Chain marking

I have 300 ft of chain I want to mark. Probably every 50 feet. Should I paint or is there another way to mark it. I looked into those plastic colored inserts that fit into the links themselves but those are way to pricey. Thanks in advance for your insights.

I painted a three foot section every 50 feet. Works great and very visible from the flybridge.

I used orange spray paint every 50'. It seems to work ok.

I bought a $10 pack of 1000 zap straps of various colours. I put a pair on every 10 ft, change colours every 50 ft, with a triple marker where the end of the chain is just below deck and another where the anchor is about to emerge from the water. So far all have survived 2 years. Easy to replace if one does break off.

What's your favorite brand of paint for chain? I've used Rustoleum in the past but I'm wondering if there's a better choice. Getting ready to paint mine while on the hard.

I used Rustoleum.

Cable ties worked well on my old Maxwell but jam my Ideal.

As far as painting there are two theories. First just mark every so many feet. Second have a code indicating different depths. Mine is red white and blue (25, 50, 75) with green and yellow being the hundred marks. Thus I don't have to rely upon counting the marks.

Thread a piece of line through a couple feet of chain every 30 or 50 ft. You'll see the line easily as it passes through the gypsy. Poly line won't absorb the mud and water.

I have found this to be the most affordable, simple, effective and durable after trying zip-ties and paint.

There are many prior TF threads on this topic. Use the search link at the bottom of this post to easily find more threads.

FlyWright said:

Thread a piece of line through a couple feet of chain every 30 or 50 ft. You'll see the line easily as it passes through the gypsy. Poly line won't absorb the mud and water.

I have found this to be the most affordable, simple, effective and durable after trying zip-ties and paint.

There are many prior TF threads on this topic. Use the search link at the bottom of this post to easily find more threads.

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I like this idea. I've had disappointing results with rustoleum and I'm not thrilled with the cable ties either. Have to try the line.

Ken

I used to do the paint thing, but anchoring in sand seemed to scrub it off in short order, or it would flake off in my anchor locker. I do the zip-ties, and have had great success both with their visibility and longevity. I go red, white and blue. One color for each 100' of chain. I do one at 25', two at 50' 3 at 75', and 4 at 100'. Then I change colors and do it again. This works really well, and I leave the zip-ties long, as it doesn't cause any problems and makes it easier to see.

Cheers, Bill

Have been using colored zip ties for a number of years, we anchor a LOT, and they hold up well. Every 20 ft, attach 2, don't trim the tails, makes them much more visible when they come up through the gypsy. If one comes off, just grab a tie and add the replacement.

Red-20
Orn-40
Yel-60
Grn-80
Blu- 100

Easy to spot, simple sequence to remember. Minimal maintenance and no messing with paint slopped on the pier or overspray on the boat. PO had painted the rode, didn't last for beans, never could remember what length interval the paint was applied or tell at a glance how much rode was out.

Paint doesn't last long on chain when you use it every day.
What does last is cheap ($2 for 50m) 6mm 3 strand poly rope in bright colours.

Just replaced (daily use for a year) my red today with yellow, every 25m.
I can count to 2 so no need for different colours.
Simply feed it through a link to halve it and weave back and forth through chain and tie the ends.
Ends fray and stick up like a flag, no issues going through chain wheel.

I power the chain out with our Lofrens Tigres at a rate of 25 feet in 15 seconds. Works in the dark! I also use blue cable ties every 25 feet and yellow every 100 feet.

"I used Rustoleum."

Good call, the rustoleum aluminum primer sticks really well to galvanized metal, and accepts oil based paint when dry.

After paint, zip ties, caution tape tied to links...by far the longest lasting was caution tape woven in the links.

This year I will try the poly rope woven in the links.

Almost anything works if you only anchor 25 nights or so a year.....I would imagine very little works for a full year of anchoring.

Great tip on the poly rope. I'm giving it a try for next season.

