Chain Snubbers

Chain Snubbers are essential for taking the strain off your windlass and absorbing anchoring shock loads.

Jimmy Green Marine can offer multiple options for snubbing solutions - stainless steel chain hooks, grippers and grabs with or without a spliced nylon tail or twin tails (V bridle).

Custom build a strop or bridle with top quality LIROS Rope spliced by the Jimmy Green Rigging Team - Three Strand or Anchorplait for single strops or Anchorplait for V shape and Y shape Bridles.

Single-line strops can be used over the bow roller. Twin strops (V shape bridles) are ideal for avoiding congestion over the bow roller and making use of the forward, port and starboard deck fairleads and mooring cleats.

Once the desired length of chain has been paid out, secure the end of the snubber to a cleat or cleats and attach the hook/gripper/grab to the chain with slack in the line.

Ease off enough chain so that the strop is taking the load, and remember to allow for the rope to stretch.

N.B. Chain hooks are not designed to fit through the link of a calibrated chain. Locate the chain hook, gripper, or grab over one link so that the load is bearing on the outside of the next link (which will be at right angles).

Jimmy Green Advisory
Hooks and Grabs that have a locking device are naturally more fiddly to deploy and disengage

LIROS Nylon will stretch approximately 20% at the breaking point. There is no material difference in elasticity between three-strand and Anchorplait construction. The aim is for the strop to take the strain. However, three three-strand rope is not advisable for producing a V-shaped bridle because it will be reliant on a joining splice which will be a weak point in the setup. Anchorplait eight-strand construction is the only rope suitable for a V-shaped bridle. 

The chain should be secured to a cleat or post if practicable or by means of a stopper or safety rope just in case the strop fails. The windlass should only be the strongpoint of last resort.

Choose a rope diameter roughly equal to your bower anchor warp size.

Bear in mind that an oversized nylon strop will not stretch as much as the correct size.

A slightly undersized nylon strop will provide more shock absorption, but may ultimately prove sacrificial.

Factor into your selection:

1. the type of anchoring you envisage
2. the length of time you will spend at anchor
3. whether the yacht will be left unattended

Custom Build Instructions - Anchor Chain Snubbing Strop ~ Custom Build Instructions - Anchor Chain Snubbing V Bridle

Read our article Anchor Snubbing - A guide to taking the shock load off your windlass and chain