Marking Anchor Chain

[AnchorageGuy]

Originally Posted by doug86

Chuck, nice picture. What kind of chain is that???
(see OP topic)....

The chain is 5/16 HT, 100 feet on 150 feet of rode. The chain is marked the exact same way, just did not have a photo of that. The strips are sewn in the links the same as the rode, I guess my mistake was leaving it up to the imagination and not explaining better. Sorry. WG

[s/v Jedi]

The webbing will work on chain too. I tried many methods and settled on 1' long pieces of 1/8" polyester double braid line in bright colors.

The plastic cable ties work well too but they break off on the chain wheel of my windlass when they become old, like after a year or so. The small line lasts and doesn't interfere with anything. I mark every 60' with one extra tag and use a different color single tag at the 30' midway points.

cheers,
Nick.

[hummingway]

I haven't been happy with plastic ties for that reason. How do you knot the line? Do the knots not interfere with the fit of the gypsy?

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by hummingway

I haven't been happy with plastic ties for that reason. How do you knot the line? Do the knots not interfere with the fit of the gypsy?

I use a small bowline so that the knot isn't tight onto the link. The windlass acts like there is nothing different. I use 3/8" short link (G7 which is same as G4/HT) chain. My windlass is a Maxwell with vertical shaft.

cheers,
Nick.

[barnakiel]

We do not use colors: there is one band at 20', two bands at 40' and three at 60'; then - again - one, two three. The bands are some 5 links wide. Normal paint. Easy and lasts.

b.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

We do not use colors: there is one band at 20', two bands at 40' and three at 60'; then - again - one, two three. The bands are some 5 links wide. Normal paint. Easy and lasts.

b.

Hi Barnie,

What lasts for you didn't last for me. After anchored for just two months, the marks submerged were gone. The marks that touch the bottom much earlier. I tried paint 3 times; different preps and different paints. It lasts in the chain locker but not when in use. I recommend painting only when you have a home slip and anchor on outings only.

Also, your numbering scheme gets very confusing when you're beyond 240'. I know it shouldn't be that hard to remember how many sets came by but it is when you anchor at 50' depth or more.

cheers,
Nick.

[Seahunter]

WWG that's okay for line rode, but not for chain. Zip ties are best. One color set every 50'; that's only 6 ties for 300' chain. Then just count them as they pass out of the chain locker. That coded crap is only good if your putting the anchor out yourself and you remember your "code", and then again who's driving the boat? All you need to do is tell your mate who's standing at the windlass to count them as they pass. Simple and easy and it works.

[Kashmir cat]

It seems like there is as many ways to mark a chain as there are sailors. I go with the every 5 fathoms (30 feet) spacing. That ends up being about 6:1 anchoring ratio in 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 feet of water so its easy to remember. I then mark the chain Red (30 feet), White(60 feet) and Blue (90 feet) and repeat, not because I am so patriotic (I do, however, love my country), but again because its easy to remember. I use regular spray paint and paint about a 3 foot length of chain so I don't miss it as it goes out the roller. I also put a few colored zip ties on the painted chain to make it easier to see when the paint fades. I end up repainting the 30, 60, and 90 marks every year. Happy anchoring!

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by Seahunter

WWG that's okay for line rode, but not for chain. Zip ties are best. One color set every 50'; that's only 6 ties for 300' chain. Then just count them as they pass out of the chain locker. That coded crap is only good if your putting the anchor out yourself and you remember your "code", and then again who's driving the boat? All you need to do is tell your mate who's standing at the windlass to count them as they pass. Simple and easy and it works.

Sorry but I don't agree; the webbing markers will work very well with chain like WWG confirmed. Zip ties get ripped off by the windlass. Also, who codes crap? You can't count multiple ties at every spot? When chain is running out fast and you're watching every part of the process, it's easy to miss a marker going overboard. At the next marker you will have the feeling something is wrong but that next marker doesn't confirm how much is out.

So, does anybody have a chain counter on the windlass? ;-)

ciao!
Nick.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by Kashmir cat

I go with the every 5 fathoms (30 feet) spacing. That ends up being about 6:1 anchoring ratio in 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 feet of water so its easy to remember.

So, when you anchor in 5' of water, you only use 30' of chain? I think it's much better to always put out at least 60' of chain to put some distance between the boat and the anchor so that the boat can't sail over it, plus get some extra weight down. I am sure I got that idea from either books or old salts.

Think about a marker every 10 fathoms (60'). In 15' of water you can put out exactly 90' but would 120' hurt? or you can stop at 120' and pull a bit back in before putting the snubber on. I did 5 fathoms for years but switched to 10 fathoms 4 years ago and never missed the 5 fathom marks.

ciao!
Nick.

[hummingway]

Of course, letting out extra chain only makes sense when you have swinging room. Up here a lot of time you are close to shore, other boats, currents and shallows so you have to limit your swing and then there's still 12 feet of tide to consider. I'm marked at 25 foot intervals and that seems to work pretty well.

[Roaring Girl]

We use paint and cable ties - and we mark at every 5m. There is a combination of colours to mark what was a 5m mark (yellow dashes/cable ties) and 10m (orange), with numbers (2 for 20m, 4 for 40m etc) and black for 50m.

Yes we renew the cable ties and the paint every other season, which is a good opportunity to check the chain very thoroughly. The long ends of teh cable ties are very noticeable and don't catch on anything so help identification. The aoint is car metallic paint just sprayed on and is great in the dark because it shines in the torchlight.

When the rode is travelling fast you cannot just count the markers as they go. And you really do want to know how much to within 5m you've got out, especially in deeper water when you will almost certainly have a shorter scope. We have anchored 10:1 in strong winds with the space, and 3:1 in confined areas in good conditions. Covering different cruising areas there is no one solution and knowing your chain length is really necessary..

[skipperaris]

ANCHOR-CHAIN-MARKERS are available.
See the link http://www.piplers.co.uk/3234/Osculati-ANCHOR-CHAIN-MARKERS.html
They are well designed so they do not come off or interfere with the gypsy.
They are permanently coloured.

No, I am not a shareholder.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by hummingway

Of course, letting out extra chain only makes sense when you have swinging room. Up here a lot of time you are close to shore, other boats, currents and shallows so you have to limit your swing and then there's still 12 feet of tide to consider. I'm marked at 25 foot intervals and that seems to work pretty well.

When you can't let out 60' of chain there isn't enough room to anchor imo. I have seen many accidents that were the result of not enough chain out on shallow places, even though they have 6:1 scope.

Anchoring deep you can easily go to 3:1 but anchoring on 5' of water with 15' of chain will not work at all. You need more scope when it's really shallow. I'm serious about this since I saw a US "licensed captain" with some sailing school for kids drag during a squall and it could have lead to loss of life. He too was under the impression that 30' of chain was plenty in 6' deep water. It isn't, you will drag one day which could have been prevented by putting 60' of chain in.

With tides you need much more chain and 30' will never do in 12' tides not even in the shallowest water. I go to 120' in that case.

cheers,
Nick.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by skipperaris

ANCHOR-CHAIN-MARKERS are available.
See the link http://www.piplers.co.uk/3234/Osculati-ANCHOR-CHAIN-MARKERS.html
They are well designed so they do not come off or interfere with the gypsy.
They are permanently coloured.

Hi Aris,

I have used those too. They seemed like the ultimate solution at the time. However, after two weeks in the water they all have the same color and need a brush to have the color come back again. After a couple of months I started loosing them where the chain touches the seabed and around the windlass. They were all gone after a year.

cheers,
Nick.