I need advice on buying rode and chain

I bought chain at the Sportsman wharehouse in Mount Vernon, however you might get a good deal by going across the street to Boater's World, was there over the weekend and had dropped their prices again, for cheap rode I picked it up at Walmart.
 
Tom-

I wrote you about chain and rope types on the other thread. Just be sure you get the right stuff, wherever you get it, otherwise, you'll wind up buying it over again etc.

Sometimes you can buy the chain and or the rode on ebay cheaply, if you can be sure of their exact types, and come out ahead after the shipping. > (Also known as "whipping", at today's gas-inflated prices!)

You can also come out ahead buying them separately and splicing them yourself, if you feel comfortable doing so.

Joe. :teeth :thup
 
reminds me of a story......years back I was rigging up the windlass on the boat and was in a big marine supply store gathering some supplies. It so happened that it was inventory day in the store and all the employees seemed to be on the same anti-customer wave length, a real bunch of grumpy, no help folks. I had a cart full of wires, connectors and other assorted electrical gadgetry along with a five gallon bucket O' rhode. Being somewhat of a believer in Karma, I always try to keep things on the level, but, when the teller busted out her magic price blipper and rang up that rhode as a $4.99 bucket, I took it as a sign that in a cosmic sense they where trying to make up for their poor service that day. I paid the bill and left in a hurry :)

side note- I did go back to Les Schwab once to complain about a bill...they forgot to charge me for two tires...the look on the countermans face was worth it
 
There are two things to consider when buying your rode.

First, you're only buying this once. A C-Dory typically doesn't anchor out much ( to stop the comments, some do,) and you want something that'll last a long time. Compare the price of 200 ft of good rope and 30 ft of chain with what you paid for the boat.

Second, if you really need to anchor, you want it to hold. It can save your life. At least your boat.

So my only comment is to buy good stuff. This includes the shackles, etc. Make sure that the rope is from a company that makes rope, and I prefer here in the USA. The only chain I know of that's made here any more is ACCO.

I don't care where you buy it, as long as it's good stuff. Defender has a choice, and they'll offer you a selection of good to bad fittings. Their prices are lower than WM, even with the shipping.

What Joe is mentions above is to directly splice the rope to the chain, needed for Lewmar windlasses, etc. I'm the worlds worst splicer, and I just re spliced my chain to rope connection. So it's easy. And sorry Joe, I used the same splice as original.

Boris
 
Have you already checked out the local "going out of business" Boater's World? They've got some pretty good deals going on if you can find what you need still in stock.
 
C.P. glad you got a kick out that story I know I sure enjoyed getting a 97.5% discount on that rhode :)

I'll second the Boaters World idea, I was in there last weekend and they're starting to have some decent discounts
 
Boris and Tom-

I don't have any problem with the traditional way of splicing three strand, and it's probably stronger than the other one I figured out. We'll never know without testing, for sure. It's just that the traditional way makes for a big transition in diameter from the chain to the doubled back rope, and hangs up on some brands of windlasses.

The rope chain suggested in the ebay auction above has at least two problems:

1. The rope is not spliced properly, and the big thimble will have to be removed and the rope spliced to the chain to pass through the windlass.

2. The chain is the wrong type. Those long links are not High Test GS-40, and won't fit in the chain pockets of the gypsy, and, in addition, the chain is made from 5/16" extruded wire, welded into links, not 1/4".

Moreover, the brand, and therefore the stiffness and suitability of the 1/2" rope are not defined, so it's probably non-domestic, and probably of Chinese or similar origin. Looking at the other things the fellow's store sells, helps confirm this. Not that all foreign stuff is bad, but sometimes/oftentimes the quality is off, sometimes by a lot, and there's a good chance it won't work in your windlass, and you may have a hard time returning it once it's been tried out and is "used".

Boris and I are really on the same wavelength here. Get the good stuff, however you get it, and do it right the first time.

You wouldn't skimp on a fishing rod, reel, line, terminal tackle, or lures, so why cut back on the stuff that holds your $$$$$ boat to the bottom? (Sorry for the overstatement!)

Hope ya'll are havin' a g'day up there in the PNW!

Joe in Northern California. . (70 degrees and sunny) :teeth :thup
 
starcrafttom":13518c6l said:
what is the cheapest place to get rode and chain for my new to me windlass?
Click to expand...

Not sure what windless your using but mine seems to work with just about
any combinations of chain and rode; she does tell me that half inch line and quarter inch chain are easiest to handle. :mrgreen:
 
I love these posts, particularly Starcraft Tom's. If anyone ever gives him spellcheck or shows him how to use it, I'll shoot them.

And I'm not an English Teacher, I are an engineer!! :shock:

Charlie
 
I recently purchased a new anchor rode and chain, on Ebay from suncoastdeals, for about half what it would cost at West Marine. This was a "buy now" purchase and not a bidding process.

Quality of the rode appears to be the same as the one I bought from West Marine. I did not buy any chain at West Marine so I can not compare the quality of their chain.
 
Not to knock E'Bay purchases--but there are different qualities of line. The best lines are long fiber high quality nylon. There are lubricants in the rope lay, and the construction is of high quality. I have lived with inferior lines in the past--and there is a real difference. The high quality lines will continue to be the correct lay, consistancy and not wear excessively. If you infrequently use a line I doubt that there will be much difference. But some lines become hard, hockle and kink--and then are much more likely to fail as well as become very unpleasant to use.

I like to stick with New England or Sampson line because their quality is well known.
 
thataway":dfegxfsu said:
Not to knock E'Bay purchases--but there are different qualities of line. The best lines are long fiber high quality nylon. There are lubricants in the rope lay, and the construction is of high quality. I have lived with inferior lines in the past--and there is a real difference. The high quality lines will continue to be the correct lay, consistancy and not wear excessively. If you infrequently use a line I doubt that there will be much difference. But some lines become hard, hockle and kink--and then are much more likely to fail as well as become very unpleasant to use.

I like to stick with New England or Sampson line because their quality is well known.
Click to expand...

Agreed. Bob!

I learned the hard way, as usual!

Have a great weekend!

Joe. :teeth :thup
 
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