Chain of fools-gctid342668

[Johnny_Vintage]

At the end of last summer I decided to upgrade my old pieced together anchor chain. I took the gypsy into the supplier and we both saw the 3B stamp. I ordered 250 feet of 5/16 3B. The good stuff, made in the USA. Paid around $1000.00.

First and only time we deployed it, it jumped out of the gypsy and took off like a rocket. Scared the crap out of my wife as she's the one that drops the hook. Scared me too as her first thought was to grab the chain as it flew out of the locker. Thank God she didn't do that as most of you know on this site, she already had a pretty bad accident last summer.

Once we got back to the dock, I took some calipers and compared the old chain that I kept for the spare anchor, with the new. Turns out the old chain is Hi Test. I contacted Muir and they said that the wheel is probably marked wrong and that they had issues with Bayliner of this vintage as they had there own chain supplier and the 3B wheel worked for the chain they were buying in bulk.

Long story short, I have almost brand new 250 feet of 3B chain looking for a new home. Anyone out there interested. My supplier does not want it back. I think it would need to be local, around the Vancouver, Canada area as the shipping cost would be nuts for any distance. If you are, make me an offer

My mistake could be someones good fortune!!

PS - My wife just started walking without a cane. She's a bit wobbly but getting better each day. The first time going up that darn 38 ladder is going to freak me out, but she said she's game. I just hope I am!!

[PortHoleDiver]

Glad to hear your wife didn't grab the chain. Thanks for telling us of that issue. I am currently running 80 ft of chian but want to increase to 200 ft. I will now take a piece of my existing chain to the supplier and compare before ordering. I have decided to run all chain since I want to install an auto anchor up and down switch. Thanks for the info.

[capt._ron]

I added 250' of BBB 5/16" last year & have had no problems. I also replaced the chain pipe with one from Imtra, with the old pipe the chain would try to wrap around the wheel. I have even let the windlass hold the load when anchoring for a short time. Can you compare your wheel to a new one with no wear? I have a switch at the helm on the F/B, you might consider adding one that way your wife would not have to go to the bow. After i'am sure the anchor is set I have a cats paw on 35' of 5/8" line, I'll go forward & hook that up and cleat it off. Glad to hear your wife is healing up & still enjoying boating, not sure mine would get back on the boat. Good Luck

[Guest]

I would think the windlass manufacture would take some responsibility for a gypsy that was marked wrong! If there had been an injury they could be facing a law suit!

Can you not buy a replacement gypsy of the correct size (I would think they would have offered you the correct replacement free)?

[Guest]

Here's a chainwheel chart from Muir/Imtra

Muir_Chainwheel_Chart.pdf

They caution about using long linked chains....is it possible you received the wrong chain?

So far I haven't seen any info on replacement gypsies....

[Johnny_Vintage]

You can buy a new chain wheel but they are way more than new chain. It's a special order. I checked that out first. Plus they still won't assure me that it will work.

[WhiteRockMike]

On our Muir Cougar gypsy they just mark the last 3 digits. Ours is 5/16ths BBB and the gypsy is marked with "080". I assume that a 5/16ths HT gypsy would then be marked with "133". Perhaps on a worn gypsy the 33 could be mistaken for 3B?

We've had chain jumping in the past and it's scary. We bought a new gypsy last year and they are extremely expensive.

[Johnny_Vintage]

Hi Mike,

I had the wheel off and it was clearly marked 3B. Does not have the markings you mentioned. I took a new stainless steel wire brush and gave it a good brushing to be sure. I'll check again though. In a previous post someone mentioned that short link chain is required by Muir. It's looks to me like the short link is actually the problem. When it's going out at about the 4 link, the link is actually not all the way in the link hole in the wheel and get's pushed out out the wheel by the dog or whatever those things are called. Then the chain rides over the side of the wheel and takes off.

Very frustrating and expensive!! Searching the site, it looks like I'm not the only one that is having this problem.

[Guest]

Are you trying to sell it all in one piece? I need about 50ft and would be interested if the deal is right:greedy_dollars:

[capt._ron]

BBB is a short link chain, more flexible than longer link it is also used on chain hoist. I know it weighs 1.10 pounds per foot, I think there are 11 links per foot but not sure that's correct. My chain has BBB in raised letters on each link. It sounds like you chain supplier may of cut off chain out of the wrong drum.

[Papa_Charlie]

I would check the dimensions on your chain to ensure that they actually provided the change that you ordered. Mistakes can happen and you may not have been the one to cause it. A few checks with a vernier caliper may save you a lot of headaches and money.

NACM Welded Chain Specifications

http://www.truckntow.com/productspec...lded_Specs.pdf

Marine Grade Chain Specifications

http://www.cmpglobal.com/content/pro...ault-chain.htm

[Guest]

Was that your wife that took a spill off the ladder in some rough water?

If so, I recall the post and it still gives me the ebby-geebys.

Sorry, not in the market for your chain but the very best wishes and good vibes to your Admiral

the best to her,,,,ok and to you also :livid:

Sarah

[Johnny_Vintage]

So I went down to the boat last night with a set of calipers.

First thing I check again was the stamping on the original Muir Cougar gypsy wheel. On the inside of the wheel on both sides it is clearly marked 5/16 3B. No mistaking it for anything else.

I downloaded a chart from the Peerless chain site, the company that makes the chain I purchased.

Windless Grade 30 BBB chain

5/16

Material size 11/32"

Nominal Inside Length 1"

Inside Width .5"

Total length of a link 1-11/16" or 1.6875

That is exactly what the new chain I bought measures. As I payed the chain out slowly last night, by the fourth link it's riding up on the wheel dog, starts running free and jumps out of the gypsy wheel.

I kept the 40 feet of original chain and the anchor rode that came with the boat new to use as my spare rode. This chain worked fine up and down. I just wanted to go with all chain and changed it out.

I measured this chain with the calipers.

The exact match on the Peerless chart is:

Proof Coil - Grade 30 ISO

WIERD!!!

Yes, it was my wife the fell off the ladder on our 38.

3 weeks in bed.

6 weeks in a wheelchair

4 weeks with a walker

and so far 3 weeks with a cane

still has bad nerve pain but it is getting better

[Guest]

Johnny: Sent you a private message. I would be interested in all your chain, provided it fits on my gypsy.

[Guest]

I went through the same problem - I even purchased another set of dogs from Muir thinking that they would have a grasp on the correct size. I could write volumes on the trials and tribulations of my battle with the anchor chain on my 3870. After I finally raised the windlass 6 inches, I discovered that both the BBB and the HT both worked. Everyone I talked to at Muir had a different story as to why this even worked. I now have a lot of chain in my garage and a lot of money out of my pocket as well. Really take a look at the angle of the chain coming off the windlass - if it's going uphill to the roller on your bow, you are still going to have the "jumping chain".