Connecting chain links - cruising in Croatia
I would like to connect two lengths of 3/8-inch HT chain in a manner that will
allow the connection to use the chain wheel (gypsy) on the Maxwell 3500
windlass aboard Bluewater, but I'm not aware of a connector that will both (1)
provide the full rated strength of the chain and (2) work well on the chain
wheel. Am I missing something obvious?
If there's no easy answer, Plan B will be to use a couple of 3/8-inch
galvanized shackles with the knowledge that I'll have to slowly work the
connection point around the chain wheel--not a big deal, but I'd sure like a
more elegant solution.
Any ideas?
Many thanks,
--Milt Baker, Nordhavn 47 Bluewater, Korcula, Crotia
P.S. Croatia has been the gem of Bluewater's summer cruising in the
Mediterranean. No place has it all, but Croatia comes close: deep clear water
(we could see the bottom yesterday in 50 feet) that's plenty warm for
swimming, daytime highs in the 80s and night time lows in the low 70s with low
humidity, tall mountains and granite hills spilling down to deep water a few
yards offshore, hundreds of offshore islands making thousands of cozy
anchorages, friendly people nearly all of whom speak good English, and an
excellent network of government-run marinas that always seem to have space for
us (as long as we arrive around noon) with no advance reservations. The
scenery is like something out of Hollywood, with quaint walled cities,
brick-colored roofs and sand-colored buildings, all sprinkled amongst the
evergreens. The restaurants and selection of food in the local markets is not
up to the high quality we found in Italy and good seafood is expensive, but
otherwise provisioning is very good--perfectly satisfactory, and meals ashore
are always a pleasure. We've been here six weeks and must leave within the
next few days, but we'll look back on Croatia as one spectacular cruising
venue. Whoda thunk it?
Lots of charter options available, but most of them sailing yachts. Google
croatia + yacht + charter if you'd like more info.
Milt Baker miltbaker@mindspring.com writes:
If there's no easy answer, Plan B will be to use a couple of 3/8-inch
galvanized shackles with the knowledge that I'll have to slowly work the
connection point around the chain wheel--not a big deal, but I'd sure like a
more elegant solution.
Perhaps one thing to consider is to use this opportunity to buy a new, longer
rode and keep the old one as a backup. 3/8 HT chain is pretty inexpensive.
This is much better than taking a chance with your fingers.
While I am on the subject of chain and windlasses, I will pass on to the list
my trials and tribulations with the hope that it may help others. If you have
ever had a problem with the chain skipping this is worth reading (sorry it's
a bit long).
Island Eagle is equipped with an old but good Ideal windlass. She carries 400
feet of 1/2" BBB chain and a 150 pound Forfjord anchor. When I bought the
boat, the surveyor noted that the teeth that engage the chain on the gypsy
were quite rounded and worn. When we did a test anchoring on our sea trial,
the chain skipped and slipped in the gypsy as well. The surveyor recommended
that the gypsy be replaced, which the seller did (and it was not cheap, $950
in fact).
So, 2 years later (summer 2005), when the restoration was done, we set out
for our first cruise. Anchoring was a disaster. The chain skipped like mad on
the gypsy. We could barely get the anchor up. My father and I rigged up a
sort of slide/guide out of UHMW that kept the chain held down on the gypsy,
which helped but was far from perfect.
After much chin-wagging and consultations with Ideal, we concluded that the
wrap angle of the chain around the gypsy was too small. So, for the summer of
2006 we removed the 10" diameter bronze bow roller and replaced it with a
much smaller (5" diameter) plastic roller which we also relocated lower. This
had the effect of lowering the chain and increasing the wrap angle. Once
again, like the slide, this sort of helped but it was still pretty crappy.
And the new small plastic bow roller sucked.
So, after more back-and-forth, for the summer of 2007 I decided to go back to
the original bronze bow roller and to increase the wrap angle by elevating
the windlass. We fabricated up a massive 16" high housing out of 1/2"
aluminum, removed the windlass (which weighs about 350 pounds), installed the
housing, and reinstalled the windlass on top of the housing. Once again,
things were getting better. But still, the chain would slip. The weird thing
was that it seemed random. Sometimes it would work, sometimes it would slip.
However by this time the new gypsy was getting pretty warn from all of the
slipping, so I concluded that I needed a new gypsy.
This past spring I happened to be right near the Ideal factory on a business
trip, so I drove out and met them (it's a great experience, they are very
fine folks). $1000 later I was the proud owner of a new gypsy. I couldn't
wait to try it out when I got to the boat this summer. I was all excited when
we pulled the anchor the first time... and IT SLIPPED!!!!!!
