Anchor Locker on Cape Dory 25D; Water drainage

[Sea Hunt Video]

The other day I was doing some limited maintenance on S/V Bali Ha'i. One of the items I had neglected for several/many months ( ) was to carefully inspect, clean, etc. the two anchors in my anchor locker.

When I removed the anchors (the chains and rodes are old and in poor condition as I knew from my pre-purchase inspection) I found a teak ( ) grate at the bottom of the anchor locker. It appears this was installed by Cape Dory or a PO to keep the anchors, chains and rodes out of rain water and/or sea water that enters the anchor lockers. It appears to be very well made and has a wing nut that secures it in place.

This anchor locker "water entry" is the genesis of my questions.

As documented in another post, I remain in search of the source of water intrusion on S/V Bali Ha'i that finds its way to the bilge. I have checked several possible sources so far and have had limited to no success in locating the source(s) of water intrustion.

While inspecting the anchor locker on my CD 25D I noticed that there is no lip at all at the forward tip of the locker cover, a very tiny lip around the remainder of the locker, and a nice drainage funnel on the starboard side of the anchor locker (for the anchor rode or chain to exit the anchor locker) that should be excellent for funneling rain water into the locker.

Question: Assuming a significant amount of water can enter the anchor locker through the locker cover where does this water accumulate

Question: Does some of it drain out through what may be a very small hole in the hull forward on the port side I candidly never really noticed this hole before. The hole, as I remember it, seems high up and of little use in allowing water to drain out from the anchor locker.

Question: Does water that gets into the anchor locker drain into the bilge

Thanks in advance for any and all suggestions, recommendations, etc.

[barfwinkle]

Robert there is a hole in the boe that allows water to exit the anchor locker. I don't think as originally constructed that water could get into the bilge.

Fair winds.

[rtbates]

Our 25D's anchor locker is sealed off from the rest of the boat and drains thru a 1/2" hole in the bow

[barfwinkle]

I have often thought about "exploring" the area beneath the anchor locker and forward of the hanging locker to see if there was any room for some of the anchor rodes. Two rodes & anchors take up considerable space.

Anyone ever try this? I would go at it from the hangin locker side.

Fair winds

[Sea Hunt Video]

Bill and Randy:

Thanks very much for the information. I guess the anchor locker can be ruled out as a source for bilge water. The search continues, the cause endures.

I will inspect the 1/2" hole more carefully and make sure it is not clogged and can actually drain water that gets into the anchor locker.

[Joe Myerson]

Hi Robert,

Bill and Randy are correct, even if rain water does get into the anchor locker (unlikely), it will drain out through the weep hole in the bow. In fact, if you've been getting a lot of water into the locker, you'll probably see a dark streak running down the topside from the weep hole to the waterline. You might want to check that out.

--Joe

[Steve Laume]

Raven has a beautiful Spartan bronze cover for the haws pipe. Unfortunately it usually slides off when things get snotty and water gets in there. The chain locker then drains to the bilge and I pump it out.

I only duct tape it for hurricanes cause it's a boat and water is a part of it.

You are obviously not spending enough time sailing, Steve.

[Joe Myerson]

Raven has a beautiful Spartan bronze cover for the haws pipe.

Steve: The beautiful 25D does not have a hawsepipe. Instead, there's an opening for the rode (my chain is a tight squeeze) in the cover of the anchor locker. The locker cover snaps very tight, and even if it didn't, that little weep hole does its job.

--Joe

[Steve Laume]

Joe, I understand the difference and in fact the CD-25 should not let any water enter the bilge through the chain locker. My point is that my boat is actually designed to allow water to enter the bilge at at lest that one area. I just don't view water in the bilge as a problem. I know there are some people out there that strive to have a dusty bilge and I wish you all the best of luck. Prior to fiberglass all boats had wet bilges and it helped to keep them from drying out and shrinking. It is only in the passed 25 years or so that anyone would worry about some water in the bilge. Call me old school but it still doesn't bother me, Steve.

[Joe Myerson]

I just don't view water in the bilge as a problem. ... Prior to fiberglass all boats had wet bilges and it helped to keep them from drying out and shrinking. It is only in the passed 25 years or so that anyone would worry about some water in the bilge. Call me old school but it still doesn't bother me, Steve.

Well put, Steve. Call me old school as well. Of course you're right. In fact, a hawse pipe might not be a bad addition to the 25D.

--Joe

[Oswego John]

Hey Steve,

You mentioning a wet bilge gave me a chuckle.

Many years past, more than I want to remember, swelling up the hull joints was a rite of passage every spring. The wooden hull would lie on the hard all fall and winter and the timber joints would shrink.

Every spring the joints had to swell up, (boatyard language would call it swoll up) before the hull was splashed. One of the easiest tricks was to lay a woolen blanket in the hull and hose it down. The wool would stay damp for days. BTW: there was no man made fiber in those days, only wool and cottom, which also worked well.

Ah progress. Some times I wonder. At least I don't have to make a decision whether to lock my prop or not on my Ty.

Sail on,
O J

[Dean Abramson]

On our 25D, the forward tilt of the floor of the anchor locker, and the hole, which was positioned right where it needed to be to drain the water (and on the outside was centered on the front of the bow) was very effective at draining the anchor locker.

I am pretty sure that as designed, no water from there should make its way to the bilge.

[barfwinkle]

In fact, if you've been getting a lot of water into the locker

If your leak is coming from the anchor, which MIGHT be possible if the locker were completely full, the boat would be seriously bow heavy and thus way down at the bow. You would notice.

So, unless the the bilge is full, or the cabin sole awash, when you go aboard, I'll agree Steve

You are obviously not spending enough time sailing

Fair winds.

[Sea Hunt Video]

I just don't view water in the bilge as a problem. . . . It is only in the passed 25 years or so that anyone would worry about some water in the bilge.

Steve and all:

I will respectfully take the contrarian point of view.

I am concerned with water in the bilge because in South Florida water combined with warm/hot temps and high humidity in an enclosed container (the cabin) results in mildew. Mildew is, to me at least, very bad - especially for any electronics stored in the cabin, VHF radio, AM/FM radio. The dryer the cabin the less chance for mildew.

I am probably a little more obsessed with bilge water than I should be but, we all have our little "quirks".

The beautiful 25D does not have a hawsepipe. Instead, there's an opening for the rode (my chain is a tight squeeze) in the cover of the anchor locker. The locker cover snaps very tight, and even if it didn't, that little weep hole does its job.--Joe

Joe:

I looked again at the locker cover. The opening for the rode is, to me at least, LARGE and would let in a lot of water. The lid is not a "tight" fit at least not on S/V Bali Ha'i.

I checked the "weep hole" again and it does appear that it would drain a lot water that does get in.

I am going to replace the two anchor rodes with new 3 strand line, give the anchor locker a good scrubbing to clean it, and forget about it as a source of bilge water.

As discussed in another thread, I think I may finally have found the source of the bilge water. Fingers crossed.

[barfwinkle]

I am going to replace the two anchor rodes with new 3 strand

Capt Robert might I suggest that you shop around for rode. I did and was able to purchase a full spool (600') for just about $100 more than WM wanted for 200' of the same line with10' of chain!

If you only use 300' you can still split the full cost with another boater or two and come out WAY ahead.

Just a thought. Fair Winds. Oh and thank you for the email!

http://www.riggingandhardware.com/p-467 ... nylon.aspx

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/st ... CQBz2t5mSM

They sell the same 1/2" New England stuff for $1.04 per ft!