Anchor chain marking and weaving line vs. paint

[sailingharry]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

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.

Don't ask me details -- she doesn't let me play with the anchor....r But is has to do with red, white, and blue showing 25, 50, and 75 and 0, 100, and 200 (so 25 is red/red and 175 is white/blue). I can't recall what 100 and 200 are (just white and just blue? But how is that different than 150 and 275? The Admiral knows....)

But, I know enough to know that she can keep track. Really, it's not much, like most I rarely put out more than 100' (so it's 2, 3, or 4 markers, so color coding doesn't matter much). I figure out the scope, round up to the next 25', and tell her the number. Unless it's a very tight little cove (common on the Chesapeake), I'll rarely try for a number other than a 25' increment (when anchored in a 200' wide spot with 8' of water, I may go for something like 60' rather than 50 or 75). When up north and anchoring in 30-50' of water, she still figures it out when I ask for 225'.

I'll agree, over 100' it's probably overkill -- but it came with the boat and removing the extras isn't even on the list! But the granularity in routine anchorages where we are at 50, 75, or very rarely 100' is nice. Especially since 75 is probably 3/4 of the time.

[CarinaPDX]

Originally Posted by Kettlewell

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?

Or, perhaps, they have entered the modern age and have chain counters installed.

I started out with painting links, which worked well but cost me a bit to get sand-blasted off when time to re-galvanize. I bought those cute little colored plastic bits that fit in the links, which did the job. But as a singlehander I found the manual windlass a great inconvenience, and running between the helm and foredeck potentially dangerous, so I installed an electric windlass with a chain counter and remote control in the cockpit. Now I can maneuver and drop the chain from the cockpit, watching both depth and rode length as I pay out the chain (mentally calculating the required scope). This system is so effective and reliable that I have no need for marking the chain anymore. But carry on with paint, plastic gizmos, and twine if that is your thing.

Greg

[Kettlewell]

Or, perhaps, they have entered the modern age and have chain counters installed.

Sure, but a lot of folks aren't putting out enough scope for some reason, chain counter or not. A lot of folks do use remote controls for dropping and raising the anchor, and one problem I observe constantly is they then have no idea that after dragging their anchor and pulling it up to give it another try the anchor is completely fouled by weed, mud or debris. They then proceed to drop and repeat dragging all over the anchorage. If your anchor is not setting you have to take a look at it to see what is going on. I've pulled up lobster traps, bicycles, and old boots before, and a couple of times the chain was wrapped around the anchor. Having markers on the chain and rode just work whether or not you are using the windlass or taking an anchor out in the dink.

[CarinaPDX]

Yes, there is a lot of bad anchoring technique out there. Some folks, even here, seem to think that 3x is adequate scope (which I suppose is enough if you are certain that there will be no wind/waves/current).

Your assumption that using a remote control means never looking at the anchor is wrong. I would never try to power my anchor into place from the cockpit; if nothing else chain counters are not that accurate. And if my anchor is not setting then bringing up the anchor is in part to look at it and see if there is any indication of a problem, such as weeds or thick mud. In other words, having the convenience of remote controls and a chain counter does not imply incompetence. It seems to me incompetence is pretty well distributed...

Greg

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by Simi 60

For us a marker at 2m to tell me anchor is about to arrive at roller

Oh I like that simple idea

Originally Posted by Simi 60

Next mark at 40m as that's our minimum drop
Then 20m after

Yes we have two marks with coloured cable ties at 15m and 30m. Chain is 45m.

[Kettlewell]

Your assumption that using a remote control means never looking at the anchor is wrong.

It's not an assumption--I observed this behavior numerous times while anchored this summer. One guy pulled up so much weed it was hanging down to the water when the anchor was fully retrieved. He proceeded to motor out of the harbor dragging along a great mass of weed after giving up on getting his anchor to hold in a very weedy area. Obviously, people like you know how to use the tool properly, but not everyone does. Just a word of caution to those who have such a set up.

[Simi 60]

Originally Posted by CarinaPDX

Or, perhaps, they have entered the modern age and have chain counters installed.

