I have found that under light air conditions the weight in the catenary of the all chain rode will act act as a shock absorber, but in less that ideal conditions, the chain tends to cause shock loading to the deck fittings. Now when I sailed in large naval and civilian vessels, we had chain of such weight that we almost never had shock loads if we set out enough. However, my recreational boat chain does not seem to enjoy the advantage of scale. It would have to been much heavier than I would wish to carry for it to absorb much shock. A large sentinel weight (something I have once but never want to fool with again on chain or fiber rode) is one answer. I have thus chosen to make "snubber" lines from relatively large diameter nylon. I equipped them with appropriately sized chain hooks so that I might easily garb a chain link outboard of the hawse. Then I just leave a bight in the chain so the snubber takes the load. For hurricane OPAL in 1995, I left the marina and anchored in a bayou (8 feet of water) with this arrangement in the direction of major blow plus five other assorted danforth/plow/fisherman anchors (in a circle). All were made fast the hawse so she could face the wind. All but the chain rode (200 feet at the hawse with double snubber lines with moused hooks) were 200 feet of 5/8-inch twisted or braided nylon with 10 to 20 feet of chain. Interestingly enough, it was the fisherman (a.k.a. kedge, a.k.a. "old fashioned" anchor) that took me the longest to work out of the mud. And yes, my lazarette is completely full of tubbed line, chain, and spare anchors. And no, I did not stay aboard because I could not have motored into the wind because of all the anchor rodes in the water. Rich Gano CALYPSO (GB42-295) Homeport Panama City I'd rather be cruisin'