With an electrical tie as mousing the threads on the pin will last forever! The pin will still wear in the centre where it contacts the chain though. I machine up an old boat roller to fit over the pin with the sides up high enough to protect the mousing from abrasion. It's best to have the plastic boat roller in two parts to make installation easier underwater. I have never had a plastic tie fail but I have just started using 3mm spectra as a back up. I have 3mm Dyneema ready to go for the next one but it's not as easy to poke through the pin as spectra is. The photo is from last week.
This is the bottom shackle that just joins the chain that passes through the centre of the tram wheel. The wheel is about 50mm below the sand. probably no weight goes on this shackle, weight of the wheel is probably holding the chain. This is a black shackle just moused with an electrical tie that has been there for a couple of years. The steels must be fairly close as there is no interaction. The chain is over 10 years old and is good at the bottom but showing lots of wear where it drags through the sand. No wear for years but once it starts to wear it deteriorates quickly.
Select to expand quoteRamona said..
.....
Nice clear vision - what depth of water do you have there?
Select to expand quotesydchris said..Ramona said..
.....
Nice clear vision - what depth of water do you have there?
It's only about 12 feet and it was sunny!
Select to expand quoteSectorsteve said..
im holding back going out til i install my masthead light. found a beautiful one with a remote. no wires. joy.
Of topic (sorry) but can you post a link to your remote controlled masthead light. I'm looking at options for replacement myself.
Thanks.
Select to expand quoteRamona said..
This is the bottom shackle that just joins the chain that passes through the centre of the tram wheel. The wheel is about 50mm below the sand. probably no weight goes on this shackle, weight of the wheel is probably holding the chain. This is a black shackle just moused with an electrical tie that has been there for a couple of years. The steels must be fairly close as there is no interaction. The chain is over 10 years old and is good at the bottom but showing lots of wear where it drags through the sand. No wear for years but once it starts to wear it deteriorates quickly.
Great post Ramona ! I also use cable ties to mouse with and am in similar depth of water. I'm envious of the vis, sometimes it's ok but not like that.
we have a tidal flow that gets around 1-2 kts, wind over tide is a trial of the gear at times, we are on rock and if there's a flood it can lift the best part of 3m,but on the up side shell growth is minimal, and not crowded.
So to get around the lack of vis and the potential bottom chain to block shackle failure, I've cast the stud link chain into a 50mpa concrete block with enough length to reach the surface there it's shackled to 3m of 12mm chain and then to a swivel and say 6m of 20mm silver rope, so to be able to adjust the scope. ( and when the vis is good I duck down there and ave a look but it's never that clear ! )
The company we use always heated the end of the shackle bolt and belts it over so it can never come loose. rather that than a plastic cable tie IMO
Select to expand quoteShellybeach said..
The company we use always heated the end of the shackle bolt and belts it over so it can never come loose. rather that than a plastic cable tie IMO
Sounds good to me 
Couple of weeks ago I recieved a congratulations letter from the RTA. Congratulations on passing my mooring inspection! I was quite chuffed!
