How to Keep Sea Water from going Down the Anchor Chain Hole?

[gjordan]

If you dont have a drain, even the best galvanized chain will turn into a ball of rust from sitting in a salt puddle. When your chain is all in, you cant even see how much water is in the bottom of the locker. It is best if you can build a grate of some type to keep the chain up out of that last little bit of water that tends to sit in the bottom. Sometimes old threads are good to renew for the people that didnt see it years ago. ____Grant.

[zeehag]

mine has a pro[per hawse with cover. not difficult to install. place cover on it when sailing, and in rain.
another methiod is reverse clamshell vent.. but how to put the rode into the hole.....oops


another method is remive anchor locker and keep rode on deck.

another solution is , as your anchor locker drains into bilges, i presume, as the question seeks prevention, install a larger bilge pump, make it automatic and clean bilge occasionally of the steenky stuff that comes in with anchor--i throw vinegar onto my chain when i need to put into anchor locker without thorough cleaning. it works.

i have noticed many production boats have bow lockers with drains in bows--as did my ericson 35..... water can come in this way. not much. it also departs from boat well via this hole, as long as said hole is clear and functional.
seidelmann 37 with a fail point in hull-deck connection allowed much water into bilges-- the pump removed it successfully.
vinegar is a help in any anchor locker as it prevents steeeenk and corrosion from salt water. novel concept.

[brianlara 3]

I'm known to be a little slow so humour me will you Ma'am ?
" remove the anchor locker and leave it on deck"....so, raise rhe windlass up 3 feet & mount it on a frame ??
Right, so the mud & seaweed & critters would eventually wash overboard via the scuppers !
Wouldn't work for me, having only aluminum toe rails.

[zeehag]

Originally Posted by brianlara 3

I'm known to be a little slow so humour me will you Ma'am ?
" remove the anchor locker and leave it on deck"....so, raise rhe windlass up 3 feet & mount it on a frame ??
Right, so the mud & seaweed & critters would eventually wash overboard via the scuppers !
Wouldn't work for me, having only aluminum toe rails.

elimination of anchor locker and making deck intact and flat
does not present optimal cruise friendly option. yet folks have done that.
buying and installing perko or abi hawse with cap is easiest option.
many do this.
installing higher output bilge pumps is also a successful option.

goodluck.

i donot know if you have taken boat out into heavy seas. usually ingress via anchor hawse is minimal. bilge pumps relieve boat of the water or it flows out via the now useless hole in bow made by manufacturers of said boat. water does not flow uphill without pumping it.