Chain hook

[diver dave]

A follow up to the bridle thread. But, I’d like to know your fav chain hook. This will be used with a V bridle, which is 2x 3/4” 3strand currently. On a cat, so well beyond the early decisions of whether or not to use a bridle.

The PO had rigged a stainless snap latch that fits inside and between links. Nooo.

data:image/jpeg;base64,/9j…..

 

[FlyWright]

I'd rather tie a knot in a line than use a contraption like that under load.

Let us know how it works.

 

[Ken E.]

Just a simple chain hook like you'd find on trucks' chain binders works great. Simple, cheap and available in stainless steel.

 

[Simi 60]

Victory hook gently cups the link
Cheap and ours has seen 80knots.

Or soft shackle
If I know we are up for some big weather I change snubbers and use a soft shackle.

 

[Brisyboy]

Victory hook gently cups the link
Cheap and ours has seen 80knots.

Or soft shackle
If I know we are up for some big weather I change snubbers and use a soft shackle.

Plus one for the Victory hook

 

[FF]

Snap shackels work fine , the hard part is finding a large bronze one (#4) that will chew the galvanizing on the chain up less than the newer SS ones.

Heat shrink can soften the SS grab.

Just be sure the line used is short enough not to reach the prop, just in case.

 

[Hippocampus]

We’ve had very good luck with the Mantus product. Routinely use two snubbers so not having to untie two knots has been a plus. Also it has never fallen off. Don’t like their anchors but their chain hook is +1 in my book.

 

[Simi 60]

Snap shackels work fine , .

On the end of a dog leash

 

[FWT]

We’ve had very good luck with the Mantus product. Routinely use two snubbers so not having to untie two knots has been a plus. Also it has never fallen off. Don’t like their anchors but their chain hook is +1 in my book.

That strikes me as a good idea. If one hook fails a second one remains in place.

As opposed to a bridal on a single hook.

 

[Xlantic]

Over the years I have tried four different hooks, including the ones shown above, but now I just use a rolling hitch: quicker, cheaper, less fussy to set and more reliable.

 

[diver dave]

That Mantus looks good to me. Hopefully the elastomeric piece has a long life. I like that security, since Ive seen lots of action on even a chain rode.
I tend to think that any common metal that will fit inside an already occupied chain link will be a serious weak point.

 

[diver dave]

Over the years I have tried four different hooks, including the ones shown above, but now I just use a rolling hitch: quicker, cheaper, less fussy to set and more reliable.

Got a pix? Dynema or ??

 

[Xlantic]

https://youtu.be/cA2AJlf0lwE

 

[twistedtree]

You guys need to try a soft shackle for this. It works SOOOOO much better than any of these hooks.


https://www.defender.com/product.jsp?id=2860580


That are quick and easy to hook up and to remove, stronger than a hook, and you don't have to maintain rope tension on them to keep them from falling off the chain. Less expensive too. Give it a try, and I think you'll never turn back.....

 

[Northern Spy]

Wouldn't a Dyneema prusik and a shackle be pretty bullet proof?

Soft shackle does the same but might be easier to remove quickly.

Don't know, just postulating as I don't have a chain rode. But I will occasionally put on a prusik and snubber to prevent sailing at anchor.

 

[diver dave]

Doing two rolling hitches while balancing on the chain catwalk might be pushing the personnel envelope on my cat. I do like the lack of extra metal tho.

 

[twistedtree]

Wouldn't a Dyneema prusik and a shackle be pretty bullet proof?

Soft shackle does the same but might be easier to remove quickly.

Don't know, just postulating as I don't have a chain rode. But I will occasionally put on a prusik and snubber to prevent sailing at anchor.

Lots of ways to do it, but I just thread the soft shackle through a chain link and through a spiced eye at the end of the snubber, and "join" the ends of the soft shackle. That leaves the snubber directly shackled to a chain link.


If you don't have a chain rode , then a Prusik (I had to go look that one up) looks like a good approach.

 

[Group9]

We've been using a simple chain hook from tractor supply, tied on to our snubber, for years while cruising, without any problem whatsoever.

 

[Hippocampus]

Had occasion when the end loop and knot got jammed in the chain sufficiently as to need to use pliers to get it out before removing the soft shackle. No biggie. Probably didn’t size the shackle correctly. Also like to remove the snubbers just before the roller and found that easier with the mantus as I can do without looking by touch alone. On rainy days after spending hours and hours figuring out the knot made up different sizes of soft shackles. They are the cats pajamas. Have used in rigging a lot and to save dock lines when shore cleats are junky and abrasive but personally don’t like them for this application.

 

[Simi 60]

You guys need to try a soft shackle for this. It works SOOOOO much better than any of these hooks.


https://www.defender.com/product.jsp?id=2860580


That are quick and easy to hook up and to remove, stronger than a hook, and you don't have to maintain rope tension on them to keep them from falling off the chain. Less expensive too. Give it a try, and I think you'll never turn back.....

I use them on my storm snubber
The downside to them is you need someone up front to get them off.