The money
It burns IT BURNS

We have an unused still in its box Maxwell chain counter onboard - now $1000 to buy
https://boatingandrv.com.au/products...ass-controller

Previous owner never fitted it and I couldn't be bothered installing it.
Far more effort and additional $$ to do so vs a lifetime supply of 6mm poly rope for $2.
And the $2 rope will never have a failure - the ultimate in KISS technology

[sailingharry]

Originally Posted by CarinaPDX

Or, perhaps, they have entered the modern age and have chain counters installed.

I started out with painting links, which worked well but cost me a bit to get sand-blasted off when time to re-galvanize. I bought those cute little colored plastic bits that fit in the links, which did the job. But as a singlehander I found the manual windlass a great inconvenience, and running between the helm and foredeck potentially dangerous, so I installed an electric windlass with a chain counter and remote control in the cockpit. Now I can maneuver and drop the chain from the cockpit, watching both depth and rode length as I pay out the chain (mentally calculating the required scope). This system is so effective and reliable that I have no need for marking the chain anymore. But carry on with paint, plastic gizmos, and twine if that is your thing.

Greg

It may be location dependent, but our cruising grounds (a vast part of the NE corner of North America) has, in our experience, required substantial babysitting on anchor retrieval. We really don't want to put all that muddy and grass coated anchor into the anchor locker, so we hose it off as it comes up. Usually, it's only slow going for the last 50-75 feet, and she can do it with the washdown pump. Sometimes, it's so bad that she uses the hose and I use the canvas bucket on a rope to add additional flow.


How do those that retrieve using a remote from the cockpit handle washdown? Or is it simply not addressed? A shortcoming on our boat is the anchor locker is not isolated from the rest of the boat, so if it starts stinking, it won't be good.

[Mike OReilly]

I still like our simple fluorescent colour tie-wraps. We mark at 25' levels, following the spectrum, so easy to know where you're at: Red, Yellow, Green, Blue. Easy to follow. Easy to replace as they wear off. And the ties easily pass through our manual windlass.

[mcarthur]

Originally Posted by Simi 60

The money
It burns IT BURNS

We have an unused still in its box Maxwell chain counter onboard - now $1000 to buy
https://boatingandrv.com.au/products...ass-controller

The only thing on a boat that goes up in resale value - unused items

[bgallinger]

I keep it simple by having a paint mark every 25 Ft. It tends to fade a bit every couple of years, but that's ok.

[Shrew]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

following the spectrum, so easy to know where you're at: Red, Yellow, Green, Blue.

We use Imtra anchor markers. We follow the spectrum order as well. Oddly that doesn't seem to be inline with maritime practices which seem to use R,Y,B,G, with the fun mnemonic phrase (Rub Your Balls With Grease).

We typically anchor in between 8 - 15 feet of water, so we only have about 130 feet of chain backed by 150 ft of line. I can't recall ever seeing over 100 feet out. Since the depths are shallow we mark our chain at 10 foot increments.

[Srpulpo]

yes and how long does it take to repaint with spray, easy and fast

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by Shrew

We use Imtra anchor markers. We follow the spectrum order as well. Oddly that doesn't seem to be inline with maritime practices which seem to use R,Y,B,G, with the fun mnemonic phrase (Rub Your Balls With Grease).

Cute, but weird. RYGB or BGYR if you want to go the other way. RYBG makes no sense.

Originally Posted by Shrew

We typically anchor in between 8 - 15 feet of water, so we only have about 130 feet of chain backed by 150 ft of line. I can't recall ever seeing over 100 feet out. Since the depths are shallow we mark our chain at 10 foot increments.

We carry 250'of chain, and almost never put LESS than 100 feet out. More than 160' is not uncommon. Different cruising grounds, different boats.

[sailingharry]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

We carry 250'of chain, and almost never put LESS than 100 feet out. More than 160' is not uncommon. Different cruising grounds, different boats.

In 21, after our first trip into Canada with tides to over 35 feet, we got used to lots of chain. We came through the Cape Cod Canal, and went into our first anchorage. I caught my wife's attention and said "listen carefully -- 75 feet. Not 175, just 75." It was a bit of cerebral whiplash -- our first anchorage with under 100 feet out in over 2 months. LOL.