Anchor Lockers II

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Anchor Lockers

Photos by Ralph Naranjo

1. When a boat is floating at rest, an anchor locker drain should be able to shed all water in the locker. Residual water evaporates, but it leaves the salt behind. The brine combines with the sulfur-laden bottom residue, creating a galvanic reaction and a puddle of rust. Even on this new boat, anchored only a few times, water trapped in the anchor well has already becoming a chemistry experiment.

2. An anchor locker lid that is an alloy framed deck hatch has a better chance of creating a watertight seal than the typical gasketed lids. In this case, however, the chain fall is mere inches before the chain has to bend at a right angle as it drops into the locker. Both chain stripping and castling will likely be an issue.

3. Loose- fitting hatches and mediocre gaskets invite moisture below. Some 4. vessels (like the Tartan in picture 4) have a gutter around the perimeter of the hatch to lead water to a drain. This setup won’t keep leaks at bay during a heavy-weather beat to windward. Add wiring—like the setup on the Jenneau/Beneteau in picture 3­—to the flood zone, and it’s a good idea to make sure that the windlass breaker is located elsewhere and is turned off.

5. This cable-tied chain rode is a perfect example of how an all-chain rode should never be secured. In an emergency, the anchor rode could not be quickly or easily slipped. Attaching the chain to a shackle and 20 feet of rope secured by bowlines allows for a much quicker escape as crew can slip the knots or cutaway the line from the deck, rather than having to scramble around in a locker.

Darrell Nicholson
Practical Sailor has been independently testing and reporting on sailboats and sailing gear for more than 50 years. Its independent tests are carried out by experienced sailors and marine industry professionals dedicated to providing objective evaluation and reporting about boats, gear, and the skills required to cross oceans. Practical Sailor is edited by Darrell Nicholson, a long-time liveaboard sailor and trans-Pacific cruiser who has been director of Belvoir Media Group's marine division since 2005. He holds a U.S. Coast Guard 100-ton Master license, has logged tens of thousands of miles in three oceans, and has skippered everything from pilot boats to day charter cats. His weekly blog Inside Practical Sailor offers an inside look at current research and gear tests at Practical Sailor, while his award-winning column,"Rhumb Lines," tracks boating trends and reflects upon the sailing life. He sails a Sparkman & Stephens-designed Yankee 30 out of St. Petersburg, Florida. You can reach him at darrellnicholson.com.