Checkmark
Each morning, while waking up with my coffee, I spend a bit of time reading some of the blogs and web forums that we have linked on our Research Page (I actually need to update that page a bit as there are a few new blogs that I have been following too). One thing I find interesting is which threads on those forums grow to have 4, 5 or more pages of comments. Sometimes topics that draw this many responses are more political in nature (relating to guns for example) while other times they are technical. A big thread right now relates to how various people mark their anchor rode / chain.
For the newbies reading this post the anchor rode is what attaches the anchor to the boat when it is deployed into the water. In order to anchor your boat securely a sufficient amount of rode needs to be paid out. The amount that is let out relates to the amount of water that you are sitting in (or will be sitting in later if the tide might rise). This ratio of the depth of the water to the amount of rode let out is known as scope. We can use different ratios for different anchoring conditions but in general, for safe overnight anchoring, a 7:1 scope is what is recommended. Which brings us back to marking the anchor rode.
First thing to consider is what exactly are we marking, rope or chain. Some people anchor using all chain while others, typically on smaller boats, only have the first (small) portion of the anchor rode as chain and the rest as rope. Another thing to consider is how you will be retrieving the anchor when you get ready to leave the anchorage. If using a windlass whatever method you use will have to function without jamming the equipment. The third decision then revolves around at what intervals you will mark the rode and how will you keep track of these marks.
Here are some examples of how to mark the rode that I have either seen first hand or have read about:
Chain:
- Spray paint
- Wire/cable ties
- Colored plastic markers (pic below)
Rope:
- Commercial line markers
- Wire/Cable ties
- Strips of webbing (similar concept to the commercial variant above)
Once you determine how you are going to mark the rode you’ll need to decide for yourself at what interval you intend to mark it. This will likely be dependent upon the conditions and locations that you typically anchor in. For some people who use only a small portion of chain they would simply disregard marking that as they know it will always be in the water.
What system do we (currently) use? Well, ours isn’t (yet) marked.
Last season, without a windlass, we simply flaked a hundred feet or so out on the tramp and then lowered it by hand when we reached the depth we had chosen (we were familiar with the depths of the anchorage). When we did our Fast Track to Cruising course the instructor, Capt. Mike, actually scoffed at the various systems I described above. He showed us how to keep track of the rode being paid out by the windlass by following it visually (pointing at it) as it ran from windlass to bow. It was a rough estimate but it worked.
What are we going to do this season? Good question!
Most folks at our dock us the spray paint method. I had never seen the plastic inserts for chain rode you pictured – those look like a great answer!
We are fortunate in that our very old, very clunky, very slow Simpson-Lawrence windlass has something magical on it: a counter! It is a simple mechanical addition (read: not likely to fail when exposed to rain and salt water, heat and cold), and everyone needs it. I have never seen one on another windlass of any brand, and I am at a complete loss as to explain why.
bob
Very informative post, Bob! I learned multiple things by reading it. Thank you.
As for the counter, I “think” one can be purchased as an add-on, but I’m not positive of that.
Let Capt. Mike scoff all he wants. Visually watching the chain go down requires math (or at least extra math), when I want to concentrate on beer (or the drink of your choice, umbrellas optional)!
Fair Winds,
Mike
I wonder if people would laugh if you put an umbrella in a beer?
If you really want to stir things up,you can do it with the subject of anchoring. Which anchor is best,how much scope,how much chain for the best catenary effect. I don’t know how it can be,but everyone I know has the best anchor ever…and they’re all different!
We mark our rode with colored rigging tape,and we have a color coded chart inside the anchor locker lid.
And just for the record,our 26ft sailboat carries a 25lb Manson Supreme,100ft of rode and 15ft of chain(50ft for the Bahamas).We also carry a Fortress,and a Danforth for backup.
Nobody ever lost sleep because the anchor was too big!
I was thinking of creating a thread asking what anchor to use when you are carrying guns if you want to feel safe while using a composting toilet? I think that covers most of the recently popular topics.
