Protecting Paint System Inside Chainlocker

[KISS]

How do you prevent the paint system inside your chain locker from being damaged by a heavy chain rode/anchor? A simple doormat or the like could be tossed loose on the bottom, but what about the sides? I was thinking of fixing some kind of rubber grate type material, but not sure how best to make the attachment. All stainless plate in the chainlocker would be an elegant (albeit $$$) solution...

What do you do?

Or is the paint tough enough that you don't bother?

[natraps116]

You dont... ..... actually I have no idea. Mine just smashes into the white paint against white fiberglass so I don't really notice

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[Roy M]

I first install about 100-150 feet of 1/2" yellow floating polypropylene rope, secured at its bitter end to the inside of the locker. Then, either the bitter end of the all-chain rode or the conventional rope anchor line and terminal chain. The poly acts as a "nest" to keep the chain from scouring the interior of the locker, and keeps it well drained. But the best part is that if you ever have to "cut and run", you can come back later to locate the yellow tell-tale floating and waiting for recovery.

[thinwater]

It's just a chain locker.

[roverhi]

Hope you are not talking about a fiberglass boat!!!!! If it's a metal boat, a couple layers of epoxy paint should do the trick.

[KISS]

Originally Posted by roverhi

Hope you are not talking about a fiberglass boat!!!!!

Steel for me!

If it's a metal boat, a couple layers of epoxy paint should do the trick.

That works, very K.I.S.S.

...amazing how tough these coating are.

[Captndave1]

Get some pick-up truck bed liner coating from SCORPION Coatings, this stuff is tough as nails and all protect the locker for many years.

[wrwakefield]

Originally Posted by KISS

How do you prevent the paint system inside your chain locker from being damaged by a heavy chain rode/anchor? A simple doormat or the like could be tossed loose on the bottom, but what about the sides? I was thinking of fixing some kind of rubber grate type material, but not sure how best to make the attachment. All stainless plate in the chainlocker would be an elegant (albeit $$$) solution...

What do you do?

Or is the paint tough enough that you don't bother?

On my last 4 boats I used the rubber floor mat with holes in it. It is also available in the box stores in the US.

My goals in doing that were:

• Quiet down the chain locker
• Keep the chain from sitting in water/mud/gunk [sometimes I had to put 2 or 3 layers on the bottom to accomplish this- single layers on the sides...] I always fresh water rinse chain [after raw water blasting off mud during retrieval] to help prolong its life. This lets all the crud drain out of the locker, and allow all of the chain to air dry when conditions permit.
• Reduce possible damage to the chain locker in violent conditions

The chain keeps the matting in place on the sides. If I ever had a locker where the sides were too vertical, allowing the matt to flop over when the chain is deployed, I might epoxy some wood or G10 high in the locker so I could screw in some eyes for attaching the tops of the mats...

I also learned to zip tie any joints together...

Cheers!

Bill

[captmikem]

Treadmaster works great. Also, if you can get a traffic cone and place it correctly it will keep your chain from stacking up under the chain pipe.

Michael

[KISS]

Originally Posted by wrwakefield

The chain keeps the matting in place on the sides. If I ever had a locker where the sides were too vertical, allowing the matt to flop over when the chain is deployed, I might epoxy some wood or G10 high in the locker so I could screw in some eyes for attaching the tops of the mats...

But for a steel hull?

You could weld on some attachment points, of course, but that seems a little drastic.

Was considering magnets, but then the chain would stick too...

Can you put adhesives over top the paint, without damaging it?

Originally Posted by captmikem

Treadmaster works great. Also, if you can get a traffic cone and place it correctly it will keep your chain from stacking up under the chain pipe.

Michael

Clever, wouldn't have thought of that, thanks.

[hellosailor]

Pickup bed liner, +1. Just redo when or as needed.


If you put in a "mat" of any kind, it will trap moisture under it, bad idea. I've seen "door mats" used as protectors on boats. Not the usual kind, but the old fashioned kind that are made from cut-up tires on metal links, so they are really only half there (so to speak) and you get gobs ventilation as well as impact protection. No idea what the proper name of those is, or who sells them anymore.

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by thinwater

It's just a chain locker.

Steel. Got it.

Something like a bed liner sounds right. At work were had similar epoxy linings we used for abrasion resistance. Should last a LONG time with chain. The key will be proper priming.

[Cheechako]

I never worried about it much, but to keep the chain ventilated and less damp I used Dri Dek in the locker bottom on a couple boats that had more area and a flatter bottom. I just let it curl up the sides for a few inches also.
Damn stuff was cheap when it first came out, a bit expensive now but you don't need much.
https://www.zoro.com/deck-mat-modula...Q&gclsrc=aw.ds

[rwidman]

I never considered the paint in the anchor locker, I think mine is fiberglass.

Of all the suggestions posted, I think truck bed liner would be the best by far. I had my pickup truck bed done in 2003 (Line X) and it's still in great shape. No chips, no cracks.

Be careful not to block the drain(s).

[Comix Bay]

Line-X for sure, professionally painted, and if you leave the decal in place is guaranteed for life I believe!! People are even using it for painting camper and trailer tops these days. Like the traffic cone idea.