# Chain Locker Overboard Drain Question



## reka30 (Apr 1, 2010)

A question for those of you who have (or had) chain lockers that drained overboard...

Is the drain just a plain hole (i.e., a thru-hole)? 

Or, is there a 1-way valve inside to keep water from coming in through the hole? Or, is there a ball valve inside that would let you close the ability for water to come in the drain?

What is inside the locker?


I get putting the clam shell over the outside to try an prevent some water from coming in.... but, how much does come in when you are off-shore?


Is this an issue? Or, is this just unwarranted concern from someone who has only had anchor lockers that drain into the bilge before?


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## jackdale (Dec 1, 2008)

The drain hole is above the waterline. Usually the only thing(s) in the locker are is rode, chain and maybe another anchor. You want it to drain.

My biggest issue has been objects plugging the hole from the inside. We store some garbage in the anchor locker during long passages.


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## Donna_F (Nov 7, 2005)

There was another thread on this a few days ago that included photos of people's holes.



reka30 said:


> A question for those of you who have (or had) chain lockers that drained overboard...
> 
> Is the drain just a plain hole (i.e., a thru-hole)?
> 
> Or, is there a 1-way valve inside to keep water from coming in through the hole? Or, is there a ball valve inside that would let you close the ability for water to come in the drain?


Depends on the boat. Mine is just a simple hole.



reka30 said:


> What is inside the locker?


The anchor and rode.


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## capttb (Dec 13, 2003)

Not an issue, and an unwarranted concern, the drain is 2 feet above waterline so it only gets wet if it goes below the water level, which then drains when it goes back up.


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## Barquito (Dec 5, 2007)

> Not an issue, and an unwarranted concern, the drain is 2 feet above waterline so it only gets wet if it goes below the water level, which then drains when it goes back up.


That might depend on the boat a bit. I think if I drilled a hole at the bottom of the space in my forepeak, it would be pretty close to the water line. For those who are phobic about drilling more holes in the boat (like me), what is the downside to having it drain into the bilge?


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

With 300 ft of half inch chain and a spare anchor in ours, you can put all the water you like in there and it will hardly make a difference. It gets in through the drain hole, I suppose. But more often by taking water over the bow which goes in the hatch and down the "chain hole" (has a real name that is escaping me). I prefer that water in the anchor locker be fully contained with no way to enter the boat.


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## reka30 (Apr 1, 2010)

Thanks for the replies so far - I love you can get answers so fast!



DRFerron said:


> There was another thread on this a few days ago that included photos of people's holes.
> 
> Depends on the boat. Mine is just a simple hole.


I read that thread (I searched the forum back through early 2009). All the threads talk about/show the outside hole, but none mentioned the inside.

I am very interested in learning if it is just a simple hole. Sounds like yours is.

When you say "depends on the boat"... does anyone know of boats that use some water control on the inside of the hole?

If so, why? If no one does - this must not be an issue?

One scenario I was thinking of we beating to wind, hole is dipping under the waves as you go down.... it goes underwater until you come back up.

The alternatives didn't make much sense, though.

You would think a 1-way valve could get plugged from the muck your anchor can drag in. If there was a ball valve on the inside, you would think the "drain" would now be too high. Plus, maybe underneath 300 feet of chain.


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## reka30 (Apr 1, 2010)

capttb said:


> Not an issue, and an unwarranted concern, the drain is 2 feet above waterline so it only gets wet if it goes below the water level, which then drains when it goes back up.


What if drain hole would not be 2 feet above the waterline? What if was only 12 inches above? Would that make a difference to you or not?


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## capttb (Dec 13, 2003)

Just has to be above the waterline, because it is above more time than below it will always drain. Haven't looked close up in a long time but most of my boats have a drain in the bottom of the locker that has a tube with an elbow to exit the side of the hull. Water rises as high as you stuff the bow then empties as you rise.
Think of a surf dory, hull is full of holes just above waterline, your feet get wet but the boat never fills with water.
Barquito, not sure the "space in your forepeak" is the same as most conventional anchor lockers, don't drill no holes. If it drains to the bilge just means all the sand, slime and crap from the anchor and rode might end up there too.


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## travlin-easy (Dec 24, 2010)

My chain locker drains directly into the bilge--problem solved. The tiny bit of water that gets into the chain locker when retrieving and washing down the chain and rode is almost insignificant--probably less than a cup or two at most. The bigger problem is the open hawse pipe, which can allow a fair amount of water to enter the chain locker when a wave washes over the bow. While this rarely happens, the volume of water is fairly significant. I solved the problem by cutting a 1/2-inch thick slab of gum rubber to fit the hawse pipe opening, cut a slot for the chain that fits tightly around a single link, and even a heavy wave just washes down the gunwales without dumping anything into the chain locker. When I'm ready to deploy the anchor, I remove the rubber insert and press the winch button--it's that easy.

Gary


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## Capt Len (Oct 9, 2011)

Unless you meticulously clean chain as it comes aboard all that crud will drain to low spot. Bilge or locker drain, take your pick.


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## travlin-easy (Dec 24, 2010)

Yep, I agree. That's why I have a saltwater washdown system to blast off the mud and crud as the chain and rode come aboard. There's some nasty stuff on the bottom of our bays and it sure puts out a pungent aroma. 

Cheers,

Gary


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## PorFin (Sep 10, 2007)

reka30 said:


> .
> When you say "depends on the boat"... does anyone know of boats that use some water control on the inside of the hole?
> 
> If so, why? If no one does - this must not be an issue?
> ...


Don't forget to take the Bernoulli principle into account. One of the reasons clam shell covers are used is to create that area of vacuum, caused by water flowing around the clam shell. This will help prevent water from traveling back up the drain while the boat is maintaining forward progress.

If your drain is below the waterline when it's not moving, then you've got other problems.

As an aside, our locker drains into the bilge and will likely stay that way. The locker is accessible from the forward berth, and the doors are just louvered teak. The bottom of the locker is right at the waterline, and I don't want to tempt the gremlins by drilling a hole that close to the tipping point.


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