Marking Chain

Shrew said:

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.


2) I have a 25lb Manson Supreme and I do NOT have a windlass.


3) The Admiral deploys and retrieves the anchor manually. I drive up to is and she retrieves the line.


4) We're only talking about 100 ft. of chain.


Neither a windlass nor a chain counter is going to be installed.


I really appreciate everyone's replies. Some great ideas about marking anchor out of water and also at the bitter end of the rode.

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Similar w us except we have a small capstan (may get a little better one soon) 15' of chain (but the first 3' is 3/8" chain) and Chris runs the boat while I operate the rode. Paint is all new now.

And I am fully w Marin in post #30 pg 2 . Couldn't agree more as Walt always says.

Shrew, Is your 25lb Manson Supreme actually 28lbs? My 15lb MS was actually 18. Now it's probably 15 since I cut the roll bar off. Haven't used it yet.

Bringing this thread back from the depths. Bess has gotten us a new anchor/line rode and I have an idea how we want to mark it, but what kind of paint seems to stay on longer or should we just go with easy and cheap Rustoleum and reapply as needed?

In our experience any kind of paint will eventually wear off from the rubbing of the links against each other, across the pulpit rollers, the windlass wildcat, and the bottom. It will be discernible for a long time but it will gradually be worn away.

This is why we gave up on paint and simply fastened a white wire tie every ten feet to the top of a link. This keeps it away from the sides and bottom of the wildcat slots.

So if we want 150 feet of chain out whoever's running the windlass simply counts out 15 wire ties. We jot down how many feet are out on a PostIt note and stick it to the helm console. We originally had a clever code of red, white, and blue colors to mark different lengths but could never remember it. We switched to a wire tie every ten feet and things have been dirt simple and confusion-free ever since.

Tom.B said:

...should we just go with easy and cheap Rustoleum and reapply as needed?

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That's what we do. We haven't found one paint brand that lasts any longer that an other. We just make sure that the chain has been well rinsed with fresh water and dry before painting.

Tried paint, cable ties and the little colored things that go into links. All ok but as I'm usually solo and operate the windlass remotely I tired of having to watch the chain run out, not willing to look away in case I missed a marker.

So a couple of months ago I did a self install of a Cruz Pro. Pretty easy, but as usual running wires was a PITA. The counter is great, a very nice to have item even if not absolutely necessary.

I use colored line and weave into the chain links. Lasts a very, very long time and if you use two feet or so of line, very hard to miss as it goes over board.

Paint. I have tried several and one time even used a galvanized primer and then painted. Can't recall any paint lasting longer than any other. Thus every year or two I repaint. Since I pull the chain out at the end of each season to wash and dry painting is fairly easy.

I looked at all the options and chose paint. Krylon from walmart seems to be as good as any and cheap enough. Made my painted sections 5' long and assumed I would loose most of the paint over a year or 2. Figured if there were small spots of paint over 5', it would be easier to see than small spots over 1 or 2'.





Ted

Markers made of strips of spinnaker cloth.

Trawler Forum - View Single Post - Marking Chain

On our first overnight trip on this boat, I found the chain not marked at all. Rooted through the spares locker and my tool bag and found 1 blue, 3 chartruese green, 1 red, and about 300 black ty-wraps. That became my marking system. 30 ft- red, 60 ft green, 90 ft blue, 5 ft from end - black, green, black, green (bumble bee). RGB like the TV monitors of old. I left the tail on and they are still hanging in there for the 3rd season. Its not rocket science!

I just count the time ... one potato, two potato, and so on. Have about three foot per count.

O C Diver said:

I looked at all the options and chose paint. Krylon from walmart seems to be as good as any and cheap enough. Made my painted sections 5' long and assumed I would loose most of the paint over a year or 2. Figured if there were small spots of paint over 5', it would be easier to see than small spots over 1 or 2'.

View attachment 47393

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Ted

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We did the same about a year and a half ago. Still on there but will most likely have to redo it next summer sometime. I think painting more links in longer sections help a lot.

Insequent said:

Tried paint, cable ties and the little colored things that go into links. All ok but as I'm usually solo and operate the windlass remotely I tired of having to watch the chain run out, not willing to look away in case I missed a marker.

So a couple of months ago I did a self install of a Cruz Pro. Pretty easy, but as usual running wires was a PITA. The counter is great, a very nice to have item even if not absolutely necessary.

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Congrats Brian. They don't get it do they..? All the money they spend on expensive GPS, plotters, auto helms, AIS, VHF etc, and yet deal with one of the most common on board tasks with cable ties, spinnaker strips, painted sections, coloured plastic whatevers...even one potato, two potato, and so on, when all they need is one of these cheap as chips thingies...

Oops...just turn heads slightly sideways...can't be bothered rotating...

Peter B said:

Congrats Brian. They don't get it do they..? All the money they spend on expensive GPS, plotters, auto helms, AIS, VHF etc, and yet deal with one of the most common on board tasks with cable ties, spinnaker strips, painted sections, coloured plastic whatevers...even one potato, two potato, and so on, when all they need is one of these cheap as chips thingies...

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Just waiting for the wireless / Bluetooth 21st century version that can either be used at the helm or the pulpit.

Ted

I have 30' of chain and the fabric markers from West marine on the line. Works for me.


It seems to me that if you have all chain you could rig up something to count the turns of the gypsy and convert that to feet for an exact reading.

