Marking chain

[Iain C]

30m of chain, a bag of 3 different coloured chain markers...any bright ideas? I was thinking...RGB is easy to remember, so...
3 red 5m
6 red 10m
3 green 15m
6 green 20m
3 blue 25m
6 blue 30m (or just before the chain/rope splice pops out of the hawse pipe)

Any better ideas?

And what about marking the 30m of warp? A similar system could work, what's best to use that wont get mashed by the gypsy or affect the warp in any way?

Cheers!

 

[prv]

Give each colour a value - 5m, 10m or 20m. In my case, I have red, white and blue paint, in that order. Then just add them together at each point. For example (in no particular order):

red+white = 5+10 = 15m
red+blue = 5+20 = 25m
white = 10m
red+white+blue = 5+10+20 = 35m (which I have but you don't)

I also added closely-spaced red stripes to the first couple of metres, so that when hauling in I know the anchor's about to appear.

Pete

 

[Martin_J]

Then, whichever scheme you decide upon, just put the same markings onto the underside of the chain locker lid...

 

[GrahamM376]

I use cable ties with the tails left on, every 10m. They go through the windlass OK and I can feel them in the dark.

 

[Ariadne]

OK, we use yellow for 5m marks and red 10m (and multiples of) all the way through it's worked for us for 6 years.

As for the markers, cable ties give up after numerous passes through the gypsy, paint wears off, so we have red + string at the painted marks and it sort of lasts quite well.

 

[prv]

Then, whichever scheme you decide upon, just put the same markings onto the underside of the chain locker lid...

No need - "red white and blue" is a stock phrase meaning I won't forget the order. And that's the only part that needs to be remembered, the rest is completely logical.

Fortunate, since I don't have a chain locker lid to paint it on

Pete

 

[RupertW]

I just have string tied on with one piece per 10m, so can see them in twilight when colours fade. Nothing for 5m this year as I found that confusing and realised that I never have less than 10m from the windlass anyway.

 

[KellysEye]

>red white and blue

That's what we use.

 

[robertj]

if you have colours then why not do the snooker colour scheme?

red = 5m
Yellow = 10m
green = 20m
brown = 25m
blue = 30m
pink = etc
black = etc

the distance between markers is up to you but you.

 

[VicMallows]

Then, whichever scheme you decide upon, just put the same markings onto the underside of the chain locker lid...

I'm glad I'm not the only one who can't remember the code used

The resistor colour code would work best for me, but I never seem to have the right colour tie-wraps to hand.

 

[Seajet]

I think marking the code used on the anchor lid a very good idea, it's the sort of thing too easily missed when briefing crew unfamiliar with the boat; another point worth mentioning either on the lid or briefing is whether the end is made on...

I also keep a sharp serrated knife in the anchor locker ( and another in the cockpit ) after an interesting time on a friends' boat when I cast off 'one end of the mooring warp' to find out the hard way it was 2 lengths of identical line with a knot in the middle !

 

[RupertW]

if you have colours then why not do the snooker colour scheme?

red = 5m
Yellow = 10m
green = 20m
brown = 25m
blue = 30m
pink = etc
black = etc

the distance between markers is up to you but you.

Brilliant - if string theory doesn't work I might change to that. Red for 5m then 10x the colour score gets me to 70m

 

[VicMallows]

if you have colours then why not do the snooker colour scheme?

red = 5m
Yellow = 10m
green = 20m
brown = 25m
blue = 30m
pink = etc
black = etc

the distance between markers is up to you but you.

Seeing those colours, but applying the resistor colour code, (or vise-versa) we could both be in a real mess

 

[Hoolie]

We have a deeply unmemorable combination of red, white and yellow plastic markers.
I've just ordered a cheap (£2.89 from china) bike odometer to see if I can set up a more reliable electronic counter. I'll post if it works!

 

[robertj]

We have a deeply unmemorable combination of red, white and yellow plastic markers.
I've just ordered a cheap (£2.89 from china) bike odometer to see if I can set up a more reliable electronic counter. I'll post if it works!

I'd be interested if this works please keep me posted

bob

 

[john_morris_uk]

We are very simple and only have three marks on our chain. one marker for ten meters, two for twenty and three for thirty. If its all out its forty metres.

I just guess the in-betweens - and always give a bit extra just in case.

In our system the colours don't matter. The markers we use are the ones that fit into the chain links, and they are the ones that lots of people say are always falling out. However ours have been in for years and have never moved, so take your pick...

If you haven't got a chain locker lid (we haven't either) put all the important information inside the front cover of the log book. We have everything there - important dimensions, capacities of fuel and water tanks and what their gauges measure etc. Height of mast and anchor chain markings.

 

[nigelmercier]

if you have colours then why not do the snooker colour scheme? ...

I've done exactly this with cable ties every 10m. The only 5m I bothered with was 15m, and for that I used 1 and 5. Only problem is, I still can't remember!

 

[david_bagshaw]

if you have colours then why not do the snooker colour scheme?

red = 5m
Yellow = 10m
green = 20m
brown = 25m
blue = 30m
pink = etc
black = etc

the distance between markers is up to you but you.

+1
used the above for over 20 years, no pink though, as cant get pink cable ties

 

[voyager35]

I use builders yellow line marking paint, it lasts well. I the keep a note in the back of the boats log book of the chain length/mark code of long and short paint marks

 

[RichardS]

I assume that I am going to anchor at 5:1 scope so put 1 insert marker at 5 m, 2 at 10m, 3 at 15m etc - the colour is irrelevant.

When I come to anchor, if the depth gauge says 4m then that's 4 markers.

Couldn't be simpler!

Richard