL = 2/3 to 3/4 of a cu/ft.
'Working Load' = Maximum limit in pounds(#) on a straight length of the chain.
'Proof' = The tensil test to prove the working load.
The higher the Grade the more carbon (translate: strength) the iron alloy has.
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Peerless is now Acco's boss.
Short links sized to windlass gypsy's. Different maker's links for different windlasses. The only other chain maker is Campbell.
Chain above 1/4" should be link stamped, every or skipped.
All Acco chain (and all chain should be) proof tested (certificate).
"Attachments can be supplied in assemblies with any standard chain attachments such as rings. sliphooks, grabhooks, snaps, enlarged links."
Hot Dip Galvanizing, HDG, "by request" - Acco.
'First Chain Supply' sells forged galv pin-to-link ("alloy") shackles to match links in strength so we don't need an oversize link put on end. So they say, has to be researched further. May be a good thing to have a few of these.
If you are upgrading, sizes of things will change or need to be. Chocks, Windline channel/rollers, chainpipe, fairleads.

It'd be great if custom lengths of chain were available. I found 'pail and reel'
data interesting as if one assumes these lengths are already cut we may not have to pay custom charges. Have no idea. I think welded (forged?) oversize links on both ends of the chain are the way to go. The only shackle pin to worry about will be on the anchor. Can we assume that custom highend anchor chain would get highend galvanizing as well?
ANYBODY ANCHORING OUT?

[c_amos]

'First Chain Supply' sells forged galv pin-to-link ("alloy") shackles to match links in strength so we don't need an oversize link put on end. So they say, has to be researched further. May be a good thing to have a few of these.

I would love to know where to get a couple.

[ebb]

http://www.1st-chainsupply.com/
1-800-523-2367
NOT advocating this supplier, you gotta tell us if this site is legit.
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Just looked in on this site. I think they DON"T have "alloy" shackles for 1/4' or even 5/16". Bummer! I've sunk 2 hours into other forums-and-searches. The only shackles possible to use (American NOT Walmart Marine) are rated for 1/2ton. All so-called alloy shackles have a larger pin than body. The pins are often painted red, blue, green or yellow and not all are galvanized. Only the PINS are high carbon usually, not the shackle body. An alloy shackle that would FIT 1/4 or 5/16 chain is too weird to consider - thaats why they probably don't make them.

There is no shackle or connector for small chain size to an anchor, is there? Isn't that the damndest thing? There HAS to be an oversize link on the chain. Or somebody has to reinvent the shackle....could it be a Navtec-like socket into which you insert the end chain link, turn 90 degrees and pull.... and it'll never let go. Kidding, of course. And I'd never trust any kind of split link,

Galvanized chain I have in the garage is a fat nominal 5/16" with enough room inside the link for a galvanized 'oversize' 7/16". The nominal 1/4" is a fat 1/4" with enough room for a 3/8" oversize link. Oversized links must be able to allow the knuckles on a 1/2" shackle to pass through - in our case with a 25# Manson Supreme. If it ever got to the point where we were able to get the manufacturer to custom oversize links on shorter lengths of chain, we may have to request the link inside measure after galvanizing. Is anybody looking after us?
Ideally. I can see getting shorter and longer chains with fat end links for different anchoring situations. If I had to string these lengths together, what kind of connector would be used? Just everyday shackles?
One guy on a cruising site thought that lashing could be used for these MISSING LINKS....

Craig, let's see that double wrap of yours!
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LATER EDIT
Crosby (double strength) alloy shackles have been counterfeited:
Warning About Counterfeit Crosby Shackles www.cruiserforums.com/
19-07-2010. Gord May post has pics of both and what to look for. Real Crosby's are specifically embossed.

I've gotten Crosy's from C G Edwards www. cgedwards.com/