Following my general belief that while cruising everything will break, cease to function, at the wrong time, I have continued to paint the chain even after installing a chain counter.

Sure enough, I have now been in a situation where the chain counter didn't work (magnet fell out) and a situation where I couldn't see the chain markings because I needed to keep my night vision to get out of the harbor. In both cases the other system did the job. The scary one would have been lifting the anchor at night in a crowded anchorage without knowing when we had lifted the anchor off the bottom.

WesK said:

It seems to me that if you have all chain you could rig up something to count the turns of the gypsy and convert that to feet for an exact reading.

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Err, that's what the Cruz Pro chain counter does.....

OC Diver has it wireless / Bluetooth 21st century version chain counter!

Pura Vida said:

OC Diver has it wireless / Bluetooth 21st century version chain counter!

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I'm sorry, didn't make myself clear. In responding to Peter's comment of our seemingly antiquated method, I was joking that I was waiting for more modern technology than what he was using. Seems that a simple wireless tile that counts magnetic pulses could be linked to a hand held display or smartphone app. Sadly it's only wishful thinking at this point.

Sorry for misleading you.

Ted

Bay Pelican said:

Following my general belief that while cruising everything will break, cease to function, at the wrong time, I have continued to paint the chain even after installing a chain counter.

Sure enough, I have now been in a situation where the chain counter didn't work (magnet fell out) and a situation where I couldn't see the chain markings because I needed to keep my night vision to get out of the harbor. In both cases the other system did the job. The scary one would have been lifting the anchor at night in a crowded anchorage without knowing when we had lifted the anchor off the bottom.

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'Scuse me...you mean you can't tell..? I must admit I paint the chain white for the last few feet from the anchor to the windlass, so the minute that appears I know it's off the bottom and only a few feet to go. That part is a cinch to repaint each time I'm doing something else.

Insequent said:

Err, that's what the Cruz Pro chain counter does.....

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Thanks, I did not know that.

Pura Vida said:

OC Diver has it wireless / Bluetooth 21st century version chain counter!

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When it happens, the battery will be dead...

Peter B said:

'Scuse me...you mean you can't tell..? I must admit I paint the chain white for the last few feet from the anchor to the windlass, so the minute that appears I know it's off the bottom and only a few feet to go. That part is a cinch to repaint each time I'm doing something else.

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I am sorry I didn't make myself clear. Bay Pelican's chain is well marked. I was describing a situation of weighing anchor in the dark when I couldn't see the markings. I have done this at times when I could use a light. The time I was describing was when I had to get out of a crowded anchorage and needed my night vision to weave through the anchorage and therefore couldn't use a light.

We all differ in our anchoring approaches as well as live with different anchorages. We frequently anchor in crowded situations were another boat is floating over our rode with our anchor beneath her. I don't like doing this at night but I have used a combination of depth of water and remaining chain out to release and drag the anchor out from under the other boat. Sometimes this is done by creeping up right behind the boat other times to the side. Doing it on the side is tricky as you can get dragged into the other boat.

Yes I've had to do that once of twice - not nice, especially at night, and that's where the simple chain counter is just so good, because it's virtually bullet proof, with adjustable low-level red illuminated read-out, and when like you, my magnet failed because it was too puny and rusted away to the point it was not strong enough, I replaced it with a cheap, larger, ferrite, non-corroding type, and araldited it in, and it works a treat.

I have lots of spares it you ever need one Brian, as the minimum online order was 10 from memory. Have they beefed up the supplied magnet for the Cruz Pro, because mine was a pathetic, shiny, steel one, only about 5x5 mm in size, and lasted no time. I now have one that's 10mm x 12mm in there.

Pete
Mine was still the small one, but I did try to epoxy it in place. How well I'm not sure, but so far so good. I think I'll put a little more epoxy over the top in view of your experience.

Insequent said:

Pete
Mine was still the small one, but I did try to epoxy it in place. How well I'm not sure, but so far so good. I think I'll put a little more epoxy over the top in view of your experience.

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Be careful there Brian, Worth a try, but I also did that from day one, yet it still rusted and then when a large chunk came off it would not read. Knowing what I experienced, I'd go for the larger hole in the gypsy and larger magnet asap the minute it looks like trouble. Don't put too much epoxy over the working end, or even that might cut down the effect enough to mis-read. Also, epoxy is not good exposed to UV, so maybe a blob of paint now might be better.

I'll see if I can find the other 9 large magnets I got, because I'd be happy to send you a few just in case. I'll never need them.

Cheers,

Peter B said:

Be careful there Brian, Worth a try, but I also did that from day one, yet it still rusted and then when a large chunk came off it would not read. Knowing what I experienced, I'd go for the larger hole in the gypsy and larger magnet asap the minute it looks like trouble. Don't put too much epoxy over the working end, or even that might cut down the effect enough to mis-read. Also, epoxy is not good exposed to UV, so maybe a blob of paint now might be better.

I'll see if I can find the other 9 large magnets I got, because I'd be happy to send you a few just in case. I'll never need them.

Cheers,

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Thanks, that would be great.

I'll be doing some of the caprails next week with Deks Olje #2, weather permitting, so instead of epoxy I'll dab some on the magnet area each day as well.

Epoxy will not affect a magnetic field. It does break down in UV light though so paint would be a good idea. 3M 5200 might be good in this application.

markpierce said:

I just count the time ... one potato, two potato, and so on. Have about three foot per count.

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I do the same 1 minute =90' of chain.


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