Chain Locker Drain and Rode Spool inside Locker

[resilientg]

Hi there,

Question one...

is there any reason why a chain locker drain cant be under the water line and have a vent placed on the hull with the opening to the stern to prevent water coming in whilst moving?

I'm asking because my next project is to get the anchor locker sorted and the winch etc installed so i am thinking about the drainage and how i can make it accessible.

One option is that i build a removable box in the locker for the chain to fall into, put the drain in the bottom of it and run the drain hose from that box back under the forward berth to a shut off valve and a skin fitting?

My thinking is that would give me easy access to the valve, plus if i need to remove the box for any reason i can lift out the chain, then undo the hose at the shut off valve, then lift box and hose out in one piece.

What are you thoughts?

Second Question....

I would also like to use the available space in the top of the chain locker for a rode on a spool that i can pull out when needed but also have some way for it to retract once its done with. I know that i could use a small electric winch type system like of the front of a small boat trailer, but I'm open for other options that you guys may have or have heard of.

It doesn't have to be an off the shelf item, i can hand fabricate just about anything if i have a picture or an idea of what to follow.

Thanks once again in advance for you time

Matthew

[micah719]

The locker drain I've heard of before, and was planning something similar

The rode on a spool...now that's neat and tidy.

Does your windlass have a configuration where you could fix some kind of connector from the gypsy shaft to the spool shaft, with the spool frame lockable to the deck...that way you can use your anchor windlass to spool up your line in one go without having another electric doodad. If there's any load on the spool it would have to be quite solid, though. Just a thought...

p.s. and an afterthought.....a throughhull that far forward rings alarm bells in my mind. Considered running the hose aft and teeing it into some existing throughhull (not a cockpit drain)?

All the best....

[SabreKai]

Given that the chain locker is a box under the deck and usually ahead of the bulkhead at the end of the vee berth, and never seen, I'd be very wary of an additional hole in the bottom. Especially one as out of sight and out of mind as that.

[resilientg]

All of the above reasons are why that i want to bring it outside of the chain-locker.

My idea being that i would like to runa hose from the base of the chain-locker box, back towards the back of the boat the one bulkhead that seperates the vee berth from the chainlocker and have it exit the hull in that location.

that way i can access the valve under the vee berth quite easily, the only downside is that at that location the valve will be under the waterline. Hence my previous thoughts on adding a clam vent over it outside the hull with the opening facing backwards to prevent water getting forced in whilst moving.