I use a big woven style hawser I got from a coast guard friend instead of a chain. It is plenty strong enough and gentle on the paint. I loop it under the bellhousing and harmonic balancer. It can easily be adjusted to keep the engine in a nice balance.
I do keep my feet out of the way when I use it though. I'm an eagle scout so I use the right knots too. I trust rope a bit more than chain. It usually give a better indication if it is going to fail.
