Anyone used Titan anchor rode? Any good or junk?

[Chris & Lenore]

I need new rode for my windlass project. This windlass specifies 9/16 rode so that narrows the options (wish it was 5/8 - never noticed when I bought it).

I can get Sampson "Pro set" 3 strand for about $1.50 a foot - so $300 for 200 feet. I can get a premade Titan with 15 feet of G43 chain and 250 feet of 9/16 3 strand for $250.

The chain is not long enough but I'm still saving over $50 if I just use the line.

BUT if the Sampson line is better then I'll gladly spend an extra $50.

On the other hand, if both products are equally good there is no sense in throwing hard earned money away.

Thanks,

Chris

 

[Ron20324]

Have you googled for the load ratings of the two? I have a B323, and 9/16 has, in 9 yrears, always been enough, so far, but I believe 1/2 is the reccommended size.

 

[Chris & Lenore]

The windlass (Maxwell HRC-8) specifies 9/16 rope. I googled about using the more standard 5/8 but everything said to use what the manufacturer recommends.

Strength seems about the same for the two products. Titan has a breaking strength of 7200 lbs and Sampson shows an "average strength" of 7900 lbs and a "minimum strength" of 7100 lbs.

Sampson is made in the USA (and has excellent resources on their website - learned just about everything I need to know about rope) .
Titan states "engineered and tested" in Canada - so I assume it's manufactured in China.

The more I type this, the more I think Sampson is the better product (and I prefer to support manufacturing in North America).

Plus, we spend a lot of time on the hook so an extra $50 might be money well spent.

Chris

 

[Kings Gambit]

I need new rode for my windlass project. This windlass specifies 9/16 rode so that narrows the options (wish it was 5/8 - never noticed when I bought it).

I can get Sampson "Pro set" 3 strand for about $1.50 a foot - so $300 for 200 feet. I can get a premade Titan with 15 feet of G43 chain and 250 feet of 9/16 3 strand for $250.

The chain is not long enough but I'm still saving over $50 if I just use the line.

BUT if the Sampson line is better then I'll gladly spend an extra $50.

On the other hand, if both products are equally good there is no sense in throwing hard earned money away.

Thanks,

Chris

Sampson Pro-set 3 (three-strand nylon) @ 9/16" is being advertized for $1.05/ft; New England Ropes for $1.27/ft at Defender. NER is rated about a half-ton higher tensile strength (8,800 lb). I use 9/16" NER 3-strand on the Bavaria @ 16,000 lb displacement.

http://www.defender.com/category.jsp?path=-1|2078767|2078768&id=2078769

 

[centerline]

any manufacture that is advertising "average breaking strength" is only doing so to legally mislead someone into believing their product is stronger.

I have 30+ years in the rigging industry and I know how its tested and rated.

minimum breaking strength is all that matters... any of the higher numbers that was obtained during the destructive test procedures, to equate to a higher "average" number, mean nothing... yet can be very misleading when posted.

SWL as seen on some rigging or tags or Safe Working Loads, are a fraction of the minimum breaking strength of the product. never, ever the maximum or average breaking strengths
depending on the intended application, this is usually 1/2, 1/3, or 1/5 of the minimum breaking strength of the product.

their advertising as it stands is the same as them saying, "if you are lucky and get a good section of our rope, its really strong, but some of it isnt that strong so we just advertise our average numbers to make us look good because most people overlook the word average and will buy because it looks really strong as compared to others".... this is not what i want to see on my rigging products.

Samson rope has good reputation, and im not saying it is weaker than the competition, but im sure their numbers cannot naturally exceed what the competition offers, so they are posting averages.... maybe they should advertise their calculated "average safe working load" and see how that works out for them.

and as for Titan rope, they also manufacture rope for the climbing industry so i would assume they know how to make good rope
the local rigging shop here sells the titan brand and I use it and have never had a problem... so far

 

[Bob 04 H260]

Chris, we have a Lewmar windlass. I had a chat with the Lewmar rep at the Miami boat show this spring regarding rode. He gave me a lot of tips on the characteristics of rode that will work well in their windlass and how it needs to be spliced to the chain. I got the impression there can be problems if the line is too stiff of too limp etc. I don't know if any of this might also be applicable to Maxwell windlass. Maybe talk to Maxwell before ordering rode ?

