Anchor locker

madmike · **Joined:** 06 Sep 2020 10:08 **Posts:** 111

The T 37 anchor locker, draining into the bilge, seems better suited to the sandy Bahamas bottom than the ubiquitous, sticky mud of San Francisco Bay. So far, we've used the anchor twice and clogged the bilge pump once.

The "smart thing to do" seems to be putting a floor in the anchor locker above the waterline and cutting a hole to drain directly overboard. I found some old posts here contemplating that idea, but no clear explanation of, "I did it this way, and it's great."

Has anyone tried it? Does it work or not?

Thanks again.
Mike

Maineiac · **Posted:** 21 Jan 2021 13:21

I have been procrastinating on getting it done, but there's photos here somewhere of an installation along those lines. God I hate working in the anchor locker.

Timshel · **Joined:** 29 Dec 2010 10:24 **Posts:** 192

Hi,when I got my 37 it had spent 20+ years in Chesapeake mud !It was all through the bilge. I made a cardboard template in the anchor locker,about 9”” below the access hatch,cut suitable ply then part cut it down the middle longitudinally ,bent it a little,then glassed it and thoroughly glassed around inside the locker,put a 1/2” through hull at the back,middle , and one through the hull just above the boot top line (sealing the core properly)
It works fine,bilge bone dry back to the mast.Also ,obviously rain etc also is gone.

madmike · **Joined:** 06 Sep 2020 10:08 **Posts:** 111

Thanks, Timshel.

Maybe I'm dense; I followed what you meant about cardboard, plywood, and glass. But "put a 1/2” through hull at the back,middle , and one through the hull" confuses me. There's one fitting through your piece of bent plywood and another through the hull? Are they connected with a hose?

Did you slope the plywood floor to direct water forward or aft? And did you bend the plywood like a V, to direct water to the centerline, or like an inverted V to direct it outboard? .

One last question: any worry about making the door from the V Berth watertight?

Timshel · **Joined:** 29 Dec 2010 10:24 **Posts:** 192

Yes,sloped it slightly to drain rearward ,a thru hull through at the low point,joined by quality hose to exit thru hull. I forgot to mention,I glassed in a 1 1/2” plastic tube in the rear,port side corner to run the anchor winch cables and nav light wire through. About a foot high.

Timshel · **Joined:** 29 Dec 2010 10:24 **Posts:** 192

The chain pile ( 200ft g4 5/16) never gets near the bulkhead,but I suppose the depends where your hawse pipe is. My boat had a poorly installed winch and hawse pipe,both allowing moisture into the core. Ripped it all out ,fixed it nicely from above then covered it with a sheet of treadmaster. Also,made a cardboard template of the underside and had a 1/2” sheet of alluminum water jet cut to fit,with a big cleat in front of the windlass salvaged from a swan 55.
The whole area is now rugged!,

madmike · **Joined:** 06 Sep 2020 10:08 **Posts:** 111

Outstanding. I've been nervous that once I laid everything out the drain location was going to be below the waterline. Good to know it's easier than that.

I'll post some photos here after we finish our version. Although it will take a while. There's some stuff, like kids and jobs, we still have to balance against boat projects.

Ex Hobie Sailor · **Posted:** 20 Mar 2021 19:03

Hi Mike,
Consider adding a salt water wash down pump to clean chain on the way up.
We have one...draws water from the Head Intake, Pump installed in Head Vanity, hoses plumbed to deck fitting near windless. No issues, and clean bilge !

puffcard · **Posted:** 21 Mar 2021 13:25

We have a saltwater pump under the galley sink, coming off engine intake. We send water to the old holding tank washdown hose with a 3-way valve. We put a quick hose disconnect on the deck. That gives us anchor washdown and switch the 3-way to wash out the holding tank. We also ran a SW line to the cockpit to a quick hose disconnect, for general cleaning, fish, baths and stuff. Also have a SW facet at the galley sink for dishes. The SW hose could also be used in firefighting from two locations.

madmike · **Joined:** 06 Sep 2020 10:08 **Posts:** 111

We also use the saltwater washdown with a quick-connect next to the holding tank pumpout. That also works well to rinse out the holding tank when we're at the pumpout station.

After modifying the anchor locker to drain overboard, it also seems like it'd be nice (when at the dock) to have a small hatch in the deck. Then it's easy to wash salt and residual mud off the chain. Trying to aim the hose through the hawsehole or drag a hose through the V-Berth to wash out the locker both seem lousy.

Timshel, did you include any access for washing out the anchor locker?

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Anchor locker

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