Chain counter

[Hawgwash]

In the tips and techniques people talked about attaching all kinds of bangles and bows to the rode as length markers.
Nobody use store bought counters?

 

[FlyWright]

Lots of that in the archives. Try searching on chain counter.

Trawler Forum - Search Results

 

[ksanders]

A can of paint costs $4

Four cans of paint

Blue
Orange
Green
Brown
Black

Cost $16

 

[markpierce]

One second: three feet.
Two seconds: six feet.
Three seconds: nine feet.
and so on.

Yours may vary.

 

[Conrad]

A can of paint costs $4

Four cans of paint

Blue
Orange
Green
Brown
Black

Cost $16

How many cans?

 

[Hawgwash]

A can of paint costs $4

Four cans of paint

Blue
Orange
Green
Brown
Black

Cost $16

Any old paint?

 

[Hawgwash]

Lots of that in the archives. Try searching on chain counter.

Trawler Forum - Search Results

Thanks.
Your link helped.
I can't seem to work the "Search" for some reason.
In this case I used all the key words in combo with no rewards.

 

[ksanders]

Any old paint?

My math sucks!!!

But yes I had plenty of cans of old paint laying around. I don't think I have a dime in the chain marking.

 

[FlyWright]

I dropped $2 on my second pair of West Marine tag rode markers last spring with Cpseudonym. They are marked off every 30 ft and weave nicely through the line plys. I mark my chain in the same in increments with long tail zip ties...2 whites at 10 ft to alert me that the anchor is close on retrieval, 1 black at 30 ft, 2 blacks at 60 ft, 3 blacks at 90 ft, then the first WM tag at the end of the chain/beginning of the line at 120 ft and every 30 ft after that. The WM tag markers change color every 3 markers/90 ft so if I miss one due to inattention, I can catch the color change to reset the count in my mind. (What can I say...it happens with a single glance away from the rode.)

 

[Peter B]

In the tips and techniques people talked about attaching all kinds of bangles and bows to the rode as length markers.
Nobody use store bought counters?

If you are more inclined to have fun installing a simple counter system, I can personally recommend this one - works for me - I'm over tying bits of cloth, ties, blobs of paint, which wear off. Once you have had one of these, it's like wind up windows in cars versus electric, you will never want to go back. But hey, bits of cloth, pieces of plastic, and or other types of ties, and blobs of paint work well too...just sayin'

CruzPro CH55 Chain Counter

Of course there are other much more expensive, fancy self-docking types and all, but really, if you want one you can fit yourself and low cost, it's hard to beat.

 

[Bay Pelican]

CruzPro CH55 Chain Counter

Of course there are other much more expensive, fancy self-docking types and all, but really, if you want one you can fit yourself and low cost, it's hard to beat.

We also have the CruzPro CHC55 as well as paint our chain using a five color system. The colors allow me at the bow to know what is going on when we are raising anchor. The chain counter lets my wife who is at the helm know what is going on. Anchor is dropped using only the chain counter as we can control the drop from the helm.

Installation was simple as boating items go. If you get this model buy an extra magnet as the magnet may drop out of the windlass.

 

[ranger58sb]

In the tips and techniques people talked about attaching all kinds of bangles and bows to the rode as length markers.
Nobody use store bought counters?

We have Maxwell's rode counter, and use it to a certain extent. Our rode is combo chain/rope. The counter is very accurate on the chain. Not so much on the rope.

So we also use a marking system on the rope: zip ties threaded through the line every 25' out to about 200'. Close enough.

-Chris

 

[Codger2]

The chain counter lets my wife who is at the helm know what is going on. Anchor is dropped using only the chain counter as we can control the drop from the helm.

If you get this model buy an extra magnet as the magnet may drop out of the windlass.

This product really interests me but I'm confused as to exactly how it works! Where is the magnet mounted?

 

[Pau Hana]

This product really interests me but I'm confused as to exactly how it works! Where is the magnet mounted?

Drill a hole in the windlass head and install.

http://www.cruzpro.com/ch55manq.pdf

 

[Codger2]

Drill a hole in the windlass head and install.

http://www.cruzpro.com/ch55manq.pdf

Thank you, sir!

 

[Hawgwash]

If you are more inclined to have fun installing a simple counter system, I can personally recommend this one - works for me.

Thanks Peter X 2, Marty and Chris for catching the question and answering.
Took a bit but we got there.
Thanks again.

 

[Bay Pelican]

OK, CruzPro installation. Drilling a hole in the gypsy is easy. What is more difficult but doable is running the wires from the helm (location of the meter) to the windlass and mounting two sensors almost touching the gypsy so that the sensors can count the rotation of the magnet.

This was a morning at most job for me but a Krogen has lots of work room and good access.

 

[twistedtree]

We have the chain counter option for our Maxwell windlass and it's pretty handy. It counts - that part if obvious - but in many ways the auto-deploy and auto-retrieve are the more useful features.

