Washington Chain and Supply, Inc. Quick Release Mooring Hooks are available in nominal loads of 25, 50, 60, 80, 100, 150 and 200 tons. Download our Release Hook Catalog or contact us to request a print copy.
- All motors are explosion proof U.L. approved.
- With or without integral power capstan.
- Standard designs include single, double, triple & quad mounting.
- Each hook of a multiple unit assembly can operate vertically, horizontally, and be released independent of the other hooks.
- All hooks are suspended requiring no wearplate thereby eliminating the possibility of sparking.
- Lubrication points are provided for ease of maintenance.
- Each hook has a safety locking device.
- Operation can be either manual or remote by hydraulic or electric control.
- Load monitoring indicating and/or recording systems can be employed from a central control station.
- Each release hook is tested and certified in our own test facility prior to shipment. Our test machines are capable of testing to 2,000,000 pounds.
- Our test machines are certified by the American Bureau of Shipping, Lloyds Register, U.S. Salvage Bureau, U.S. Dept. of Labor and OSHA.
- Push button switching allows one operator to release any or all hooks in the mooring system.
Our patented release hooks provide a safe, effective, and labor-saving method of ship mooring. Vessel tonnages and their relative distances from shore have increased dramatically over the years, but the Washington Chain release hook design handles virtually any situation. Whether it’s a single or multiple-hook model, each is designed to swing completely free up to 180° horizontally and 45° vertically to maintain a straight pull on the lines at all times.
Safety, reliability, strength, and efficiency are the standards we set for our release hooks. Manufactured by Washington Chain since 1970, they consistently exceed every other manufacturer’s specifications. All working parts in our release hooks are heat-treated, cast alloy metals. The units are suspended, with no wearplate to maintain and no dangerous sparks. Any motors required are explosion proof and approved by Underwriters Laboratories (UL) and the Canadian Standards Association (CSA).
All models can release under full load, unlike buoy hooks, which must have slack line to release. As an
additional safety feature, we’ve made a safety latch standard, which prevents the hooks from opening
accidentally. The latch can be operated manually or from a remote station, with either a pneumatically
or electrically controlled hydraulic release.
Knowing the demanding environments in which our release hooks will operate, we’ve made maintenance
as easy as possible. All of them are hot-sprayed with zinc, then painted or galvanized. Grease fittings are recessed for both safety and ease of lubrication. Periodic maintenance is all that’s required to maintain maximum efficiency.
Before leaving our plant, each hook is thoroughly tested. Every one rated 100 tons or less is individually tested to 1.6 times its rated capacity. Larger hooks are tested to American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) standards of 1.3 times rated capacity. Our test machines, which can provide up to 1,000 tons of pull, are recognized and certified by ABS, Lloyds Register of Shipping, the U.S. Department of Labor, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
Before any hooks are delivered to your location, we will have provided you with a bottom plate template,
allowing you to set the anchor bolts into your structure as you’re building, modifying, or repairing it.
Then, when the units arrive, you merely bolt them down, and they’re ready to operate. If you’re replacing existing mooring equipment, we can tailor our bottom plate to fit your specifications, saving you substantial extra work.
Release hooks available in single, double, triple or quadruple configurations.