I do a lot of anchoring - over 120 days a year - and require that my anchor bridle setup is robust and reliable. The Mantus M3 chain hook adds a new dimension to that setup - ease of use. Is the 3rd time the charm?
Mantus Chain Hook History
I had the Mantus version 1 and version 2 chain hooks and liked parts of both of them, but they had some shortcomings.
The v1 hook was promising - very beefy construction, but it kept the chain at a bit of a side-load, and was a nightmare getting through the bow roller. The plastic retaining piece always worried me, even though it never broke, I was worried about it sliding down and releasing the chain. I used it for a long while, but didn't love it.
Mantus v2 chain hook
The v2 was another story. While it had a more streamlined approach, and two big "fangs" to grab the chain, the single point of failure was the rubber strap to hold it onto the chain.
I went through many of the straps, and it was irritating to have to replace them, and also really not cool when the whole thing came off the chain while at anchor. I didn't use the v2 for very long as a result of this issue.
Mantus Snubber Pendant
The Mantus snubber pendant has been my primary anchor bridle connection to my chain for several years now.
It is made of UHMWPE fiber which is extremely strong, and attaches to the chain by making a loop around a link. The easiest way to do this, short of taking the shackle apart every time, was to loop the whole bridle through the snubber, which took a bit of time, and meant for some tangled situations.
The other limiting factor is that if you want to adjust the bridle, you need to pull the whole thing in and pull the bridle back through the snubber to remove the connection to the chain. If you're trying to deploy more chain in a storm or other situation, this isn't as optimal.
I also had the snubber pendant slip several times when it wasn't snugged down tight against the chain. This also happened a couple of times when the bridle became un-tensioned while deployed.
However, this has been the best snubber + bridle setup I've had for a long time. I went through three of the snubbers in the last 5 years with all of the anchoring I do, especially in the winter when the weather is not as nice.
Mantus M3 Chain Hook
The Mantus M3 chain hook is an evolution of the previous hooks, and while not as flexy as the snubber, is a lot easier to use.
It's made of stainless steel and is quite a chunk of metal. It has a slot for the chain to sit in, and a spring release pin to open the jaw. It also comes with a nice shackle to connect it to your bridle.
The M3 is very easy to use and attach to the chain. Pull the ring on the pin, and the whole thing swings open.
I did a quick video on the chain hook so you can see it in action:
M3 chain hook testing
The biggest downsides are how big and heavy it is - you can do some damage if you drop it on something. It could also get caught in your bow roller on retrieval if you're not attentive.
The chain hook stays put even when the chain and bridle are unloaded, which was a bit of an issue with the snubber pendant. It's nice to know that where you put the hook, it will stay without moving around.
I would recommend buying a spare spring for the pin just in case it wears out. They're really inexpensive ($2-$3) and I always like buying spares at the same time as initial purchase so I know I have everything I need for any maintenance required.
My Bridle
The other half of my bridle is a wonderful setup from 48 North Marine in Bellingham, WA. I chose the 3/4" line size and customized it for a length of 30' overall, and two 18" soft eyes with chafe protection at the boat end.
I've used this bridle for almost 2 years, and it has held up better than any other I've used. I also have dock lines from 48 North Marine as well, but that's a subject for another article. When this one wears out, I will be moving to their dual independent leg snubber given Aruna's weight and how often I am out in storms.
Conclusion
Overall I've been very impressed with the M3 chain hook. I've used it for the last few months and had a great result.
Pros
- Easy to attach and remove from chain
- Deploys through bow roller easily
- Secure connection to chain - even when chain & bridle is unloaded
Cons
- Can get hung up in bow rollers on retrieval
- Heavy - can damage things if you drop it
Let me know what you use for your setup in the comments below!
Archived Community Comments
These comments were posted on the SeaBits forum before February 2026. Scroll down to join the current discussion.
Nice review, Steve! I’m glad to see you’ve shifted to a bridle that has some stretch to it - with all chain, having some “give’ has seemed fairly important to us. We used single snubbers on our 48’ 18 ton sailboat for many years, running about 25-30’ of 1/2” nylon, replaced every other year (or when noting wear!). We used many different ways of attaching to our 3/8" chain, none of which were wonderful, which is why I found your review so interesting.
