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Anchor chain hook / snubber

Discussion in 'General Yachting Discussion' started by Pascal, Apr 1, 2021.

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  1. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    I ve tried a number of chain hooks over the years from fancy SS ones to cheap galvanized hook and none ever work very well. Either hard to release, or would drop off the chain during the night or bend under load.

    Then I got this:

    https://www.mantusmarine.com/snubber-pendant/

    So far it has worked flawlessly for the last four weeks, anchoring almost every day. I thought it may be hard to release but it comes if the chain easily, even after a couple of days in a blow.
  2. Graeme Walker

    Graeme Walker New Member

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    +1, very happy with my Mantus M2 85# with bridle and chain hook over past two years.
  3. d_meister

    d_meister Senior Member

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    Brilliant! Great application. I use that hitch on my safety line on a climbing harness. It slides easily on a line or halyard when not loaded, but will not move when even slightly loaded. It certainly won't move on a chain once cinched a little. It's sometimes called a "Taut-line hitch' on YouTube, but then there's other hitches referred to by the same name. That's YouTube, though :)
    Maybe I'll check Ashley's for a proper I.D. (#1763?)
  4. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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    What about that couldn't you make yourself in about 5 minutes? Reminds me of an old George Carlin line: 'Put 2 pieces of wood together in a different way and some fool will buy it'. Not calling anyone here a fool, but really, it's a piece of line and a turnbuckle.
  5. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    Sure but go find the Dynema or equivalent line, splice it, add the nice shackle etc. not worth the time.

    especially when you re busy.
  6. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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    I always spliced my own lines. Connects me to my heritage and got me loops the size I like. Didn't take any time at all. Good rainy day project.
  7. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    Rainy days? What the heck is that?
  8. Bill 32

    Bill 32 New Member

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    Why polyethylene? Wouldn't something more sun tolerant with stretch for shock be more suitable - like nylon?
  9. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    Nylon is nowhere as strong as Dynema. If the line is thicker then it will slip along the chain. The thinner yet stronger line grips the chain perfectly.

    Many Davit manufacturers use line instead of SS cable these days.
    MBevins likes this.
  10. CaptPKilbride

    CaptPKilbride Senior Member

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    It looks like the UHMWPE is used as the snubber, and is then shackled to the pendant. I would use a 3 strand nylon pendant with the snubber. Easing out a good 10 to 15 feet of the pendant would get the chain slacked off enough to keep it quiet, which is reason why I have used something like this with chain hooks.
    An all chain rode usually has enough catenary that shock loading should not be an issue. If you are stretching out chain taut, might be worth increasing the scope.

    The Mantus Marine product looks very well put together.
  11. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    I rarely use less than 8:1 even with all chain so scope isn’t an issue. I also get more weight and catenary out with the snubber
  12. Rich Buttine

    Rich Buttine New Member

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    Pascal,
    Ordered one on Amazon Thursday, looking forward to using is on trip north. Looks like it would make things gentler.
    Regards
    Rich
    Knucklehead
    58 Lrc
  13. Norseman

    Norseman Senior Member

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    Hmm, ok..
    Have to wrap my mind around the concept.
    Been using snubbers for years to take the load of the windlass in case of a storm.
    My SS chain hook stays on 95% of the time, especially if there is a load on the rode, like a strong current or a strong wind.
    If not, and if the hook falls off, there is no load and no harm done.
    (Until a squall kicks up at 04:00 and all hell breaks lose:confused:)
  14. mapism

    mapism Senior Member

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    Same for me.
    My only reason for using a snubber is to get the chain slacked off the bow roller to avoid the annoying grinding noise, nothing else.

    BTW, while I can imagine that also the Mantus thing works well in this respect, I'm not sure to understand the simplicity claim.
    My home made gizmo below, built around a chain size-specific s/steel hook commonly available (here in EU, anyway) only takes seconds to deploy.
    I secure the two bowlines around the cleats, attach the s/steel hook to the chain, release some more chain while keeping the lines tensioned, job done.
    And recovering it is even easier, because the hook detaches from the chain as soon as the lines tension is released.
    The only caveat is that it only works on all chain rode, obviously.

    [​IMG]
  15. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    I don’t know a short piece of line is a lot more simple than a chain hook, and what looks like a welded ring and a carabiner.

    having seen both welded rings and carabiners fail under load, I like not having any metal parts that can come flying at me.
  16. mapism

    mapism Senior Member

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    When I said I couldn't understand the Mantus simplicity claim, I was referring to the handling, rather than to the device itself.
    By "only takes seconds to deploy" for my gizmo, I meant it: around 6 to 8 to connect it and 4 or 5 to release.
    And that's with two lines, connected to cleats on both sides.
    Could be even faster using one line only, for better comparison with the Mantus "snubber pendant".
    Now, feel free to prefer that that of course, I'm not trying to sell anything.
    But how long does it take to you to connect/disconnect it?

    PS: if you've seen metal bits failing under load and flying at you, it doesn't take a lot of fantasy to guess that you used something undersized.
    The bits in my previous photo are rated for 1.500 Kg, and by the time you have that sort of load on the anchor chain of a 30T boat, you'd better run for cover regardless of how strong the snubber is, I reckon.
    Last edited: Apr 7, 2021
  17. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    A few seconds. The chain hooks I ve used before took just as long

    and I still don’t like having a welded ring and a carabiner under heavy load. Two points of failure
  18. mapism

    mapism Senior Member

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    I guess you posted your reply before I added the PS to my previous post.
    Anyway, the ring+carabiner was my choice, just based on storage convenience.
    Shackles would work just as well, if that's your cup of tea.
  19. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    I ve seen a welded ring fail at 25% of its safe working load. Luckily the tender was only 3’ off the water!
  20. mike Hartley

    mike Hartley Member

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    pascal...what size did you buy? Was it for the Lazzara? I see it on Yachtworld for sale?