If you want North American, have you considered Bridgeline Rope in Deseronto ? I understand they only sell huge spools to distributors and it is then usually sold under other brand names. However there is a fellow in Kingston called The Ropeman, he sells yacht braid, anchor rode etc. from Bridgeline at the sailing clubs in eastern Ontario. It is amazing to watch him splice line, he even gives free lessons. I've lost touch with him but if you are interested I'll ask around for a phone number. The prices were excellent.

Bob

 

[pateco]

If you want US made Line for a good price you might try Miami Cordage Heat Set Nylon Windlass Rope

 

[Bad Obsession]

I have had good luck with Cajun Ropes. www.cajunropes.com

 

[Chris & Lenore]

Chris, we have a Lewmar windlass. I had a chat with the Lewmar rep at the Miami boat show this spring regarding rode. He gave me a lot of tips on the characteristics of rode that will work well in their windlass and how it needs to be spliced to the chain. I got the impression there can be problems if the line is too stiff of too limp etc. I don't know if any of this might also be applicable to Maxwell windlass. Maybe talk to Maxwell before ordering rode ? If you want North American, have you considered Bridgeline Rope in Deseronto ? I understand they only sell huge spools to distributors and it is then usually sold under other brand names. However there is a fellow in Kingston called The Ropeman, he sells yacht braid, anchor rode etc. from Bridgeline at the sailing clubs in eastern Ontario. It is amazing to watch him splice line, he even gives free lessons. I've lost touch with him but if you are interested I'll ask around for a phone number. The prices were excellent. Bob

Deseronto? We anchored there last summer on our way to Kington. Went ashore and walked the Main Street. Strange place - like time had stopped in the 50's. Really interesting but few people, no tourists etc.

I found a number for the "rope man" in Kingston. Not easy to find as ROPE also stands for "Repeat Offender Parole Enforcement" so a search on "rope man" turns up all the people the police are looking for

Centreline - interesting information about the breaking vs average strength. Interesting that Sampson published a safe working load but Titan does not.
It seems that both are good products along all the other brands mentioned by others in this thread.

It's good to hear that none were "avoid at all cost".

Bob - I did ask Maxwell and they only wanted to sell me their chain/rope rodes which were about twice the price. I finally got them to say any name brand 3 strand will be fine as long as it's 9/16 (preferable domestic and not from China).

Chris

 

[centerline]

Centreline - interesting information about the breaking vs average strength. Interesting that Sampson published a safe working load but Titan does not.
It seems that both are good products along all the other brands mentioned by others in this thread.

It's good to hear that none were "avoid at all cost".


Chris

were the specs you seen posted on the titan website or a vendors website?
even the sampson rope specs can be published differently by different vendors... such as defender publishes the "average strength" in their magazine, and "average tensile strength" on their website... they dont say if this is the average safe working load or the average minimum or maximum breaking strength....

west marine publishes the "breaking strength" for sampson ropes, and does not use the words average, minimum or safe working load.... so it seems that if you want specifics you have to find the vendor that publishes the numbers in the format that looks best to us..

 

[Chris & Lenore]

I compared specs on the manufacturers site. It appears both would be fine for the job...

Chris

 

[mitiempo]

I'm not sure where you found the Titan rope/chain combo but could this be it?
http://www.amazon.com/Titan-Anchor-Pre-Spliced-Chain-3-Strand/dp/B00GDEFL2O

Titan is a registered trademark for both chain and shackles from Canada Metal. They also are the owners of Rocna anchors as well as Martyr anodes. They are not in the rope business.

If the above link is what you were referring to it is possibly Titan chain with rope from somewhere else. A google search does not find a rope manufacturer named Titan.

