Re: T&T: setting and breaking out anchor
A couple of days ago it was mentioned that their snubber hook may drop off
the anchor chain on occasion. We had this problem also along with the hook
getting very rusty. Now we just use a length of twisted line and throw a
rolling hitch on it to secure it to the chain. The snubber line stays secure
to the anchor chain, no hardware needed, quick and easy.
George and Diana Ruelens
m/v Two If by Sea
A couple of days ago it was mentioned that their snubber hook
may drop off the anchor chain on occasion.
This brings up a question I've been wondering about for years. There
must be something very basic that I don't understand.
Why is it that 95% of all boats attach their snubber and then lower it
so the connecting point is below the water line and then can't be
generally seen? I always feel silly attaching my chain-plate-bridle
and then lowering it to just above the water line. That allows me
to see if the chain plate ever falls off and subjects it to one less
force from water pressure (water current, wakes, etc).
What am I missing?
---===
Jeffrey Siegel
M/V aCappella
DeFever 53RPH
W1ACA/WDB4350
Castine, Maine
www.activecaptain.com
The Interactive Cruising Guidebook
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..
Now we just use a length of twisted
line and throw a
rolling hitch on it to secure it to the chain.
We too use only a Rolling Hitch, which works on both chain or rope rodes, which is good because we always use a snubber, even on rope rodes. We do so on rope rodes because if a line is going to chafe, we'd rather it be a snubber, leaving the rode healthy and able to hold the boat, should the snubber part.
Better yet, if the snubber's line is too big, it will slip on the rode, even with a Rolling Hitch, so we put in, on the end of the snubber, what we call a "snubber braid".
We realize that we've mentioned this before, but for those who might have missed it and are interested, to make a snubber braid: place a whipping on the snubber approximately 20 - 24 inches from the end, unlay the three strands back to this whipping, then returning towards the end, braid the rope back together (like the girls do with their hair), when the end is reached put in one or two whippings to hold everything together and trim off the end.
We do encourage that fiber rodes and snubbers to be sized not to exceed 15% of their tensile strength and even though, in heavy weather, this makes our snubbers be fairly hefty, we have never had a snubber braid slip on a rode. We also have never had a snubber braid show any evidence of wear or weakness, and this includes the same snubbers being used four times in 120+ winds and three times in 80+ winds.
We like this snubber braid so much that we just put it in every snubber we have, no matter its size. In fact, there is no harm in putting a snubber braid in both ends of the snubber.
We also find this snubber braid idea useful for other jobs when put in the line that may be too big to grip adequately.
Rudy and Jill
Briney Bug, Panama City, Fl
Why is it that 95% of all boats attach their snubber and
then lower it so the connecting point is below the water
line and then can't be generally seen? I always feel
silly attaching my chain-plate-bridle and then lowering it
to just above the water line.
For us, even though we use a Rolling Hitch to attach the snubber to the rode,
we like to keep the junction somewhere above the water, in light weather that
is. This is done only because there is seldom the need, in light weather, to
deploy a long snubber.
In heavy weather, we use a snubber that is at least 40 feet long, and let the
hitch lay whereever the wind allows it to.
In light weather, if we are going to bed, leaving the boat, or will be engaged
in any activity that does not allow us a timely response, should unexpected
heavier weather show up, we'll let out more length on the snubber, even if it
puts the hitch in the water.
I guess, now that I think about it, we use the position of the hitch as a
length marker. If above the water, between X and Y amount of snubber is out,
and if below the water, X more snubber is out. Since our snubbers are 30 or 40
feet long, if the snubber secured with very little tail remaining, we know Z
amount of line is out.
We've been doing this unconsciously, and not having our snubbers marked for
length, we automatically knew how much snubber was out. Not really critical
knowledge, but subconsciously this awareness gives us peace-of-mind.
But you bring up an interesting question, and we too are also interested in
why others may do it.
Rudy and Jill
Briney Bug, Panama City, Fl
Jeff:
To answer your question about why snubbers are let out below the water line,
two reasons:
Conventional wisdom says that you need about 10' of nylon snubber to have
enough give and flexibility in a blow. I don't necessarily buy this, but it
is what I do.
Another reason is that if you also let enough chain out after you set the
snubber length, then you get a big belly in your chain just below your
snubber attachment point.
And to refute another posters assertion, I used a chain hook on the end of
my snubber for over 100 anchorages and it never came off. The chain belly
was one reason- it kept tension on the chain hook. It also functioned as a
kellet and dampened out any surge.
David