markpierce
Master and Commander
- Joined
- Sep 25, 2010
- Messages
- 12,557
- Location
- USA
- Vessel Name
- Carquinez Coot
- Vessel Make
- penultimate Seahorse Marine Coot hull #6
Yo! Marin.
I believe it's a GB42 that was washed out of a harbor by the tidal surge along the northern California or Oregon coast from the tsunami that came across from the earthquake in Japan four years ago. The boat was subsequently washed up on the beach south of the town.
Ok, ok…I guess having a chain counter is kind of like how folk tend to poo hoo things in cars with electric windows, electric auto-adjusting memory seats, cruise control etc, when they don't have them, but when they get a car with them, in quite a short time find themselves wondering how on earth they managed without.
Teach the dog to pee on chain and anchor during retrieve (easy if he/she is a retriever),you won`t need the deckwash.....Use technology to count chain falling off the front of the boat? Don't really see any value in that. Not when I can look at a two-cent wire tie and say "Ten." And then when I see the next one say, "Twenty."
Or if I'm lazy and this proves to be too intense an undertaking I can ask the dog to do it.
Teach the dog to pee on chain and anchor during retrieve (easy if he/she is a retriever),you won`t need the deckwash.
Has anyone used these?
Our Chihuahua can't see up to the windlass. Our poodle reads the depth sounder, calculates the scope required and then tells me when to stop lowering chain.
Howard
Peter, I know what you're saying about the gadgetry. I love gadgets more than many! I guess that's why I became a pilot....lots of buttons, controls, switches, lights and gauges!! But when it comes to anchor rode length, I'm watching the chain and gypsy from my lower helm controls anyway, so with the rode markers, I never need to distract my attention from the main event to know the rode length. Kind of like a heads-up display for pilots...it gives all the info I need while looking out the windshield. And it's practically free!!
...
Actually, what impressed me was when, for a time, when the original magnet rusted away and loss the ability to trigger the reed with sensors, I had to go back to counting my ties. Then, I rediscovered how often the ties are hard to pick up if dirty with mud or in poor light, and then, when I replaced the magnet with a big fat beauty, and the counter worked like a charm again, I found myself swearing I'd never go without one again.
Seen below is the Cruz Pro el cheapo version. (Made in Auckland NZ, but available to be sent anywhere online). Does not have auto retrieve or that sort of added complication, but works oh so well. (Once I put a bigger magnet on anyway). The lower two pics show the reed switched sensors and the magnet set into a hole in the edge of the gypsy.
Has anyone used these?
Aha…gotcha right there hmason. I happen to know, having had a poodle for many years, (happy ones I must say), that just will not happen.
Poodles are way too intelligent to be inveigled into doing anything they do not actually want or enjoy doing. Even if you throw them a stick…something which gets lesser pooches all in an excitement lather, and have them bring it back time and time again to throw again. Poodles look at you with a pained expression, as it to say, "do you think I'm that silly - if I go and fetch that thing, you'll just throw the bloody thing away again - go get it yourself."
Has anyone used these?
Wow, lots of interesting replies. So to avoid further drift.....
1) I'm using 1/4 G7 chain. They don't appear to make the chain markers that small.
Yes they do. They are called pieces of colored line.
I use red, then white, then blue at appropriate distances. Basically I paint a two foot section red and 25' later another two foot section blue, followed by white. It's easy for me to remember. And, by painting a big area I can't miss it.
However, the paint with repeated use does wear off (I primarily live on the hook)
AND, the best/smartest thing I did was paint the first three feet white. That tells me the anchor is near the surface so I can run ahead and wash off the anchor before bringing her all the way aboard.
Whatever your bow roller to waterline is add a couple feet so you can spot it easy and you're set. When you see the white, your anchor is ready to be washed. Put her in forward and voila: instantly cleaned anchor.
I added that a few years into the anchoring thing and have found that as useful as the amount out markings.
The other thing I did is this: Ten feet from the bitter end I painted the chain white. That way I know it's getting close. And the final three feet is red.
I wrote a couple articles on it for my website... This one is a good place to start:
Janice142 article Anchor Up (Painting your Chain)
Good luck Shrew.
...So, I take it pieces of colored line...Any suggestions on type of line or how you fasten them?