"Capt Hook" chain snubber

[Jaxfishgyd]

So what am I doing wrong... It's gotta be something simple..or dumb...
Got one of these as I went with a new windlass and all chain.....
It was ROYAL PAIN to put it on the chain and then again to get off...
Luckily we were anchored alone and no current involved..
But would guess it took me 2 mins to get it on... Maybe only 1 min to release it.... But it wasn't easy..And had we been in a crowded anchorage... ugh...

[GJH]

Just spent some time looking at it at Defender's site? Can you tell us in a little more detail what exactly was taking up so much of your time? It looks simpler than my set up, which takes maybe 30 seconds.

[bobk]

Charlie,

It looks like you could attach the snubber line to a cleat, pass it up through the bow roller and attach as the chain goes over then just hold the line taught as you let more chain out. It ought to fall off as you retrieve it. I attach my Wischard hooks that way w/o problem.

Bobk

[Jaxfishgyd]

I got mine from Defender... Once I get it on...it is ON... very tight fit (yes, it's the proper sized one) Have it on 15' of rode as the snubber line... Have been playing with it this afternoon..... One time it went on nice and easy..... the other 8 times took a lot of work...
Yet when I go online and check posts on it, most say they have trouble in getting it to stay on...

[magnawake]

If we are talking about the same thing, I have a chain hook in the middle of the rope which a
has a loop at each end. I attach each loop to both bow cleats, then the chain hook (or whatever you call it) to the anchor chain. I then pay out a little more chain and the Bridle ( i call it) gets tight. The anchor chain hangs loose between the two ropes going to the cleats. The hook has a sharp edgethat hooks between the chain links. As I pull in the chain, the bridle hook just falls off the anchor chain. If my hook was too small, I could see it being hard to remove. I think I would just grind a little metal away on the inside of the biting edge of the hook. That is if we are talking about the same thing. Maybe I'm in left field. I could always learn more about anchoring out. We love being on the hook.

[Jaxfishgyd]

I'm using the same thing magnawake... But my "hook have flat tips... Even had rubber caps on it..

[Artzco]

Charlie, I was just at the Miami show and was looking at snubber hooks. One of the vendors was Quickline and they have a hook similar to the one from Defender. The Rep pointed out that the hook was quick to attach and easy to unhook due to the cup design versus the forked hook. You can get just the hook or the whole assembly. Below is the link if you choose to return yours to Defender.

http://www.quickline.us/chain-grab.html

[kwerges]

I have the Quickline bridle, and can atest to its ease of use. Loop on each end of the bridle to attach to the deck cleats, and the cup attached to the chain. If I remember correctly, it was about $80 for just the attachment, about $250 for the complete rig...

[bobk]

I have the Quickline bridle, and can atest to its ease of use. Loop on each end of the bridle to attach to the deck cleats, and the cup attached to the chain. If I remember correctly, it was about $80 for just the attachment, about $250 for the complete rig...

I just checked and a hook for 3/8" chain is $104. Can you tell us how you deploy it? I'm picturing bringing the hook up through the anchor slot in the pulpit and hooking it on upside down. But I don't see how it will stay on as you pay out more chain to tension the snubber.

I have been using a Wichard hook and it works fine, but I have to lean over the bow to engage and disengage and that gets scarier the older I get. And when there is lightening I don't like toughing that big grounding rod, er chain.

Bobk

[GJH]

The Quickline shares some of the characteristics of what I use, though I have to say I like its looks a bit better with the little cup around the slot. I take it you attach the bridle lines with shackles in similar fashion, but through the hoop?



Bob, I cleat off each end of the bridle to the bow cleats, bring the hook over then tucked under the pulpit, pulling on the bridle ropes to get it in position, reach through the roller slot to drop it over the chain, no leaning over the bow for me. Then let out chain until it tightens up ,and then another 15 feet or so to form a lazy loop behind the hook. Because of the deepness of the slot and the way the hook is pulled up from the bottom and snug, no issue with it dropping off. Having stubby BBB chain probably helps too. The lazy loop provides some more weight for the rode to lift. My hook ends up a a few feet below the water when at rest so there is plenty of stretch in the lines (which I just replaced (old picture above) as they have become stiff and are six years old... overdue. All in all this set up has really worked well for me in some very difficult conditions

When retrieving the anchor, process is reversed; after taking the hook off the chain I will often shorten the bridle quite a bit and leave the hook on the tip of the pulpit as it comes in handy when you have a tough-to-break out anchor.. takes all the pressure off the pulpit anchor roller and windlass. I stand clear when doing this as I do when powering back to set the anchor, it's never happened but the hook coming off or the line breaking (more likely) could really hurt. As klutzy as I am, with years of practice and hundreds of anchor sets I can deploy this thing in 30 seconds or less.