When buying chain, there are two things to look for. The first is quality, which we explore through our testing. The critical question, though, is: “Does the chain fit your gypsy?” If not, does it fit a replacement gypsy that fits your windlass? The best way to know for sure is to take your gypsy with you when you buy the chain, and check that it fits. If there is any question at all, you will want to test a length under load on your gypsy to make that it doesn’t slip and that it strips easily into the chain locker. If the chain maker won’t let you have a length to test, it is worth buying a short length for testing. Another option would be to send a piece of a chain that fits your gypsy to the chain manufacturer to see if it has a match.
Most modern windlass manufacturers have interchangeable metric and U.S. standard gypsies. However, BBB and G43 chain in the same U.S. standard size use different gypsies. And in Europe, 10-millimeter chain meeting the DIN standard won’t fit on the same gypsy used by 10-millimeter chain meeting the ISO standard. The size differences aren’t always readily apparent, so the only way to know for sure is to physically check.
To learn more about what to look for when buying anchor chain, purchase Anchor Chain/Rode from Practical Sailor.
