I want to elevate my anchor windlass, which is now mounted flat on the foredeck, to prevent mud that remains (despite chain-washing) spoiling my sometime-to-be replaced teak foredeck. Photos 1 and 2 show the current arrangement.
I have in mind building a fibreglass box with a raised containment edge and mounting the windlass on this, perhaps on a stainless pan. I've seen this done on other boats....see photos 3, 4 and 5 below.The raised box would be around 5" (130mm) above the deck; about 13" (320mm) wide;and about 39" (1m) long. Its containment pan would drain both forward over the bow roller and via a couple of small surface drains, into the chain locker below.
Before I talk with my favourite boat-builder about this job, I'd be interested in comments about how best to go about this. The existing foredeck teak is screwed down and is worn thin, too thin to re-groove...but it doesn't leak. Despite the absence of leaks, I am assuming there must be areas of core moisture/saturation under this thin teak. I also think the area under the windlass and chain guide are particularly high-probability core- moisture areas. So I'm thinking the teak under the proposed containment box should be taken up and the top layer of 'glass stripped out and the core replaced, with the containment box (which would be fabricated off-boat) then 'glassed onto/over the new core...what do you think?
And then within the containment box, we'll need to provide a solid mount for the windlass (as the top of the box alone won't be strong enough. Do folks agree....and if yes, how best to do this?
Thanks in advance for helping me think this through.
(NOTE: ignore the redundant deck fills visible in the photos; these will be removed. And the two chalk lines visible in photo 1 at the aft end of the proposed box area, just indicate the top and base of the box, which would angle down to the deck at the rear and be slab-sided on the two longitudinal sides.)
I have in mind building a fibreglass box with a raised containment edge and mounting the windlass on this, perhaps on a stainless pan. I've seen this done on other boats....see photos 3, 4 and 5 below.The raised box would be around 5" (130mm) above the deck; about 13" (320mm) wide;and about 39" (1m) long. Its containment pan would drain both forward over the bow roller and via a couple of small surface drains, into the chain locker below.
Before I talk with my favourite boat-builder about this job, I'd be interested in comments about how best to go about this. The existing foredeck teak is screwed down and is worn thin, too thin to re-groove...but it doesn't leak. Despite the absence of leaks, I am assuming there must be areas of core moisture/saturation under this thin teak. I also think the area under the windlass and chain guide are particularly high-probability core- moisture areas. So I'm thinking the teak under the proposed containment box should be taken up and the top layer of 'glass stripped out and the core replaced, with the containment box (which would be fabricated off-boat) then 'glassed onto/over the new core...what do you think?
And then within the containment box, we'll need to provide a solid mount for the windlass (as the top of the box alone won't be strong enough. Do folks agree....and if yes, how best to do this?
Thanks in advance for helping me think this through.
(NOTE: ignore the redundant deck fills visible in the photos; these will be removed. And the two chalk lines visible in photo 1 at the aft end of the proposed box area, just indicate the top and base of the box, which would angle down to the deck at the rear and be slab-sided on the two longitudinal sides.)
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