Mooring Chain

martini · 15 January 2012, 23:13

Pardon the pun but has anybody got any links to a good i.e. cheap chain supplier?

I'm looking for about 120m of black 10mm short link

Everyone over here wants silly money

SPR · 16 January 2012, 00:01

other here people seem to buy high tensile chain from the fishermen mutual!

never heard of black chain? is it special, I use galvanised short link. I think I bought from Gael force in inverness.

S.

Razorbill · 16 January 2012, 00:39

You may be better off approaching a chain wholesaler or manufacturer who would supply the whole length in a 45 gallon drum.
Cradely Heath in the Midlands is the centre for British chain manufacturing, you could try this firm?
Welded Chains Mild steel welded chain certified and un certified chains. short link and longer link chains tested and untested

If you intend fitting shackles to the chain you might be better off going up to 12mm (1/2") in order to get the shackle pins through the link?

martini · 16 January 2012, 07:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by SPR

never heard of black chain?

I should say self coloured really, i.e. not galvanised.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Razorbill

If you intend fitting shackles to the chain you might be better off going up to 12mm (1/2") in order to get the shackle pins through the link?

I'll probably cut to the correct lengths then make my own big link on each end for a shackle. Saying that it doesn't have to be short link although it's probably better as it's heavier.

It's for a harbour mooring, 4 chains, one each corner.

C2 RIBS · 16 January 2012, 07:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by martini

Pardon the pun but has anybody got any links to a good i.e. cheap chain supplier?

I'm looking for about 120m of black 10mm short link

Everyone over here wants silly money

Try this e bay supplier- he may be able to help, not sure on costs for parcel farce
uk-yacht-rigging-and-supplies
TEL 01472 360700 OR 07711 040831 OR EMAIL ME info@yachtriggingsupplies.com
Always very helpful when we needed exact amounts for codings etc.

chewy · 16 January 2012, 09:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by C2 RIBS

Try this e bay supplier- he may be able to help, not sure on costs for parcel farce
uk-yacht-rigging-and-supplies
TEL 01472 360700 OR 07711 040831 OR EMAIL ME info@yachtriggingsupplies.com
Always very helpful when we needed exact amounts for codings etc.

If thats the lad in Hull/Grimsby he's real helpful and usually decent prices.

tomoffshore · 16 January 2012, 09:20

South Wales Marine are usually pretty good, he has a web shop and an eBay shop.

BumbleAbout · 16 January 2012, 09:27

I've also used uk-yacht-rigging-and-supplies and found them to be very helpful.

alystra · 16 January 2012, 16:07

Why don't you want to use galvanised chain? Wouldn't it last longer?

martini · 16 January 2012, 18:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by alystra

Why don't you want to use galvanised chain? Wouldn't it last longer?

Apparently the extra life doesn't warrant the extra cost. The zinc soon wears off with the links chafing against each other all the time.

martini · 16 January 2012, 18:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by C2 RIBS

Try this e bay supplier- he may be able to help, not sure on costs for parcel farce
uk-yacht-rigging-and-supplies
TEL 01472 360700 OR 07711 040831 OR EMAIL ME info@yachtriggingsupplies.com
Always very helpful when we needed exact amounts for codings etc.

Thanks for the tip be he's only flogging galv and its 50% more than I've been quoted for self colour over here.

karlT · 16 January 2012, 19:40

Hi Matt,

T&T used to import from Island Chains by the pallet. Give Tom a ring he may still have some and was always cheaper than Hunts etc.

martini · 16 January 2012, 20:52

Cheers Karl, I haven't got a number for him but I'll probably go with Hunts anyway. I was down there today playing him like an old piano. I literally had him chasing me down the road with offers

got nearly 25% off his normal price, doubt I'll do much better anywhere else

Daibheid · 31 January 2012, 12:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by martini

Apparently the extra life doesn't warrant the extra cost. The zinc soon wears off with the links chafing against each other all the time.

I dived a mooring for a yacht owning friend a few years ago who'd used black chain. 12mm chain was down to about 2mm thickness and ready to snap in the next big blow on some links on the bottom.

I used 16mm galvanized into a mooring block and six years on it's still showing no signs of corrosion. You're probably right chafing removes zinc from where it chafes but you may misunderstand how the galvanizing works. It's not like powdercoating or paint where a hermetic seal over the bare metal is required. The chafed area between links is still close to zinc plating which will continue to be sacrificial and reduce corrosion on even bare metal on the same link.

Unless it's really easy to inspect and replace I'd use galvanized. At the very least I'd use a length of galvanized into the concrete mooring if that's what you'll have in each corner or you could have to replace the blocks too if the chain is cast into them and rusts out.

Erin · 31 January 2012, 14:49

The problem is his chain connects to a ground chain which in turn has everybody else's boat hanging off it too. I'm not sure Martini is too keen on buying galv chain to sacrificially protect the rest of the harbour