Above Deck Anchor Locker

I want to build an above the deck anchor locker and I am asking for advice on how to. I have a plan but I thought it would be best to ask the pro's here.

I have ample space on deck and it will accommodate two rodes for two anchors if I choose to add a second. I found a picture of a mount above deck on a GB 49 but I think this is only a pass through to a below deck anchor.

What I'm looking for is how to secure the top of the locker to the deck. That is where the windless will mount and I'm thinking angle brackets out of stainless top and bottom, or a pole with base bolts. I don't know the stress it will take and how to engineer for that.

How much and what type of rode do you plan on using?

That isn't an issue. I have both rodes lying on the deck at the V and there is plenty of room for a box. I have 2, 200' rodes with 100' of chain.

I think I'll use 19mm marine ply covered with several layers of cloth both sides epoxied of course and a 2" thick mahogany piece for the center where the windless bolts to. It will be held in place to the stem with a metal brace and the aft end also. then the sides will be secured to the deck.

I'll have two small hatches, one on each side, for access to the anchor rode. There will be water gutters around their openings so no water enters the locker.

At this point I'm installing a manual windless but plan for an electric when the budget is there.

Do you not have a chain locker? So all you're looking for is a place to put the second anchor? (I've got a similar project, but including storage for a wash-down hose, in mind...)

Without any drop you're going to have to hand coil the anchor line as it comes it.

What's the point of having it all on deck level?

CapBill,
Ever had an anchor rode stink? It's not nice. Happend to us on the return leg of a trip to Juneau from the Seattle area.

Capthead,
I'll post a veteran post pic this eve at home on the computer. Always intended to make a classy rode box but still use the temporary plastic box. Your chain being higher will raise your CG a bit though. Hopefully you have combo rodes.

The old anchor locker was a split locker and I have two rodes. I realize there will be an extra job of laying the rode in the new locker but that isn't going to be a deal killer. The area I'm talking about will accommodate much more rode than I have so storage isn't an issue.

I'm looking for building tips. How to make it strong enough.

Capthead,
I have an older pic that I've shown many times. Here is the new and latest ground tackle picture.

The box is just a cheap plastic affair but it's so thin I can get all of the over 400' of mostly 5/8ths line and even the modified Manson Supreme anchor inside the box. No anchor hanging over the stem and no bow pulpit. Nothing to damage the cap rail if I should bump a piling and minimal stuff on the bow to look through or around to see where I'm going or about to hit. The best of everything. Now if I only had a wash down system.

I mount the box (perhaps I should call it a chest to be nautical) on a thick (3/4") rubber pad and the whole thing is tightly held down w nylon line. Needs to be tight or it will walk around. I had a thin pice of rug under it at first but it didn't stay put. There are drain/vent holes in the bottom of the box. The box dosn't need to be hell for stout .. just fastened securely. It will be always wet.

Worried about strength? An easy way to get lots is to use McMaster-Carr's (and others', no doubt) sheets of structural fiberglass: McMaster-Carr. I've used this stuff in various thicknesses for all sorts of projects. It's a bear on tools; prepare to have your carbide blades sharpened. For exposed parts, I sand the stuff smooth and either coat it in epoxy and paint it, or simply sand it smooth and paint it. I join it with epoxy; depending upon judgement (not engineering). I simply glue it up, fillet the corners, or tab it together with 'glass. Y'gotta' not be so concerned about weight; wonderfully heavy.

Thanks for the tip on the frp panels DHeckrotte.

Certainly food for thought.

Nomad Willy said:

CapBill,
Ever had an anchor rode stink? It's not nice. Happend to us on the return leg of a trip to Juneau from the Seattle area.

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Sure but all you have to do is wash it and that problem is solved.

Capthead said:

The old anchor locker was a split locker and I have two rodes. I realize there will be an extra job of laying the rode in the new locker but that isn't going to be a deal killer. The area I'm talking about will accommodate much more rode than I have so storage isn't an issue.

I'm looking for building tips. How to make it strong enough.

Click to expand...

