anchor chain fouling in anchor locker

[gcbist]

I have a 1979 43' double cabin. When I let out my anchor and chain, it most times has been hung up on itself within the anchor locker. I have stuck my head in the locker while the anchor chain is being winched aboard, and I can see what the problem is but can't figure out how to fix it. The opening where the anchor chain comes through is offset from the bottom center of the anchor locker, so the chain hits the side of the locker first and starts piling up on the sidewall toward the opening. At some point the weight of piled chain causes it to fall over on itself down to the bottom of the locker. And then the process starts all over again. So, as I attempt to pay out the chain, the part that has fallen on top of itself catches up and makes it a Herculean task from topside to release.

Has anyone experienced the same problem and come up with a solution? Thanks in advance for your help. George bist

 

[rangerscott275]

I have a piece of corrugated tin roofing material in my chain locker. It has been cut and bent to fit along the side wall so that chain hits it and slides to the bottom of the chain locker and then automatically piles on top of itself...so far so good.

 

[gcbist]

I'm going to try your fix. Do you have the metal attached to the sidewall or just fit into place and sitting there? Can you possibly take a picture and send it via email? Whatever details you can send me regarding the construction of this metal "slide"...I'd appreciate it.

 

[may]

i have a large heavy duty laundry size plastic bucket rigged up under the hole.it stops the sliding +has never fouled.

 

[gcbist]

Please explain more about the laundry bucket and where exactly and how you have it attached. Thanks for the help. I'll be looking for your answer!

 

[Will]

I too have a 43’ DCFB and have experienced the same problem. My chain tends to pile up into a mountain that eventually capsizes causing the chain to jam on its way out of the chain locker when dropping anchor.

My solution to date is to have someone in the locker fake the chain in rows as I’m pulling in the anchor with the windlass. Visualize the chain locker as a triangle with the bow on top, port corner on the left and stbd corner on the right. Rows run port corner to bow expanding out toward the stbd corner, stbd corner to bow expanding out toward the port corner, port corner to stbd corner out expanding out toward the bow, etc. So far, I’ve never had the chain jam on its way out of the locker.

The only problem is when I am by my self, I have to let the chain pile up in the locker then drag it up on deck afterwards and lay it back into the locker properly.

Will

 

[gcbist]

Yikes! I wouldn't normally have someone at the locker. I am usually at the windlass on deck and my wife is at the helm controls. That's usually the sum total on the boat. I can see your method would work, but I'm afraid I am going to have to find another solution. At least I know now that you have experienced exactly the same problem I have. You described it very well. Anybody else out there have a solution?

 

[gcbist]

To anyone out there who is trying to help me with my anchor fouling problem...I forgot to mention that I have 250 feet of large link chain.

 

[Beckytek]

I have a piece of plexiglass material about 2 feet long cut in the shape of a triangle to fit the hull form. Just 2 screws into the center wood section holds it and the other side rests on the hull. As the chain hits the top of the plexi it slides down to the lower part of the locker. Works good. You could also use PVC pipe from the hole where the chain enters down to a 30 degree angle then another pipe to extend to where ever you want it to drop. Ron

 

[Jaxfishgyd]

250' of large link chain on a 43' ?
I use 40' of 3/8th chain on our 43' then have 250' of 5/8" rode. My secondary line has 150' of 5/8th rode and 20' of 3/8" chain.
I then use either a 66lb Bruce, a 45lb plow or a large danforth, depending on where I'm at. No problem at all and do not have all that weight in the bow. The Bruce and Danforth are my two main anchors, but have the other two in the engine room, along with a spool of 200' 3/8th rode and 20' of chain "just in case".
Had an anchor pull 25 yrs ago on a boat and decided then and there I would NOT have too few anchors and rode on any boat of mine.

 

[luckydave215]

No one has mentioned this so.......I keep a few truck innertubes (softly inflated) stuffed in the chain locker to keep the chain from moving about in rough weather and getting tangled. When I want to drop the hook, I remove them and stow them down in the lazarette. If I forget to remove them, the chain pays out OK anyway, at least it has so far (oops!)....but I don't recommend it.

 

[captainwjm]

I use a bucket, too. I have a "floor" in the chain locker [piece of plywood cut so that it wedges in flat]. Bucket sits on that and the weight of the chain holds it in place. I have 90' of chain, then the rest is line. The line is coiled around the bucket. Make sure you puch holes in the bucket.