Aeration of foc'sle from anchor well

[Alexis]

Aeration of foc\'sle from anchor well

Hello there,
I'm fitting out 34 ft yacht, and am thinking of having two holes (100mm) trough the top of the bulkead between the anchor locker and the front cabin, for aeration, even if t's pouring with rain. These holes would be fitted with watertight screwable lids (as found on racing dinghies), and the lid of the anchor locker would have some kind of opening (not clear what kind yet) that would let air through. The idea is to use the anchor well as a dorade box, from an air/water separtion point of view. My anchor rode and chain are in a separate lower locker, meaning that the part of the locker that'll be used as "dorade box" would not contain murky and smelly material, basically just fenders and warps.
Any thoughts or remarks about this project?

 

[Talbot]

Re: Aeration of foc\'sle from anchor well

Be all right if you dont anchor and always put your fenders and ropes away dry!

 

[sarabande]

Re: Aeration of foc\'sle from anchor well

You seem to be wanting ventilation in two separate parts: the anchor well for warps, fenders, etc, and the fore-cabin.

I'd be inclined to put in two separate sources of fresh air, and to make very sure that the ventilators to the anchor locker and forecabin are "air-only". Foredecks get pretty moist sometimes /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif There are some issues with drainage from anchor and deck lockers, and most are fitted with a, say, 25mm drain to the outside.

From olfactory experience, I can guarantee that unless you can power wash the anchor chain or rope as it goes below, it will end up ponging ! Stowing the chain down in the bilge area is common practice, and keeps mass low down, but again, drainage through limber holes is important.

 

[ColinHuggins]

Re: Aeration of foc\'sle from anchor well

No probs, but why only 100mm diam? Mine's twice that size, but serves for access as well as ventilation. Make sure the hatches are really robust, not normal dinghy types.

 

[penultimate]

Re: Aeration of foc\'sle from anchor well

I had one 150mm diam. hole with a dinghy type watertight screwed lid. I also had the benefit of a forward opening anchor locker so that I could prop the lid open in hot weather; and it gave an excellent through draft, right through the boat.

 

[pappaecho]

Re: Aeration of foc\'sle from anchor well

I know of at least one Kingfisher 30, which had imperfectly sealed anchor lockers, which in heavy seas took on water, which nearly sank the boat.
My Evasion 32 regularily buries its bows in heavy weather, and if the anchor locker cover is swept away the last thing I would want is 100mm holes into the main body of the boat!
In addition because of the dreaded "health and safety" I keep my spare gas cylinders in the anchor locker because it is sealed and self draining

 

[GMac]

Re: Aeration of foc\'sle from anchor well

[ QUOTE ]
I keep my spare gas cylinders in the anchor locker because it is sealed and self draining

[/ QUOTE ]

That's a clever idea.