The "catch" to a shovel splice
A shovel splice works, yet does not sufficiently reduce nylon stretch over the steel end of the chain and must be periodically replaced although perhaps not as often as a thimble eye must be replaced. That is why a polyester double braid "interface" between the steel chain and nylon works without the requirement of a periodic replacement.
I realize that many boaters do not experience extreme anchoring situations yet blue water cruisers often do. When that happens one must carefully prepare one's gear so that one can sleep with heavy waves passing beneath the hull and heavy wind blowing the hull around and that is when these types of splices (nylon shovel splice on a steel link or a thimble) must be replaced due to the degradation of the nylon line.
I believe that a shovel splice on the end of a chain would have less than an 80 percent of potential rode strength ultimately. The polyester "interface" solution results in a strength greater than 80% of the potential rode strength (when wet as well as dry) approaching 100%.
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