10 mm Galvanised Chain, calibrated to ISO 4565. (10 x 30 pitch). Arthur Beale Says We stock Grade 40 galvanised chain which is 25% stronger than the commonly available Grade 30 chain. There are higher grades available mainly for lifting purposes but chains above grade 40 can cause complications with the galvanising process. If the process isn’t carried out absolutely correctly then hydrogen embrittlement can occur greatly weakening the chain. There are several advantages to using chain over rope for anchoring purposes. The weight of the chain helps improve the catenary. In effect this does two things, firstly it lowers the angle that the anchor will be pulled from, or effectively increases the scope. Secondly it acts as a spring as it will require a great deal of force to produce a straight-line tug on the shank of the anchor. Chain is very robust. Apart from shear strength, chain will not chafe which is always a danger with a rope rode. Its not just at the bow roller where chafe can occur, you never know what sharp rocks may be on the seabed. Chain self-stows. OK, not always perfectly but chain is unlikely to get tangled up or tied in knots. Sometimes the pile will need knocking over to ensure it stows in the locker and not down the Baby Blake. Been there. It is easy to secure the anchor safely with a bolt or anchor shackle. Of course, chain is heavy so if you are racing or if you only anchor for lunch then rope might be a better bet. Octoplait is a good choice because it self-stows rather like chain. Octoplait with an aluminium anchor and a short length of chain makes a first-class kedge anchor.