OK, so now I was really annoyed. I sat out on the foredeck for the best part
of a morning and obsessed over the chain. I watched it very very carefully as
it passed over the gypsy. I saw that about half the time it didn't slip at
all, but about half the time it did. I also noted that when it did slip, it
appeared that the chain was not seating fully in the gypsy. I took the chain
in my hands. I turned it over. I looked at it. I placed it in the gypsy.
And suddenly I had the AHAH moment. I ran and got my micrometer. I HAD FOUND
THE PROBLEM!
My chain, 1/2" BBB, is made from nominal 1/2" steel rod. Checking each link,
the diameter measured about 0.510 inches ('d guess that the galvanizing
accounts for the extra 10 thou). The corresponding slot in the gypsy where
the chain fits in measured about 0.550, which meant that the chain had about
40 thou of extra space when it fit into the slot in the gypsy, and so the
chain would slide right in.
BUT! Each link in a chain is made from rods that have been bent and then
welded. And where the weld is, the chain is SLIGHTLY larger in diameter.
Grabbing my micrometer, I measured weld diameters ranging from 0.580 all the
way up to 0.610. And when the weld side of the chain tried to fit into the
slot on the gypsy, the link was too big for the slot, the chain did not seat,
the gypsy teeth did not catch, and THE CHAIN SLIPPED! I now understood why it
appeared to be random. If the welded side of the link was facing down, it
would slip. If the non-welded side was down, it would not slip.
The rest is almost anti-climactic. I removed the gypsy, ran off to Tony's
Machine Shop, and got about 40 thou taken of each side of the slot,
increasing the slot to about 0.630". I reinstalled the gypsy and I can now
report that the windlass is now finally working as it should. Phew!
So, if any of you are experiencing slipping chain on your gypsy, you might
want to have a look at the diameter of the chain and the size of the slot on
your gypsy.
Scott Welch
Island Eagle
www.islandeagle.net
Those who make no mistakes rarely make anything.
Scott H.E. Welch wrote:
My chain, 1/2" BBB, is made from nominal 1/2" steel rod. Checking each link,
the diameter measured about 0.510 inches
Scott, I think that is the size of 1/2 in Grade 43 ISO chain, not BBB, which
is 17/32 in or .5313 in. If BBB, you should see it stamped in each link.
Another check: BBB links are shorter to cut down on kinking in the chain
locker. Inside length of 1/2 BBB is 1.34 in, Grade 40 is longer at 1.59 in.
Non sequitur: If above is true, why did you fix work?
I will shut up now...
Bob
Robert Calhoun Smith Jr in DC
M/V MARY KATHRYN
Hatteras 58 LRC
South River
Annapolis, MD
R C Smith Jr rcsmith@garrett-smith.com writes:
Scott, I think that is the size of 1/2 in Grade 43 ISO chain, not BBB, which
is 17/32 in or .5313 in. If BBB, you should see it stamped in each link.
I have long suspected that this is a non-standard chain. I've just had a
close look and it is not stamped BBB. The diameter ranges from 0.540 to
0.545. It's only where the weld is that the diameter is greater. Does anybody
happen to know where the specs for BBB chain can be found? I had a quick look
with Google but could not find anything. If it's like most load-bearing
specifications, it will probably specify minimum sizes, not maximum sizes.
Another check: BBB links are shorter to cut down on kinking in the chain
locker. Inside length of 1/2 BBB is 1.34 in, Grade 40 is longer at 1.59 in.
Again, I just measured and the inside length is +/- 1.350. So it's definitely
not Grade 40.
Non sequitur: If above is true, why did you fix work?
Well, it looks like I have some sort of non-standard chain, with larger
diameter links but still the BBB length.
Steven Dubnoff sdubnoff@circlesys.com writes:
I would say the big question here is why Ideal mis-designed in the
gypsy in the first place, or, if the gypsy was ok for "standard"
chain, why Ideal did not at least suggest that you measure your chain
before selling you a new part.
Well, when I talked to Ideal they told me that this is the gypsy that they
had been selling since "before the war", and I don't think they meant the
Gulf War or even the Korean War. So I think that my chain is at fault, not
the gypsy. On the other hand, I can't see any reason that they don't open up
the slot a bit, but that's another discussion.
rcrogers6@kennett.net writes:
You mean hundredths don't you? Decimal, tenths, hundredths, thousandths is
the order.
Yep, thousandths.
Any idea who made the chain?
Nope. It was on the boat when I bought it.
If the chain is "normal" then it
would be Ideal's fault. AT the prices quoted, in hindsight, it would have
been cheaper to replace the chain
Well, 400 feet of 1/2 BBB will run me about $3200, so I'm still ahead. And
hey, I have a spare gypsy.
Scott Welch
FirstClass Product Manager
www.firstclass.com
Those who make no mistakes rarely make anything.