"I've got my new anchor chain attached to the anchor, and I've measured out 10 metres along the side deck. We've got 70 metres of chain in total, so I'm going to mark it every 10 metres.
I didn't want to use cable ties because they snap and end up in the sea. I also didn't want to spray paint the chain because I don't think it looks very good.
Instead, I've bought these from AnchoRight. They come as two halves that fit together like a clamshell and are secured with a stainless steel screw. They come in lots of different colours and fit neatly inside each chain link.
You can get them for different chain sizes – these are the 10 mm version. They're a clean, simple screw-in fitting that won't fall back out, and you can customise the colour sequence using the reference plates. They're available for chain sizes from 6 mm up to 14 mm.
I've got enough markers to cover all 70 metres of chain, so let's fit them and see how they turn out.
The two halves simply screw together around the chain link. I've chosen red to mark my first 10 metres, and the matching reference tab makes it easy to remember the colour sequence.
Once both halves are in place, you tighten the stainless steel screw to lock everything together. It's a really straightforward installation, and now I've marked the first 10 metres. Next, I'll fit the rest of the markers at each 10-metre interval."