Anchor Locker
- Thread starter bridma
- Start date
Do you mean the bottom of the anchor locker? Or the access to the V Berth area?
I did both--my anchor locker did not have a drain from the4 factory--filled the floor with glass mat, then smoothed over with thickened fairing compound, drilled the hole at the very bottom of the new bottom, and put a clam shell over the hole.
I wanted to prevent any anchor rode or material off the rode from getting onto the sleeping bags on the V Berth, yet I wanted to have good quick access to the locker, in case of a chain or rope tangle, or if I needed to work on the underside of the Windlass. I made a piece of canvas in a trapezoid, and bolted the lower double seamed folded edge to the inside of the hanging locker, with a sealant between the fiberglass and Sunbrella cloth. For the top, I sewed a sleeve in the sunbrella, and put a 1/2" wooden Dowel thru it athwartship. I then put small pieces of net nylon line thru the Sunbrella below the dowel, and tied it up to rubber lined SS electrical clips which are bolted to the inside bolt of the pulpit base. (extra nut on the base). This way, I can just untie the square knot and be inside the locker in a few seconds. There are situations where seconds count, so if you put in a solid hatch, you want it to be big enough to get in and find out what the problem is.
If glassing a plywood piece in, I would go forward of the fiberglass bottom piece. Cut the piece of plywood to the exact sides less 1/2". Then put in some thickened resin and make a filet between the hull and plywood. Then a couple of layers of fiberglass mat on the plywood and side of the hull on each side (in and outside the anchor locker) The bottom can be set in place with either bolts or screws, and a bedding compound before you do the glassing. After glassed in place--paint. You might want to paint all but where you will be putting the glass mat on the inside before you put the partial bulkhead in place.
I did both--my anchor locker did not have a drain from the4 factory--filled the floor with glass mat, then smoothed over with thickened fairing compound, drilled the hole at the very bottom of the new bottom, and put a clam shell over the hole.
I wanted to prevent any anchor rode or material off the rode from getting onto the sleeping bags on the V Berth, yet I wanted to have good quick access to the locker, in case of a chain or rope tangle, or if I needed to work on the underside of the Windlass. I made a piece of canvas in a trapezoid, and bolted the lower double seamed folded edge to the inside of the hanging locker, with a sealant between the fiberglass and Sunbrella cloth. For the top, I sewed a sleeve in the sunbrella, and put a 1/2" wooden Dowel thru it athwartship. I then put small pieces of net nylon line thru the Sunbrella below the dowel, and tied it up to rubber lined SS electrical clips which are bolted to the inside bolt of the pulpit base. (extra nut on the base). This way, I can just untie the square knot and be inside the locker in a few seconds. There are situations where seconds count, so if you put in a solid hatch, you want it to be big enough to get in and find out what the problem is.
If glassing a plywood piece in, I would go forward of the fiberglass bottom piece. Cut the piece of plywood to the exact sides less 1/2". Then put in some thickened resin and make a filet between the hull and plywood. Then a couple of layers of fiberglass mat on the plywood and side of the hull on each side (in and outside the anchor locker) The bottom can be set in place with either bolts or screws, and a bedding compound before you do the glassing. After glassed in place--paint. You might want to paint all but where you will be putting the glass mat on the inside before you put the partial bulkhead in place.