Standard Shots and Chain Identification Marks Lengths of chain called shots are connected to make up a ship's anchor cable. A standard shot is 15 fathoms in length. Each shot of the chain usually bears a seriial number that is stamped, on the inner side of its end links. Anchor chain is marked so that personnel tending the anchor will know exactly how much chain has already run out. This is important since it is the only way of reading the length of the scope. The marking consists of turns of wire and stripes of white paint on varying numbers of links that are next to the detachable link.1 Shot = 90 feet.
1 Shot Red (15 fathoms) 1 Turn of wire
2 Shots White (30 fathoms) 2 Turns of wire
3 Shots Blue (45 fathoms) 3 Turns of wire
4 Shots Red (60 fathoms) 4 Turns of wire
5 Shots White (75 fathoms) 5 Turns of wire
6 Shots Blue (90 fathoms) 6 Turns of wire
On most ships all links of the next to last shot are painted yellow and all links of the last shot are painted red. Painting the last two shots gives warning of the approach of the bitter end of the cable.
