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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

General Sailing Forum

Chain grades: is marine-grade a scam?

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rkuris
Deckhand

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USA
3 Posts

Initially Posted - 02/08/2010 : 08:40:21

Hi,

I need to replace my chain on my C25. I live in California and spend 90% of my time on the delta rivers. I plan to take a few trips out to the ocean this year.

I'm looking at chain grading and I'm a bit befuddled about how much the chain costs. For example, I can get 20 feet of 5/16 grade 70 trucker's chain for about $30, and that has a 4700# working strength, and it is covered in zinc for rust resistance. 5/16 chain Grade BBB from West Marine, is about $80 at West Marine. BBB chain has a working load of only 1900#. The design breaking strength is 7600#, which is less than the proof load for the grade 70 chain!

So, which is it? (1) Marine chain is generally just a ripoff; (2) Marine chain won't rust as fast (why?); (3) Marine chain is designed to break off rather than rip your boat to pieces; (4) The grade 70 chain is much heavier and therefore will make anchor retrieval harder; (5) Grade BBB has better kinking characteristics (not even sure if this is true); (6) something else I can't think of!

Most grade 70 chain is gold colored as well, which might make the chain easier to see. What am I missing here?

Edited by - on

Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5908 Posts

Response Posted - 02/08/2010 : 09:24:37

As I understand it, the main difference between BBB chain and Grade 70 chain is that the size of BBB chain links is designed to fit into anchor windlasses. If you don't have an anchor windlass, that difference is of no value.

Grade 70 chain that is hot dipped galvanized should be satisfactory for your boat.

West Marine's website has a very helpful feature that is called the West Adviser. It provides a tremendous amount of information of this kind. The West Adviser articles are also included in their catalogue, if you'd like to be able to browse through it.

The West Adviser article on anchor chain is at the following hyperlink.

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/westadvisor/10001/-1/10001/Anchor-Rodes.htm

Edited by - on

skrenz
Captain

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USA
351 Posts

Response Posted - 02/08/2010 : 09:36:31

Probably some of #1: Marine chain is generally just a ripoff - anything with the M word, "marine" is priced higher because only rich people are involved in boating and especially sail boating

But also #2: Marine chain won't rust as fast. At least in terms of comparing zinc plated chain to galvanized chain. You definitely need to compare apples to apples here because zinc plating will always be less than galvanized. Even so, you need to ask yourself just how much anchoring will you be doing? If not a whole lot, zinc plating may be adequate. You'll have rusty chain in your locker but maybe that doesn't matter.
You also need to compare working load to working load and breaking strength to breaking strength. Although I have to say, when talking about anchor chain its hard to imagine how there could be a difference between these two values

Edited by - on

JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 02/08/2010 : 15:42:55

I got my 5/16 chain at Home Depot, fully galvanized. Next time I'll get 1/4 inch, plenty for a C25. I have 50 ft and 200 feet of 1/2 nylon.

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Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

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USA
3758 Posts

Response Posted - 02/11/2010 : 22:37:27

Practical Sailor's testing result strongly supported paying a little extra for U.S or Canadian made chain for durability and strength. Destructive testing of Chinese chain often didn't come close to rated strength, and there was no way to tell if you got lucky with good chain or had the typical product. The hi-strength was not worth the cost in most situations. So buy U.S. or Canadian chain by the rated strength and link style for your application and hot dipped galvanized from the source of your choice and it will meet manufacturing standards.

Edited by - on

Stu Jackson C34
Admiral

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844 Posts

Response Posted - 02/12/2010 : 13:19:38

Anchor chain is nowhere to compromise. Ever.

The reason is simple: you have an $XXX yacht attached to it. Spend the extra $50.

I would. And do.

I hear so much about saving money, but this ain't a place to do it.

You might also want to check the anchor system sizing table I've linked to some times in the past: http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,4990.0.html

Edited by - on

Ed Cassidy
Captain

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USA
365 Posts

Response Posted - 02/12/2010 : 14:11:32

Am I missing something here? Isn't the chain intended to provide weight to keep the anchor rode as parallel to the bottom as it can to keep the anchor hooked (plus perhaps some protection from whatever is on the bottom)? I don't believe we could encounter any force, either tide, wind, waves or storm that would come anywhere near the breaking strength of the chain. If it did the rope would surely break first.

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Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

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USA
3758 Posts

Response Posted - 02/12/2010 : 19:01:29

Breaking strength of new, quality 1/4 and 3/16 chain 6300 and 9600 1/2 and 5/8 x 3 strand nylon 5600 and 8900 braided nylon 6500 and 10,200 How old is your chain? Did it meet US and Canadian standards when it was new? Ed is right about the purpose, but which breaks first is iffy. Some of the tested Chinese broke before it reached its safe working load.

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redviking
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1771 Posts

Response Posted - 02/13/2010 : 05:24:06

Welcome rkuris! Good question, and you can see the variety of responses. I'm gonna go for real marine chain unless you wanna switch it out every few years or clean rust stains. Real chain weighs less, making retrieval easier and it is much more abrasion resistant than the non marine grades. The latter point is important for those who anchor in rocky or sandy anchorages as dragging the chain along the bottom all night will wear off what ever coating they put on non marine grades, whereas real chain will last longer.

As far as Jim B's "swag lamp chain" suggestion, please be advised that Jim is a very knowledgeable and fearless sailor who will probably sit up on anchor watch waiting for the chain to break or break loose so he can go out and play. Me? Not so much! I like to sleep.

I do agree with the 50" of chain recoemndation. We used to carry up to 70' feet of chain - in shackleable 20 and 30' increments, and a 20 lb kellet called the kiwi anchor rider www.anchorrider.com - on our C25.

sten

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redviking
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1771 Posts

Response Posted - 02/13/2010 : 05:30:33

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Ed Cassidy
 Am I missing something here? Isn't the chain intended to provide weight to keep the anchor rode as parallel to the bottom as it can to keep the anchor hooked (plus perhaps some protection from whatever is on the bottom)? I don't believe we could encounter any force, either tide, wind, waves or storm that would come anywhere near the breaking strength of the chain. If it did the rope would surely break first.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

No, you'd probably pull the cleat out first. The backing plates on these boats are not designed to drop anything more than a lunch hook on a pretty calm day. I used to run the anchor rode to both off them and then to the mast if it was expected to blow. Then that got me thinking, OK so I pull both cleats out and then the rode unsteps the mast???

Never stop thinking even if it seems irrational.

Sailors don't stop learning until the bubbles stop coming up.

sten

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