Stainless steel chain

[capta]

Coming on two years with my 1/2 inch "hot dip galvanized" ACCO (made in the USA) chain and we are already looking at having to replace it in a couple more years! We're turning it end for end tomorrow. This stuff is no more hot dip galvanized than my behind is. It came with a flat, smooth finish that ACCO says is their "new" process, but I'd bet dollars to donuts it's the "old" electroplate process. This after getting a refund on their 3/8ths inch BBB "hot dip galvanized" chain (after a huge hassle) because it was failing within 6 months.
So, for twice the price I can get stainless steel chain which should not need replacing for at least 10 years. It's the same WLL and I assume near enough, the same weight.
I'd like to hear from anyone who has knowledge about or experience with SS chain. The good and the bad. We ALWAYS use a snub line, so I'm not too worried that it might be more brittle. Also, I'd like opinions as to whether 13mm BBB chain would work in a 1/2" BBB gypsy, seeing as the difference is 1/64th of an inch. I have heard that Germany makes some excellent SS chain, and frankly, I don't trust ACCO any more.
It's that or Chinese chain. After all, I don't believe it could be worse than our experiences with ACCO chain, and it is considerably cheaper.
Thanks, in advance.

 

[justsomeguy]

and it is considerably cheaper.

Unfortunately, it may fall to this rationale.

 

[agprice22]

Well, if you are going to replace either one in several years, you have nothing to lose trying another chain. If it lasts longer than what you are using now, you have gained... and the tolerances of the gypsy on your windlass can be determined by calling the manufacturer or by measuring the jaws.

 

[Terry Cox]

No knowledge here on the merits of SS chain. I steer clear of BBB and Proof Coil grade chain for marine use mainly because the product does not have near the corrosion resistance and strength of hot dip galvanized grade 40 or even better grade 70 chain made in the US. Go visit your nearest industrial supply house and query their chain inventory. Ask them for US made grade 40 hot dip galvanized chain and see what they say.

When I added grade 40 chain to our boat, I took a link that I knew worked in our windlass to our local industrial supply house and they matched it to the product they sold me and it worked just fine.

Our 1991 boat has original hot dip galvanized grade 40 chain that has always been used in sea water with still several years of use remaining. Big box stores sell BBB and Proof Coil from off shore suppliers and the stuff just does not hold up to marine use, IMHO.

I've seen other products made off shore that claim to be galvanized, but use a similar process as electroplate. And you are right, the stuff just falls apart in a season or less. That, at least, was my experience, too.

 

[capta]

No knowledge here on the merits of SS chain. I steer clear of BBB and Proof Coil grade chain for marine use mainly because the product does not have near the corrosion resistance and strength of hot dip galvanized grade 40 or even better grade 70 chain made in the US. Go visit your nearest industrial supply house and query their chain inventory. Ask them for US made grade 40 hot dip galvanized chain and see what they say.

When I added grade 40 chain to our boat, I took a link that I knew worked in our windlass to our local industrial supply house and they matched it to the product they sold me and it worked just fine.

Our 1991 boat has original hot dip galvanized grade 40 chain that has always been used in sea water with still several years of use remaining. Big box stores sell BBB and Proof Coil from off shore suppliers and the stuff just does not hold up to marine use, IMHO.

I've seen other products made off shore that claim to be galvanized, but use a similar process as electroplate. And you are right, the stuff just falls apart in a season or less. That, at least, was my experience, too.

I'm kinda locked in to BBB as a new gypsy for the Falkon windlass runs a grand plus.

 

[capta]

Well, if you are going to replace either one in several years, you have nothing to lose trying another chain. If it lasts longer than what you are using now, you have gained... and the tolerances of the gypsy on your windlass can be determined by calling the manufacturer or by measuring the jaws.

Lofranz is in Italy. After many attempts to get information before on gypsies, I found the English speaking distributors are clueless. The company I purchased the windlass from didn't even know a 3/8" hi T gypsy wouldn't work with 3/8ths BBB. That cost several months w/o a functional windlass. The company in Italy will respond to emails fairly promptly, but it usually takes a while to establish my needs as they appear not have an English speaking person at the headquarters. A phone call wouldn't help.

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

I know what you mean about trying to match chain to gypsy. I got enough wrong answers from dealers with my new windlass. I finally bought two foot samples of the two best fits of chain to see how they'd work before going for the full 60 feet.

I can tell you with some experience that if the galvanizing is nice and shiny, it's not hot dipped but simply electroplated. Good for indoor use but not much else. I presume you're still in the tropics so that explains why you don't get much life out of it. Cooking it up in your chain locker for a week is the equivalent of a year of use here on the west coast of Canada.

Never used SS chain but it is interesting as to life expectancy. It would depend on what type of SS it is. Don't forget that the SS will be weaker that carbon steel chain but by how much, is too late to look up tonight.

 

[Gunni]

Never seen SS chain that had the same WLL as the same size galv steel.

You can have chain hot-dip galvanized. Believe there is an operation up in Balt'more ...maybe down in Trinidad where the working yards are located.

 

[JamesG161]

I suspect you are getting water in your chain locker.

Chains sizes are the diameter of the bar stock they used to make a link. The design ratings are at roughly ≈70% of the original diameter, but as the saying goes...
Your chain is only as strong as the weakest link!

