Quote:
Originally Posted by SV Demeter
Im looking for good ideas on how to mark my anchor chain. My plan was to spray paint 6" sections every 50 feet but then the admiral suggested using an alternate color every 25, so say green at 25', red at 50', green at 75', red at 100'...
|
If you are going to properly anchor with a minimum
scope of 4 (OK scope) and a maximum scope of 7 (best scope), you only need 2 marks: One for shallow
anchorages and one for deep
anchorages.
I have a chain counter, but also have marked the chain with plastic/rubber-like link inserts. Shallow - Less than 10 meters - Mark the chain at 48 meters. Deep
water up to 16 meters - Mark the chain at 72 meters. (Assuming that you have at least 75 meters of chain...if not, you only need 1 mark for less than 10m anchoring because you do not have enough chain for more than 10m).
Shallow Examples:
1.) Anchoring in 5m of
water (which is 7m from the bow roller): (5+2) X 7 scope (best) = 49m
2.) Anchoring in 10m of water (which is 12m from the bow roller): (10+2) X 4 scope (OK) = 48m.
Deep Example:
Anchoring in 16m which is 18m from the bow roller: (16+2) X 4 scope (OK) = 72m.
You will almost never see a
boat drag-anchor when proper scope has been properly laid. Recently I saw a 62'
Oyster dump about 75 meters of chain in one lump without setting the anchor. I could not believe it...he did it again and again as re-anchored because he drifted too close to other boats.
A helpful hint to those that do not know how to set an anchor is: While setting (normally backing with the
wind on the nose), let the chain out at the same speed as the boat is traveling, eliminating clumps of chain on the bottom. After you have moved about a "boat length" and with the anchor on the bottom, stop laying chain and allow the boat to "bounce" on the anchor...just before the boat comes to a complete halt, pay out more chain. Try to bounce the boat a total of 3 times while anchoring...works every time.
Anchoring can be done with the wind on the stern...same method as above, except after the first bounce turn the
helm all the way over. When the boat has turned 120 degrees, set the
engine to reverse idle (maybe slightly more to get it moving in reverse). As long as the anchor is not dragging, wait to pay out chain until the boat has turned 180 degrees and the
helm is now amid-ship. Continue in reverse until you are at the proper scope, as in the above example. If you use this bow-in method, it is imperative that you know the
depth where the boat will eventually stop.
BTW, once you have an electronic chain counter, you will not do without it...lots of reasons.
Hope this helps.
Bill