Anchor chain marking and weaving line vs. paint

[Cynara]

Paint was waring off after about 2 years. Each paint mark was about a foot. Red white and blue for a us sailor easy to remember. Before we applied the paint we painted that part of the chain with Ospho, then white then color using paint for metal

[GoinSumWare]

I have used all of the methods mentioned by others and over time they have all failed due to heat, friction, saltwater etc so I finally decided to install a chain counter, and now wish I had done so long ago!

[Kettlewell]

I'm in the less markings is more camp. With 100 feet of chain then nylon I only mark the chain at 50 feet with a single black zip tie. Don't ask me why, but I have found black zip ties last significantly longer than the other colors. That 50-foot zip tie easily lasts a 6-month season here in New England and gets renewed when I clean the chain at haulout. Then I know that when I reach the line I have 100 feet out, and then only need to mark every 50 feet on the line. One zip tie for 50 feet, two for 100 feet, three for 150, and 4 for 200, except that's the end of the line so I don't bother to mark it! It has been at least a couple of years since I've had to let out any of that line, so the zip ties don't wear out just sitting in the anchor locker. It's a different topic, but I'm thinking of just going with 100 feet of line next time I renew because I don't think I have used more than 200 feet of rode in more than a decade. Here on the East Coast I just don't anchor in more than 20-25 feet of water ever, and rarely over 15 feet. I'll just put an eye in both ends of the line so I could add another length if needed. With my manual windlass the one zip tie at 50 feet seems to run right through without any problem.

[Cheechako]

I found zip ties, florescent yarn to not last.
Painting Red White and Blue at 50 foot increments to worked pretty well.
Red=50
White=100
Blue=150
Sailing in the Caribe, we anchored a lot in 13-15 feet of water. I'd usually put out 75 feet and the marking was a good gauge for ~5:1 scope.
Yeah the paint on the first 50 marking did wear off eventually. But I felt the need to inspect the chain every year or so anyway.

[cottonsail]

We have had good results with engine block paint. We are in year 4. I'll recheck it when we return to the boat in October. So far so good.

[iansan5653]

I marked my line by adding half-inch long stitched whippings with colored whipping twine. Takes a little bit of time but the whippings should last as long as the rope, can't slip, won't break, and won't tear up your hands like zip-ties.

Defender used to sell a three-color pack of Robline waxed whipping twine, but cheap cord from Amazon also works and has brighter colors (search for "colored waxed polyester cord"). The Amazon version will be thicker too, making it more visible and easier to work with.

You definitely want a big needle and sailmaker's palm, and it's easiest when the rope is new. This is for rope, not chain.

https://www.animatedknots.com/sailmakers-whipping-knot

[deblen]

No personal experience with this on chain:
Has anyone tried "Liquid Tape" for marking?
There were various sources & multi colors some yrs ago.
I use it on exterior electrical connections-works well.
https://plastidip.com/product/liquid-tape-spray/


https://www.gardnerbender.com/en/pro...nt/Tape/Liquid

[Simi 60]

Originally Posted by carstenb

Polypropylene will eventually come off adding more plastic to the oceans................

Paint is a form of plastic and comes off a hell of a lot faster

Paint Is The Largest Source Of Microplastics In The Ocean, Study Finds

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamieha...h=55aad43a1dd8

As a full time cruiser anchoring every night, paint lasted weeks for us.

Polypropylene rope lasts years.

For us a marker at 2m to tell me anchor is about to arrive at roller
Next mark at 40m as that's our minimum drop
Then 20m after

[s/v Jedi]

The 12” long pieces of 1/16” diameter rope that I tied to my anchor chain have been there for more than 10 years. I never lost one, they never foul up the windlass, they just work.

[Kettlewell]

Pertinent to this conversation, for whatever reason I see a lot of cruisers not letting out enough scope judging from the angle their chain is making as they drag their anchor across the harbor. It is hard to tell from a distance, but in some cases I can't perceive any sort of markings on the chain. Is it just they don't know how much they have out or they aren't bothering to calculate how much they need? OTOH I once had an argument with a sailor who was shouting at me that he had out 200 feet of rode, and it looked to be mostly nylon, when we were anchored in 10-feet of water, perfect holding in sandy mud. Yes, the wind shifted in the night and he sailed over onto us. Was that my fault anchored normally with 5:1?

[jcapo]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

The 12” long pieces of 1/16” diameter rope that I tied to my anchor chain have been there for more than 10 years. I never lost one, they never foul up the windlass, they just work.

How is the rope/line tied to the chain? What kind of line?

I use poly line weaved in the links but I'm open to trying something else. Your method sounds better that poly line.

John

[sailingharry]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

The 12” long pieces of 1/16” diameter rope that I tied to my anchor chain have been there for more than 10 years. I never lost one, they never foul up the windlass, they just work.

We've only had our boat 4 years, and I'm not going to swear we've never lost any (I know we replaced a couple, but I think we removed the old ones, not lost them) -- but the ones that came on our boat "just work."

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by jcapo

How is the rope/line tied to the chain? What kind of line?

I use poly line weaved in the links but I'm open to trying something else. Your method sounds better that poly line.

John

I use small diameter Spyderline and a small bowline knot to tie them to a link. They just hang there, which makes them very easy to see.

Originally Posted by sailingharry

We've only had our boat 4 years, and I'm not going to swear we've never lost any (I know we replaced a couple, but I think we removed the old ones, not lost them) -- but the ones that came on our boat "just work."

But what is it that you use? “Any, a couple, old ones and them” only work for readers who know what you are using…

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by sailingharry

We've only had our boat 4 years, and I'm not going to swear we've never lost any (I know we replaced a couple, but I think we removed the old ones, not lost them) -- but the ones that came on our boat "just work."

Okay, I found it back on page 1: you use small stuff weaved through links and count on 8 or 10 color variations to determine length. It seems you need a conversion table to figure it out; like others wrote, you have way too many markers.

Here’s what is simple as can be and works for anyone who tries: at 60’ (20 meters) tie one string. Then at 120’ tie two strings 6” apart. You can guess what happens at 180’ and 240’ etc. because the system is so simple.

For using it: always deploy at least 60’ of chain. In very shallow water you need more chain for it’s shock absorbing effect. While operating the windlass, I use the clutch to let out 3:1 rounded up to the next marker and set the anchor. Then, if I want to deploy another half a marker, I know how many seconds to run the windlass motor for that (simply test with a full marker) and I’m done. Don’t need fancy chain counters or smartphone apps

[Hartleyg]

H Y'all,



Everyone has their own system, and as long as you understand it (we put a cheat sheet on the inside of a locker door!), it's readable at night and doesn't fail often, it should work.
FWIW, I added to my markings (paint plus IMTRA markers) a couple of years ago by painting alternating 6" red/orange and white for the last 10' of chain. This tells me when the anchor is for sure off the bottom (even in the Chesapeake!) and its safe to start moving. [Also gives the exposed chain a sporty appearance ]


We have 250' of chain, so our marks are every 25' starting at 50', and they're symmetrical, so I don't have to re-learn every time we end-for-end.


Hartley
S/V Atsa


p.s. Yes, paint that wears off is pollution - but the amount wearing off of our chain is rather minuscule compared to what wears off our bottom, blows off of every seaside home, etc., so I'm not worried about it.
HJ