Our boat was equipped with a rather comical anchor chain by a former
owner. So it has been on my list to replace it with either 5/16" or 3/8"
chain (hot-dip galvanized of course) with an eye towards eventually
putting on a windlass too.

This past weekend, on our way down to the boat, we stopped at
Agri-Supply and bought some hi-test 3/8" hot-dip galvanized chain for
the whopping price of ... way less than $100 ... for a 40 shot of chain
for our main anchor.

http://www.agri-supply.com/catmain/3700006.htm

We of course had to go anhcor out and test it, which we did, with the
help of two sailing friends who rafted up each side of us.

Quiet, isolated anchorage. Lovely sunset. Hot, but with a enough breeze
to make it tolerable. A couple glasses of wine. Interesting talk (mostly
about boats). Didn't budge, and the anchor was actually easier to raise
the next morning because the larger chain was easier to grip & stack.

Getting a windlass is still on the list.

Fresh Breezes- Doug King

Sounds a bit cheaper than West Marine - WM is $3.99 for the 5/16HT I use, your place is
$1.19!

But am I missing something? I always thought a shot was 90 feet. Did you really get 3600
feet of chain for $100?

"DSK" wrote in message
...
Our boat was equipped with a rather comical anchor chain by a former
owner. So it has been on my list to replace it with either 5/16" or 3/8"
chain (hot-dip galvanized of course) with an eye towards eventually
putting on a windlass too.

This past weekend, on our way down to the boat, we stopped at
Agri-Supply and bought some hi-test 3/8" hot-dip galvanized chain for
the whopping price of ... way less than $100 ... for a 40 shot of chain
for our main anchor.

http://www.agri-supply.com/catmain/3700006.htm

We of course had to go anhcor out and test it, which we did, with the
help of two sailing friends who rafted up each side of us.

Quiet, isolated anchorage. Lovely sunset. Hot, but with a enough breeze
to make it tolerable. A couple glasses of wine. Interesting talk (mostly
about boats). Didn't budge, and the anchor was actually easier to raise
the next morning because the larger chain was easier to grip & stack.

Getting a windlass is still on the list.

Fresh Breezes- Doug King

Jeff Morris wrote:

Sounds a bit cheaper than West Marine - WM is $3.99 for the 5/16HT I use, your place is
$1.19!

Yep. I thought for sure there must be a catch, but after closely examining the chain from both
sources, the chain seems identical.



But am I missing something? I always thought a shot was 90 feet. Did you really get 3600
feet of chain for $100?

Sorry, I was using "shot" informally & casually... I wonder if the NIST has a shot-measure
standard, call 'em up and tell 'em we need to calibrate.....

Fresh Breezes- Doug King

As I have said before, Walk into West Moron and ask for 3/8 high test
anchor chain and pay $5/ft. Walk into an industrial supply house and
ask for hot dipped Grade 40 and pay $2 for the same thing.

DSK wrote:

Jeff Morris wrote:


Sounds a bit cheaper than West Marine - WM is $3.99 for the 5/16HT I use, your place is
$1.19!


Yep. I thought for sure there must be a catch, but after closely examining the chain from both
sources, the chain seems identical.



But am I missing something? I always thought a shot was 90 feet. Did you really get 3600
feet of chain for $100?


Sorry, I was using "shot" informally & casually... I wonder if the NIST has a shot-measure
standard, call 'em up and tell 'em we need to calibrate.....

Fresh Breezes- Doug King




--
Glenn Ashmore

I'm building a 45' cutter in strip/composite. Watch my progress (or lack
there of) at: http://www.rutuonline.com
Shameless Commercial Division: http://www.spade-anchor-us.com

If you get an od ball metric chain wheel you will have a problem but
American chain dimensions and minimum working loads are pretty well
standardized by DOT and OSHA. Grade 28 and 30 come in two patterns,
Proof coil and BBB. Grade 40 (formerly 43) is High test. Grade 70 is
transport chain. Grades 40 and 70 all have exactly the same dimensions
regardless of make. The difference is that Grade 70 is heat treated.
Heat treating makes it stronger but more subject to corosion.

Grades 63, 80 and 100 are lifting chains and are different sizes from
HT. They will not fit most windlasses.

