How do you mark your chain? Looking for ideas.

[SeaBreeze78]

Pulled the anchor and chain out of the licker and ran it across the dock. Tried to figure out at what lengths the previous owner had marked the chain. Looking for ideas on at what footage and how do you like to mark your chain? He did have red paint about 10 feet from the anchor, which made sense.

[Guinevere]

This works well on our anchor rode: https://www.defender.com/product.jsp?id=5565534

Other systems out there with whipping line "marks" etc but this way I don't have to remember how many marks have gone out.

Bob

[Pgtjs]

Hi there,

Many years ago I tried the commercial tags but they dont stick around for long. I also tried tying wire tightly around links but too hard to see as it ages and is used often. I anchor about 15-25 times a year.

Now every few years, maybe 5 years depending on use of the anchor, I lay the 300' of chain along the dock back and forth in 25 ft lengths.

Starting at the bowsprit endI spray a few links of the chain 25 ft below the sprit with red Rustoleum, then after the next 25 ft, spray Green Rustoleum and back to the other end, ie after 75ft, another Red and so on. Actually I lay each end grouping on used flat cardboard sheets so I dont spray the dock surface just a few links. It means I have a 6" or so of red links every 50' and likewise alternate with green links every other 50'. It is easy to then count then out as the chain passses around the windlass.

I let it dry for a few days - leave as long as convenient so it "bakes on" - in the sun turning each group over every now, touching up the paint, and then. and wind the chain back in. A few flakes come off at the windlass but most of the paint remains in tact and it takes years to become barely visible. I rarely use more than 200' of chain in any anchorage so only those painted links in the water get to lose visibility in use.

Hope this is understandable and helps,

Geoff. S. Taeko 1V, C350#392, Semiahmoo, Blaine, WA.

[Olivia Mae]

A very loosely attached zip tie through the chain every 25'. If just attached loose through the chain it goes through the windlass no problem. I also paint a few links at the zip tie, but the paint wears off after a couple of years.

[KevinMc]

Red rustoleum paint every 25 feet. I use the 5:1 ratio for anchor chain to water depth so it's easy to know "Two red marks is 50 feet of chain for 10 feet of water". I also mark the first five feet of chain from the anchor with yellow paint. That way when I see yellow paint I know the anchor is getting ready to clear the water and to slow down and be ready to stow the anchor.