Marking your anchor chain

[john_morris_uk]

Not sure if anyone seen these, but I had to mark a Not sure if anyone seen these, but I had to mark an anchor chain recently and I found these new chain markers much better and more secure than the older push in ones.
AnchoRight 10mm Chain Markers

I’ve no connection with the manufacturer or distributor!

 

[Stingo]

Cable ties, with the tail intact, work well and are cheap as chips.

1 white at 10 metres
1 black at 15 metres
2 white at 20 metres
1 black at 25 metres
3 white at 30 metres
1 black at 35 metres
... and so on

 

[john_morris_uk]

Cable ties, with the tail intact, work well and are cheap as chips.

1 white at 10 metres
1 black at 15 metres
2 white at 20 metres
1 black at 25 metres
3 white at 30 metres
1 black at 35 metres
... and so on

Except they get worn off by our windlass. To be fair, we’ve used the push in ones for years without too many problems, but I was helping out on somebody else’s boat and they needed their chain marked and I found these in the chandlers. They screw in place and are much more secure and with the colour coding of whatever your imagination chooses you can mark 60 m of chain with just one set. Life is full of choices, and I was just putting out these as a relatively new gizmo as far as I know.

PS. I appreciate your marking system is very simple and straightforward but we use a different one. 1 marker for 10 m, 2 markers for 20 m, 3 markers for 30 m and you can probably work out the rest…!

 

[geem]

1 inch wide webbing in different colours sewn on to the chain links. 1 marker for 10m, 2 for 20m etc. Tried everything and this works and stays on. I thought it might foul in the gypsy but they don't. It's really easy to spot how many bit of webbing are there even when covered in mud and changed colour

 

[Aja]

I have them. Second season and they have kept their colour and not lost any yet.

Worth the extra cost against cable ties which have to be continually replaced.

 

[capnsensible]

However you mark your chain......any combination of colours or whatever will do....... top tip is to write your code in indelible pen marker on the underside of the anchor locker lid. If you have one. Otherwise a plasticated card will do that can be carried forward. No need for a memory!

 

[14K478]

Not sure if anyone seen these, but I had to mark a Not sure if anyone seen these, but I had to mark an anchor chain recently and I found these new chain markers much better and more secure than the older push in ones.
AnchoRight 10mm Chain Markers

I’ve no connection with the manufacturer or distributor!

Thanks for this. I have been using the push in ones.

 

[14K478]

However you mark your chain......any combination of colours or whatever will do....... top tip is to write your code in indelible pen marker on the underside of the anchor locker lid. If you have one. Otherwise a plasticated card will do that can be carried forward. No need for a memory!

Good advice. Similar to the big ship practice of noting a re-ground bearing size on the crankcase door of the bearing in question.

It’s no good making a note in a book at the other end of the boat.

 

[john_morris_uk]

However you mark your chain......any combination of colours or whatever will do....... top tip is to write your code in indelible pen marker on the underside of the anchor locker lid. If you have one. Otherwise a plasticated card will do that can be carried forward. No need for a memory!

Exactly so. I I know some on here will consider it heresy but we were forced to lower the anchor with the windlass when I first took over the boat. The anchor chain counter didn’t work and with the anchor chain not marked the only way we could estimate how much chain had been deployed was to count seconds as the windlass operated.

 

[RupertW]

My aim was to do something so simple that no cribsheet was needed. So it’s 1 piece of string for 10m, 2 for 20, 3 for 30 etc. Having more and more string isn’t a big deal as the lengths get longer as being 4 links either way at 80m doesn’t really matter.

 

[benjenbav]

A question and a confession:

Question: How do those screw-adjusted markers ride over a gypsy?

Confession: I think I must be too simple. Red paint every 10m. Mark-one eyeball tells me I’ve let out 3 sections plus maybe half of the fourth. Log entry: Anchored; 35m chain.

 

[john_morris_uk]

A question and a confession:

Question: How do those screw-adjusted markers ride over a gypsy?

Confession: I think I must be too simple. Red paint every 10m. Mark-one eyeball tells me I’ve let out 3 sections plus maybe half of the fourth. Log entry: Anchored; 35m chain.

The gypsy ignores them. No problem.

Our technique is the same except we’ve still got the push in rubbery markers.

 

[Poignard]

My aim was to do something so simple that no cribsheet was needed. So it’s 1 piece of string for 10m, 2 for 20, 3 for 30 etc. Having more and more string isn’t a big deal as the lengths get longer as being 4 links either way at 80m doesn’t really matter.

My method too. And it works in the dark

 

[capnsensible]

And He said 'lo, let there be light' and the hand torch was invented.

 

[RupertW]

My method too. And it works in the dark

Exactly, but I admit I have one piece of differently coloured and super thick string at 15m, just because that’s my most common length in a crowded anchorage for a calm night.

 

[Wandering Star]

I’m more (was) of a belt & braces sailor and prefer to keep 6 different seperate lengths of chain in the locker 10m, 20m …… 60m, I just calculate the length of chain required for the particular scenario, root through the chain locker to find the appropriate length (each length has a label tied on), shackle the selected length to the anchor and dump the lot overboard. It’s reassuring to know I’ve always got the correct scope everytime and can sleep easy.

I also carry a large range of anchors (15 at the last audit) so can always select appropriate anchor type for the conditions.

 

[geem]

I’m more (was) of a belt & braces sailor and prefer to keep 6 different seperate lengths of chain in the locker 10m, 20m …… 60m, I just calculate the length of chain required for the particular scenario, root through the chain locker to find the appropriate length (each length has a label tied on), shackle the selected length to the anchor and dump the lot overboard. It’s reassuring to know I’ve always got the correct scope everytime and can sleep easy.

I also carry a large range of anchors (15 at the last audit) so can always select appropriate anchor type for the conditions.

What to do you do when you need 70m in a hurry!

 

[Wandering Star]

What to do you do when you need 70m in a hurry!

No problem, I always have plenty of ropes, lines and old halyards in the cockpit locker which can be tied on to the bitter end of the 60m chain length to extend it’s length.

 

[nigel1]

Not sure if anyone seen these, but I had to mark a Not sure if anyone seen these, but I had to mark an anchor chain recently and I found these new chain markers much better and more secure than the older push in ones.
AnchoRight 10mm Chain Markers

I’ve no connection with the manufacturer or distributor!

I bought these last year, did not last very long, all broke (split across where the threaded insert is)
Now using the push in osculati ones, they have faired better.

 

[Daverw]

Im using these, bought direct from UK manufacturer, the first set were ok but I was then sent a replacement set FOC as they had found a issue with original design, they sent out replacements as soon as sorted even though I did not have any issues. Very good small manufacturer with looking after customers. Would not hesitate to recommend them. Had a good chat with them at SIBS this year