Markings on anchor chain.

[thinwater]

How do people mark the rope part?

I find that I tend to anchor in 5 to 7m so will need mostly 20 to 30m out with 30m of chain that's basically all of it regardless.. Deeper water would require the rope, but that's not marked...

Edit, just realised I've been in the media too long..

Bands of red latex paint works fine. it will probably last until you retire the rope. Very popular method here.

 

[LittleSister]

How do people mark the rope part?

. . . or a length of contrasting coloured whipping.

 

[Neeves]

If its 3 ply or plait, ribbons through the plait, in our case, every 10m. Its only 40m long so there are only three, singles ribbons.

Easy

Jonathan

 

[coopec]

I suspect that people sailing on UK east coast would have different opinions from mine in Greece. I cannot remember a time when the chain came up muddy, except possibly the last couple of metres occasionally. The anchor will sometimes have some mud trapped in its concave flukes but motoring for a minute with the anchor immersed soon clears it. So for me a chain wash would be unjustifiable.

I bought a few 240 V High Pressure Cleaners similar to the Karcher thinking I'd make up a desalinator but one of them may not be suitable. If I found I needed a chain cleaner why couldn't I use one of those? Since I'd have the motor running when I was using it I don't think the 1400W draw would be a problem?

 

[Stemar]

Getting it back up without a windlass kept them occupied for a while.

That is a very good argument in favour of a mixed rode.

 

[Stemar]

I bought a few 240 V High Pressure Cleaners similar to the Karcher thinking I'd make up a desalinator but one of them may not be suitable. If I found I needed a chain cleaner why couldn't I use one of those? Since I'd have the motor running when I was using it I don't think the 1400W draw would be a problem?

View attachment 96498

Assuming your inverter is up to the job, probably not, but I do wonder how long the innards would last with salt water running through them or, if you use fresh, how long your tank would last.

 

[Catalina36]

I bought a few 240 V High Pressure Cleaners similar to the Karcher thinking I'd make up a desalinator but one of them may not be suitable. If I found I needed a chain cleaner why couldn't I use one of those? Since I'd have the motor running when I was using it I don't think the 1400W draw would be a problem?

View attachment 96498

See my #40. You're thinking much too hard. You can get a very powerful 12v deck wash pump, plumb it in and and use sea water to remove all the mud, then switch to a small amount of fresh water to rinse off the salt. Running a mains pressure washer through an inverter to achieve the same thing is a hard way to go about it.

 

[coopec]

Assuming your inverter is up to the job, probably not, but I do wonder how long the innards would last with salt water running through them or, if you use fresh, how long your tank would last.

When a Karcher (or similar pump) is used as a high pressure pump in a desalinator you can expect about two years life. Of course a desalinator would run much more often and longer than an anchor chain washer.y as

 

[rogerthebodger]

When a Karcher (or similar pump) is used as a high pressure pump in a desalinator you can expect about two years life. Of course a desalinator would run much more often and longer than an anchor chain washer.y as

You could combine a desalinator and chain wash by diverting the brine outlet to the bow to wash the chain at the same time.

Or you could fit a diverter valve in the outlet of the HP pump to feed to the chain washing location.

It could also be used to wash the deck down.

Two for the price of one

If you use and engine driven HP pump no need for a seperate generator of big inverter.

 

[coopec]

See my #40. You're thinking much too hard. You can get a very powerful 12v deck wash pump, plumb it in and and use sea water to remove all the mud, then switch to a small amount of fresh water to rinse off the salt. Running a mains pressure washer through an inverter to achieve the same thing is a hard way to go about it.

I did read you comment #40 (and will consider it) I wondered whether it would have the pressure needed. The Karcher type are around 2000 psi whuch would be vastly more than a 12v deck wash.

But I can't argue since I don't have the experience (Just looking at the Trawler Forum many use them so it can't be a silly suggestion)

Thanks for your thoughts

 

[Poignard]

See my #40. You're thinking much too hard. You can get a very powerful 12v deck wash pump, plumb it in and and use sea water to remove all the mud, then switch to a small amount of fresh water to rinse off the salt. Running a mains pressure washer through an inverter to achieve the same thing is a hard way to go about it.

Can you recommend any particular make/type?

 

[rogerthebodger]

See my #40. You're thinking much too hard. You can get a very powerful 12v deck wash pump, plumb it in and and use sea water to remove all the mud, then switch to a small amount of fresh water to rinse off the salt. Running a mains pressure washer through an inverter to achieve the same thing is a hard way to go about it.

