The New Anchor Locker

By the time we came into Halifax last summer we knew that we would need to do something about our anchor stowage. When we set off on our adventures we had already had to rethink our original plan, which involved making slings of plastic mesh forward of the bulkhead separating the vee-berth from the bow. The mesh was not strong enough, so instead we devised two canvas slings to hold our anchor chains. They proved quite workable - the anchor chains did not rattle against anything except themselves, did not tangle and and were kept separated from each other. Overall, we had very little problem with them.

However, we knew that they would be a temporary solution. When we looked at them last fall the canvas was moldy and beginning to weaken. It was time to come up with a new and hopefully better solution.

When we were deciding what to do we had two considerations - to keep the anchor chains separated and safe, and to keep them - and their weight - low in the boat. With these thoughts in mind, Richard devised the anchor locker that now sits just under where the windlass will be installed.

This time the anchor locker is made of fibreglass, and sits low down in the bow, just in front of the bulkhead separating cabin from bow space. It is divided in two along the line of the bow, so that each chain will sit on one side of the barrier and against the hull.

To make it, Richard drew up a set of cardboard pattern pieces, first for the piece to go in the middle, then for a small piece to go toward the bow, then for the pieces that go from the bulkhead down to the hull, the rear wall of the compartment.

Then he made fibreglass panels, 1/4” thick ( 6 mm). He laid them up on a flat, waxed surface with the pattern pieces drawn on it, using mat and polyester resin, making them close to the size and shape of the pattern pieces, but a little larger. Then he used the pattern pieces to cut the finished pieces out, using a diamond cut blade on an angle grinder (he has become very proficient in the many uses of a grinder).

He put the middle piece of the locker in first (the one along the line of the bow), and fastened it in place with strips of fibreglass mat wet out with polyester resin.




Then he put the front piece in the same way.




Then the two pieces at the back.




Along the hull, up to the height of the middle divider, Richard added foam core plus a fibreglass matte layup, to deaden the sound somewhat and strengthen the hull where the chains may move around.



There are holes to allow the water to drain from the chains into the bilge, right in the middle of the boat, and holes at the front of the locker in case moisture needs to drain from there - also in the middle.

Once the whole anchor locker had been assembled, Richard rough sanded the whole thing to remove any sharp edges, and then finished it with brush gel coat (thicker than the spray) using two coats, sanded in between.




And there it is - our new anchor locker!

If you have any questions about what we did, or any comments, please click that comment button below and let us hear from you.