Marking Anchor Rode with Paint

I know there are various ways to do this, but I prefer painting it, using the red - yellow - blue method. I anchor a lot, 2-3 times per month during the summer, so I get about 1-2 years before the paint fades.

The dealer did it the last time for me, so I am not sure what they used.

Any ideas on a robust paint that will hold up longer?

Thanks in advance.

Good timing for me for this question. I'm getting ready to paint my chain. I'm planning to use Rustoleum, but I don't know if that's the best choice.

I've always used Rustoleum and had good luck with it.


One thing I did when I last painted mine was to paint an all white section about 6' long starting at a point where the anchor is still about 2' down in the water and ending when the anchor is about 3' from the pulpit.


I operate the windlass from the upper helm and that lets me know when I'm real close to the anchor getting to the pulpit so I can slow down the windlass.

Fletcher500 said:

I know there are various ways to do this, but I prefer painting it, using the red - yellow - blue method. I anchor a lot, 2-3 times per month during the summer, so I get about 1-2 years before the paint fades.

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Slight thread drift, but can you briefly describe the red-yellow-blue method? My chain was marked by the PO with colored ties, but they aren't easy to see and The coding is far from intuitive for me.

Rustoluem has worked well for also.

We have 300' of chain and use 3 colors. The first and last are at 30' from the ends. All the other markers are at 40'. When we reverse the chain, to even out the wear, the starting point is the same from either end.

I use five colors:
Red. 25, 125, 225
White 50, 150, 250
Blue 75, 175, 275
Yellow 100
Green 200
Yellow alternating with green, first 10 feet, last 10 feet

Paint is cheapest spray can I can buy

Paint every year when I drop anchor chain in boat yard to wash.

Good subject. Here are some links to previous threads on the topic.

http://www.trawlerforum.com/forums/s42/marking-anchor-chain-12781.html

http://www.trawlerforum.com/forums/s42/marking-chain-19803.html

The link at the bottom of my posts is a very good search engine for the TF threads of the past. Threads like can be a treasure trove of information on topics covered.

As your chain is galvanized you will need to prime it with Rustoleun aluminum water based primer.

Let it dry for a couple of days and then paint as desired,oil or latex , OK.

With out the prime galvanized stinks at holding paint.

Rustoleum. Red, white and blue every 30 feet. Red 30, white 60, blue 90 repeat. First painted three years ago time for a touch up. I did not use primer on the galvinized chain and it seems to hold up well.

For the beating it takes going in and out of the locker I don't think it matters what brand paint you use.

Rob

You guys do it the hard way. My chain links are 1-1/4 inches long. I just count the links as they go out and do the math. 960 links equals 100 feet. Simple.




gotcha

HopCar said:

You guys do it the hard way. My chain links are 1-1/4 inches long. I just count the links as they go out and do the math. 960 links equals 100 feet. Simple.




gotcha

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How do you compensate for the chain to anchor shackle??

Thanks for the replies, and the old links to past threads, great stuff.

Regarding those imtra links, so they stayed in place after years of anchor pulling? Can you see them in low light?

Those look nice but seems expensive. A spray can of Rustoleum is about $4.00. $12 for Red, white, blue. $16 if you get fancy and add yellow.

I have never sprayed chain. Any tips for those of us that don't haul our boats and would need to do it at the dock?

I used marking paint to paint my chain. I'm a little over a year and it's still going strong.
Although next time I'll probably use Rustoleum.
I mark my rode in 50' increments.
Out here in California, I never let out less than 50'. Ever.
One hash mark at 50', 2 hash marks at 100', 3 at 150', 4 hash marks at 200'.

I use Rustoleum Red, White & Blue every 50 feet. (ie Red at 50', white at 100' & blue at 150'. This works well in my area since I never anchor in 150'+

Howard, I've been two inches off all these years! Thanks for pointing that out. I won't make that mistake again.

Put the section of chain in a cardboard box for painting.


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meridian said:

Put the section of chain in a cardboard box for painting.


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Thank you! Great idea.

Do you spray the chain, then flip it and try and spray the other side?

