* Wilbur Hubbard wrote, On 2/23/2007 6:04 PM:

However, ignore the amateurs that advise shackling the chain to the
boat.
It should be attached with a length of line, strong enough to hold the
boat, accessible enough to cut with a knife if need be.

What about boats that have all chain rodes? Are you proposing adding
line to
the end of an all chain rode?

Absolutely, and for the reason Jeff mentioned.

CWM

You forgot the word "retarded". Jeff's reason is retarded. There is no
reason to have a rope tail to cut. If you have chain rode you have a
windlass. If you have a windlass you have a chain stopper. Either a
stopper built into the windlass or a stopper forward of it on deck. Or
preferably both. If you have the bitter end of the chain made fast below
in the chain locker with a stainless steel shackle made fast to a padeye
or eye bolt it is under no strain. If you should have to jettison the
rode/anchor for emergency reasons it is far better to do so from the
safety of the ships interior. Generally, should you have to part company
with your ground tackle it will be under severe wind and wave
conditions. It is generally not as safe on the bucking foredeck as it is
inside the vessel. You could even severely cut yourself with the knife.
You could even use a snap shackle in the chain locker if you thought a
stainless steel screw shackle might be tough to unfasten. Be sure to
buoy your rode before setting it free so you may retrieve it at a later
time. The buoy should have the name of your ship on it.


Its clear you learned all you know by reading old West Marine catalogs
you found while dumpster diving.

First, the is no guarantee you have a windlass, and a windlass does
not imply a chain stopper. And the chain stopper will not
automatically stop the chain from running out. And when the boat
snubs up on shackle it will probably deform it just enough to make it
impossible to unscrew by hand.

Further, this nonsense about having to cut the line while hanging off
the bow proves that you've never actually been on a boat. Obviously,
the line would attach to the same spot you're saying to use with a
shackle, so one could cut it from the same "safe location" that you
could remove the shackle. The difference, of course, is that with rope
you can cut where ever is convenient, with 100% certainly, and with
a shackle there's a fair chance you'll need time and tools to get it
undone.