Anchor chain/rode marking systems

[Bruce Moore]

What's your favorite method for marking your anchor rode?

Thanks

 

[abcandjrc]

After trying the commercial solution with numbers on strips of cloth we found that the life was dependent on where we anchored. Sand and coral eats cloth.

We wound up marking our all-chain rode every 10 feet with black spray paint strips about 3 or 4 inches wide. On our rope we simply open the braid a bit at 10 foot intervals and slip in thin strips of nylon rip-stop cloth in the brightest color we have on hand. Both methods require occasional "touch up" or replaced strips.

For the chain portion of the rope rode we just remembered how long it was and added it to 10 times the number of strips we counted as we paid out the rode. (e.g. 16 times 10 = 160 + 20 = 180) This system worked even on our boat that had a flying bridge and control of the windlass from the panel there.

(As a reminder for some, new information for others, also be sure to know how high your bow roller is above the waterline and add it to the water depth to calculate the amount of rode required to obtain the desired scope. Many people forget this, it is significant on our tugs, and it can mean the difference between holding and dragging.)

 

[ozoner]

I go the cheap and easy route. Cheap acrylic yarn in a bright color. Works on rope and chain, fairly tough, easy to replace when it finally abrades off.

 

[walldog]

These work for me. http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/st ... sNum=10363

They are in 30' increments. I know I have 50' of chain, so the first one I use is the 60' green. No problem with the windlass and they appear to wear well. Green for 30-60-90, red for 120-150-180, yellow for 210-240-270. Nine markers total for $5. No counting.....I lose count.

 

[abcandjrc]

It's just that you only have to count to three, but you still count. And you have to memorize all those colors! Seven of one, half a dozen of another. :lol:

 

[walldog]

It's just that you only have to count to three, but you still count. And you have to memorize all those colors! Seven of one, half a dozen of another. :lol:

Colors AND numbers.....no counting... :lol:

 

[abcandjrc]

I stand corrected. (But you have to be able to read upside-down sometimes.)

Those are similar to the ones we used originally but ours were numbered in increments of 10. We found that the plastic (which I assume those are) was pretty brittle and they would break and come out of the line. It does look like those do have a cloth backing of some sort. They might hold up better than those we used. Part of the success of any system is where one anchors and how well he keeps up with the system.

There are lots of methods, and some use nothing. I was never willing to guess and always slept soundly (except when someone who did not pay attention anchored within my swinging radius).

We had a rude awakening one time in New Plymouth when a huge catamaran (at least 50') anchored on two anchors (one off each float) about 40 feet from us. He had already been chased away by one other boat, and I bit my tongue (except to grumble at my first mate) but regretted it at about 3AM when the tide changed and our keel boat swung and he didn't. We only swung gently into his swim platform and no damage was done except to my sleep (and his when I woke him and did chase him off). We later heard about his having a more serious encounter in Marsh Harbour one night. How would most people call that? My view was the responsibility to stay clear was always with the last boat in.

 

[doke01]

We used exterior colored spray paint. Every ten feet we marked the rode. one band for 10, 2 for 20, 3 for 30, 4 for 40, and a new color for 50. 50,70,80,90 is the 50 color plus additional bands every 10. 100 a new color. 150 is the 100 color and the 50 color. Every 10 adds the additional band. We also marked the anchor chain where the anchor is just below water level with a different color so we could tell where to stop when we want to dunk the anchor to clean it off. This holds up really well. It has been 3 years and the marks are still very clear and easy to see from the helm.

 

[walldog]

I am surprised at how many people do not seem to be aware of how close they are to other boats when they anchor. We had a large (we call them 3 story condos) anchor near us. I thought he may be a bit close but what do I know. During the night after the wind died down and the boats in Montague Harbor were willy nilly and not aligned with the wind, I got up and our cockpits were facing each other. I could almost reach out and grab his stern from my boat. I do not believe that he was that good of a judge of distance.

Another time we had anchored in a cove and a boat came near us anchored and stern tied. I was not planning to stern tie, but did so in self defense.

Amazing.

