What's the best way to mark an anchor line?

[ildoc]

Any suggestions for how to put marks on an anchor line so you know accurately how much you've let out?

 

[QC]

Re: What's the best way to mark an anchor line?

Tape? You'll have to redo it periodically, but that might work. Would a permanent marker hold up as long or longer? Good question. I am curious now too.

 

[rottenray6402]

Re: What's the best way to mark an anchor line?

Maybe different colored permanent markers every 3 feet or so? I just put out as much as is feasible because the longer the scope the better the hold.

 

[eeboater]

Re: What's the best way to mark an anchor line?

When I was in the coast guard auxiliary, I remember they wound a different colored string around the anchor line. If you run the different string through the line and then wrap it around to secure it - the string won't come undone.<br /><br />Sean

 

[QC]

Re: What's the best way to mark an anchor line?

I like Sean's idea. Seems the cleanest and most durable.

 

[RubberFrog]

Re: What's the best way to mark an anchor line?

I use a permanent marker every 30 feet. One band at the first 30, 2 bands at the second thirty, etc. When I get to the 120 foot mark I start over with one band again. It lasts along time and is easy to redo/darken-up when needed.

 

[QC]

Re: What's the best way to mark an anchor line?

Call me a flip-flopper, I am now in the Frogger camp.

 

[studlymandingo]

Re: What's the best way to mark an anchor line?

Dern flip-floppers! I say be a fence-rider and use string on the first one, tape on the second, permanent marker on the third, and then a combination of all on the subsequent marks.

 

[crazyray]

Re: What's the best way to mark an anchor line?

mark mine every 5 ft, I picked up several cans of different color spray paint from shop. yellow means 5 feet. red is 10 and blue is 20.<br />So an blue and yellow is 25 ft. 3 blues is 60ft etc. of coarse most of our lakes are shallow

 

[Stratocaster]

Re: What's the best way to mark an anchor line?

Good (eg: 3M) electrical tape. Used for years, it never seems to want to come off.

 

[magster65]

Re: What's the best way to mark an anchor line?

I had about 75' of chain, then 200' of rode. On both the chain and rode I used florescent yellow paint (a couple links long) and every 10' of length. I worked pretty good... I like Strats tape idea too.<br />I anchored in shallow water mainly so I only ever saw the chain.<br /><br />Strat - My Tolly's gone, got the Baja to sell and then it's over to the 'big city' to do a little boat shopping.

 

[Speedwagon]

Re: What's the best way to mark an anchor line?

So why is knowing how much you put out so important? What useful purpose would this serve me?

 

[roscoe]

Re: What's the best way to mark an anchor line?

When you anchor you should put out 7' for every foot of depth for optimum anchoring. Called a 7:1 scope.<br />So in 20' of water, you should let out 140'. Marking it allows you to know if you have enough let out.<br /><br />I know, it sounds dumb to us guys that fish or boat the little lakes, and never anchor out all night or leave the boat unattended.<br /><br />If I'm in 14' of water, I let out 16' of rope, maybe 18' if it is choppy.

 

[Boatist]

Re: What's the best way to mark an anchor line?

The way mark my line is with accrillic paint like you use for body painting or Painting T shirts. About .50 cents per bottle at wallmart. The stuff is cheap and last about 6 years before it fades away. Since studied Electronics I use the resistor color code for a numbering system.<br /><br />Color code. Black=0 Brown=1 Red=2 orange=3 yellow=4 Green=5 Blue=6 vilot=7 Gray=8 White=9. Color code may not work for you if you do not know the color code. The way I first learned it was with a slogan. Bad Boys Rape Our Young Girls but Vilot gives Willingly. At 100 feet I use a big wide band and start the only marking at every 50 feet.<br /><br />I first tried the magic markers but had to re do every two years. I used one band for 10 feet 2 for 20, 3 for 30 feet,ect. At 100 then used a big wide band at 110 a wide band followed by a small band, 120 feet a big band followed by 2 small bands.

 

[ildoc]

Re: What's the best way to mark an anchor line?

All good suggestions. Now I just have to decide which one! Thanks everyone.

 

[RubberFrog]

Re: What's the best way to mark an anchor line?

Am I the only one that pulls out all his line and rinses the salt away at the end of the year?<br /><br />There it is laying there waiting to be remarked....