I think if you build it out of fiberglass and tab it in corrctly at the deck and top of the box it should be strong enough.

As I recall in the GB box you posted a picture of there is some bracing from the windlass mounting bolts to the deck.

If you have to do that it may interfere with the room you need for anchor road.

I think the OP was talking about mounting the windlass to the top of the box. What's a windlass for a GB42 rated at, maybe, 2200#? The box lid will also have to take full anchor pull. Couldn't guess how much that is. Figure the weakest link in the anchor rode and add a little? Anyway, big loads. Luckily most of the load is in shear + a little up load. Use the existing bulwarks and caprail to help take the shear loads, bolt it down to the deck. It shouldn't be that difficult to come up with something.
You do realize that with that short of distance for the rode to fall that you will have to be pushing the rode around in your box as the anchor is coming up? Make the hatches as large as you can or why not just leave it open topped. Make a acrilan cover you can snap on when you're not using it. I think that's what I'd do.

I built one of baltek airex foam with FRP over. You can see it at Boat Refurbishing - Bristol Trawler Restoration for an idea

I have the bulwarks stripped and soaked with epoxy gel coat. Interesting side note. CPES was soaked on the bulwarks and epoxy 2 part primer and paint over it. This was maybe 15 years ago. I strip it and where the seams are, it's made of legnths of boards nailed and glued on top of each other, the cpes didn't seal. I know cpes isn't a glue so thinking it would soak in and protect, it didn't.
I soaked in one coat port side. There are three starboard. It's going to have approx 50 mils of gel coat before I finish

This is the area where the anchor rode locker will go. I call it anchor locker but the anchor will be stored on the pulpit.

Capthead,
Now I'm actually getting the anchor in the locker too.

Capthead said:

This is the area where the anchor rode locker will go. I call it anchor locker but the anchor will be stored on the pulpit.

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Rode locker is a perfectly acceptable term.

CaptTom said:

Rode locker is a perfectly acceptable term.

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Or chain locker.

This is why I posted here. I knew someone would correct me in what I am actually building. Thanks and I stand corrected.

Now, fItor my chain/rode locker any suggestions? I'm getting close to starting the build. I sealed the inside where the hawse were and faired that. Then soaked in the epoxy gel coat. I still have three more coats for the port side and deck to go then layout the design.

It's the area where the windless sits on I could use suggestions.

I know britework is not my best suit at this point but believe me when I say I usually have the best looking in the marina and after this long everlasting project ever ends, it's my next. What's on there was put on in 1998 or 1999 but I think it was 98. I have no excuses. Just bought a house, moved off the boat and had house projects plus other commitments. Time marches on as they say.

How / where will the locker drain?

Always two options. I'm thinking overboard

We intstalled a bulkhead aft of the anchor locker . It's about 20 inches or so from the anchor locker. It sits on pads that keeps it off the deck . We can wash the rode down and it drains aft to a scupper . We usually just leave the rode in this area to dry out and hand feed it into the anchor locker when we want to store it away. But actually most of the time it's stored in this area out in the open .We also store a couple of hooters (fenders) here .

During the build .

Greetings,
Mr. PM. "Hooters"????? Hmmm...first time I've ever heard them called that. Er, um, fenders I mean.

RT Firefly said:

Greetings,
Mr. PM. "Hooters"????? Hmmm...first time I've ever heard them called that. Er, um, fenders I mean.

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We started this a long time ago. Anytime we see a boat cruising with their fenders tied on its "they got their hooters hanging out " .

I marked off an area I'm considering for the locker and the placement of the hawse. After looking at it I might shorten the depth a few inches.

I know the tape line doesn't follow the cap rail line and I will adjust to that line. Today and tomorrow will be over 80 and dry. All tape is off and more epoxy on. The rains are coming! The rains are coming!

Capthead,
You may want to consider making the back of the locker/bin straight accross. You may like to get closser to the stem. May not be of benefit at all though. The way you've drawn it is better looking. While working your ground tackle ow often will you be tempted to put your foot or feet inside the locker?
You could stow your anchor on top of the rode inside the locker and clean up the bow.