Did about the same thing. I used paint (after etching the galvanizing) to mark length. Then, the last 15 ft. of chain was red. I knew that after that red, I had about 50 ft. of 1/2 inch 3 strand that I could cut away! Also, the 3 strand was secured to a strong point on a bulkhead, NOT the hull. Saw a boat that had a runaway, in deep water, with heavy anchor and lots of chain that holed the bow!!!!

I'm not a teenager, so I CAN learn from others mistakes....

Greg