Cordless Pressure Washer for Anchor Wash?

[Dockhead]

We had a built-in anchor wash pump in our last boat which we miss very much in this one. It was not only good for washing the chain as it comes in but also for washing the deck and other tasks.

I actually bought an anchor wash pump kit to install in this boat, but then never got around to installing it, and then repurposed the pump from it as an emergency water supply pump when that one failed without a spare on board.

Now I think I don't need yet another installed system on board, yet I periodically have a problem bringing up a chain covered with gloopy mud, which requires someone to wield a bucket, very quickly.

Now cordless pressure washers have appeared on the market -- quite compact and inexpensive. Maybe that would serve for this? Weight the end of the intake hose and put it in the water?

Would this work? Anyone doing this?

[Mike OReilly]

Funny you should ask about this b/c I thought the same, and have just bought one. I haven’t even tried it yet, but might play with it today. My only question is whether the lift pump will be strong enough to get water up to the bow, or whether I’ll need a bucket. The sprayer certainly seem plenty strong enough.

[tillco]

I bought one to clean an apartment balcony - works alright, was able to clean concrete so should work fine on anchor chain.

The battery doesn’t last but ~30 min or so but for the purposes you’re describing it would be fine. Definitely will need to add weight to the end; we always put it in a 5 gallon bucket, but it would pull water the whole length of the cord easily (and from a height sometimes of 4-6 feet).

Here’s the one I had - https://www.lowes.com/pd/Kobalt-40V-...her/5013699653

[leecea]

We have a Ryobi 18v cordless power washer for cleaning the chain/anchor. A few observations:

1. At home we have a cheap 110v AC pressure washer that has far more power, so don't expect too much from the cordless models.

2. Getting it primed with water works best if you hold the unit at deck level. Once primed I can stand up and hold it normally, but ours wouldn't prime when I was standing. My guess is that our bow is about 5' off the water.

3. Where we are the water is brackish and I run about 1/2 gallon of fresh water through after use. We've probably used it 20 times and it still runs fine.

4. I would prefer a proper washdown but this is much better than a bucket.

[Mike OReilly]

So, I just tried ours for the first time. Seemed to work as advertised. I was able to draw salt water up from the water, which is about 5’ down at the bow. Took about 10 seconds, but it came. I can certainly see how priming would be easier on the pump.

Once I got water, I got pressure. With the tightest nozzle setting, I was able to get pretty decent pressure. Certainly not AC-power level, but definitely good enough to clean the chain. It would struggle with thick mud on the anchor, so I’d have to kick that off, but it would certainly clean any mud/gunk residue from chain and anchor.

Mine feels a bit awkward to manage at the bow, but it’s going to be way better than dumping buckets of water, as I used to do.

Mine is a Simoniz brand, 20 volt battery. Claims 700 psi, which I kinda doubt, but seems sufficient for the job.

If I get a chance to try it for real, I’ll report back.

[SailFastTri]

Originally Posted by leecea

We have a Ryobi 18v cordless power washer for cleaning the chain/anchor. A few observations:

1. At home we have a cheap 110v AC pressure washer that has far more power, so don't expect too much from the cordless models.

2. Getting it primed with water works best if you hold the unit at deck level. Once primed I can stand up and hold it normally, but ours wouldn't prime when I was standing. My guess is that our bow is about 5' off the water.

3. Where we are the water is brackish and I run about 1/2 gallon of fresh water through after use. We've probably used it 20 times and it still runs fine.

4. I would prefer a proper washdown but this is much better than a bucket.

Good tips. Thanks.
I just bought the Ryobi 18v last week for washing down bird poop etc. We have a built-in washdown pump using sea water for the anchor. I’m not keen on washing the deck with salt water (unless a strong rain is expected). My boat lives on a mooring or at anchor so we conserve fresh water, but I like your idea of using the bucket of fresh water for a final rinse of the Ryobi. (Some of the negative product reviews mention internal rust, so I will try to run it empty for a second or two before putting it away.)

[grantmc]

I've borrowed a friends cordless washer. They're cheap and reasonably effective, but nothing like the power of an engine driven or even mains powered washer.

But hey, when you're out on a mooring or at anchor, as I was at that moment of need, they're a handy tool. Plus take up much less space, and when at a dock, can be used with a fresh water hose.

