Anchor Locker

[Gordon B]

Hi to all,
I'm on the hard now but should splash in march. Anyway, we dropped the anchor for paint and inspection and sense I'm new at this I was wondering how or do you keep the anchor locker dry when bringing up the anchor. Or just keeping it dry in general.

Thanks

 

[dhays]

The anchor locker can't be kept dry when you bring up a wet rode. Every anchor locker that I have had has a drain. This allows excess water to drain out, and more importantly, allows the water you rinsed your rode down with to drain out. My feeling is a chain that is sitting in mud and debris will be my ch less prone to corrosion.

 

[FF]

With a rope rode is chosen many folks will simply figure 8 the line on deck.

Dries nicely and is ready to deploy with no snarl hassles.

After the trip, rinse it dockside , let it dry , and feed it below.

 

[Nomad Willy]

We had a stinking anchor locker w our last boat.
Have'nt used the Willard locker ever.
Stow in a box on the foredeck.

 

[dhays]

I don't get it. My anchor lockers have never had an odor. Even my sailboat without a wash down pump never had an issue. We would just rinse out the anchor locker when back at the dock. Maybe I have just been lucky with the designs that I have had.

 

[DHeckrotte]

I think that a washdown pump and washing the upcoming rode and anchor would be a very good thing. We had a flush Maxwell winch on the sailboat and it would direct the hosed-but-wet rode into the chain locker. No smell, no overboard drain; it drained into the bilge. Our Revel has an antediluvian electric winch of the sort you have to tail so the rode ends up all around ones feet. Can't wait 'till I install the washdown and at least save myself using the bucket. There's no way the rudely piled rode can go astray on the well-bulwarked foredeck so I let it dry there.

 

[BruceK]

Our washdown pump runs on 240v,lots of power to clean chain before it goes down the hole. Our previous boat had no washdown pump when we got it, I found inches of mud in the chain locker, blocked drain too. Got in there with the power washer(you could stand in the locker!),discovered 2" diamond rubber mat in the years of mud,and blasted it all clean.

 

[AKDoug]

I don't have a drain on my Willard, and have never been able to accumulate any water in the bottom of the locker either by rain, spray, or retrieving the anchor. I think the windlass squeezes out so much water out of the nylon going through the chain wheel there simply isn't enough to run into the locker.

I never have had any issues with it stinking either, but then again I anchor pretty much exclusively and use the anchor at least twice a day.

I was going to put a drain in the locker, but after reading about water being forced into the locker in heavy seas, and never having any in the locker anyway, I quit worrying about it.

 

[Steve]

Mine has a drain, and I put Dri-deck tiles, cut to fit, on the bottom. Chain rode

 

[Simi 60]

Our washdown pump runs on 240v,lots of power to clean chain before it goes down the hole..

Hi Bruce, can you provide a link to the pump you use?

50m of chain coming up 3 or 4 times a week for us, 1/2 the time with incredibly sticky mud taking a long time to clean with a 24v 15lpm pump.

Thanks

 

[FlyWright]

I don't have a drain on my Willard, and have never been able to accumulate any water in the bottom of the locker either by rain, spray, or retrieving the anchor. I think the windlass squeezes out so much water out of the nylon going through the chain wheel there simply isn't enough to run into the locker.

I never have had any issues with it stinking either, but then again I anchor pretty much exclusively and use the anchor at least twice a day.

I was going to put a drain in the locker, but after reading about water being forced into the locker in heavy seas, and never having any in the locker anyway, I quit worrying about it.

I could have written this post!! I agree 100%.

I wonder if the geometry, rode tension and distance from fwd roller to gypsy might somehow encourage the shedding of water and debris from the rode as it's retrieved. I anchor in a combo of fresh and saltwater in mostly muddy bottoms.

When it's real sticky mud, I need to use the washdown hose. It's obvious from the mud that starts to get flung onto the anchor pulpit. In normal conditions, the retrieval action seems to fling most of the debris overboard before it can make it into the boat. In those cases, I don't use the washdown.

I've never had a bad smell from my locker. I have no drain or Dri-dek tiles, but I've briefly considered both. Since it's not a problem, it gains no attention on my Priority List so it's not even a contender any longer.

