How do you mark your anchor rode?

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by chouliha

We mark 30', 50', 70', 100', 120', 150', 200', 250', 290'

We used to do that. But we anchor in 10-20 foot water most always, so the 30, 50 and 70 foot markers are essentially useless. What use would the 30 & 50 markers ever be?

After all the different marking methods eventually wore off, I just use the number of loops left on the rode holder in our anchor locker. I find that too many folks seems to get into the idea that this is an exact science. "Hmm, 15.2 foot depth, 5:1 ratio, with my bow roller at 3.467 feet above the water, so I MUST need 93.335 feet of rode..."

Our PO installed a simple plastic garden hose reel in the anchor locker. I though it was a great idea. I run 50 feet of chain plus 1/2" three strand.

PS - sorry for the repeat of an earlier post,, this thread is so old I forgot I had contributed before.

[s/v Jedi]

Indeed; I put 60' out and when I think it's not enough, then another 60' goes out etc.

[chouliha]

Originally Posted by Stu Jackson

We used to do that. But we anchor in 10-20 foot water most always, so the 30, 50 and 70 foot markers are essentially useless. What use would the 30 & 50 markers ever be?

After all the different marking methods eventually wore off, I just use the number of loops left on the rode holder in our anchor locker. I find that too many folks seems to get into the idea that this is an exact science. "Hmm, 15.2 foot depth, 5:1 ratio, with my bow roller at 3.467 feet above the water, so I MUST need 93.335 feet of rode..."

Our PO installed a simple plastic garden hose reel in the anchor locker. I though it was a great idea. I run 50 feet of chain plus 1/2" three strand.

PS - sorry for the repeat of an earlier post,, this thread is so old I forgot I had contributed before.

Hi Stu

The shorter markers helps us when anchored say in 7 ' depths. Or when anchored using a very short scope for lunch or to run ashore to provision. We have anchored in depths from 7' to 110' over the course of our most recent 10 year cruise. It also helps us when retrieving the anchor to know how much is left to come aboard and how quickly I may need to go aft and drive away from another boat anchored or an obstruction if the wind is blowing us down.

Everyone has there own way of doing things and this is one that has worked well for us for many years and nights at anchor.

Safe sailing to you and thanks for asking.

Chuck
Jacaranda
French Polynesia



www.jacarandajourney.com

[zeehag]

Originally Posted by flash

Well, she weighs 8000lbs. I have 33lb Spade, 30 feet of 5/16" chain, rode, we're talking over 60lbs to lift by hand which is doable but can get tiresome. It's not unusual to mount a windlass on this boat.

newsflash.
some WOMEN anchor using 150 ft 5/16 and a 66 pound anchor.
no electric windlass, and no help, for the most part.
you, a strong male , are complaining of too hard to bring up a mixed rode which will cost your boat. oops.
and i am planning on upgrading to 3/8 chain and mebbe a decent windlass before 3 yrs is out, in meantime, i am STILL anchoring using all chain in 20 ish feet of water with 120-150 ft chain on bottom.
did i also say i am old and my hands donot function??? AND i broke my BACK in 2008????

so, please, when complaining of 30 ft chain hard to bring in by hand, donot forget there are OLD WOMEN hauling up more than you are doing.
so sorry to be laughing. but , get real. 30 ft chain? come on. we dragged all over st petes vinoy basin using only 30 ft 5/16 chain. oops (boat was 11000-12000 pound displacement)
even my daysailor had 100 ft chain and a 45 pound anchor. yes i brought that up all by myself also. (i was one of the sd anchor outs before 1999)

oh yeah marking my chain/rode--- last time i marked my rode was 1996. i used paint on rope. was not my boat, so it didnt matter that it was a mixed rode. there were 100 ft of chain and 50 pound anchor, so what the big deal we aint goin anywhere.
NOW i donor mark my all chain rode, as i lay it all out on my deck before setting anchor, and use most of it, so that 140 ft is down in windy times and 150 in storms, and 120 for regular winter season.
all the methods i have found for marking rode fail before 3rd time, so i abstain.
i know exactly how much is out.
i know exactly how much i must retrieve alone, also.
for solo retrieval of such a difficult weight, use your mast winches. do yourself a favor.
and think of me hand retrieving 150 ft of 5/16 chain and a 66 pound bruce.
but also remember, i will not as easily lose my boat to chafe of line.

