chain locker

The friendliest place on the web for anyone who enjoys boating.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

dosched

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 10, 2018
Messages
30
Location
USA
We have a 34' mainship MK I trawler and want to divide the forward chain locker into two parts. Looking for anyone who might have done something like this. Access from the v-berth is somewhat limited and I'm trying to figure out how to get something in there and then have it supported.
Thanks
 
We have a 34' mainship MK I trawler and want to divide the forward chain locker into two parts. Looking for anyone who might have done something like this. Access from the v-berth is somewhat limited and I'm trying to figure out how to get something in there and then have it supported.
Thanks

Do you have a design/plan? Take it to the yard for advice and implementation

I was surprised I could fit into my AT34. Once in, my thought was, ‘okay I’m in now how do I get out.’ LOL
Well, I did the work, maintained my ‘coolness’ and found it easier to get out.
 
My locker is divided into two sections. I’ve got 400 feet of chain in one side and 400 feet of rope in the other.
I didn’t do this, it came to me this way. Someone had put small eye screws (lots of them) where the wall would be, then laced it with twine. Works great, and you can see through it. Breathes well too.
 
screws

So up forward along the bow, they were screwed into the hull? I can see screwing them up and down along the bulkhead.
Thanks
 
So epoxy some 3/4" ply pieces to form anchor points along the ID of the hull curve.
Different application but I do that when running electrical cables although I use Sikaflex 291. Couple hours and it has set up enough to hold my ply bits.
 
So up forward along the bow, they were screwed into the hull? I can see screwing them up and down along the bulkhead.
Thanks

Just like c electric said, glue a piece of wood to the hull side where needed.
 
My chain locker is designed so that it drains into the bilge. A really bad design given the amount of sand and mud that usually comes up with the anchor rode. A long deck brush helps. We can squirt it with our precious fresh water. The real solution is a chain locker with a substantial overboard drain (probably 1 inch). Instead of spraying the chain as it comes up, I could spray it when piled in the locker. I might still have to spend an hour to clean it out once a year, but it would save me 20 minutes every time I pull anchor.
 
On a previous boat the bottom of the rope locker was below the waterline so it just drained into the bilge. I glassed a false bottom in and slanted it to one side. Drilled drain hole on that side. Worked great.

On our last boat the rope locker was huge and deep. I wanted a second rode so I glassed in a vertical divider. Made it out of plywood and glassed it in with strips of 1708 and thickened epoxy to make a fillet after coating the plywood with epoxy.
 
My chain locker is designed so that it drains into the bilge. A really bad design given the amount of sand and mud that usually comes up with the anchor rode. A long deck brush helps. We can squirt it with our precious fresh water. The real solution is a chain locker with a substantial overboard drain (probably 1 inch). Instead of spraying the chain as it comes up, I could spray it when piled in the locker. I might still have to spend an hour to clean it out once a year, but it would save me 20 minutes every time I pull anchor.

I think the real solution is a strong raw water washdown pump along with an overboard drain. You can wash the mud off with the raw water as the chain comes up, and later rinse the chain pile with freshwater.

You can't remove mud once the chain is in the locker.
 
I divided the rope locker on my GB36. I made a simple cardboard template & used it to cut a piece of 1/2” plywood to shape. I could not get the single piece through the locker door so I cut it in half; a fore/aft cut not top/bottom cut. Two pieces were much easier to handle. I then tabbed the pieces into place with some epoxy & ‘glad cloth. I just used what I had on hand. It may not have been the finest of workmanship but it was more than adequate. I was stowed 150’ of chain on one side w/room for more and 25’ of chain & 200’ of 5/8” anchor line in the other side. It was a fairly simple job although it was a bit awkward working thru the small locker door. It was probably 15 yrs ago so my memory is not perfect but I think I did it in two sessions. And I drilled 2 holes in the bottom section & fed the bitter end of each anchor line and knotted w/stopper not so as it to Lise the line it it started to run out. My current boat has a larger rope licker but a smaller door but I’ll be doing the same thing again as I like to keep two sets of ground tackle on the bow - a Manson & a Fortress.
 
anchor locker

Thank you for the reply and good luck doing it all over again!
 
Back
Top Bottom