anchor chain

[Kate]

Any tips on how to mark 10' segments on an anchor chain? Something that won't snag in the windlass. Am having a hard time figuring out length of chain to water depth.

[billk2632]

I also have an all chain / windlass setup. I got colored zip ties - 1 at 10', 2 at 20', 3 at 30' and so on. The zip ties go through my windlass just fine.
I have seen people use paint and just paint a section every 10-20ft, but over time the paint wears off and just looks crappy. There are also kits that have colored inserts that fit in the chain links. For me the zip ties work great, mine are different colors, and it's simple - I usually anchor for a few hours, 10-15ft of water and calm conditions, so 30ft - 40ft of chain works fine. Plus if one of the zip ties breaks off (haven't yet) I have a whole bag of replacements that I spent $5 on, not $50 for the fancy link inserts.

[jhnmdahl]

Colored zip ties are pretty easy and last about as long as paint, but are easier and cheaper to replace than repainting for small boats. One reason I can think of not to do zip ties is if you handle the chain under tension by hand. I've also heard of people weaving colored line through the chain at intervals, which holds up well and is very easy to see, but requires a bit more work up front.

I gave up painting anchor chain during Covid when I couldn't find enough tiny guys to come and work on my chain anymore:

marking chain navy.jpg

[FirstStar]

I'm in the paint camp. Sure it wears off but it's either in the water or the anchor locker so I don't see it.

[Krob1114]

There was a recent post of a new member painting links of the chain red and blue.

[Kate]

Thanks for all of the tips.

For the zip tie solution. Does it look like this? (I have a very tight pulpit/windlass set up. And am concerned that even that small bump in the ties will bollix something up.)

[billk2632]

I don't have a picture - I can get one tomorrow. But, no I didn't do it like that, I put one zip tie per link, so at 10ft 1 link, 20ft 2 links, 30ft 3 and so on. My zip ties are on the sides of the link not the ends like that picture - not saying that picture is wrong. I have the Lewmar windlass mounted in the anchor locker (R5) that uses 1/4" chain and I have had no issues with the zip ties feeding through the windlass.

[Kate]

b: Thanks for the explanation. I have a similar set up, so might try your method.

[billk2632]

Here is a picture of mine:

IMG_0742.jpeg

[Kate]

b: Thanks for the pic. We have the same windlass. Looks like you put all the squares of the zip ties to the outside. Is that correct? If I understand your method, in that pic you're at 30'. Is that right?

I'm going to use your method. Thank you very much for taking the time to explain it.

[billk2632]

Yes I put the squares on the outside so they don’t hit going through the windless, but they seem to move and don’t cause a problem - yes it is at 30’ in the picture. I put them on this spring (bought the boat last fall) - we anchor every weekend, sometimes more than once and have had no problems at all. To me just seems like a cheap simple way to mark the chain.
Here is another pic with 40’ out, that rope is my simple snubber to take strain off the windlass and keeps the chain from me making noise as the boat rocks around, it’s jus a 4’ 3 strand rope with a loop on each end - loop it around the chain and the cleat and let a little more chain out so the snubber is tight and the chain has some slack in it. For a few hours in light conditions it works great.

IMG_0741.jpeg

[Kate]

b: Thanks for the snubber pic. Can't do that. It takes too many "ballerina" moves to get to/from the bow. And in my typical anchor conditions, don't really need it.

Again, thanks for all of the zip tie tips.

[billk2632]

Haha Ballerina moves. Agree in light conditions a snubber is not really necessary. Your welcome on the zip ties, I think you find they work really well and are cheap!

[MNStCroix]

This summer we painted our anchor chain every 5 ft in a red, white, blue pattern for 50 of the 75 or so feet of rode that came with the boat.
We used some industrial strength spray paint that hopefully will last 5 years. Yes over time it will wear away but so long as the person running the windlass can see any color it makes anchoring so much easier.

[Kate]

". . . we painted our anchor chain . . ."

That's what I ended up doing. (Shh, don't tell billk.)