You can buy ACCO 3/8" High test from West for $5.55/foot or Campbell
3/8" Grade 40 from an industrial supplier for $2.00/ft but you will get
exactly the same thing.

Steve wrote:
Be careful of using industrial chain if you are going to buy a anchor
windlass in the future. Most anchor winch manufactures size their chain
wheels to ISO standards for chain. A lot of times an industrial supplier
will sell chain that is sized using ISO for the wire size and the dimensions
for the links are built to metric dimensions. The reason for the lower
price on this type of chain is their is less welds per foot.

If you are not going to buy an anchor windlass, you don't need to worry.

When you are buying a windlass from a dealer who also supplies the chain,
the fit of the chain to the windlass is usually guaranteed, if you supply
the chain from an industrial supply house, you are responsible for the fit.

--
Thanks,

O_salt

"Glenn Ashmore" wrote in message
...

As I have said before, Walk into West Moron and ask for 3/8 high test
anchor chain and pay $5/ft. Walk into an industrial supply house and
ask for hot dipped Grade 40 and pay $2 for the same thing.

DSK wrote:

Jeff Morris wrote:



Sounds a bit cheaper than West Marine - WM is $3.99 for the 5/16HT I

use, your place is

$1.19!


Yep. I thought for sure there must be a catch, but after closely

examining the chain from both

sources, the chain seems identical.



But am I missing something? I always thought a shot was 90 feet. Did

you really get 3600

feet of chain for $100?


Sorry, I was using "shot" informally & casually... I wonder if the NIST

has a shot-measure

standard, call 'em up and tell 'em we need to calibrate.....

Fresh Breezes- Doug King




--
Glenn Ashmore

I'm building a 45' cutter in strip/composite. Watch my progress (or lack
there of) at: http://www.rutuonline.com
Shameless Commercial Division: http://www.spade-anchor-us.com







--
Glenn Ashmore

I'm building a 45' cutter in strip/composite. Watch my progress (or lack
there of) at: http://www.rutuonline.com
Shameless Commercial Division: http://www.spade-anchor-us.com

x-no-archive:yes Glenn Ashmore wrote:

If you get an od ball metric chain wheel you will have a problem but
American chain dimensions and minimum working loads are pretty well
standardized by DOT and OSHA. Grade 28 and 30 come in two patterns,
Proof coil and BBB. Grade 40 (formerly 43) is High test. Grade 70 is
transport chain. Grades 40 and 70 all have exactly the same dimensions
regardless of make. The difference is that Grade 70 is heat treated.
Heat treating makes it stronger but more subject to corosion.

Grades 63, 80 and 100 are lifting chains and are different sizes from
HT. They will not fit most windlasses.

You can buy ACCO 3/8" High test from West for $5.55/foot or Campbell
3/8" Grade 40 from an industrial supplier for $2.00/ft but you will get
exactly the same thing.

I think the idea is that lifting chain which is cheaper will not be
the same as transport or windlass chain. And people who don't know
the difference might think that lifting chain was OK to use, not
knowing that difference between that and HT. Even a cheaper chain if
you buy a lot of it will be a considerable investment.

We could have picked up the ACCO chain direct from the distributer for
cheaper, but then we'd have had to transport it (we got something like
half barrel or 3/4 barrel) and that stuff is really heavy - too heavy
for a car.

Steve wrote:
Be careful of using industrial chain if you are going to buy a anchor
windlass in the future. Most anchor winch manufactures size their chain
wheels to ISO standards for chain. A lot of times an industrial supplier
will sell chain that is sized using ISO for the wire size and the dimensions
for the links are built to metric dimensions. The reason for the lower
price on this type of chain is their is less welds per foot.

If you are not going to buy an anchor windlass, you don't need to worry.

When you are buying a windlass from a dealer who also supplies the chain,
the fit of the chain to the windlass is usually guaranteed, if you supply
the chain from an industrial supply house, you are responsible for the fit.

--
Thanks,

O_salt

"Glenn Ashmore" wrote in message
...

As I have said before, Walk into West Moron and ask for 3/8 high test
anchor chain and pay $5/ft. Walk into an industrial supply house and
ask for hot dipped Grade 40 and pay $2 for the same thing.

