I'm preparing to make up a snubber bridle - trying to work out how long to make it. Anyone using one? What's a good length for each arm of the bridle? I'm making two separate lines - not a Y-bridle. I read that 50' is a good length for a boat of my size and weight in 'normal' conditions (not a storm snubber) - seems a bit long(?)
Anchor snubber designs
- Thread starter nquigley
- Start date
peaman
Sustaining Member
For a few years, I operated a 75 ft boat chartering in Caribbean and New England. We had a nylon 3-strand snubber that was probably only 15 ft overall, with a stainless chain hook. I can't recall if we used a cleat hitch or a spliced loop to secure it to a bow cleat. I cannot imagine needing a 50 ft snubber.
Practical Sailor has done an article about the length of the snubber. From what I remember, and please do not quote me on this, they were looking at yawing mitigation and strong to extreme conditions. I think the conclusion was (this needs to be verified) that the length of the snubber should be 50% of the length of the boat for extreme conditions. I will look for the article and repost it here if I can find it.
Tooluser
Flǎneur
This, too - iirc there’s a thread here somewhere already.
www.snubberhead.com
My takeaway was : both longer and thinner than I expected. Makes sense in retrospect.
Anchor Snubbers & Bridles - Everything You Need to Know
More information about anchor snubbers and bridles than you ever wanted to know. What is a snubber, snubber sizing, snubber and bridle designs, snubber hooks
My takeaway was : both longer and thinner than I expected. Makes sense in retrospect.
Thank you all. I’ll start with a pair of 50ft lengths of 1/2” or 5/8” 3-strand nylon, but by the time a splice a thimble at the business end (and maybe an eye at the other end to give options at the deck cleat), I’ll be close to the 45’ in the Table above for a Pac Seacraft 34’
Cheers!
Cheers!
Pete the Cat
Member III
The article is more than most folks are going to want to know. I have been using a simple chain hook on a 15-20' half inch nylon line with a thimble and shackle in the end for about 30 years (I carry two of them as they do wear out as outlined in the article from stretch, chafe and sun)--a few of those years were cruising both coasts Central America where I anchored most nights. I do not recall ever seeing some of the extensive rigging suggested here except for the need for dual lines on cats. A properly set chain hook withh adequate scope is not going to dislodge itself. Watching the summer cruisers here in Maine, it is unusual to see the majority in an anchorage actually using any kind of snubber. I cringe at what they are doing to their windlass bearings by backing down on them and hanging out against the windlass. I often wonder if overkill instructional pieces like this actually make folks think a snubber system is too complicated to attempt. It does not have to be so complicated, and a basic snubber is essential if you anchor with chain rode.
p.gazibara
Member III
I found WM brand three strand docklines in the dumpster in Seattle that was too soft/supple for the marina I was in (the braid easily collected splinters from the dock and deposited them into the users hand). Would have been terrible had I intended to stay in the marina. A few years of UV and the nylon got stiffer and no longer picked up said splinters. I used one of those docklines as a snubber for all of our anchoring.
Procedure went something like this:
-Let out chain to the scope required for the conditions.
-cleat off one end of the dock line or throw the spliced end over the cleat
-fish dock line out through the fair lead and over bow roller
-tie rolling hitch onto chain
-let chain out until snubber goes tight and chain has plenty of slack
-pin chain to anchor roller in case of snubber failure
I normally use the stbd fair lead for this task and have not noticed the boat sailing back and forth at anchor very much, so I suspect having two sides to the snubber on boats of our size isn't really needed.
That same dock line has been going as our snubber since 2017. I dubbed it "snubby". I did have to whip the end of the line to preven the braid from unravelling. I think maybe once? I had to cut the last 8" off and whip it again when the line started to look rough. I believe the lie is 10-12' long.
A friend gave us a proper snubber off his Cape Dory 30 here in NZ, which was a chain hook on the end of a bridle. It managed to come unhooked from our chain a few times while in use. I went back to snubby and gave it away.
We rarely see winds over 25kn at anchor so I can't comment on how it would hold in a storm, but the shock absorbance of snubby is fantastic. That one piece of line is still going 7 years later....
Hearing it stretch and ease in the night from just below in the v-berth let us sleep well - we knew the anchor was still set without having to get out of the bunk to look.
I often see all sorts of fancy gizmos/gadgets being sold at the local chandleries that can easily be replaced by a simple knot in some cordage. Rolling hitches grab chain very well, I have never had it slip. They are also very easy to untie when the time comes.
Procedure went something like this:
-Let out chain to the scope required for the conditions.
-cleat off one end of the dock line or throw the spliced end over the cleat
-fish dock line out through the fair lead and over bow roller
-tie rolling hitch onto chain
-let chain out until snubber goes tight and chain has plenty of slack
-pin chain to anchor roller in case of snubber failure
I normally use the stbd fair lead for this task and have not noticed the boat sailing back and forth at anchor very much, so I suspect having two sides to the snubber on boats of our size isn't really needed.
That same dock line has been going as our snubber since 2017. I dubbed it "snubby". I did have to whip the end of the line to preven the braid from unravelling. I think maybe once? I had to cut the last 8" off and whip it again when the line started to look rough. I believe the lie is 10-12' long.
A friend gave us a proper snubber off his Cape Dory 30 here in NZ, which was a chain hook on the end of a bridle. It managed to come unhooked from our chain a few times while in use. I went back to snubby and gave it away.
We rarely see winds over 25kn at anchor so I can't comment on how it would hold in a storm, but the shock absorbance of snubby is fantastic. That one piece of line is still going 7 years later....
Hearing it stretch and ease in the night from just below in the v-berth let us sleep well - we knew the anchor was still set without having to get out of the bunk to look.
I often see all sorts of fancy gizmos/gadgets being sold at the local chandleries that can easily be replaced by a simple knot in some cordage. Rolling hitches grab chain very well, I have never had it slip. They are also very easy to untie when the time comes.
Tooluser
Flǎneur
Thanks for sharing this real-world report (and reminder to keep it simple).
What diameter is this nylon line?
p.gazibara
Member III
1/2”
Pete the Cat
Member III
I agree with your KISS snubber arrangement. I have been using that system for 40 years of cruising (some years of international included) and found it works great. I use a chain hook and never had it dislodge even in some very bumpy anchorages. I am really flummoxed with the amount of fear generated by folks selling cruising books and magazines. If you are out there actually cruising, you need to keep it simple and fixable or else spend your adventure life fixing things in exotic places and missing the point. I guess if you just want bragging rights on the dock for your complex systems, that is a different matter......
Every floating hotel we saw in the Greek Islands used that system, after letting out 300 feet of chain--double line on the Lagoon cats.
It is the job of the bikini stewardess to afix the chain hook, which requires her to manipulate herself as well as the snubber.
Guests are therefore well versed in the observation of proper procedure, and look forward to observing more at each anchorage. .
It is the job of the bikini stewardess to afix the chain hook, which requires her to manipulate herself as well as the snubber.
Guests are therefore well versed in the observation of proper procedure, and look forward to observing more at each anchorage. .
jtsai
Member III
I am interested to hear the reason needing a snubber bridle on a 32' with chain/rope anchor rode, unless yours is all chain? Isn't the rope section already there to absorbing the load?
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Tooluser
Flǎneur
Mine isn't all chain, but I don't always let out the full length, depending on the depth I'm in.
Sure, but rope is rope. If you have pretty much any combo of chain and rope, no need for a snubber.
All chain really jerks the boat around. Any Nylon in the system absorbs fine.
All chain really jerks the boat around. Any Nylon in the system absorbs fine.