IMHO galvanization is for show and not dough, so to speak. Why? A thin layer of zinc is more likely to be eroded off versus corroded off.

Everyone seems think a rusty chain is a bad thing, but a well rusted chain in a dry locker (even in the Antilles) won't significantly corrode, but if you "bathe" the rusty chain with waves or rain, watch out!

@capta I suspect that your passengers would not like to see a rusty chain, so SS would look pretty and maintain the original 125% over design for tensile strength (pull load). The gypsy is a pretty "sloppy" fit and the diameter bar stock is the key sizing if the link is per standard design.
_____
SS links should have a SS snubber hook too. BTW galvanization is for protection against galvanic corrosion, not Iron Oxidation. If you want to protect your galvanized chain, connect a "drop zinc" to it when in salt water.
____
Shiny Zinc in the show room must have a spray coating to protect the factory Zinc from Oxygen. Zinc oxidizes rapidly to form the grey dull Zinc Oxide.
____
I would get the SS for your boat needs.
Jim...

 

[capta]

I suspect you are getting water in your chain locker.

Chains sizes are the diameter of the bar stock they used to make a link. The design ratings are at roughly ≈70% of the original diameter, but as the saying goes...
Your chain is only as strong as the weakest link!

IMHO galvanization is for show and not dough, so to speak. Why? A thin layer of zinc is more likely to be eroded off versus corroded off.

Everyone seems think a rusty chain is a bad thing, but a well rusted chain in a dry locker (even in the Antilles) won't significantly corrode, but if you "bathe" the rusty chain with waves or rain, watch out!

@capta I suspect that your passengers would not like to see a rusty chain, so SS would look pretty and maintain the original 125% over design for tensile strength (pull load). The gypsy is a pretty "sloppy" fit and the diameter bar stock is the key sizing if the link is per standard design.
_____
SS links should have a SS snubber hook too. BTW galvanization is for protection against galvanic corrosion, not Iron Oxidation. If you want to protect your galvanized chain, connect a "drop zinc" to it when in salt water.
____
Shiny Zinc in the show room must have a spray coating to protect the factory Zinc from Oxygen. Zinc oxidizes rapidly to form the grey dull Zinc Oxide.
____
I would get the SS for your boat needs.
Jim...

Our chain is not rusting in the locker. The rarely used 75' is just fine. The chain and it's finish is being eroded by the coral bottoms (coral for crying out loud, not ROCK) we must anchor on.
Having done this stuff for over 50 years I can say with authority that way back when, neither the galvanizing nor the chain suffered from contact with coral, even after years of use and using a galvanized cathead to pull the chain with, not a nice neat gypsy. In those days "hot dip galvanized' chain's coating was very rough, thick and hard. It may have been intended for corrosion inhibition, but it stayed on the chain, thus preventing rust.
I haven't seen any chain not produced by ACCO lately, so I can't say whether others are hot dipping or electroplating, but I assure you I can tell the difference by just looking at the finish. But ACCO is flat chat lying and I wonder if electroplating is now the industry standard for BBB ANCHOR chain, which after all, is what BBB is specifically manufactured for.

I'm not at all worried about the strength involved, but it is already starting to 'jump' in the gypsy, which is not good for chain or gypsy. So we'll turn it end for end today and hopefully get another year out of 2 grand's worth of crap chain.

 

[rgranger]

Coming on two years with my 1/2 inch "hot dip galvanized" ACCO (made in the USA) chain and we are already looking at having to replace it in a couple more years! ....

Two thoughts...

1) Send your chain to a galvanizer... I did a search for locations in Virginia and found a webpage called American Galvanizer's Association.
https://www.galvanizeit.org/about-aga/galvanizer-locations/location/va

2) Buy yourself a few more years with something like this... I've used both the cold and bright galvanizing compounds by rust-oleum on my boat trailers with good results.... probably only last a season or two but you can get a can for less $6 at Lowes and just spray your chain at the end of each season or as needed. I could also imagine putting your chain in a PVC bucket, poor a can of the cold galvanizing compound into the bucket ... slosh it around and then hoist the chain up into a tree to let the paint dry.... it would be messy but you would have a tonne of zinc on your chain when you were done.

 

[capta]

Two thoughts...

1) Send your chain to a galvanizer... I did a search for locations in Virginia and found a webpage called American Galvanizer's Association.
https://www.galvanizeit.org/about-aga/galvanizer-locations/location/va

2) Buy yourself a few more years with something like this... I've used both the cold and bright galvanizing compounds by rust-oleum on my boat trailers with good results.... probably only last a season or two but you can get a can for less $6 at Lowes and just spray your chain at the end of each season or as needed. I could also imagine putting your chain in a PVC bucket, poor a can of the cold galvanizing compound into the bucket ... slosh it around and then hoist the chain up into a tree to let the paint dry.... it would be messy but you would have a tonne of zinc on your chain when you were done.

Thanks for the ideas, but there's no one this side of South America (and maybe there too, now) that will regalvanize anchor chain.
As for painting it and hanging it, we use it almost every day, haven't found a 200 foot tree or have enough strength to put 300# (actually 600#,I don't know why I put 3?) of chain in a bucket and swish it around. Maybe when I was younger, but now, no way! lol