DSK wrote:

Jeff Morris wrote:



Sounds a bit cheaper than West Marine - WM is $3.99 for the 5/16HT I

use, your place is

$1.19!


Yep. I thought for sure there must be a catch, but after closely

examining the chain from both

sources, the chain seems identical.



But am I missing something? I always thought a shot was 90 feet. Did

you really get 3600

feet of chain for $100?


Sorry, I was using "shot" informally & casually... I wonder if the NIST

has a shot-measure

standard, call 'em up and tell 'em we need to calibrate.....

Fresh Breezes- Doug King




--
Glenn Ashmore

I'm building a 45' cutter in strip/composite. Watch my progress (or lack
there of) at: http://www.rutuonline.com
Shameless Commercial Division: http://www.spade-anchor-us.com






grandma Rosalie

I just bought a drum of 3/8" BBB galvanized chain from these people very
reasonable delivered to my door in NC. I shopped everywhere and they gave
me the most bang for the buck and a good product.
http://www.hkchainusa.com/index.html

Phil

I just bought a drum of 3/8" BBB galvanized chain from these people very
reasonable delivered to my door in NC. I shopped everywhere and they gave
me the most bang for the buck and a good product.
http://www.hkchainusa.com/index.html

Phil

"Steve" wrote in message
t...
Be careful of using industrial chain if you are going to buy a anchor
windlass in the future. Most anchor winch manufactures size their chain
wheels to ISO standards for chain. A lot of times an industrial supplier
will sell chain that is sized using ISO for the wire size and the
dimensions
for the links are built to metric dimensions. The reason for the lower
price on this type of chain is their is less welds per foot.

If you are not going to buy an anchor windlass, you don't need to worry.

When you are buying a windlass from a dealer who also supplies the chain,
the fit of the chain to the windlass is usually guaranteed, if you supply
the chain from an industrial supply house, you are responsible for the
fit.

--
Thanks,

O_salt

"Glenn Ashmore" wrote in message
...
As I have said before, Walk into West Moron and ask for 3/8 high test
anchor chain and pay $5/ft. Walk into an industrial supply house and
ask for hot dipped Grade 40 and pay $2 for the same thing.

DSK wrote:

Jeff Morris wrote:


Sounds a bit cheaper than West Marine - WM is $3.99 for the 5/16HT I
use, your place is
$1.19!


Yep. I thought for sure there must be a catch, but after closely
examining the chain from both
sources, the chain seems identical.



But am I missing something? I always thought a shot was 90 feet. Did
you really get 3600
feet of chain for $100?


Sorry, I was using "shot" informally & casually... I wonder if the NIS
T
has a shot-measure
standard, call 'em up and tell 'em we need to calibrate.....

Fresh Breezes- Doug King




--
Glenn Ashmore

I'm building a 45' cutter in strip/composite. Watch my progress (or lack
there of) at: http://www.rutuonline.com
Shameless Commercial Division: http://www.spade-anchor-us.com

On Mon, 28 Jul 2003 06:56:35 -0400, "Jeff Morris"
jeffmo@NoSpam-sv-lokiDOTcom wrote:

But am I missing something? I always thought a shot was 90 feet.

It has ****all to do with boating, but there is a unit of measure
known as a chain. Composed of one hundred links, it is 66 feet long,
or four rods, or one tenth of a furlong. Used for land surveying by
guys like George Washington. More than a century after adoption of the
steel tape, guys were calling them chains. Some guys still refer to
the process of measurement as chaining, even when done electronically.

Casady

"Richard Casady" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 28 Jul 2003 06:56:35 -0400, "Jeff Morris"
jeffmo@NoSpam-sv-lokiDOTcom wrote:

But am I missing something? I always thought a shot was 90 feet.

It has ****all to do with boating, but there is a unit of measure
known as a chain. Composed of one hundred links, it is 66 feet long,
or four rods, or one tenth of a furlong. Used for land surveying by
guys like George Washington. More than a century after adoption of the
steel tape, guys were calling them chains. Some guys still refer to
the process of measurement as chaining, even when done electronically.

Casady

I'll bet those surveyor guys are glad they don't have to cart all that chain
around anymore.....