I also have a seaflo deck wash pump plumbed to outlets on deck and next to my stem fitting.

Inlet to the desc wash pump can either be sea water of fresh water.

My deck wash pump also feeds a pressure tap at the gally sink

 

[coopec]

You could combine a desalinator and chain wash by diverting the brine outlet to the bow to wash the chain at the same time.

Or you could fit a diverter valve in the outlet of the HP pump to feed to the chain washing location.

It could also be used to wash the deck down.

Two for the price of one

If you use and engine driven HP pump no need for a seperate generator of big inverter.

If I do go down the Karcher track I would mount it semi-permanently and plumbed up to the bow roller. If I wanted to wash down the deck I could bring the unit up on deck or I could have a diverter valve to an outlet on deck.

As far as washing the chain with fresh water wouldn't it be less wastefull of fresh water to spray the chain when it is piled up in the chain locker?

 

[Catalina36]

I did read you comment #40 (and will consider it) I wondered whether it would have the pressure needed. The Karcher type are around 2000 psi whuch would be vastly more than a 12v deck wash.

But I can't argue since I don't have the experience (Just looking at the Trawler Forum many use them so it can't be a silly suggestion)

Thanks for your thoughts

They're used on fishing boats to clear the decks after a haul, they have all the pressure you'll need. Osborne Bay mud here is like a mixture of clay, toffee and concrete but the pump easily blows it away. I only switch to fresh water when everything's stowed so as you say, the chain is rinsed in the locker. I long ago discovered the wisdom of rinsing the windlass and gypsy if you want it to stay in good condition.

 

[Catalina36]

Can you recommend any particular make/type?

I'm pretty sure mine's a Shurflow, same make as the galley pump but for some reason despite trawling emails yesterday I couldn't find the record of when I bought it (around 2013) or from whom.

It's something like one of these though I didn't get it from ASAP, I don't think they were around at the time.

SHURflo Blaster II Boat Washdown Pump, 12V, 13.2 LPM

 

[rogerthebodger]

If I do go down the Karcher track I would mount it semi-permanently and plumbed up to the bow roller. If I wanted to wash down the deck I could bring the unit up on deck or I could have a diverter valve to an outlet on deck.

As far as washing the chain with fresh water wouldn't it be less wastefull of fresh water to spray the chain when it is piled up in the chain locker?

I would not use fresh water to wash down my anchor chain by would use it to wash warps and rinsing salt water of deck. I also have the ability to feed fresh water into by pressure system from a hose from my marina berth.

Plumbing my HP washers saves having to hall it up an deck. Mine is the biggest single phase Karcher you can get and in a custom designed cradle below deck .

 

[rogerthebodger]

I'm pretty sure mine's a Shurflow, same make as the galley pump but for some reason despite trawling emails yesterday I couldn't find the record of when I bought it (around 2013) or from whom.

It's something like one of these though I didn't get it from ASAP, I don't think they were around at the time.

SHURflo Blaster II Boat Washdown Pump, 12V, 13.2 LPM

That's the same one I have one each for deck wash (sea water) and freshwater (domestic) pressure supply.

 

[Poignard]

I'm pretty sure mine's a Shurflow, same make as the galley pump but for some reason despite trawling emails yesterday I couldn't find the record of when I bought it (around 2013) or from whom.

It's something like one of these though I didn't get it from ASAP, I don't think they were around at the time.

SHURflo Blaster II Boat Washdown Pump, 12V, 13.2 LPM

Thanks!

 

[GHA]

If I do go down the Karcher track I would mount it semi-permanently and plumbed up to the bow roller. If I wanted to wash down the deck I could bring the unit up on deck or I could have a diverter valve to an outlet on deck.

As far as washing the chain with fresh water wouldn't it be less wastefull of fresh water to spray the chain when it is piled up in the chain locker?

So much easier just to get a bucket and a brush like every other cruiser...

 

[coopec]

So much easier just to get a bucket and a brush like every other cruiser...

I don't follow what you mean. How can you use a bucket and brush? To do what?

Do you mean the deck? Yes, I suppose the bird shit would take a bit of moving. And a boat deck is not such a big area.
When you read advice like this you wonder how a 12v pump spraying water at 70 psi could be of any use.

"To clean your deck or the exterior of your house, you need 1500 psi. To clean your concrete driveway, you need 3000 psi. If you want to use a pressure washer for all these tasks, you need one that is adjustable and can deliver a force of up to 3000 pounds per square inch".

How to Choose a Pressure Washer | Overstock.com