Return to "Our Best Cruising Hints" Essential for safe anchoring is knowing how much chain you put out. We use heavy gear, "five times the depth", dig it in well and (touch wood) have never dragged.
We mark our anchor chain at 15 metres (we never put out less than that) and then every 10 metres, using the colours of traffic lights so we can remember which colour is which. The tongue twister, "red lorry, yellow lorry, green lorry" also helps me. So:
Red = 15 metres Red = 45 metres
Yellow = 25 metres Yellow = 55 metres
Green = 35metres Green = 65 metres etc
As an extra aid, we mark the last metre before the anchor blue so that, when pulling it up, we can tell when the anchor is just below the bow, without having to look over.
Rather than paint the chain, which is messy to do, hard to see, wears off and has to be done in a marina, use lengths of inexpensive, coloured polypropylene rope about 1 metre long. The first time you do it, pull the chain out on deck (or marina) in measured intervals. Weave your cut lengths of rope through your chain at the appropriate intervals. The rope and chain passes easily over your windlass even when frayed.
When the rope becomes too dirty or frayed, simply replace it, on deck, as you pull in or put out your anchor chain.
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