Filling Bottom of Anchor Locker

[sailorboy1]

My recent battle of removing a rusted ball of anchor chain out of my anchor locker has me thinking.

The drain holes on my locker aren't right at the bottom of the locker (no am not interested in drilling more holes). So there is going to be water pooling in it and that becomes a corrosion issue with any chain sitting in it. I feel it is worth the effort and money to fill it in and am wondering the best combo of cost effectiveness and ease.

Whatever is used needs to be easy to lay in from the top and shape to fit. And it has to be something that wouldn't plug up the drain hole and still allow water to drain.

Possible choice that come to mind:

- fill the low spot with some cheap polyester etc. rope

- fill with sand/gravel to bottom of the drain holes and then pour resin on it.

- use spray foam to fill

BTW - we are talking a triangular space about 6" on side and 1-2" depth. It will be hard for me to go head first into the locker and work easy due to fat man hanging headfirst in deep locker syndrome.

[jamhass]

Why fill? How about making a shelf out of starboard, etc, drill with lots of holes for drainage. Easily removable for cleaning.

[sailorboy1]

Well a google search for "waterproof void filler material" produced mostly spray foam results. So ..................... why shouldn't I use it?

[Pete7]

Just stick a layer of rubber mat with holes in. Will keep the chain off the bottom.

Pete

[cofc]

The consensus on other sailing boards seems to be using perforated rubber matting material (like what’s on the floors of restrooms at pools) to keep the chain above the drain hole. Then you don’t have to worry about if there’s water in there or not.

[cofc]

Hey! Too fast

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by Pete7

Just stick a layer of rubber mat with holes in. Will keep the chain off the bottom.

Pete

I have considered this and have 3 dri-deck sections I got the other day for it. But am not locked into the solution.

[Nicholson58]

12x12 rubber mats cut to fit

Starboard or other plastic or teak cut to fit with drain slots etc

[davenrino]

Originally Posted by jamhass

Why fill? How about making a shelf out of starboard, etc, drill with lots of holes for drainage. Easily removable for cleaning.

That's what I did.

[amanoni]

I used an old milk crate and cut it to a triangle . The chain and rode now sit atop that to drain, and to stay as dry as possible

[SVTwilight]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

I have considered this and have 3 dri-deck sections I got the other day for it. But am not locked into the solution.

We have used several layers of drideck for years. Works great, never rots.

Still have to pull it out occasionally to remove mud and gunk…

[toddster8]

The drideck stuff is probably easiest, but I used a piece of fiberglass grate, leftover from my bilge grate project. Small pieces available on eBay for not too much. It's strong and can be cut and shaped and epoxied (e.g. into 3D shapes) easily.

[tilostahl]

I cut some styrofoam to shape as a filler at the bottom, and a rubber mat on top of that to protect the styrofoam (you don't want it to break down and spread little foam cells all over the marina or the ocean).

[Fore and Aft]

I have used kitty litter on a really deep funny shaped anchor locker. Then polyester resin on top until it almost reaches the drain hole, then the last half inch was white flo coat. We did it that because it was cheap and the access was hard through a very small anchor locker lid.
Cheers

[sailorboy1]

Well I did the dri-deck as I did already have as I got yesterday just for this. Didn't even have to go head first into the locker. Cut them into and dropped them in and moved around with a mop handle. Not like they had to sit in there all pretty like. I may add more layers later as even though I put enough in so the chain is above the holes it isn't above the rust line left yesterday after getting the rusted chain ball out.

thanks