Anchor locker drain design

[ArmySailor]

I have a leak from the chain locker that goes under the V-berth, under the forward water tank, around the mast step, then into the bilge near stern. It's frequently full of anchoring sludge, which gets dragged under my cabin sole leaving a trail of Chesapeake mud. Eu de Chesapeake, indeed.

This leak is due to 3 things going into the chain locker wall - forward water tank fill hose, green grounding wire, and the previous attempt at an anchor locker drain hose that goes towards stern...which the previous owner put into a milk jug sitting in the bilge so he could toss muddy water out separate from regular bilge water. See photos.

These 3 things were caulked (mystery stuff) through the fiberglass bulkhead that separates the chain locker from the rest of my boat. It leaks and I want to stop it.

I'm going to seal this sucker up by glassing it securely on both sides. But how do I drain the locker safely? I do *not*want another hole in the boat outside using a thruhull. Besides, the anchor locker bottom appears to be below waterline.

a) I can rerun the ground wire, easy
b) I can reroute the water fill hose to forward tank, I think
c) how do I design the anchor drain?

Should I glass in a hose connection to connect a drain hose to go to the bilge and continue with the milk jug method to collect mud water? How do other designs handle this?

Photo is attached.

Separate question, for anybody skilled with teak or who have down cabin sole work:

I'd like to regularly inspect the flat bilge area underneath the cabin sole, forward of the mast. Is it possible to remove 4 of the teak boards and form into a removable inspection hatch? I'm no woodworker, so this may be something I need to hire out Anybody ever attempt anything like that? How hard is it? There is a hatch exactly like I want but it is aft of the mast.
I'm sort of obsessed with being able to regularly access / inspect things.


-Gene

[Cheechako]

"Wash down pump" :>)

[J Clark H356]

I’d FULLY glass it in, raise the bottom above the waterline and put in two above water line thru hull drains out the side. That’s how my Hunter 356 works and you eliminate the problem. Get a washdown pump and spray the rode/chain as it comes up. Keeps it cleaner, but you can clean periodically by washing out. Put your penetrations through higher than water and seal them well.

[Chotu]

J Clark has the right solution here.

Anchor tackle should never be part of the bilge or living area.

[jstevens]

RE: Adding hatches in the cabin sole.

Here's a link to the hatches I added several years ago. The biggest issue was locating the stringers under the sole so there was something to support the hatches. In a few cases I had to add hatch support. I used a boat yard to make the cutout, then finished the hatches myself. The key tool was an oscillating cutter (Fein, Bosch, or other) for precise control of the depth of cut and to make cuts flush with cabin furniture.

Storage

John