Anchor snubber

Yes always use a snubber. Unless it’s a short lunchtime stop in calm conditions.

As already stated, to protect the shaft / bearings from shock loads.

Ok that makes perfect sense , bearing and shaft damage .

If you have a proper snubber, one that actually stretches a bit, it massively reduces the peak loads on the anchor and system. There is some good stuff on the net about it.
Something like a reduction of 70%? On the load on the system.
In a blow it would be the difference between anchor dragging / chain snapping and staying safe.

Some info here, the second link had the info I was thinking of they all say similar sort of stuff, snubber attachment is a popular topic on SA, with the usual drift.

forums.sailinganarchy.com/threads/snubbers-and-chafe-protection.236737/#post-7932935

forums.sailinganarchy.com/threads/online-tutorial-tool-for-calculating-anchor-loads-and-required-minimal-chain-lengths-in-various-scenarios.230478/#post-7733082

www.practical-sailor.com/sails-rigging-deckgear/what-is-ideal-snubber-size

Its important to have chafe protection where the snubber runs over the bow, I use a bit of firehose lashed to the anchor rode, If you use a snubber then it can be permanently set in the right place.

The other factor is depth, you need to be in 8m plus to get the benefit of the chain catenary. I've anchored a couple of times in 50plus in shallow water and the stretch on the rode was incredible. the chafe over the bow roller is a real problem.

It all adds up and will really matter if you get caught in a big one.

You don't use hooks like that for lifting anymore, there are subtle differences with the rated ones.

Some sort of prussic onto the chain is probably the most secure setup but fiddly to set up, the soft shackle looks easier but all methods are apain if you want to let out more later.

There is a guy on here sometimes that can tell you about snubbers and length. He made me two or three so far

I have a single line one and a bridal one. When it is going to get windy I use the bridal. It is something like 4m each side. The single is similar. You need the length to get the stretch I was told. So those little short ones wont help in a blow.

Oh good golly. Ignore that calculator as it is overly complex, uses the wrong basis and makes zero allowance for how the snubber is constructed. It's another calculator like a young Mr Smith made that showed very scary numbers that meant your going to die but if you buy a rocna you'll be fine. His calculations had my 930 in the Motohie channel on a average 15kt day getting loads in excess of 600kg. Yet my Wa pulls it up by hand with zero effort. Sure at one stage she was lifting enough to take 2 of the 3 NZ records in the 'Silly old bag power lifting division'(it was quite a dangerous time in my life ) but 600kg,not in your wildest dreams. My calculator reckoned 102kg, the load cell peaked at 91. But Craig though marketting by fear was smart, the reality was it just turned so many off. Marketing by fear is not a good thing to do especially to a market that is way smarter than you.

I do admire the way some can make things like the link and soon but throw it on the net and make it something can really send some people down bad paths. The number of times we get told 'No,the internet said' is stupid and some refuse to even listen to why they are heading down a bad route, the muppets.

If you would like to now what loads your anchor system will need to handle post boat length, whether she is a big booty girl or a Spencer like pencil and how she sits at anchor i.e if you have a R930 then your response would be - '9.4m, lightweight, not beamy but not quite a pencil and she flys around like a mad women overdosing in meth when at anchor'. I shall then give you some numbers. I know many of you will be trying hard to give me a displacement but that's not really that important as the ocean is kind enough to take most of that itself. And I know some of you will be thinking 'Oui, but my boat is a big booty girl with extra beef, far more a Lizzo than a Twiggy so it will put more load on the anchor'. In a word No. Who flys around the most at anchor,light weight flyers or big heavy displacement? It's not the big girls is it. It is a bit counter intuitive but when you dive deep it does make sense.

