Chain counter

[Codger2]

This discussion always gives me a laugh....... compared to most, my boat electronics and other labour-saving bells and whistles and gizmos are spartan to say the least, (eg not even an A/P),...... I still look back on when I installed a fairly cheap but reliable chain-counter as one of the best things I ever did.

Peter, I don't have a chain counter yet but it's definitely on the schedule! BTW, If you love the chain counter, I can only imagine how you will react to having an A/P!

 

[Simi 60]

The PO had small lengths of colored coded chord attached to the chain every 25’. The problem is that the small lengths of chord can be tough to see in less than idea conditions, and the colors are impossible to see unless it is bright sun (not too much of that around here).

They have held up really well. When I painted my chain a couple years ago, I left the chords in place. I don’t think any of the label tapes I’ve seen would hold up.

I still don't get why it needs to be so close or colour coded.

What's the minimum depth you anchor in and how much chain do you use? That's mark one.
For us that's 6 ft draft+ 6ft tide+ 6ft to deck =18 + scope x3 = 54, call it 60ft or 20m to make it easy.
Bad weather happening drop to mark 2 for 6:1 scope

Reality then is you only really need to count to 3 or 4, maybe 5 and surely you won't lose track of that.

 

[hmason]

How do you affix poly line to the chain?

 

[Insequent]

How do you affix poly line to the chain?

I imagine you just weave 2 or 3 ft of it into the chain links. I might get around to doing it sometime, but much prefer to use a chain counter. They are not that expensive or hard to fit either.

 

[Spinner]

I am up in the NW corner of the country, and spend lots of time boating in BC, and in Alaska two years ago.

Our anchorages are usually at least 30 feet deep up to 100 feet deep in Alaska. Big tidal exchanges (10-20 feet) further complicate anchoring. Many anchorages are pretty small so it would be quite uncommon to use 6:1 or 7:1 scope. I have all chain, and stick with 3:1.

Every cruising area has its own peculiarities ....

 

[dhays]

I imagine you just weave 2 or 3 ft of it into the chain links. I might get around to doing it sometime, but much prefer to use a chain counter. They are not that expensive or hard to fit either.

I’m really lazy. Running wiring from the bow to to the pilothouse seems like work. Then you have to cut a hole in a panel to mount the counter display which is more work.

Weaving some poly line in the chain seems like some relaxing mindless activity that goes well with a beer. Of course, my boat is never shiny either. ;-)

 

[O C Diver]

I wove 10' lengths of colored polypropylene braid every 50' through the chain and a length or red 20' from each end. Works extremely well; no paint to flake off; no electronics to fail; works anywhere you can see the chain moving. Often I find myself making the final length / scope adjustment from the bow before putting the snubber on. A counter in the pilothouse won't help me when at the bow. When retrieving the anchor and chain while washing it off, it's also nice to have the visual reference points.

Ted

 

[Codger2]

On the other hand, we have those like me, who even though, compared to most, my boat electronics and other labour-saving bells and whistles and gizmos are spartan to say the least, (eg not even an A/P), I still look back on when I installed a fairly cheap but reliable chain-counter as one of the best things I ever did.

As I approach my 80th year, I am obsessed with adding or doing anything that will make my boating easier.
My idea of fun doesn't include pulling three hundred feet of chain out of the locker and painting it!

Now that I have a chain counter, how do I keep from creating a bee hive in the locker?

 

[caltexflanc]

We got by fine with fluorescent heavy duty wire ties every 25 feet. Starting at the 50 foot mark (with almost 7ft to pulpit and 5 feet of draft, we were never letting out less than that) ... various numbers of ties, up to three every 100. That's all the precision we needed.

I had a chain counter on "The List", but since 90% of the time I was at the pulpit, communicating with Ann at the helm via hand signals, I never got around to it after 100's of anchorings. About once year one of the ties would need replacement. Big deal. They went through the chain gypsy just fine.

 

[Bigsfish]

Never had that problem, perhaps I have a properly designed anchor locker. I know others who have used the very short traffic cones glued to the bottom and directly over the chain drop to distribute the chain for no problems. I have never had a problem so I only have second hand info.

At 80 I would find some bikini glad 18 year olds to do the heavy lifting and you can enjoy a beverage of your choice.

 

[Codger2]

As I approach my 80th year, I am obsessed with adding or doing anything that will make my boating easier.
My idea of fun doesn't include pulling three hundred feet of chain out of the locker and painting it!

Now that I have a chain counter, how do I keep from creating a bee hive in the locker?

I recently pulled all the chain out of the locker to check it for total length and corrosion. No corrosion what so ever (PO did not anchor much) and after untangling the chain's tangled mess, I continued to lay the chain down on the dock in 50 foot lengths. I then wondered if the chain counter was keeping up with the fast deploying rhode so I went up to the flybridge and read the counter. 321 feet. I thought, although I know this must be close to the actual total length, I wondered what the counter would read after a steady retrieve. Back on the fly bridge, I was met with a very satisfying 00 on the counter.

My next chore was to get rid of the rope that keeps the anchor from accidentally deploying and replacing it with an all SS solution. I wanted to keep the added hardware away from the windlass chain wheel so I installed the pad eye at a location, assuring it never gets tangled in the windlass.

Now that all this is tweaked and working great, I, again, ask if there is any full proof method for mitigating the dreaded "bee hive" on retrieval?

 

[Simi 60]

Now that all this is tweaked and working great, I, again, ask if there is any full proof method for mitigating the dreaded "bee hive" on retrieval?

Get a bigger boat?
I can climb in and stand up in our anchor locker with 6ft+ headroom.
Probably get a couple of berths down there at a pinch. (-;

 

[firstbase]

Get a bigger boat?
I can climb in and stand up in our anchor locker with 6ft+ headroom.
Probably get a couple of berths down there at a pinch. (-;

It's a good thing you have that much headroom.