Marking Chain Length

[sabray]

I am using the pre made things with different colors and numbers on them. There was a stack on the boat when I got it so I sewed them into the chain.
If you see a guy chewing a flashlight with reading glasses on while anchoring thats me. I know the 60 and 90 are both green so if im twisting the chain around with the flashlight in my mouth moving my head back and forth trying to gain focus. Spitting on the once black digit to wash away the mud. Dont worry I'm only trying to decide if this is the 60' or 90' I'm dyslexic too. This winter Im using cord and knots much better.

[maxingout]

I used to use cable ties, and then I quit. When I anchor Exit Only, I usually put out all the chain, and back down hard on the anchor with both engines in full reverse. I then pull some chain back in depending on how much swinging room there is if other boats are nearby. If no one is around, and there aren't any coral heads, I leave all the chain out.

It really doesn't matter to me how many feet of chain are out. Since I like to cruise remote, most of the time it's all out.

[LifePart2]

I have some photos of my girlfriend painting our anchor chain: Adding Depth Markings to Anchor Chain

We used the red - white - blue system, painting two feet of length every 10meters (= 30 ft). We chose that length as it works well for both metric and feet, and is more easily divisible than 25 ft.

Still waiting to see if the oil paint or the spray can works better.

[Hudson Force]

Originally Posted by Healer52

Err, thats ROY G. BIV (Red Orange Yellow Green Blue Indigo Violet).

Thanks! Sure green is between yellow and blue. Actually, I do know the colors better than Roy's name!

[Healer52]

Originally Posted by sabray

I am using the pre made things with different colors and numbers on them. There was a stack on the boat when I got it so I sewed them into the chain.
If you see a guy chewing a flashlight with reading glasses on while anchoring thats me. I know the 60 and 90 are both green so if im twisting the chain around with the flashlight in my mouth moving my head back and forth trying to gain focus. Spitting on the once black digit to wash away the mud. Dont worry I'm only trying to decide if this is the 60' or 90' I'm dyslexic too. This winter Im using cord and knots much better.

Get a headlamp! They're darned handy for all sorts of uses.

Petzl Tikka Plus 2 LED Headlamp at REI.com

[sabray]

great idea how do they taste?

[Roaring Girl]

Originally Posted by maxingout

I used to use cable ties, and then I quit. When I anchor Exit Only, I usually put out all the chain, and back down hard on the anchor with both engines in full reverse. I then pull some chain back in depending on how much swinging room there is .

Wow - we have 80m of chain on our bower - that's - erm!- well over 200 ft of chain, fora swinging circle of (in shallow water) over 500ft - that's a lot of space.

We use cable ties and paint for anchoring in different amounts of light. Paint is better but after six months of mud it tends tow wear a bit.

[dennisail]

Thanks for all the awesome replies guys.

[thinwater]

Your windlass probably lowers chain at a very steady rate, about 5 feet per second (you can measure this).

Count a thousand 1, a thousand 2... and then multiply by 5.

Marks are not needed or helpful if you use an electric windlass, IMHO.

[dennisail]

Your windlass probably lowers chain at a very steady rate

I don't want to know that I "probably" have the right amount of chain out.

[Adelie]

I have heard that sewing on short segments of nylon webbing as little flags is very durable.

The sequence I like is 1,2,3,4,4,3,2,1 (or 1 to whatever and back to 1) flags every 10m. You don't have to discern the colors in low light, just see how many flags are in the group. Using a flash or decklight would help with the colors but would ruin night vision after dark. The palindrome count allows you to swap chain ends without relearning or resewing the flags.

[craigsmith]

Originally Posted by dennisail

I don't want to know that I "probably" have the right amount of chain out.

And what about deploying the chain by releasing the clutch?
I think it goes without saying it's important to be able to measure rode.

Originally Posted by Adelie

I have heard that sewing on short segments of nylon webbing as little flags is very durable.

Something like that is the best solution. The link I posted above suggests heavy duty reinforced awning fabric in bright colors. This stuff stands up. You can thread a strip through a slit in itself without the need to sew, it will not part. You can do rope the exact same way.

The other solutions are all problematic. It is difficult and expensive to reliably paint zinc, and it will still not last and redoing it constantly is a major pain. Paint and plastic inserts etc are difficult to see in the dark, if you're not to destroy your night vision using bright lighting, and obviously don't work on rope.

[boden36]

I have heard of people using a magnetically actuated bicycle odometer on the gypsy.
Regards, Richard.

[Albro359]

"I think it goes without saying it's important to be able to measure rode."

I don't.... I know I have 180ft of 10mm chain.....I don't anchor in anything more than 30ft unless its really calm...and I let nearly all of it out...how do I know...well the galvanising is worn off the first 60 ft or so then it starts to look like new chain...after the 2nd 60 ft or so it starts looking cruddy 'cos it sits in the bottom of the anchor locker and is the last to dry.

I have a 45lb manson and the only time I have ever dragged with it was in Tonga anchored in thin samd over a coral shelf...and everybody dragged...no matter what anchor, no matter how much rode

Put out as much as you think us reasonable and then another 30%, then back down on it, if it holds and the wind / tide doesn't change then you're probably OK

BUT there's no guarantees ...ever...even if you DO know how much rode you have out ...to the foot....

[savoir]

You should try some spinnaker cloth. Any bright color will do - I use yellow. Cut it into strips about 8" - 9" X 1". Tie one to the desired link with a reef knot and count the ties as they slip over the bow roller. The margins between them are up to you - mine are every 15 ft.

They last about a year won't jam your windlass.