Right lets pick an example called Fogg. 51ft of big blue fibreglass goodness. In 15 knots of wind her rode will need to handle up to 200kg, at 30kts up to 750kg, at 45kts up to 1500kg and at 60kts she'll be 3100kg. These loads exclude wave action which can cause spikes higher. I say up to as the calculator is based on 'an average American power boat' or what we call in NZ RiverTimos. With this the wind is the cause so a Rivertimo has more windage than Fogg hence the 'up to' which should leave her a wee bit of a safety margin. As Fogg anchors pretty benignly and has some beef she is unlike to 'slam' her anchor rather than lean back on it, my 930 is slammer, near king of slammers, and the load can spike a bit on that slam. Foggs gear is up for 60 knots, as I think all gear should be even if you never plan to 'get caught'. But he has picked good gear that makes a good 'system'.

Notice I don't just use 'anchor'. I buy the best anchor in the world and oversize it by 2. I go into the Rangi Channel and deploy that anchor. I have probably less than an hour before I hit land. Why? A anchor does fuck all and it totally useless.....unless it's connected to chain/rope/wire with good components and gear aboard to handle it. Lets just call all that 'a system'.

Anyway snubbers. Rule No1 - Snubbers over a small few years old will be working far worse than they could be. Snubber are not to be family heirlooms, any built to be so will,not work. Snubbers are a generally short piece of cheap rope, don't be a tight arse and replace it every few seasons, more if you work it hard. They will work harden if pushed a lot and that's not ideal.Replace Nylon more often that Polyester, it work hardens and the nature of the material also means it hardens, 2 things Polyester can do but takes a lot of shit loads more to do.

The 3 main reasons are to give some elasticity to a all chain/wire/and for a few muppets a UHMWPE system. The 2nd is to keep Mrs Fish less annoyed by chain and/or roller banging side to side in the bow roller at 3am. The 3rd is to take the load off the winch when the weather is icky.

That hook featured above would be the most common used and they are fine for 98% of boaters. I have seen the odd one buggered but that usually happened due to something unusual. There are other variations of hook, a claw type is what I'd use if I was a distance or liked to sail in anything sort of an operation. There are some internet inspired ones like the Mantus, we hate those as they are usually more complex than is needed, big and/or heavier than needed which can fuck paintwork fast and they are often bloody expensive. There are the Kong Grippers, look good, well made with pins that bend to the point of useless with in a few anchorings.Then there is the odd plate one which goes on firm, is hell strong, is a slow pain in the arse to remove just at a piont when you maybe in a tricky spot and no longer anchored well. The best snubbers use the KISS principal.

The rope I'd use? In a squeeze anything is better than nothing. But given the choice I'd use the size of warp that is the usual match to the chain size below the one you use. You can use smaller again but remember the loads above,the last thing you need is it to go bang in a unusual35-40kt gust at 2am,that could be a undie destruction moment as you suddenly wake upto a BANG and the boat lurch backwards. Go to BCo and they sell1m x 20mm to a 7m boat,they make as well use steel rod for the good it will do. You want smallish to get the stretch, too big and it just won't. Replace Nylon more often that Polyester. I like the multiplait, 8 braid, as it has 8 strands to be cut thru before it fails so hopefully the boater will see that before it does. The other reason, and I've just realised I'm talking about our multiplait not everyone elses, is a T66 grade nylon i.e. at the Aston Martin end of the performance, where most here only use T6, some use just shit. I'd use a T6 or shit but I'd watch it closer for hardening as they will do so far sooner than a T66. And as I wrote that I thought 'When Fogg walks into 98% of rope sellers in NZ and askes them if they use T6 or T66, all he is going to see is a blank face staring back at him. If you are in your local and they don't know ask me and I can tell you, and them , what grade they have. As I've said before NZ industry is small and I am a nosy fucker.

Use nylon or polyester, give the choice of those 2 go Nylon, it has a little more elasticity near break load than comparable polyester but polyester has better abrasion resistance if that's an issue for you. Length,longer is better than shorter but for most of us bumbling around the gulf and NE Coast to the BoI 3-4mts will work fine. I like to make them long enough that when loaded a little,say 20kts, the hook is 100mm out of the water. Distance cruisers tend to have 2 or 3 snubber.

Bloody hell, a novel. Digest that and let me know what I've forgotten while I go see if any possums would like a third eye.