 

[Lobo]

I have 50' chain and 260' line. I ignore marking the chain; I'm getting good as guessing how much is out (the most I can be out is 50' and as it's heavy chain, I want it all on the bottom anyway). I use a black permanent felt tip marker. I mark starting at 75' (50' chain, 25' line) and every 25' thereafter. 1 x 3" line for each 25'; 1 x 12" line for every 100' with 3" between lines. The last mark is at 275' (2 x 12", 3 x 3", 4 x 3" spacers for a total of 45"). My last mark is a set of 3" bands at 300' which tells me I have only 10' left in the locker. Yes, it fades after a while, but felt tip pens are cheap and when I haul my rode out on the dock to dry I can touch up as necessary. This system makes it easy for crew to figure out.

Dave
"Lobo"

 

[abcandjrc]

We used to call it the "snuggle-up syndrome". I used to joke that all the owner's were installing GPS and setting a waypoint on the little anchors on the charts. They seemed to all want to hit that mark dead on.

We also tried the fat-magic-marker method of marking the rope rode. But we didn't get as detailed as Lobo. I am much too lazy. On top of that, I am much too cheap to buy multiple cans of paint like doke01. We lived aboard so stowage was always a premium, too.

Now, those should both appeal to me as an engineer (recently an eye surgeon pegged me as one within 3 minutes of meeting me) but I just didn't have that in me. Spent the time building a tan instead.

We settled on the easy-to-see strips of rip-stop and adding a 0 to our count. We used to log the information, so reading them in real time if adjusting the line was not critical to us. Like I said, the system isn't nearly as important as having one and knowing how to read it.

 

[knotflying]

I used the shrink wrap that they use on wiring. Slipped it over the rode every 30 feet and heated it up and it tightened in place. I was able to mark each one with the length since, they were all the same color. if you are releasing from the helm just count how many you let out and multiply by 30. If you are letting out at the windless you can read it off the tag.

 

[Spirit of Gratitude]

Colored electrical tape. Mine has been on for 1 1/2 years and my anchor is used over a hundred times a year. 😀

 

[NewMoon]

We use the colored/numbered tags same as walldog. Since we reverse and re-splice rope and chain every year, it's handy that these are easily removed and replaced in the re-spliced rode. A set of tags lasts several years before wearing out.

 

[JamesTXSD]

We use a color-coded system, much like our Homeland Security Warning System colors: white for 25', eggshell for 50', ecru for 75', bone for 100', very light beige for 125', cloud for 150', ivory for 175', oyster for 200'. In between those marks, I have carefully etched small cuts in the rode every 3" and just count out those marks as they spin out of the windlass (um, that's 19, carry the 2, oh look - there's an eagle!). The nice thing about the cuts in the rode is they don't fade with time... in fact, they tend to spread and the entire rode begins to look like a wooly caterpillar... it's at its fullest right before the rode scatters in little pieces like a dry dandelion in the wind. Pretty!

Kidding aside, permanent (sorta) marker on the line, yellow rescue tape on the chain for us. 25' increments.

Best wishes,
Jim B.

 

[captain's cat]

We use a color-coded system, much like our Homeland Security Warning System colors: white for 25', eggshell for 50', ecru for 75', bone for 100', very light beige for 125', cloud for 150', ivory for 175', oyster for 200'. In between those marks, I have carefully etched small cuts in the rode every 3" and just count out those marks as they spin out of the windlass (um, that's 19, carry the 2, oh look - there's an eagle!). The nice thing about the cuts in the rode is they don't fade with time... in fact, they tend to spread and the entire rode begins to look like a wooly caterpillar... it's at its fullest right before the rode scatters in little pieces like a dry dandelion in the wind. Pretty!

Kidding aside, permanent (sorta) marker on the line, yellow rescue tape on the chain for us. 25' increments.

Best wishes,
Jim B.

Kidding? You??? We use Puce, every 6". :lol: If it blows hard we put it all out.... Just don't touch my junk.... :shock:

Homeland security indeed!! :|

I'm more worried about the temp in the wine cooler....; 😉

Charlie