Compare that to the victory hook I use on the other, shorter snubber and that falls off by itself as it touches the bow roller.
No need for anyone up front in rain or bad weather
Wife can stay in bed while I make an early start or midnight change of anchorage.

 

[Hippocampus]

Simi has it ever fallen off when there’s no wind or current to put tension on the snubber(s) ? Like the look of it but a set and forget kind of guy about some things. Never thought about your other comment. Can you elaborate why that is? Have taken off the soft shackle once it goes past the roller and before the windlass. Have I been doing it wrong? Take the mantus off just before the roller. In both cases do it by myself or wife does depending upon who’s at the helm.

 

[twistedtree]

I use them on my storm snubber
The downside to them is you need someone up front to get them off.

Compare that to the victory hook I use on the other, shorter snubber and that falls off by itself as it touches the bow roller.
No need for anyone up front in rain or bad weather
Wife can stay in bed while I make an early start or midnight change of anchorage.

Doesn't you still need to go pull in the snubber?


One other thing I like about the soft shackle is that I can leave it attached and still run it through the bow roller. That allows for connect/disconnect on deck rather than hanging over the pulpit.

 

[gsholz]

I much prefer a chain hook that falls off when not under tension. If you ever had to re-anchor in the middle of the night because of a squall, you'll know why. The weight of the chain keeps the hook engaged until you take up the slack with the windlass.

 

[Hippocampus]

G totally agree chain weight puts tension on the snubber(s). Don’t know how it happens. I’m sleeping but have had a simple chain hook fall off. Was in 10-12’ of water. Still would think chain weight would suffice. That’s why I like the mantus. The retaining plastic is flexible and probably only develops mild retaining forces but it’s enough that the hook has never fallen off. Wonder if anyone else has had a chain hook fall off?
Hate reanchoring in the dark when half asleep. Totally agree.

 

[FlyWright]

I use these Davis LineGrabber soft shackles paired with a Davis Shockles snubber.

The soft shackles remain on the chain at the 90 and 120 ft lengths and pass without a hitch through the gypsy. One end of the Shockle snubber remains clipped to the bow pulpit cleat and the other ends clips into any link or one of the prepositioned soft shackles.

When loaded, the Shockle stretches and extends just past the fwd roller with a short loop of slack chain hanging below it. It still has a significant amount of stretch left in its elasticity when loaded so that it still provides good and silent load-surge protection.

I'll try to get some photos next time I'm out.

 

[Simi 60]

Doesn't you still need to go pull in the snubber?


.

Not the one with the victory hook.
Like you we have a high bow and our Sampson post is about 12 ft back from it so that snubber has the hook just touching the water.
Underway the hook rides the bow wave away from the hull and 60 feet away from the prop.

One other thing I like about the soft shackle is that I can leave it attached and still run it through the bow roller. That allows for connect/disconnect on deck rather than hanging over the pulpit

Yes, that is a big plus.

 

[Simi 60]

Simi has it ever fallen off when there’s no wind or current to put tension on the snubber(s) ? .

It did drop off in the beginning
Now when the load takes up we run out several metres more of hanging chain, has never fallen off since .

 

[Hippocampus]

So that’s the trick. We generally leave a smaller loop of chain perhaps 6-8’ total in the water. Thought it was also important to have slack chain between the two snubbers . Thought maybe a twisting motion caused the chain hook to fall off. It was a standard no frills device not the thing you use.

 

[twistedtree]

I suppose a lot of "what's better" depends on your rigging, what's the easiest access, how your snubber is routed, etc.


On my setup I found that a chain hook forced me to hook up the snubber by hanging over the bow in a very awkward location, and unless careful tension was maintained on the line once the hook was on, it would drop off before you could let out more chain to apply constant tension. It was a total PITA.


Hauling back in, I agree it's convenient if the hook just releases on it's own, but mine always seemed happy to release when I didn't want it to while deploying, then not release on retrieval. Then I would have to hang over the bow and try to get it free in that awkward position again. It really sucked.


In my situation, the soft shackle was a savior. I can connect the snubber on deck, lower the chain, shackle, and snubber the rest of the way out over the bow roller without any issue and it never falls off. Then retrieval is the reverse pulling the shackled joint up over the boat roller to an accessible and comfortable location, disconnect, and continue on.

 

[firehoser75]

On the chain rode portion of the rode (almost all times at anchor) I at first used 2 separate snubbers (one on each side of the bow) using separate simple "chain hooks". Often in quiet conditions one hook would fall off leaving only one.
I switched to a bridle using a Seadog chain hook (plate like apparatus with a slot in it). I always let out several feet of slack (over 10 feet) and never had the chain hook fall off in many nights at anchor. On the few times I used enough rode to reach the rope portion of the rode, I would use a single rope snubber affixed with an Icycle hitch (better than a rolling hitch for this application). It worked great with no complaints. The only disadvantage was that the chain was attached "outside" of the bow roller, which was somewhat of a stretch (but not too bad).