[thinwater]

I live in a sticky mud area, and I've found that I can usually get nearly all of it off (except for the impacted bits on the anchor that I remove with a long-handled scraper with a plastic blade) by hauling the anchor up until it is at short scope and letting the waves and motion work on it. Short enough that all of the chain is well off the bottom. I may have to wait 5-10 minutes, but it's dead easy. The more chop the faster it works.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by thinwater

I live in a sticky mud area, and I've found that I can usually get nearly all of it off (except for the impacted bits on the anchor that I remove with a long-handled scraper with a plastic blade) by hauling the anchor up until it is at short scope and letting the waves and motion work on it. Short enough that all of the chain is well off the bottom. I may have to wait 5-10 minutes, but it's dead easy. The more chop the faster it works.

That's what I generally do, since other than hauling up buckets of seawater, that's the only variant, in the absence of some kind of washdown.



I find this very unsatisfactory, however, especially if it's windy and don't have the luxury of hanging around waiting for the mud to fall off. Also, if a lot of chain is out, this has to be done in stages, which can be very time consuming.


I am encouraged by the comments on this thread and think I may give one of these devices a whirl. I don't know how they will hold up in seawater, and I guess some kind of strainer would be a good idea, but these are so cheap that there's not much to lose if it goes wrong.

[Dockhead]

A light bulb just went off in my head -- I installed a fresh water toilet in my after heads last year, and like it so much that I might install another one of the same in my forwards heads this year. These can run on fresh or sea water selectively if you provide a pressurized seawater source. This might be desirable sometime when fresh water is short. The very same pump could supply both toilets AND a washdown pump, and if I replace the forward toilet I'll have a free through-hull for the intake and even a free anti-siphon loop.


Hmmmm.

[OldManMirage]

I also bought one of the Ryobi 18v handhelds. I've played with it around the house a bit and I feel it will do the job of getting gunk off the anchor and chain ok.

My thought was - since I'll have a couple of jerry jugs of fresh water near the bow anyway - was that I would occasionally, as water supply permits, give the anchor and chain and general bow area a fresh water spritz.

And I think I would always give the sprayer a quick flush through with fresh water after using salt or brackish water. I'm sure it will help with its longevity.

[s/v Jedi]

Ryobi 1,800psi corded pressure washer for $99. Extension high pressure hose that can reach everything. Small like a carry toolbox.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/RYOBI-18...1802/317623149

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

That's what I generally do, since other than hauling up buckets of seawater, that's the only variant, in the absence of some kind of washdown.



I find this very unsatisfactory, however, especially if it's windy and don't have the luxury of hanging around waiting for the mud to fall off. Also, if a lot of chain is out, this has to be done in stages, which can be very time consuming.


I am encouraged by the comments on this thread and think I may give one of these devices a whirl. I don't know how they will hold up in seawater, and I guess some kind of strainer would be a good idea, but these are so cheap that there's not much to lose if it goes wrong.

And that is why I'm following the thread.


The first refinery I worked at we often had pressure wash-down needs where there was no plumbed water. We would drop a sump pump in even a small creek to feed a power washer. Very effective, and solved the priming problem. Because the creeks were shallow, we would place the pump inside a bucket with holes, and we had a good sized fine strainer for sand. You could do the same on the boat, using a tiny 12 V bilge pump and skipping the strainer and bucket.


I really dislike pressure washers around wood, caulked seams and bedding, but that is a separate issue. Always the potential for serious unseen destruction.


I've always felt that a scraper worked best for anchors. No splash, very fast, just a few strokes. The key is a ~ 2-3' wooden handle and a ~ 1/8" thick plastic blade. The same scraper is occasionally used on the bottom, when the antifouling is overdue.

[anotherT34C]

Oh cool idea. I knew there was a reason I procrastinated installing an anchor wash down pump. Ordered.

Beats a super soaker.

[Wayne Gilham]

You neeeeed a self-filling bucket! Makes it so easy to pull water up to deck...

Davis Instruments used to sell these, but not anymore... make your own! Cut bottom out of any plastic bucket, but leave a 1 inch shelf all the way around. Find 1/8 inch flat-sheet rubber, cut larger than the hole, and install to shelf with two pop-rivets about two inches apart, to make a hinged edge. Throw bucket into water, flap will open and bucket sinks, then when you pull bucket up with rope attached to bail handle, flap closes and bucket comes up full.