Anchor chain maintenance

[baz]

I was cleaning out my anchor chain locker today and noticed when extracting the anchor chain that several links were rusting badly -- not enough to be worrying about but rusting nonetheless.

What do others do for anchor chain maintenance with an eye for avoiding rusting links. Thanks.

BTW -- the anchor chain/rode locker gets pretty cruddy over time -- in my case 3 years. :roll:

Oh... and one other thing while I'm chatting about the anchor locker... I noticed in the locker there was this disconnected wire harness which was long enough to stretch out of the locker and over the bow! Is this a wire harness for a trailer ? I don't have a trailer. If not for trailer use then what is it used for ?

 

[Favunclerich]

Barry,

Yes, that wiring harness is for a trailer. There are lights on your transom that are redundant to the ones on a trailer. When the boat transom lights are connected to your trailer wiring on the road, it puts on quite a show! I've heard that this is a Ranger Tug patent.

As far as your anchor, I can only suggest hosing off the anchor chain with fresh water. If the corrosion gets too bad, it is possible to have the chain regalvanized.

Rich

 

[John Shea Jr.]

I use my anchor a few times each year. At the end of the season, I pull out all the chain and cordage, wash it down with fresh water and store it for the winter by flaking it over the hand rail. It drys nicely under the winter cover and gets repacked in the locker when I commission the boat in the spring. I also scrub down the locker once the rode has been removed. I have not noticed any rust on the chain but, if it happens I may try hitting the rusted links with some spray on galvanizing spray. Hope this helps.