If you're using wires or stiff arms to anchor your floating dock, you're in good company— these are common ways to anchor a floating dock. But there's an underrated piece of hardware that can make your anchoring life easier, your dock more secure, and your dock system a whole lot more flexible: the chain retainer.
Let’s talk about what it is, what it does, and why it's a great approach to securing your floating dock anchors.
So... What Is a Chain Retainer?
A chain retainer is a small piece of dock hardware that guides and secures your anchor chain, allowing for secure attachment to the dock, and easy adjustments over time. It holds the chain in position while giving you easy access to make tension adjustments as water levels change.
Chain retainers make it easy to relieve or add tension to your anchor chain. When water levels rise or fall, you can adjust your chain quickly—without having to fight with crimped wire rope or adjust a stiff arm.
They also help prevent wear on your dock frame by keeping the chain from rubbing directly against wood or metal—and they keep everything neatly in place instead of flopping around under load.
Chain vs. Wires
- Wires tend to be more cost effective than galvanized chain, however, they have some substantial drawbacks as a primary anchor line. Once they’re clamped in place, making changes often means time consuming adjustments. That gets old fast, especially when your water levels fluctuate regularly.
- Chains, used with a retainer, gives you an easy way to manually control slack and tension. You can add or relieve chain length by hand, without needing to unbolt or reconfigure your whole anchoring setup.
Can You Use Chain Retainers With Your Current Anchors?
Absolutely.
You don’t need to start from scratch. If your current setup has wires, simply replace the final 3-4 feet with chain, slide them through the retainer, and you're good to go.
You can keep your concrete blocks, embedded anchors, or whatever setup you're already using—just with more control at the dock end.
Why DIY Dock Builders Love Them
Whether you're starting a new dock build or upgrading an old anchoring system, chain retainers are a simple win. They’re:
- Easy to install
- Affordable
- Compatible with existing anchors
- Great for managing fluctuating water levels or seasonal adjustments
Check out our chain retainers and other dock hardware to see how you can upgrade your dock’s anchoring system today.
Need help figuring it out? Contact us—we’re happy to walk you through it.