Anchor Chain - Welding?
- Thread starter mixman
- Start date
Related - I pulled up my ground tackle and the five to ten feet of line closest to the rope to chain splice were pretty ratty and had been damaged by the windlass. No problem, I thought, I'll just have the chain splice to the other, unused end of the line.
I asked the marina manager if he knew anyone who did splicing. He said "no, you might as well take it to [local branch of the national chain of retail marine stores]." I went to the store and the SA told me they didn't do splicing. I asked if he knew anyone who did and he gave me the name of a rigging company in town. I called them and they said they wouldn't splice a chain to a used line. I told him the other end had never been used. He still refused.
With nothing to lose, I drove about five miles to another branch of the [th]. The SA there said "Sure, we can send it out and have it spliced." I left it with them. The next day I got a call saying they couldn't splice used line (we had already been through that at the store). I explained it to him again and he said OK, we'll get it done.
A week went by and no contact so I called. They said it wasn't back yet but they would call me when it was. Another week, I called again. Still, it wasn't back.
I found the 1-800 number of their "rigging shop", but it is in my state and apparently, the number doesn't work from within the state, just from other states. I e-mailed them about my rode. No reply.
I then e-mailed the chain's main office. The next day I got an e-mail from the rigging shop saying they didn't have my rode and knew nothing about it.
I went to the store ready to raise hell, only to be told that they had found the rode and it would be back by the end of the week. When I got home a half hour or so later, there was a message on my machine that the rode was in and could be picked up.
I turned around and went back and got my rode. They did not splice the old line, they replaced it with new ($250 or so) and spliced the chain on.
By that point, I was just happy to get it back and repaired but a little pissed that they never bothered to tell me the cost in advance.
In retrospect, I’ll bet if I had called my surveyor or broker, one or the other would have known someone to make a rope to chain splice.
Ron- perhaps you could have tried it yourself: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...50694542216&ssPageName=ADME:X:AAQ:MOTORS:1123
Kurt- I wonder if the galvanized Marquip connecting link is made is small enough size for your use? http://www.wachain.com/marquip_connecting_links_from_washington_chain.htm . Sound maybe better than what you were using.
The piened connecting links are also available in all 316 SS to avoid the rust problem. 1/4" WLLL 600#, 5/16" WLL 1000#, 3/8" WLL 1500#.
There are also "Hammerlock" 316 SS connecting links ; 1/4" WLL 2200#, 5/26" WLL 2400#, 3/8" WLL 4400#.
Kurt- I wonder if the galvanized Marquip connecting link is made is small enough size for your use? http://www.wachain.com/marquip_connecting_links_from_washington_chain.htm . Sound maybe better than what you were using.
The piened connecting links are also available in all 316 SS to avoid the rust problem. 1/4" WLLL 600#, 5/16" WLL 1000#, 3/8" WLL 1500#.
There are also "Hammerlock" 316 SS connecting links ; 1/4" WLL 2200#, 5/26" WLL 2400#, 3/8" WLL 4400#.
I've tried a couple of splices and they didn't look very good. Like so many other things, it's something that takes practice (and knowing how to do it in the first place).
As important as this splice is, I figured it would be worth it to pay a pro.
As it turned out ................... [V]
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Ron, you bring up a good point. I've also noticed some abrasion of the splice caused by going in and out of the windlass.
Mine is a Lewmar verticle windlass. Does anyone know a cure that can stop this from happening. If there is a way to do it I want to get it done before I put in my new rode.
Bob
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Thanks for that information. I've got an e-mail in to Washington Chain about their connecting links to see what pricing and specs are. As for SS, I would think the act of peening/hammering them would destroy the chromium coating and they'd rust pretty quickly?
That's probably what happened to the galvanized link I used the first time.
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Me too. That's why I added extra chain in the first place. I figured if 90% of the time I only had chain going through the windlass, I would avoid the issue. The rope would still be there for the <10% of the time I needed that much rode out.
I don't think there's a way for a windlass that can also handle chain to not wear at least a little on the rope.
My rode came with my boat and may have been as much as ten years old. I had recently replaced the manual (why bother) windlass with an electric one.
The wear was not so much at the splice, but in the first five feet or so next to the splice. I had noticed some wear, but my wife was operating the windlass at the time and the anchor was reall well set (or stuck). If it had been me, I might have stopped the windlass sooner than she did.
Anyway, I should be good for another ten years or so.
My rode came with my boat and may have been as much as ten years old. I had recently replaced the manual (why bother) windlass with an electric one.
The wear was not so much at the splice, but in the first five feet or so next to the splice. I had noticed some wear, but my wife was operating the windlass at the time and the anchor was reall well set (or stuck). If it had been me, I might have stopped the windlass sooner than she did.
Anyway, I should be good for another ten years or so.
Kurt, FYI.
They come in various sizes to meet your needs. After my BF used one, he screwed past the threads and struck them a few times with a hammer to damage the threads. That same connector is still being used and has never broke, corroded or come loose 15 yrs later.
Glad you found a solution; sorry it cost so much!