When we asked the chandlery about buying new anchor chain before leaving Mandurah, which is close to 3 years ago, we didn't know that there is chain and then there is Australian certified chain. The cost for 65m (150kg) seemed reasonable. We swapped out the original 6 year old 40m which wasn't rusty but too short. We marveled at the weight we would now had available to deploy and augment the work of the anchor. We painted it at 5m intervals in alternating luminous pink and yellow strips to make knowing the length deployed easier and away we went.
Within months of leaving Mandurah and before we had even left West Australian waters, we noticed the galvanizing was coming off, especially around the 35m mark where the chain was getting a lot of work on the bow roller. Of course once the galv came off, the chain began to rust and as they say, "rust never sleeps". What we have since learned is that knowing the size of chain you want (in our case 10mm short link) isn't the only specification you need to note when replacing anchor chain. We hadn't for example stipulated 'Australian' or 'certified' and had in fact bought chain manufactured in China. Oh no! Next time, it will be Australian PWB grade with each link stamped and tested and not the Chinese junk. We know that we will need longer chain in due course, and a 100m replacement is on our 'hit list', so the lack of longevity of this pile is not as critical even if we do rate it as a 'fail'.
178kg of metal ground tackle ready to go
Our cruisers grapevine recommended Bundaberg as an inexpensive and efficient place to to have our ground tackle regalvanized. The anchor needed to be treated too as the point was beginning to have a carrot coloured tip of rust . So we booked a week in the Bundaberg Port Marina seeing as we obviously wouldn't be able to anchor out, got a 10% 'Shaggers' (SICYC) discount, plus were eligible for a seafood platter (valued at $40) because we'd booked for a week. A golden deal that only lacks "Steak knives"!
It seems that our mission has been accomplished regularly and routinely by others before us. We hired the tray top utility for $49 from the Marina. There was a pallet already in it and the marina keeps an old Otto wheelie bin on hand to transport the chain from the jetty to the vehicle. Too easy!
Goodbye rust!
Our ground tackle will have an acid bath overnight and if Kenco deem necessary, will have the anchor sandblasted at the business next door. After our Monday morning drop-off, it should be ready on Wednesday. All up, including 2 lots of car hire, the exercise will cost around $400 and except for the fact that we'll actually have to stump up the cash, the process looks like it will be relatively painless. Amazing!
Kenco Galvanizing
(07) 4151 2944
60 Enterprise St, Svensonn, Qld
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