"Martin Baxter" wrote in message
...
Jeff Morris wrote:

Be a bit careful comparing numbers - some are "working load" and others are
"breaking strength." I think for chain and shackles "working load" is
define as
25% of breaking strength. Also, you want to consider the failure mode - a
quick
link can deform making it hard to take apart.

I was aware and considered working load, not breaking strength, your 4 to 1
figure is the
one usually used for chain and chain fittings.

I was pretty sure you understood, but when I looked in the Boat/US catalog they
actually listed the breaking strength for their quicklinks, and they seemed
weaker than shackles. One must be explicit for the benefit of the thousands of
lurkers who rely on our collective wisdom!

BTW, Earl Hinz ("Complete Book of Anchoring and Mooring") is explicit that
quicklinks are for temporary use only, though he doesn't elaborate.



BTW, why not use a swivel to connect to the anchor? Maybe your Danforth
won't
pull out as much if it had a swivel.

Can't see how that would help.

Joking a bit, but I've heard it claimed that without swivel there's a chance
that an anchor would be pulled out due to twisted chain. Certainly, if you
anchor for long periods where you could spin around the anchor you should have a
swivel. If you use one, it should be attached to the anchor through a shackle,
not directly, since a direct connection would have a heavy side load as the
boat sheers.