Measuring anchor rode let out with windlass on charter boat

[legarots]

On a charter boat with a windlass, if the anchor rode is not marked, how do you measure how much has been let out?

One idea I've heard of, and even read on the forums here, is to count the number of seconds. You also need to know how much is let out per second. But this seems like it would be too easy to get it wrong, especially since windlasses often are variable speed depending on how far/hard you press the button...

[Vasco]

Take some cable ties with you. Go to a quiet anchorage like behind Sandy Cay in the BVI and get in 10 feet of water where you can see the bottom, let the chain out till it hits the bottom put on a cable tie, if you have to, go ahead a bit to stay over the anchor, let out until the cable tie is on the bottom,put on another tie, repeat until you've got the whole lot measured. Or you could do the same thing on the dock if you're bow in and have a tape measure. I would only put a tie on every twenty feet then.

[Cruisingdad]

Just pull the amount of rode on deck to the amount you want. This also prevents hangups.

- CD

[Hobos]

Agree with Crusingdad, normally pull out what I need meauring distance with arm span, which I count as five feet (conservative). Has alway worked out well.

[Vasco]

Most of the charter boats now have all chain. It is difficult and sometimes dangerous to try and pull it through the spurling pipe and onto the deck. Not to mention trying to make the chain fast by hand rather than keeping it on the windlass when anchoring. The most common injury on charter boats is from improper anchoring with all chain. Can you imagine 60 feet of chain laying on the deck just waiting to run out!! Keep clear!

[Cruisingdad]

Originally Posted by Vasco

Most of the charter boats now have all chain. It is difficult and sometimes dangerous to try and pull it through the spurling pipe and onto the deck. Not to mention trying to make the chain fast by hand rather than keeping it on the windlass when anchoring. The most common injury on charter boats is from improper anchoring with all chain. Can you imagine 60 feet of chain laying on the deck just waiting to run out!! Keep clear!

Vasco has much more experience with the charter boats down there than I do. If he said it would be dangerous, I would go with his judgement. I have no problem saying so - though my first inclination would still be to pull it on deck unless it was impractical as he suggests.

On our boat, it is marked. We marked it by pulling it out on deck. For our line rhode anchor, we often pulled it out on deck until I quit finding other chores and marked it.

Hope that helps.

- CD

[Vasco]

On my own boat I run the chain out onto the dock to mark it. I have 200 ft of chain and mark it at 15 feet, 50 feet, and 150 ft. I just put in one cable tie at each mark and also paint the chain white for a couple of feet. The 15 ft mark tells me I'm close to the anchor when weighing also when anchoring (usually in about 10 feet) I put the first mark in the water and then let the boat drift back a bit. Unless it's very crowded I usually put 100 ft in the water. I like to sleep at night.

[Cruisingdad]

Originally Posted by Vasco

On my own boat I run the chain out onto the dock to mark it. I have 200 ft of chain and mark it at 15 feet, 50 feet, and 150 ft. I just put in one cable tie at each mark and also paint the chain white for a couple of feet. The 15 ft mark tells me I'm close to the anchor when weighing also when anchoring (usually in about 10 feet) I put the first mark in the water and then let the boat drift back a bit. Unless it's very crowded I usually put 100 ft in the water. I like to sleep at night.

I actually painted mine with colorcodes. The paint does wear off, so it does require some maintenance, but we found the painting easier to identify especially at night.

We used to tie the zip ties and things, but always seemed to miss them - especially if pulling into an anchorage at night.

Just a different approach.

- CD

[legarots]

I like the zip tie idea, since you can't paint the chain on charter boats.

[imagine2frolic]

Vasco,

How deep of water when you put out 100ft.?