But a few years ago, after reading some online opinions, we’ve shifted to an on-deck snubber - about 25’ of 5/8" nylon - fastened back aft, runs along the inside of the toerail (with several aluminum "rappel rings"keeping it out from underfoot. Up forward we have a 9’ dyneema strop (eye at both ends), which runs through a low-friction ring thence over the offside bow roller. We attach it to the chain using a soft shackle arrangement (not a true soft shackle - two separate pieces - one loop with a diamond knot, then another loop with the usual soft-shackle “noose” – both of which are cow-hitched to the eye in the end of the strop.
We keep a close eye on the soft shackle for wear, and I make a new one every year, even though we’ve never noted any real wear in the Dyneema. In fact, the only real wear I’ve seen has been on the nylon piece, which was rubbing on one of the turning blocks and got replaced last year. Yes, I have pictures
The forward end of the nylon, with a blue soft shackle attaching to the strop:
The soft shackle attachment to the chain:
The tiny yellow line with a diamond knot was to make it easier to attach - but I’ve eliminated it due to a proclivity for hooking the bow roller.
With the soft shackle attachment I can bring the chain and snubber attachment right up thru the bow roller, detach it, let out more chain, etc.quite easily, and then re-attach as needed. Since its only 6-7 feet out in front, the snubber doesn’t normally foul the chain if we do the tidal spins!
Hartley
S/V Atsa
Wishing you the best, and I’m looking forward to seeing more from y’all!
Hi Steve, I have a chain hook M2 along with the big snubber from Mantus but I keep it as a backup for when we know we are facing storm conditions. We anchor out 300 days a year and have been using a 30’ 5/8” snubber with an eye splice at one end, along with a 1/4” dyneema soft shackle that connects the eyesplice to the chain. The soft shackle threads through a chain link perfectly and has shown very little sign of chafing, I just make a new one every year or so. I love the big beefy mantus stuff but just find it cumbersome and unnecessary for everyday conditions and less than 30 knots of wind
Good read. I’ve been using the Mantus Snubber Pendant on a GB42 for a number of years now and mostly love it, but it does require special techniques to manage it, and I’m always on the verge of adding another option to the mix.
I try to always recognize there are circumstances where it may be necessary to cut the Mantus Snubber Pendant to escape a situation.
I did love the simplicity of the snubbers I had on my sailboats way back when. I tried dual leg bridles but they just didn’t seem to offer benefits other than adding to the tangled mess of lines
Soft shackles are amazing, and used similar to the way you have, are a great way to have a flexible setup!
I’ve noticed on a 45 ton trawler with a decent amount of windage (her bow is 9’ from the waterline!) that a dual leg bridle is helpful in reducing swinging.
Good point about cutting the snubber in a situation where removing it isn’t possible or time is of the essence. It would probably take a bit to saw through it given how dense that material is, but it is a good option if needed.
I also have had the pendant get extremely tight after a big storm and require a decent amount of force and flexing to get it to come off the chain.
What sort of boat do you have?
Agreed it could be a trick, good call out
I haven’t tried it but have a couple of tools at the ready for emergencies including bolt cutters, a M12 cut off tool, and cheap but very sharp serrated knives. And a cheap Ryobi angle grinder with a cutoff wheel on more remote trips.
It’s an old Morgan 43 from 1985. I did not notice on our boat any reduced sailing at anchor with two snubbers vs. one. I’m sure it’s a much different story with a trawler and that high bow!
Hi Steve,
Yes, monohull sailboats are fine enough at the bow that 2-leg snubbers aka bridles don’t help (other than being redundant). But cats and motoryachts seem to get good service from them.
