Drying Rode Before Stowing

[Knot Salted]

Hi All,

I have always cleaned and laid out the combination rode on the fore deck to dry before dropping into the locker. The PO suggested this, and it has prevented any odors.

Moving to a windlass with direct deposit into the locker makes me wonder if I will have issues.

My question then is, with a horizontal set-up that I prefer, is there a way to:
easily divert the rode from the line guides while still using the windlass to do the pulling;
or reverse it back out after securing the anchor;
..other?

Is there a better way if using a vertical windlass?

Thank you for any help or advice!

 

[aboatman]

I have never dried the (combination) rode before storing, the windlass drops it right into the locker. I have not had an odor problem from a wet rode.

Most windlasses are designed to do this so I expect many people do as I do without problems. Why not try it and see how it goes?

 

[Comodave]

I don’t dry mine either. If you don’t already have a grid in the bottom of the rope locker, you might install one to help speed drying and let the water drain out easier.

 

[Knot Salted]

Both good thoughts. I have spent a fair amount of head (brain) time concocting vent fans and new hardware... I wondered about most going in wet due to windlass design, and had considered putting in a grid of sorts. The drain is ample in my locker, so I will do it and see how we sleep in the Vee!

Thanks guys. I'll give the imagination up to something hopefully more productive!

 

[Comodave]

I would give it a try. If needed you could install a passive vent or even a solar powered vent to extract air from the rope locker.

 

[dhays]

I also suggest some type of grid on the bottom to keep the rode off the bottom and away from the drain. All my boats have had a hatch over the locker so it is easy to just leave the hatch open to let the rode dry on those 2 days it isn’t raining.

Rinsing the rode and anchor locker when you have access to fresh water takes care of the odor problems.

 

[AKDoug]

I wash my rode out when I strip the anchor gear at the end of the season, otherwise no... The tension on the line from the windlass seems to squeeze all of the water out of the rode, I have never had any water in my anchor locker. I would be much more concerned about water coming in the chain port from waves (or rain, depending on design) than from the nylon rode itself.

I anchor regularly, sometimes several times a day, so smell has never been an issue either.

 

[FF]

Anchoring O'nite seldom causes stinky line.

Anchor for a bunch of days and marine life will find the line , attach, then stink when it dies , as the line drys out.

 

[Shrew]

Our previous boat had 30' of chain and the rest was line. We didn't dry it out. If there was excessive mud or slime, we'd pull it out and hit it with a hose, then stick it back in the locker again.

Our current boat has around 130' of chain backed by line that never sees the sun. We don't dry the chain and it drips all over the line. The line is usually damp when I stick my hand in there. no problems with odor.

I have a raw water and a freshwater washdown. If the chain comes in muddy or slimy it gets hit with the rawwater washdown, since that has much greater water pressure.

I do remove the entire anchor rode once per season (every 6 months) and completely rinse the chain with freshwater. I wash the anchor line along with boat and dock lines in woolite and let them all dry completely.

 

[Knot Salted]

Thank you all for great information and advice.