Marking up an anchor chain

[MM5AHO]

Our low cost simple system is leather boot laces, tied into the links, and trimmed short ends.
At 3 fathoms one lace, 6fath = 2 laces, 9fath = 3 laces etc.
The leather lasts about 5 years, and goes round the winch easily etc.

 

[BelleSerene]

Very helpful thread.

So to summarise my personal learnings:

Painting chain is loads of hassle – but AndyGC’s spray paint idea is genius.

Plaited line around chain links may work, but I fear it will go the way my coloured plastic wire ties did: chopped off by the windlass and ending up at the bottom of either the sea or the anchor locker. I'm impressed that Blowing Old Boats hasn’t had this problem.

The other problem with wire ties is that they lacerate your hands if you have to haul the anchor in yourself: you’re holding the chain with a lot of force when a sharp cut end slices through your hand.

Coloured rubber inserts have never failed or fallen out for me (be sure to buy the right size for your chain: they can fall out if you get eg 8mm inserts for 10mm chain, but have never fallen out for me with the right size inserts) and easily recognisable. Each 1m, Yellow; each 5m, Red; each 10m, Y&R.

I like SnowLeopard’s tip on indelible bands on the rope: I’ll try that! This is where my old wire ties are still in place, through the braid. GeoID’s self-amalgamating tape may be even better.

 

[Billjratt]

I've tried most things over the years, and find that ribbons - by number, not colour, seem to do the job for me. Never found a paint that stays put.
The colours don't work at night covered in mud, especially as we weigh from the wheelhouse and need to see what's happening from a distance.
The chain is marked in boatlengths, as it's easier to imagine where the hook is once it's down.
And there is a warning marker as the anchor is about to come aboard.

 

[TamarMike]

Useful thread

I've been reading this thread with great interest (following on from a similar one a few months ago IIRC) as had a near mishap trying to interpret remains of paint bands on my chain in the dark. My old boat had a rope cable marked with coloured bands of west country style whipping which could usually be felt while running out the cable by hand. I think I shall try the rubber inserts next year rather than repainting the chain, although they are unlikely to be felt I hope they will be easy enought to spot.

 

[benjenbav]

I just have a band of red paint each ten metres and count the bands out with one of the old systems: Yan, Tyan, Tethera, Methera, Pimp

 

[sarabande]

someone else who counts in Sussex dialect !

 

[Cornishman]

Link counting

All these anchor postings have made me get my arse into gear and think about marking up my chain. Having only just started to regularly use the hook, I have never bothered in the past. Plan is to put paint stripes at the appropriate intervals. What is the best paint to use on galvanised. Does any old paint work or should I get scientific? Thought about using nylon tie wraps but I can’t see how they last long.

Any input chaps.

Using machinery paint (sticks like a Shiite to a blanket) I have always marked chain at 10m intervals. For the first mark paint two links with a clean one between, at 20m paint two links with two clean between, etc. Then all you have to do is count the number of unpainted links between a pair of painted ones and multiply by 10.
This system worked very well on all the yachts I have sailed, most of which anchored at least twice a week every week of the season. Chain needed repainting about once every years.

 

[BlueChip]

I use coloured cable ties: -

1 x 5 m
2 x 10 m
3 x 15 m

etc. etc.

They have been on for at least 3 seasons and are now fading in colour and becoming brittle. Easy cheap, reliable and can be fixed with the minimum of fuss.

I use a 60 lb CQR and electric windlass to haul the chain up and they don't snap off on the gypsy or stem head roller / cheeks.

I use the same, except I use white ties and only mark at 10m intervals,
1=10m
2=20m
3=30m

We've anchored at least 50 times this season and also have an electric winch and havent lost any ties. The advantage of ties over paint is that you can feel them in the dark.

 

[misterg]

Also use coloured ties - Melt the ends after cutting off the tail to stop them cutting you.

They do come off on our windlass, so I put on a dozen or so at each mark. Colours started off being based on snooker for 10m marks, but 40 had to be white (4 point penalty) rather than brown. Any old colour or combination of colours used for 5m marks.

I use the following to determine where to stop the chain / how much scope I have out. (It allows a nominal 1m for freeboard).

Andy

 

[Alcyone]

Paint came off. Cable ties came off. Inserts still there after (guess) 30 anchor uses this year, perhaps 10 of those over night.

 

[RichardS]

We do it nice and simple using the 10mm bright yellow "rubber" inserts (all chain rode):

1 insert at 5m
2 inserts at 10m
3 inserts at 15m etc

Since I usually try and anchor at 5:1 scope we simply read the depth in metres and immediately know that 7m depth = chain out to 7 markers.

So far the markers have all stayed put!

Richard