[JerseyJoe]

I use same system. It works easy enough.

Originally Posted by sailorchic34

Silly me I just paint my 8 plait rode at 50' 75' 100' etc.. Most of the time I'm using 75 feet and 50 feet is a good mark to show back at my jib winch. I use the main jib sheet winch to get the rode to vertical and then use engine to break it out.

I generally repaint the 50 and 75 foot marks once a year, with the same tiny can of paint I purchased 6 years ago... One band of paint for 50, two for 75 and three for 100'. At 125 feet I go back to one band. 95% of the time I'm using 75 feet.

[mottseng]

This past weekend I went on a whipping cord frenzy where I whipped every end of every line with red whipping cord. Then it came to me.... why not whip my anchor rode (cord) every 25 feet starting at 50 feet with 1/2" or so of red whipping line. So, 50ft would be one 1/2" wide red band, 75ft would be two and so on. I plan on doing this in two weeks when I get back up to the boat for Canada Day long weekend.

[noelex 77]

Originally Posted by mottseng

starting at 50 feet with 1/2" or so of red whipping line.

An old thread, but still relevant.

Metric boats have an advantage (now I have started an argument ), but every 10m is nice division.

Personally I would start markings at less than 50 feet.

I can understand the thinking; 50 feet is perhaps a very minimum amount of rode that would be used.

However, when retrevieving the anchor if the chain is taught and the markings do not correspond to the water depth it shows the chain is caught around a rock or obstruction.

If the rode is tight, and the length corresponds with the water depth the anchor is caught, more than this and the chain is caught. An accurate indication of the amount of rode deployed, even if the chain length is short is helpful. A mark at 25 feet (or less if you commonly anchor in shallow water) is helpful for this assement.

[Tkeeth]

Originally Posted by Cotemar

The simplest method for marking 8 Plait anchor rode that is going to be used hand over hand is Zip Ties threaded through the line. Simple, cheap, easy and accurate

No rocket science needed here, just a simple solution

I have zip ties as well

[Mike OReilly]

I still paint every few years. Usually put white every 10' and red at the 50's. The paint doesn't last, but on the flip side, it gives me a reason so inspect the rode every three years. I end-to-end it at the same time.

[daletournier]

I originally went paint, then those little plastic inserts in the links, then sewed webbing in to chain now use colored zip ties. I find the zip ties the best, easy to replace when they break , but actually seen to last quite well.

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[nigelmercier]

I use three colour coded cable ties every 10m, colours of snooker balls. Some also get 5m marks.

[s/v Jedi]

I use 1/8" diameter line and tie 1' lengths to my chain every 60' starting with one marker, then at 120' two markers etc.
I started with markers at shorter distances like everybody but after so many years of replacing them I found they serve no need. If the water is too deep for 60' chain then I simply put 120' in.


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[saillr]

Best and easiest to use zip ties. Just a couple of tips. Do not tighten the ties to the chain. Leave them a little loose so they go thru the gipsy without breaking. Also do not clip off the free ends. They make it easier to see. Ours have lasted years and they are very easy to change.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by saillr

Best and easiest to use zip ties. Just a couple of tips. Do not tighten the ties to the chain. Leave them a little loose so they go thru the gipsy without breaking. Also do not clip off the free ends. They make it easier to see. Ours have lasted years and they are very easy to change.

The zip ties are easy to use but not better than the small pieces of line. A good zip tie can last a couple of years but they will break, while the small pieces of line keep going

[Sailing Drummer]

I too use zip ties - in 25' sections. One for 25', two for 50' etc. After 100 I go back to one zip tie then two etc. But I also have one yellow zip tie at 15'. When not in clear water I like to know just when the anchor is touching bottom. I usually try to anchor in 8-12' at low tide. So I can roughly calculate where the yellow zip tie should be when the anchor starts to touch the bottom - i.e. on the roller, a foot behind the roller, at the water line etc. Then I can fall back knowing the anchor will not have chain piled on top of it. Of course, if I'm in water like the Bahamas I just look down and can see when it touches!

Larry