I’m surprised you’re using just 3/8" HT chain on Aruna - I’d have figured you for 1/2" or 9/16" at 45T We use 3/8" G40 as it fits our wildcat and seems to work well. The soft shackle we use to attach to the chain uses 1/4" Dyneema for the “ball” and 3/16" for the “noose” section, as getting 1/4" through the chain link was difficult sometimes (my wife usually does the anchoring, while I do the “un-anchoring” Since the failure point of a soft shackle is normally where the lines enter the diamond or button knot, I figure we should be getting more than the 1.75 X line strength formula would imply. With 3/16" at 6000 lb ultimate strength, it seems like this part should not be a failure point, even with the smaller size
I’m sure it wouldn’t work for you, but the on-deck snubber has a couple of features: one, you don’t have a lot of snubber out front to foul the anchor chain; two, the helmsman can see just how much tension is on the snubber - very handy when setting!; and three, the 3-strand nylon makes a soft but distinct thumping noise when it moves through those “rappel rings” under tension. If I’m below and hear the thumping, I know that the load on the anchor is changing.
Hartley
S/V Atsa
Hi Marc,
Cutting Dyneema (or any HMWPE line) is not easy - bolt cutters won’t touch it, nor will the cutters used for SS cable. Serrated knives are not effective, though a good, new razor knife will do. The absolute best would be a pair of “kevlar scissors” also used for fibre-optic cable and they work a treat on Dyneema. I own 3 pair and the only trick is you have to keep them away from salt exposure as they are VERY hard steel (not stainless!).
Hartley
S/V Atsa
To be honest I don’t like hooks where you rely on moving parts not getting stuck. In this one you have to rely on the spring that holds the lock. Similar to the hook available from Whichard.
A simple hook is beat for me. It also easily detaches when you pull in the chain and that releases the load. It is recommended that you secure the hook with a small line to the boat, just in case the line or snubber snatches.
Hi Steve, It’s great to see you posting again as I always appreciate your perspective.
RE the Mantus Chain Hook… I’ve been using a V2 since they first came out. I too went through a couple of straps until Mantus did an upgrade (which was basically a heavy Cordura sleeve around the strap.) I called Mantus to order replacement straps and they sent a couple of the new ones for no charge. Nice customer service. Although I anchor out only about a tenth of the time that you do, I’ve had no problems for the years that I’ve been using the v2 with the improved strap. The v3 looks like a great design though. Thx.
I did get the upgraded strap as well, and they sent me quite a few when I called for some replacements, all for free. I still had issues attaching the V2 - the newer strap was very tight and took a lot of force to get across the chain. It was a good system after that, but still not quite perfect. Not to say that V3 is perfect - I don’t think any of these are
Steve, thanks for this review. We use the Mantus M2 on our 48 Greenline attached to a dual bridle that connect to our bow cleats. Unfortunately, I have to attach the M2 via tender. It won’t fit through the hawsehole, and I’ve tried lifting the chain up and connecting it but it have never been successful. So when we stern tie in Desolation or something, we drop anchor, prep the Mantus, wife holds the boat in position, I drop the tender, go to shore, run the stern line back, then I motor to the bow and attach the bridle/ Mantus setup. Solid entertainment for other boaters…
I do a pair of ½ triple braid nylon from the bow cleats and a bog standard galvanized 5/16 chain hook. 35 foot sailboat that really hunts around at anchor. Hook Hasn’t fallen off hardly ever, but it must be rigged with me hanging over the bow
Hi Steve, great to see you are publishing more! We also have used the M2 for a few years with similar results, holds great as long as that rubber strap doesn’t get bumped off. I also purchased the M3 during the offseason, so thanks for the reminder to go find it and attach it to our snubber! Hopefully it will be a good improvement on the M2, which I expect it will be.
We also anchor out most of the year (Privilege 435 Catamaran). However, I’ve been reluctant to try something that might get fowled up retrieving. We’re still on an old school shackle. It’s annoying, but trustworthy.
I love playing with new gear and writing about it, but this one might be a hard habit for us to break ha! I haven’t even switched to the soft shackle that I made for the job a year ago.
I confess that I can fall prey to the lure of new “stuff”, that’s what I’m doing here now, but at the same time a rolling or camel hitch served me well for a 7 year circumnavigation with almost every night at anchor.