Titan chain is excellent and much more consistent in quality - both of welds and galvanizing - than Acco.

 

[Chris & Lenore]

I'm not sure where you found the Titan rope/chain combo but could this be it? http://www.amazon.com/Titan-Anchor-Pre-Spliced-Chain-3-Strand/dp/B00GDEFL2O Titan is a registered trademark for both chain and shackles from Canada Metal. They also are the owners of Rocna anchors as well as Martyr anodes. They are not in the rope business. If the above link is what you were referring to it is possibly Titan chain with rope from somewhere else. A google search does not find a rope manufacturer named Titan. Titan chain is excellent and much more consistent in quality - both of welds and galvanizing - than Acco.

The chain/rode products are all listed on their website. They make 3 strand, 8 strand and double braid versions.
The only problem is that the max chain they have is 20 feet. I prefer at least a boat length and since you can't splice chain when a windlass is used (correct me if I'm wrong), the chain is basically a throw away.

http://www.titanmarineproducts.com/products/rodes/three

Chris

 

[woodster]

why not contact SECO South in largo fl and have them give you a quote on making what you want ...i am sure they will do whatever you need

 

[mitiempo]

The chain/rode products are all listed on their website. They make 3 strand, 8 strand and double braid versions.
The only problem is that the max chain they have is 20 feet. I prefer at least a boat length and since you can't splice chain when a windlass is used (correct me if I'm wrong), the chain is basically a throw away.

http://www.titanmarineproducts.com/products/rodes/three

Chris

I doubt they make the rope - they are a metals company. I will find out today. We sell Titan products - anchors, chain, and anodes - but we do all our splicing in house with Samson and New England products.

 

[Sumner]

Chris have you considered going to all chain. I have a manual windlass on the Endeavour and have rope/chain, but if I change to an elect. windlass I think I'll do all chain. That seemed to be the choice of most I saw in the Bahamas.

Some advantage is that you don't need to have as much scope out there with all chain as it really helps with the holding power. The shorter scope can be helpful in crowded anchorages where boats are closer together.

I try and avoid anchorages like that but a few times found myself in them and had out more scope than any of the larger boats since I run 30 feet of chain on the Mac. I avoided problems since I could move in closer to shore but that won't be as true with the Endeavour.

In Florida and the Bahamas with the shallow water 100 feet of chain would probably handle most all situations. I'd probably get 125 or so myself. Not sure what your depths are were you are going to be sailing?

Defender has a bucket (91') of 5/16" BBB for $340 as an example not much more than what you are looking at and I didn't even shop around so you can probably do better maybe even here. They also have 90' of 5/16" G-4 for $280. Reading your windlass manual I think both of those might work with it.,

Sumner

================================

1300 miles to The Bahamas and Back in the Mac

Endeavour 37 Mods...

MacGregor 26-S Mods...

Mac Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida, Bahamas

 

[Chris & Lenore]

Hi Sumner.

Really enjoyed following your Caribbean adventure.
I had been thinking of going all chain. The other two boats here like ours have all chain - and both prefer it.
Our boat sits a little high in the bow anyway so the chain would probably just balance things out nicely.
Only issue is price - best I can find is about four times the Defender price.

Chris

 

[Sumner]

Sent you a PM with a suggestion,

Sumner

 

[mitiempo]

Only issue is price - best I can find is about four times the Defender price.
Chris

Defender is 3.29 US for 5/16 G43 chain. And that is in US dollars. You are saying that you cannot find it for less than $12/ft? http://www.defender.com/category.jsp?path=-1|2276108|2276124&id=2276127
If so you are not looking very hard. Best also to shop locally - chain is expensive to ship.

And that is for Acco chain. If you search the net you will find there are a lot of problems with Acco recently - bad welds and galvanizing that doesn't last.

Titan is good chain made in Canada Metal's own factory. And they know galvanizing - they are the world's largest producer of anodes. We have no issues with it at all and have sold it in Victoria for years.