Anchor rode marking

[Sumner]

I started with ....

.. color plastic, but now just use doubled over black electrical tape and put in 1 piece like above at 25 feet. Just untwist the line and stick it in and replace later if need, but ours lasted 3 months anchoring every day.

I put in...

2 pieces at 50 feet and ......

3 pieces at 75 feet and.....

... 4 at 100 feet and then start over again with 1 piece at 125 feet and so on. You don't need to write the numbers on the tag and now we just use the black tape like I mentioned above. We have 200 feet of nylon 3 twist and 30 feet of chain.

I don't mark the chain and usually don't figure it into the scope as we usually aren't anchored by anyone and it is our insurance. If I need to then I just add 30 to the other figures.

The really nice thing about this method is you don't have to remember colors or read individual tags as the rode goes out. Just see how many pieces just went by you.

Our different rodes are marked like this,

Sum

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Our Endeavour 37

Our MacGregor 26-S Pages

Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida

Mac-Venture Links

 

[RichH]

We normally use an all chain road.

We marked ours at 5 fathom increments (about 30 ft.)

I used both paint and plastic wire ties to mark our chain.

First, I treated the galvanized chain to be painted with vinegar, then rinsed it off with fresh water & let it dry.

I then painted it with 1 red stripe at 5 fathoms, white (or yellow) at 10 fathoms and blue at 15. I then painted two (2) red stripes at 20, 2 white stripes at 25 and 2 blue at 30. I used the same color wire ties and same setup of 1 then 2.

This can go on and on....
I then painted the last (about) 10 foot of chain red. It's followed by nylon line that I can (if required) be cut to let the system go.

Just our way....

Greg

With an all chain rode I do a very similar schema using 'leaded' sign painters paint (One Shot™) in a red/white/yellow sequence at 5 fathoms (30 ft.) each. The leaded paint lasts a lot longer than any other paint ... but only about a year with constant anchoring, then needs to be reapplied.
I like your painting the terminal end of the chain where it splices to the rode with a solid 'run' of paint, good idea!!

(FWIW I also paint the top surfaces of the (Spade) anchor with yellow, easy to see when anchoring in clear water, especially when anchoring on top of 'marl' or scoured 'hard' bottoms to be sure of a good anchor 'set'. ... and you dont need to use a 'lookey bucket' or to dive down to verify the set)
I use a windlass, so plastic tie wraps and 'tags', etc. simply dont last very long.

 

[Delezynski]

We used the red, white, blue as it's so easy to remember. We do repaint about once every year to year and a half.

We also use a windlass, but the plastic tie wraps last more than a few in and outs of our constant anchoring in the Sea of Cortez. And, they are so low cost, it's easy to pop on a new one when needed.

Greg

 

[All U Get]

Within 4 years the florescent spray paint had caused such severe corrosion on the painted links of the chain that I had to replace the entire chain rode.
Apparently spray paint, especially florescent spray paint, severely degrades
galvanization.

Didn't know that about spray paint, I guess I'll have some 10 footers for sale or trade in a few years. Setting the anchor in the ICW would load the chain with mud making the previous marks covered anytime we had to re-anchor to get a good set. Even with a deck light on, the marks were hard to see at night so I added the plastic ties.
Some spots where we anchored were narrow or crowded so I didn't want to guess on having too little or too much chain out (try to keep 5:1). There were time when we got as close as a boat length to our neighbors.
Thanks to everyone (and Maine Sail) for promoting the Manson Supreme anchor which we dropped in the muck more than a few times, good holding power and it dug in when the wind piped up. There was a day or two when there just wasn't a lot of bottom to grab so we reset and I stayed in the cockpit until wakin up with drool all over my chin.
Thanks for all the replys, you guys and gals rock.

All U Get

 

[capta]

Cruising, we may have to anchor in some pretty deep water or crowded anchorages and it really helps to have well marked chain. There are plastic marks (they come in groups of 6 per color) that fit into the chain like link studs in various colors which work very well and cannot be torn off or chafed off.
We mark at 50' and every 25' thereafter. Always remember to have a line tail on your chain that will reach from the secure point in the chain locker to the deck so you can cut free from your chain in an emergency.

 

[Chris Patterson]

Every 30' with a different color based on "Go Rub Your Balls With Grease" - Even my kids remember that saying and can tell how much scope is out.

Green
Red
Yellow
Blue
White
Green
...

What kinda grease are we talking about exactly? ...

 

[All U Get]

What kinda grease are we talking about exactly? ...

Probably Bag Balm!
All U Get

 

[Ron20324]

What kinda grease are we talking about exactly? ...

K.Y., of course. At least that's my excuse for having it on the boat. That, and O rings on the thru hulls. And whatever else calls for it

 

[Chris Patterson]

Ye GODS! (As H.S.T. used to say)..

 

[John23883]

You are making this way to complicated

Tyvek or plastic mailing envelopes and black marker. Total cost $0.

 

[CHM]

I use fluorescent spray paint every 5 feet. I don't think it will be durable, but we'll see. I'm not sure it is really necessary since I have a rope/chain rode and know how much chain there and can estimate scope in most achorages.

 

[NotCook]

I'm with Gunni, and others using 25' marks. We have 400' all 5/8" chain on each anchor, with marked links every 25'. One link for 25', 2 links for 50', 3 links for 75', and so on. Every 10 feet would just be too many to deal with, and would take 250% of the time to apply. I've also heard of every fathom, but that would be even more marks.

I've considered adding the plastic ties also, but have also wondered how they would fare in the windlass.

We leave our marked links just above the water where we can see at a glance how much chain we have out. We tend to be conservative anyway, and probably have the next 25' out beyond our calculation.

 

[Captn TJ]

I use florescent orange every 15 feet (all chain rode). And make the number of links = length. In other words 4 marks = 60 feet that way I don't have to count or wonder if I miscounted. 4 years later - in fresh water, the paint is still on.

 

[Tom J]

We have 100' of chain, and mark every 10' with red paint. Works great for setting the anchor, and then adding scope as needed. Salt water environment, so we repaint every couple of seasons.