The charter boats I have had marked their chains, but I could never remember the color pattern (but it was on a placard). Obviously with your own boat you "should" be able to remember.

But my plan is to use Red, White and Blue. Us Americans ought to be able to remember that, eh? Every 50' is going to work for me.

I like the poly rope idea. Thanks everyone.

I've been around anchor chain for a long time, never saw the zip ties. But the best new thing I've heard in a long time.
But I'd have to use fathoms. Old guys and change.

I paint (with Rustoleum) every 50' but also paint a 6'long white stretch at the point where the anchor is coming up out of the water. That lets me ease it up the last few feet.

koliver said:

I bought a $10 pack of 1000 zap straps of various colours. I put a pair on every 10 ft, change colours every 50 ft, with a triple marker where the end of the chain is just below deck and another where the anchor is about to emerge from the water. So far all have survived 2 years. Easy to replace if one does break off.

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Interesting idea and would be a nice adjunct to the paint.

GFC said:

I paint (with Rustoleum) every 50' but also paint a 6'long white stretch at the point where the anchor is coming up out of the water. That lets me ease it up the last few feet.

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I do that with poly line, too. I call it my warning track.

I did painting for a few years but like an earlier poster mentioned it depends on how much you anchor (and I expect the typical bottom type). I anchor 40-60 days per year and the paint never lasted that well.
The zap straps have done better for me. Like a prior poster mentioned, put two on so if/when one breaks you can replace without having to pay out and re-measure the chain.
My windlass does about 20' per 5 seconds and knowing the pay-out rate also helps. I count as it goes down so I can tell if I miss some markers or they have been broken off.
I mark every 20'. Note quite sure why, just always done it that way.

I use the chain marker inserts. Sure, they are a bit pricey, however, I didn't run them down the entire length of chain.

-I marked every 10 ft.
-I alternated colors 4 colors (Red, Yellow, Green, Blue)
-The pattern follows the order of colors that you learned in Kindergarden:
(Red-Yellow-Green-Blue-Purple-Black)

1 red = 10
1 yellow = 20
1 Green = 30
1 Blue = 40

2 Red = 50
2 yellow = 60
2 Green = 70
2 blue =80

3 red = 90
3 yellow = 100
3 green = 110
3 blue = 120

Anchor Line = 130

They don't wear like paint, they don't periodically snap like zip ties. They are re-usable if you replace your chain.

I only mark 50 and 100 feet with red spray paint. I don't need any other marking where I boat in the Long Island Sound area.
I set at 50, then snub at 100. Done.

I use a Maxwell chain counter, not expensive and is accurate. So far no maintenance.

jleonard said:

I only mark 50 and 100 feet with red spray paint. I don't need any other marking where I boat in the Long Island Sound area.
I set at 50, then snub at 100. Done.

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Yep, chain doesn't work when its sitting in your locker.
25m (70ft) is our minimum and 140ft is the norm.
Any more than 25 knots and I run out 75m (210ft) and watch the short anchorers drag.

I just mark in 25 foot intervals...to me rounding woth whatever scope you want seems to work as you can never be absolutely sure what the tide will be, and where tbere is none, still rounding to 25 feet of chain is good enough for me.

Of course 20 feet for some or 50 feet for others may work too, shorter intervals to me would be tedious keeping it marked.

Bigsfish said:

I use a Maxwell chain counter, not expensive and is accurate. So far no maintenance.

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$750 plus install cost here.
Maxwell AA560 Chain Counter & Windlass Controller | Anchoring & Docking | Anchor Winch Accessories | Boating and RV

I have a new one sitting in a box onboard, couldn't be bothered installing it.
Unbolting windlass, drilling chain wheel for magnet, running wires, yeah - to much like hard work vs 2 minutes weaving rope in chain once a year.

What kind of knot do you use to secure poly line? I've always found knots in poly to open easily on their own.

No knots, just weave.