 

[HopCar]

I had a chance to buy some stainless chain at a good price many years ago. I thought it would just look cool. Turns out mud doesn't stick to it.

 

[rwidman]

Hi to all,
I'm on the hard now but should splash in march. Anyway, we dropped the anchor for paint and inspection and sense I'm new at this I was wondering how or do you keep the anchor locker dry when bringing up the anchor. Or just keeping it dry in general.

Thanks

You don't need to keep it dry and you can't leave it dry unless, as someone suggested, you lay your rode out on the deck and let it air dry. And that doesn't work if it's raining. That seems like way too much effort to me. I probably wouldn't anchor if it meant that much trouble.

Most (I would think all) anchor lockers have a drain in the bottom that leads overboard. Properly installed, little, if any seawater will make it uphill into the locker and if it does, it will just drain back out.

Personally, I just pull the anchor up with the windlass and the rode automatically goes into the locker wet. If it's really muddy, I'll wash it on the way up. No problem, no smell, no accumulation.

 

[HopCar]

Agree with WesK. My anchor locker has a louvered door for access from in the cabin. The louvers give it some ventilation as well.

 

[Gordon B]

Thanks everyone

I'm definitely going to put in "Dri-deck tiles", and figure a way to get more ventilation.
Thanks again
Gordo

 

[Pack Mule]

We haul ours in and stow it in this open foredeck area behind the bulk head . Most of the time it stays there . If we really want to tidy things up we feed into the anchor locker by hand after it's washed down and dried .Also there are times when she wants to tidy up that area while underway , which is fine with me

 

[Bob Cofer]

Nice forecastle!

 

[Gordon B]

Nice forecastle!

Very nice indeed.
Gordo

 

[HopCar]

Come on guys, that's the stern.

 

[Simi 60]

Hi Bruce, can you provide a link to the pump you use?

50m of chain coming up 3 or 4 times a week for us, 1/2 the time with incredibly sticky mud taking a long time to clean with a 24v 15lpm pump.

Thanks

Bruce?

 

[AKDoug]

Volume and pressure, either one without the other is less effective. That's the fireman in me saying that! I got a 7.2 GPM pump that is rated for like 70 psi, you have to be careful when cleaning up your fish not to tear up the fillets with the hose stream.

Of course a good nozzle is key as well...

 

[HopCar]

AKDoug is right, volume and pressure.
Jabsco 12V or 24V Washdown 7.0 GPM 80 PSI - 52700 Series

 

[Simi 60]

AKDoug is right, volume and pressure.
Jabsco 12V or 24V Washdown 7.0 GPM 80 PSI - 52700 Series

Appreciated but almost $700 in australia for one of these vs as little as $150 for a 240v pump.

 

[Old deckhand]

I had a friend that carried his rope anchor rode in a basket on the fore deck. In a heavy sea the rode when over the side and was caught in the prop. Unfortunately the boat was near a clif face and drifted into the cliff. My friend died but his two passengers survived. Every time I see a rode in a basket I think of my friend.

 

[Nomad Willy]

Old Deckhand,
So sorry about your friend.
I have a deck box (plastic) and when it got real rough it would move from side to side a bit even though I had it lashed well. I solved the movement problem w some indoor outdoor carpet but it still moved slightly. Now I have a ventilated rubber pad under the rode box and it's even better. Good as I keep my small modified Supreme in the box also. I do'nt think the rode ever dries out but I've not noticed any smell. Vent holes are only on the bottom of the box but I'd like to put some on the sides. At home I have a little spray bottle w AC vinagar in it and I may get one for the rode box.

This is my anchor locker.
The part of the rode that appears black in the pic has been removed.

 

[BruceK]

Hi Bruce, can you provide a link to the pump you use?

50m of chain coming up 3 or 4 times a week for us, 1/2 the time with incredibly sticky mud taking a long time to clean with a 24v 15lpm pump.

Thanks

It`s OEM I think. Just back, not onboard for a few days, I`ll see if I can find id on it. The Owners Manual identifies the Bilge, Grey Water, and Fresh Water pumps, but not this one. We need the gennie to power it, with your solar you should be ok. with the inverter.