That's how I do it

I have tried a lot of things over the years. WE cruise full time and anchor frequently. I used paint, it fades, and wire ties they break off, the imtra things are ridiculously expensive, hard to see and they fall out. A few years ago someone suggested weaving a short length of yellow poly prpelyne rope through the chain. It is easy to see even in low light, goes through the windlass easy and is easy to move when you end for end the chain. First one is at 12 feet that means my anchor is 6 feet below the water. close to the bottom and as soon as i make sternway it gets on the bottom and the chain is laid out away from it. the next marker is at 75 feet, ~5:1 ratio in 10 feet of water which is common here on the bay. the next is two short lengths at 100 feet, that is 5:1 in 20 feet of water, then three short ones at 125, 5:1 in 25'. Then back to one long piece at 150, two short at 175, and the chain splice is at 200.

Tadhana, does the polypropylene pick up the mud and grit from the bottom?

My chain powers out 25 feet every 15 seconds. I just watch the second hand to know how much chain is out. I use cable ties as a visual backup.

For the OP, I have two dock mates that use Rustoleum brand with some sort of confusing pattern.

meridian said:

Put the section of chain in a cardboard box for painting.

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That's how I do it. I like a box 2 feet long and about 1 foot wide with notches cut in each end of the box, just large enough for the chain to fit in. Spray & move the box....I only have to mark the chain 3 times as that gets me to 150 feet.

Well, no more than the chain picks up I suppose. I have been using it for 3 full years,here on the Chesapeake and along the ICW. Lots of muddy anchorages! and the rope does have some dirt in it. But it remains very easy to see. The tail ends of the rope stick out well and are easy to see in the dark. .

Every time this issue comes up, I find it incredible the lengths folk will go to to save a buck, with all this elaborate marking of the chain, when chain-counters are so damn cheap and pretty easy to install yourself, unless you got the real high end, self-parking types. Heck, if I can do it on my old dunger, anybody can...

They only cost a fraction of what you all fork out for sonar, Autopilot, GPS, Radar, AIS, etc, and yet it's the one thing you will use every time you drop anchor, and up-anchor, with no visibility issues whatsoever. You don't have to go out in the rain...ever...

I don't even have autopilot, AIS, or Radar, and manage fine without. But I'd hate to manage now without my chain counter. Had to once for a time, when the magnet rusted out - replaced with better one asap. Hated it the whole time until fixed. The last thing I want to have to do when manoeuvring to drop anchor is to try counting bits of coloured stuff flying over the end of the fricking roller..!

It's kinda like electric windows or remote locking on a car I guess. You never realise just how great it is until you have it.

tadhana said:

Well, no more than the chain picks up I suppose. I have been using it for 3 full years,here on the Chesapeake and along the ICW. Lots of muddy anchorages! and the rope does have some dirt in it. But it remains very easy to see. The tail ends of the rope stick out well and are easy to see in the dark. .

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How do you weave the line through the chain? Do you tie off the ends? Thanks.

Howard

Peter B said:

But I'd hate to manage now without my chain counter. ....The last thing I want to have to do when maneuvering to drop anchor is to try counting bits of colored stuff flying over the end of the fricking roller..! It's kinda like electric windows or remote locking on a car I guess. You never realize just how great it is until you have it.

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Well, that pretty much sums it up for me! I think that's my next toy!

Codger2 said:

Well, that pretty much sums it up for me! I think that's my next toy!

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Whaaaat? Walt. That amazing vessel of your'n has no chain counter. Oh, man...go...go now and organise one. You'll be able to get the nifty self-docking bells and whistles version even. You'll find yourself saying, "that's the best dang thang I've ever added".

Hang on...didn't your Halvorsen Gourmet 32' Cruiser have one..?

Fletcher500 said:

Thanks for the replies, and the old links to past threads, great stuff.

Regarding those imtra links, so they stayed in place after years of anchor pulling? Can you see them in low light?

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They work great. And yes you can see them in low light.

hmason said:

How do you weave the line through the chain? Do you tie off the ends? Thanks.

Howard

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You just weave it through the spaces in the links. You don't need to tie off the ends. But I do whip the ends one way or the other.