Chain Markers

[FabioC]

Originally Posted by Pete7

Nope, first time you use the windlass they will pop out. They fall out of there own accord too. We just use coloured cable ties, several for each mark. Cheap and cheerful.

What ever lengths for each mark you choose, dymo label the inside of the anchor locker lid so you don't forget and anyone who deploys the anchor can see too.

Hi Pete, thank you for the feedback, this is exactly what I was concerned about. I guess those markers look too clever to be good...

Cable ties are currently my preferred choice. The only reason why I was hesitant with them is the concern that they would "grind" on the windlass and break soon, but I guess that is not the case, as another post says.

[Sojourner]

Zip ties will break off eventually leaving more plastic in the sea. We use red green and blue 3mm line. Take 1 foot lengths and put a couple on each link in a cow hitch or similar, for maybe 6 - 10 links. Each has 4 strands of color on it sticking out 6 inches. When you deploy from the cockpit, you can see the ends whip over the windlass so even from in back you can count the links if there's no one up front.....

[FabioC]

Originally Posted by nhschneider

We use 1/4” polypropylene rope ‘woven’ through the links - about a meter long for each ‘mark’. If I was more creative, I suppose I could color code it but now all our marks are red. I only mark at fifty foot intervals and I’ve never had a problem keeping track of how much chain is deployed.

Some of the problems we had with nylon zip ties were 1: They would break off and 2: If the chain was going out fast, you might miss it.

Anyway, the polypropylene rope works for us.

Fair winds and calm seas.

nhschneider (and Ann on the same topic) thank you for the suggestion. Interesting idea, is the line just woven through the links and tied with bowlines at the ends?

[Tingum]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

I use plastic zip ties. 1 at 25', 2 at 50', 3 at 75' and at 100' 2 different colors and change the color. They stay on going through the windlass and last pretty long. The 25' & 50' seem to last the shortest from being on the bottom.

I think it has cost me around $0.75 the last 2.5 years.

This! Don't over think it. Every 25' is more than enough.

[FabioC]

Originally Posted by Tillsbury

Yes, they chip a bit, but the hard bit was getting them all done in the first place. Touching up the shorter ones as they wear will be far easier.

Tillsbury, yes, that is one of the reasons I am not so keen on paint, it would be a bit of a PITA to get them done in the first place, and even touching them up...
What type/brand of paint have you found it works best/lasts longer?

[FabioC]

Originally Posted by Sojourner

Zip ties will break off eventually leaving more plastic in the sea. We use red green and blue 3mm line. Take 1 foot lengths and put a couple on each link in a cow hitch or similar, for maybe 6 - 10 links. Each has 4 strands of color on it sticking out 6 inches. When you deploy from the cockpit, you can see the ends whip over the windlass so even from in back you can count the links if there's no one up front.....

Sojourner, thank you, interesting variation on the line thing...

[Tillsbury]

Originally Posted by FabioC

Tillsbury, yes, that is one of the reasons I am not so keen on paint, it would be a bit of a PITA to get them done in the first place, and even touching them up...
What type/brand of paint have you found it works best/lasts longer?

To answer that I would need to have done some testing with different brands :-)

To be honest I came across some gloss oil-based enamel in small tins that specified it was for metal and outdoors and had some kind of self-priming ability. They were discounted and there was a white and a red :-)

I flaked the chain on deck in 5 metre lengths, and hung each key point within a cardboard box so that it was entirely suspended where it needed painting, and applied two coats to the links (allowing each to dry for a day or so).

[Zzmeyer]

Two feet of paint on the chains, at 6 feet (so I know it's about up) and every fifty feet. You can see how much more than is out at each mark for quite a way so I don't see a need for more. The paint does wear off over time, but my two feet makes it less important.

[wtmf]

i know a chain is only as strong as its weakest link sooo what about using those two piece repair links, the ones that have to be flatten to become permanent?? also how about a gob of weld on a link??

[thinwater]

Marking with paint is super easy... if you know how.



You do NOT lay it on the ground, you hang it across a cardboard box. Super fast, you get all sides at the same time, it dries while hanging, and the box catches all the mess.


Only minutes, no mess.

[fxykty]

Originally Posted by FabioC

nhschneider (and Ann on the same topic) thank you for the suggestion. Interesting idea, is the line just woven through the links and tied with bowlines at the ends?

No need to tie and you want the ends to stick out for better visibility. With 50cm or more of line threaded through 10 or more links it doesn’t come loose easily. We put figure 8 knots at the ends to make them more resistant to falling out of the links. Every few months we re-thread the ends of the 2 or 3 links they’ve come out of.

I like the idea of cow hitching shorter lines to links - that would create an effect like cable ties but without the problem of breaking bits of plastic.

[Jim Cate]

We put figure 8 knots at the ends to make them more resistant to falling out of the links.

I tried that too, and while it did seem to help keep the line from falling out, the knots occasionally got hung up in a small gap at the base of the chain stripper housing and then it simply pulled the marker out or broke it off immediately. So, for us (Maxwell VCR1500) it was not helpful.

Jim

[boatpoker]

Originally Posted by FabioC

nhschneider (and Ann on the same topic) thank you for the suggestion. Interesting idea, is the line just woven through the links and tied with bowlines at the ends?

We also use about 12" of yellow polypro line woven through our chain. No problem with the windlass. Three winters anchoring in the Bahamas now back in Toronto and it's still there. We didn't tie it off at all.

[JPA Cate]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

I tried that too, and while it did seem to help keep the line from falling out, the knots occasionally got hung up in a small gap at the base of the chain stripper housing and then it simply pulled the marker out or broke it off immediately. So, for us (Maxwell VCR1500) it was not helpful.

Jim

Just to be completely clear, FabioC, we merely weave the line through the links. It does not take long. We usually do it again after the chain is galvanized. Replace strands as needed.

Ann

[Simi 60]

Originally Posted by thinwater

Marking with paint is super easy... if you know how.


.

Did it once
Gone in weeks when anchoring continually.
Cheap nylon rope lasts for years.
Faster, cheaper, easier, no mess.