*Newbie raises hand* ok so 7:1 means 7′ of rode or chain for every foot of depth? and what do the makers tell you? How fat you have drifted from where the anchor lies?
Correct, 7′ of rode for every 1′ of depth. The markers (on the chain or rope) tell you how much rode you have paid out.
Dear Newby:
Also, you must add the expected tide change (there may be more water soon) and the height of the bow above the water.
BTW, it’s Newby, not newbie. Eric Newby wrote a number of wonderful books about his adventures in sports he was new to. Read ” A Brief Walk in the Hindu Kush” as a starting point. There are many others.
Re: tide and freeboard… what he said.
Newbie:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newbie
Eric Newby:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Newby
🙂
I remain stedfast in my possition, because I like my story better and because they only prove useage after the books were written. And because I feel argumentative tonight – I just finished a pint of “Arogant Bastard”. How many users of nautical refferences get them right? Does missuse of the “whole 9 yards” make it a football refference?
Who am I to argue… I just learned (from Bob) that Mark Twain comes from a nautical reference!
Enjoy your Arrogant Bastard. 🙂
but… I’m not changing our tag line:
“From total sailing newbies to live-aboard cruisers. How we make it happen!”
Twain’s book “Life on the Mississippi” describing his life as a riverboat pilot is a good read. A pretty serious boater.
I should have plenty of time for reading after we get going. I’ll add that book to my list. Thanks.
Hi there – yeah, that topic has gone on a long time. Interesting couple of points you make: the British RYA always teaches a minimum of 3:1, even in tidal waters, and that’s the minimum we’ve used for 13 years sailing and seven years living aboard. We put out more if (i) there’s the room and (ii) the conditions warrant it. If the N American standard is 7:1 that explains some of the comments I’ve struggled with on that thread.
Secondly – the windlass to bow thing might work if there’s more than 3 feet between the two – which is all there is on RG! Plus it helps if you are anchoring in the dark, or are veering more chain (all chain, right?) in the dark, to be able to peer over the bow, or in the locker and see an actual marker that tells you where you are.
We are now blogging again – broadly we only do it when we’re on the move, as both our mothers really like it to keep themselves up to date. (Hence nothing really bad ever happens to us!) It’s at sailblogs.com/member/roaringgirl. Not as many pix as yours, but some adventures. We hope to be out of Rome and anchored in Elba in the next week to 10 days and then around Corsica before heading to southern Italy.
Sarah (& Pip, but she’s asleep)
Hi Sarah
Nice to see you are posting on your blog again. I’ll add a link for you two on our links page. What we were taught is 3-5:1 for stopping for lunch, 7:1 for overnight. For all chain you “could” use a bit less. For potentially bad weather, given the required swing room, you could use more. I guess if everyone is using 3:1 and you use 7:1 it could cause some issues! But, so could a whole bunch of boats dragging through an anchorage if a storm blows up. 🙂
Now that you have a windlass, if power down, just count the seconds. Also, since I believe you have combination rode, you know the length of the chain + bridle. In my case, if the water is less than 7 feet (most of the time) I know to attach my chain hook right at the end of the chain (50 feet + 10 feet bridle); that will give 6:1. If deeper, I just count the seconds based on a know winch speed.
On my secandary rode (Fortress with 8 feet of chain) I mark the rode every 5 fathoms with cable ties.
BTW, fathoms work better than feet or meters, since they measure faster….bet that’s why they are traditional.
I wasn’t aware of the origin of fathoms until I read the link to Bob’s blog post (on this thread).
And at this moment, our windlass is still in the box. We have windlass wire, running to the bow, but still no shiny windlass up there. 🙁
Wow. A Newby.
For a real course in traditional nomenclature, try “A Sea of Words”, a companion to the “Master and Comander” books.
It just takes time. You guys are learning at 100 mph!
Our PO added the commercial line markers which are pretty nice (we have a manual windlass so we only have to see them from a few feet away) but those plastic markers you pictured look fantastic.
I’m not sure how exactly the plastic ones stay in. I think I need to see them up close.