With auto-deploy, you dial in how much chain you want to deploy and press the button. With a hand now freed up, it's much easier to be sure the boat is moving aft slightly just as the anchor hits the bottom, activate the anchor alarms so they are positioned correctly, then continue aft to lay out the chain.

Auto retrieve is handy when you have a lot of chain out, and it takes a while to haul it back in before the anchor even comes off the bottom. We use it for this pre-haul retrieval. Once we are at the anchor, it becomes a two person job, one controlling the windlass from the bow while cleaning off any crud, and the other maintaining station as needed.

As backup to the counter, our chain is painted every 50', plus I know how fast the windlass operates so can count by timing it. I would not rely on a counter alone, but I seldom rely on one thing for any critical function.

 

[Bay Pelican]

I would not rely on a counter alone, but I seldom rely on one thing for any critical function.

This should be designated the first rule of cruising. The second would be: Everything breaks sooner or later.

 

[hmason]

This should be designated the first rule of cruising. The second would be: Everything breaks sooner or later.

Everything is broken, you just haven't found it yet.

 

[jwnall]

This should be designated the first rule of cruising. The second would be: Everything breaks sooner or later.

And don't forget Murphy's Law: "If something can go wrong, then it will."

And the corollary: "If it can't, it will anyway."

 

[FF]

And don't forget Murphy's Law: "If something can go wrong, then it will."

And O'Tool's addition

Murphy was an OPTOMIST!

 

[Montenido]

I used to paint my chain, but the sand rubs it off too quickly. Now I use large zip ties, red, white and blue. The first 100' of chain uses red zips, one at 25', two at 50', three at 75', and four at 100'. The next hundred feet get the same treatment, but with white zip ties. They seem to last a long time and feed through the windlass with no problems. The paint used to end up on deck, in the chain locker, just everywhere but on the chain.

YMMV.

Cheers, Bill

 

[Liberty2015]

We rely on a few systems . The first being the Electronic counter. Second being paint marks, however these tend to wear thin very quickly especially if you need to Anchor a lot, and thirdly attached to the chain are simple black electrical zip ties, these can be one for 10 metres , two for 20 metres , and so on.

I might test the timing method also.

Use what ever floats your boat and you are comfortable.

Cheers Chris D Liberty

 

[HiDHo]

We do the electric tie's also and works great. I found a bag of multi-colored tie's at Home Depot for not much money.

 

[rbcooper]

Chain Counter (or rode marking)

I'm always amazed at the complicated schemes people use to mark their rode. One red at 25 ft, two at fifty... three blue at 300 ft.

I've found that the simplest system works best. I simply mark my chain with a heavy white band every 25 feet. White works well since it's visible from the bridge and from the pulpit. It's a simple task to count the bands to know how much rode has been deployed (or how much is left out on retrieval). In addition since there is 5 feet between the bowsprit and the water one can just use 20' as the count and automatically adjust for that when calculating scope. Ex. So you're anchoring in 20' of water and wish to deploy a 3 to 1 scope. Three bands of white will deploy 75' of chain if counted as 20' per band (60') will naturally adjust for the bowsprit to water difference.

I've found that in general the paint lasts over two seasons in the PNW. But I always examine my whole rode every year anyway so repainting at the annual anchor chain review is not much of a bother. And since it's a simple white only scheme, paint can be used over many seasons.

RB Cooper

 

[Codger2]

I'm over tying bits of cloth, ties, blobs of paint, which wear off. Once you have had one of these, it's like wind up windows in cars versus electric, you will never want to go back.

CruzPro CH55 Chain Counter

That goes for me too! Cruzpro is on my project list.

 

[O C Diver]

After trying the paint route, I bought 5 colors of soft braided 1/4" polypropylene (really think it's nylon) line. Weave about 10' through the links (5' would have been sufficient) where I want my marks (every 50'). Works perfectly and no issues going through the wildcat.

Ted

 

[twistedtree]

I'm always amazed at the complicated schemes people use to mark their rode. One red at 25 ft, two at fifty... three blue at 300 ft.



I've found that the simplest system works best. I simply mark my chain with a heavy white band every 25 feet. White works well since it's visible from the bridge and from the pulpit. It's a simple task to count the bands to know how much rode has been deployed (or how much is left out on retrieval). In addition since there is 5 feet between the bowsprit and the water one can just use 20' as the count and automatically adjust for that when calculating scope. Ex. So you're anchoring in 20' of water and wish to deploy a 3 to 1 scope. Three bands of white will deploy 75' of chain if counted as 20' per band (60') will naturally adjust for the bowsprit to water difference.



I've found that in general the paint lasts over two seasons in the PNW. But I always examine my whole rode every year anyway so repainting at the annual anchor chain review is not much of a bother. And since it's a simple white only scheme, paint can be used over many seasons.



RB Cooper

I do the same thing. It’s easier and more reliable for me and others to count in single digits how many white bands pass by, than to keep track of a color and pattern scheme.

 

[Lepke]

Best markers I've found are plastic colored wire ties I heard about here. They last a long time. I leave the tail on so it's easier to see. I mark in fathoms - old guy no new tricks.