Snubber..... attaching with hitch.

[Alfa]

Hello All,
Years ago, with all chain rod in my offshore cruising boat, I used single snubber with chain hook going over bow roller. However in bad weather the snubber was few times damaged by chain in the roller and often difficult to detach hook from the chain. I switched to bridle attached to both fwd cleats and used rolling hitch on chain.

My present boat has 95 ft of chain and 8 plait nylon rode. I use bridle snubber made of old 9mm climbing rope attached to chain or nylon rope with camel hitch (very similar to rolling hitch, takes load in two directions, better grip on smooth rope). This arrangement never faild, it is easy to recover over bow roller and it takes seconds to untie after being exposed to significant, fluctuating loads.

Have approx 16' long bridle joined with figure-eight knot and 30" tail for camel hitch. Marks on the bridle allow quick symmetrical deployment. See sketch. Pics show beginning of camel hitch.

 

[thinwater]

Another reason for a snubber with rope is chafe. Better to ruin a short disposable bit of scrap than a spot in the center of your rode.

I've been using bridles on nylon for 35 years, so I know a few things.

• Pure Dyneema, particularly 12-plait (Amsteel and similar), can be too slippery to hold on wet nylon. I've had it slide at low load a number of times.
  
• Large enough line to match rode strength generally does not hold well as a prusik or rolling hitch. These hold much better if the hitch line is smaller, so...

Many climbing sling incorporate some polyester for friction (avoid the thinnest Dyneema--the bulkier ones are blends, which is what you want--it was NOT done to save money). They hold. The weave also inherently gives better grip.

Yes, the bridle is Dyneema. With a rope rode I do NOT need stretch, and in fact, testing shows that a non-stretch bridle, in the case of nylon rodes only, is more stable.

I like twin wire gate biners, gates opposed. They don't corrode and are strong. I also used twin biners because they are also used to stow the bridle when not in use ( a trimaran thing).

 

[jssailem]

I like your thinking @thinwater. It seems a set up of dyneema to polyester to nylon rode would work. The polyester line would be sacrificial. Replaced as it shows wear. The
nylon rode would serve as the stretchy line to cushion boat to chain the dyneema would provide the chafe resistance on the boat. A mix of lines to solve the challenge.

It would need some testing.