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Terra Nova · 04-11-2015, 16:18

Chain does not go over a hatch.

Nicholson58 · 05-11-2015, 16:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by Don C L

So I am guessing the chain went down a pipe next to the mast and then how was it pulled aft in the 18" pipe?

Chain runs from the bow roller to the windlass and then down a vertical pipe for storage. The pipe is large enough to be the storage. A roller at the top would let gravity pull the chain from the windlass. This moves both the windlass and the chain amid-ship. I have also heard of this done in a purpose built vertical locker instead of the pipe.

This is a project I consider for our boat. 1700 # of chain and 121 # anchor with 100 # windlass all in the bow & high.

TheThunderbird · 08-11-2015, 02:30

I split my chain, 60% in forward locker, 40% in a box positioned some 2m aft
I am reasonably happy
Maybe the result is just marginal, but it helps me think that I have done something :-)

Chains are Bad Beasts, dangerous and tricky. Need respect, no handling, and no particular expectation about the way they should behave

CHM · 27-11-2015, 17:23

I have 150' of 3/8 chain in the forward anchor and 300' of line behind it. I see the benefit in trying to distribute the weight but as mentioned, the chain can really tear up the topside and the boat sails fine as designed. I have. 43' Oceanis.

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GILow · 03-02-2016, 15:57

Reading Uncivilised's post on the split anchor lockers I realise this has two huge advantages for me. We have 100 meters of chain, but I nearly always anchor in about 5 meters of water.

Our current chain locker is right up at the bow and has excellent drainage. So I shall leave it, fit the pipe and cap arrangement he describes, and use a gravity feed option to store about 70 meters in a new locker behind and below the forward bulkhead. The cap can be hinged from so that the weight of the chain hanging into the rear locker keeps it closed, but should I need more than 30 meters of chain in a hurry, the cap should swing open and allow the chain to be payed out.

This way normal use of the chain will use the standard gravity drains in the forward locker, and when I use longer lengths I will drain the rear locker into the shower sump, which is immediately behind and below where I will build the rear locker.

Looking forward to building all this.

Matt

**Don C L** · 03-02-2016, 17:45

Send photos when you get started!

GILow · 03-02-2016, 17:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by Don C L

Send photos when you get started!

Will do. And thank you for the pointer to this thread.

Snowpetrel · 03-02-2016, 20:44

Hi Matt, snow petrels locker was only happy with about 40 meters in it, so the other 30 meters stowed aft. It had a black poly pipe run from near the bottom into the aft locker. The chain was pulled aft by hand, a bit of an excercise, but it worked fine with a bit of planning and time. All the chain could fit in either location so offshore (real offshore, not Sydney-Hobart coastal stuff) I'd pull it all aft.

My locker was basically watertight, so the small amount of drainage went into a container in the bilge.

In your case the hole for the chain probably should be up at the top of the bulkhead to minimise the flooding potential. A trailer roller can be used to feed it smoothly up from the bottom of the chain locker.

A anchor winch switch near the aft locker wouldn't be a bad idea so you can haul and stow it on your own.

Something like a big strong plastic box would work for storing it aft, with a heavy plywood lid and strong lashdowns.

Whatever you use should be able to collect the water so it doesn't mess up your nice clean bilge.

A mates using heavy 90mm stormwater pipe, with the access plates to run his chain through. Not a bad idea.

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RaymondR · 03-02-2016, 21:03

Chain will run easily down through black poly water pipe if the pipe is not much larger than the cross section of the chain links. My hawse pipe goes almost straight down from the winch for about four feet then curves into about seven feet of almost horizontal before dropping into the chain locker in the bilge. Have to flake it out to stow it but it runs down the poly pipe and spills out quiet readily. There is a winch control down there so I can manage it single handed.

GILow · 03-02-2016, 21:45

Here's what I am currently thinking. Snowpetrel, I have not factored in your good suggestion about the hole for the chain and pipe being high on the bulkhead, so modify the current drawing in your head to bring the pipe up to closer to the top of the existing chain locker.

Interested in the suggestion of using poly pipe, much stronger than PVC and not likely to shatter.

The locker aft of the bulkhead would probably be best fully built in, fibreglass and plywood. I am actually looking at the drawing and wondering if it could become another water-tight bulkhead of sorts, wouldn't hurt from a safety perspective.

Edit: another thought in all this is would it be pretty easy and practical to adjust how much chain was in each locker as part of your forward planning. If you knew how much chain you were likely to need at your next PLANNED anchorage, you would leave just that much in the top locker, and feed the rest through to the lower locker. And if it turns out you need more, there is no problem pulling it through from the lower locker, just as there is no problem letting gravity feed it through to the lower locker when you are stowing the chain. I already have pretty clear length markers on the chain (all of which have to be removed for the regalvanising process) so working out when to stop feeding the chain to the lower locker would be simple enough.

Matt

Terra Nova · 03-02-2016, 22:04

Seems an awful lot of complication for such a negligible relocation.

banjoship · 03-02-2016, 22:24

Matt
That hinged cap will compromise the whole boat. Water will come in from your hatch to your current anchor locker and hawse pipe. I suggest you keep your current locker completely waterproof from the rest of your boat às it is.
More considered còmmènt later
Lee

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GILow · 03-02-2016, 23:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by Terra Nova

Seems an awful lot of complication for such a negligible relocation.

Do you think it is negligible? Nearly 6 feet lower and four feet further back feels like it would make some measurable difference when dealing with such weights. I was quite surprised by how much higher the bow is sitting without the chain but I suppose I could put the chain back in the proposed location and see what happens first...

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