"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.

 

[Pascal]

I rarely use a bridle, only if it s really blowing or to eliminate the chain noise when we have guests in the VIP.

I use a $10 chain hook, with a big shackle and 2 cheap three strand lines... Shackle on the hook, eyes of the lines on the shackle and a bowline at the other ends on the cleats

I cleat the lines, run them outside the pulpit. Then stand on the pulpit, pull the hook up to catch the chain then while keeping tension on the hook release 20 or 30' of chain. Reverse procedure. Easy and cheap

 

[GJH]

"easy and cheap", well mine was a gift so you can't beat that. Prior to that I just put a rolling hitch on the chain with 3/4" three strand, held dang well in some sustained multi day blows, but nothing over 30knots so not sure how ultimately stout that would have been. My current set up had been in as high as 80, and that plate is now bent slightly. I just replaced the lines this week, they had become stretched and stiff and slightly chafed (after the chafe guard had been worn through). I just use it all the time because you never know, so why not get in the habit. We used to charter a terrific 49 GB in the PNW that had the exact bridle Pascal uses; that worked OK though we never gave it a real test. The boats owner was extremely knowledgeable and anal, so credit that too. Chin hooks tend to twist the chain a bit, especially if laying to one line.

 

[Jaxfishgyd]

Like the "simple and cheap" idea...
Have several extra dock lines and a big shackle... only need to buy the hook... But would just put the bowline knots on the shackle and use the existing loops for the cleats...
Worth a try any way

 

[Pascal]

Reason i used the bowlines on the cleats is that we have big stylish fancy euro styled cleats and most eyes don't fit over them...

It's blowing 30kts tonight behind Little Farmers and while the cay and shallows block the chop there is no shelter from the wind I have 150' of chain on the 176lbs Bruce in 12' of water, the hook is just in the water with excess chain just looping down to the bottom. It is very nice not to have the chain making noise in the pulpit although this is one of these nights where I ll sleep on the couch in the skylounge just in case

 

[Artzco]

Reason i used the bowlines on the cleats is that we have big stylish fancy euro styled cleats and most eyes don't fit over them...

It's blowing 30kts tonight behind Little Farmers and while the cay and shallows block the chop there is no shelter from the wind I have 150' of chain on the 176lbs Bruce in 12' of water, the hook is just in the water with excess chain just looping down to the bottom. It is very nice not to have the chain making noise in the pulpit although this is one of these nights where I ll sleep on the couch in the skylounge just in case

Thanks for the inexpensive idea. I have everything except the hook. Saving me some $$$.

 

[magnawake]

Yeah...thats the same kinda hook I have. First time anchoring out we didnt have it. The chain going through the pulpit slot keep us up all night popping and squeaking. Never again. Then a storm came up with 40kts of wind. Thats a lot of stress on the windlass. The bridle with the hook is the bomb. I always learn the hard way first.

 

[GJH]

Just keep in mind those cheap chain hooks will twist and distort the chain under heavy load, and be more prone to falling off in other conditions. That is the reason the devil's claw hooks like the Capt Hook or the Quickline version, or my plate set up is what any good rigging shop will put together for an anchor snubber. Or why I'd personally just as soon use a rolling hitch as one of those.

One must also consider what the strength and chafe implications are of a mere single wrap of the line around a shackle, vs a properly spliced eye/thimble set up. So yeah it works for now and then but I'd be very wary over the long haul and after a few uses in any kind of snotty conditions.

Besides that, do note in Pascal's picture the depth of the hook, and one thing a lot of people forget or don't know about, and that is the deep lazy loop of chain behind the hook, which helps keep the angle to anchor down in modest conditions and adds more weight to overall system when things start picking up. Remember, this isn't just about taking load off the roller and pulpit, it is primarily about adding some stretch and catenary to the system.

 

[Pascal]

Good points. This is why i use a SS shackle vs galvanized. It is very smooth and so far chaffing is not an issue, at least with reason. I think the rubbing of the chain loop against the lines as the boat swing is the primary wear spot

Twisting maybe a concern if you are on the hook for days and days. We are never in the same spot for more than a day, two at the most.

It was really howling last night, 30kts, one sailboat broke its mooring (never trust those poorly maintained Bahamian moorings) and it didnt twist maybe it s because I don't run the lines thru the pulpit but their the bow chocks outside the pulpit. I think the extra separation between the lines and chain prevents twisting

 

[Jaxfishgyd]

Just got back from Ace Hardware store... Got the chain hook and shackle.... It works like a CHARM (or is that "like a charmer").... Raised and lowered the anchor and it grabs the chain easily and fast... And let's go with no problem..

 

[Pascal]

Release is important... As soon as the lines go slack mine drops off the chain so in a bind (like someone dragging) I don't have to worry, I can just leave it as it is and retrieve it later