Anchor Chain Galvanizing

[redbopeep]

We can't help but note that after being at anchor most of the time for the last year and a half that the galvanizing on our 1/2" BBB chain is mostly gone from the first 100-150 ft of chain since well, it's in the water all the time. So, we think...what to do to properly maintains it? The remaining several hundred feet (500' total) is almost like new. Can a galvanizing place do "part" of the chain? Should we consider painting? Anyone dealt with this? I've heard of people turning the chain so the other end gets equally rusty! But, then we'd just have both ends rusting.

Would love some ideas...must admit that hauling all that chain into a galvanizer's shop doesn't appeal (at 3lb/ft it's pretty heavy).

[MMNETSEA]

Originally Posted by redbopeep

Would love some ideas...must admit that hauling all that chain into a galvanizer's shop doesn't appeal (at 3lb/ft it's pretty heavy).

How about cutting, galvanizing then relinking - the link can still be kept out of the water.

[marshmat]

A galvanizing shop probably could do just the first hundred feet or so of the chain, but I'm not sure you'd save much (if anything) compared to doing the whole thing. Their materials cost is minimal; it's all labour and the overhead of having the equipment. It's not unheard of for less-competent galvanizing shops to damage the metal with inappropriate heating and/or cooling, so be sure to pick one that knows how to do chain and has the appropriate facilities for it

I can't think of a paint that would last on chain, not with the chafing on rocks, friction between links, etc.

[JeanneP]

I think that abraded galvanizing and rusting chain is one of those cruising "givens", and every place we've been we've gotten embroiled in the latest iteration of regalvanizing chain. We've tried a bunch of solutions, and found that hot dip galvanizing is the only effective solution. But it is a pain to lug all that chain to some galvanizing plant and waiting a couple days for it to be done, then lug it back to the boat.

I don't think it's worth it to regalvanize only part of the chain, and I think that introducing a weak point in the chain by cutting it and rejoining the chain with a joining link is unnecessary. Most cruisers do what you hesitate to do, which is swap the chain from end to end. I think you're far better off letting the chain corrode evenly over its entire length and then having it regalvanized. When you pull all the chain out to swap it around you could probably treat the rusting section with something like Loctite Rust Treatment that doesn't need to have the rust removed before applying it as a protectant, so you don't have a grotty chain locker. Then, when you finally wear the galvanizing off most of the chain, you can regalvanize it all.

What is the bottom like where you've been anchoring? You should find some nice coral sand to anchor in - I think that your chain would keep its galvanizing a lot longer.

[redbopeep]

by and large, goo-y, sticky, muddy bottoms--laced with hazmat from the pre-EPA days of the USA for sure

[steelfan]

I always end for end mine and have rarely needed to use more than half my 300 feet of chain, so I get an even degalvanisation

A friend tried painting with a zinc based paint - it failed in less time than he took to do the job

I would NEVER cut the chain and join it with a link.

John