Anchor chain washer

[fuss]

I was just thinking about how difficult it is to clean my chain when I have been in a sticky mud harbour.

Has anybody any ideas on some sort of washdown device that would clean the chain efficiently on the way up. I thought about some strong plastic/aluminium device about 20cm long that fits around the chain in 2 halves with brushes through the middle and a hose fitting at the top end. Then as the chain comes up it is washed efficiently before entering the bow roller. It needs some sort of flange at the top to stop it from jamming where the chain enters the roller. Maybe the brushes need to be replaceable as well.
This way you could really "give it some" with the water pressure and be sure it is finding its target.

Just before the anchor arrives at the roller you could take it off by unclipping it.

Does this exist? or did anyone make something similar?

 

[prv]

Bigger boats (especially motorboats) have chain washers permanently mounted. Essentially a salt-water spray nozzle directed at the chain just below the roller. No brushes involved, just a hefty pump and plenty of water.

On Stavros, the firehose circuit vents into the hawsepipe when the pumps are turned on but no hose taps are open. This also works as a chain wash.

Pete

 

[rudolph_hart]

I fitted a pressurewash hosedown system that has 4 uses:

1. hosing down the deck
2. hosing the mud off the anchor chain
3. hosing the mud off the anchor
3. hosing down the grandkids when they misbehave
4. pretending to have a massive pee over the bow

Used a Jabsco PaxMax 4 pump, fed by a T off the toilet inlet. Fitted a Jabsco 'snap-in' deck connector for the (garden centre) curly hose and handgun.

The pump switch is in the toilet compartment, so I don't forget to change the diverter valve from the toilet inlet.

When raising anchor, I can operate the windlass control with one hand and the hose gun with the other.

Works well. The Par Max 4 generates enough pressure to shift even the most stubborn lumps of Essex clay/mud off the anchor, and also to 'pee' at least 30 yards

 

[TradewindSailor]

I mounted two scrubbing brushes either side of the bow roller and mounted a hose with a 1/8" hole in the end bung above it. It does a grand job except when there is a strong headwind when the spray blows back across the foredeck.

The scrubbing brushes hold the chain in place on 5" or 6" roller so that the jet of water is in the right place. The brushes do get in the way of the anchor swivel and shackles, but it's easy enough to lift the swivel clear when shipping or un-shipping the anchor.

The water is supplied from the deck wash pump on a dedicated hose that is switched into and out of the system by a standard garden hose selectable T connection. A 50 psi controlled deck wash pump works well ..... so when no water is flowing it shuts itself off.

 

[dovekie]

We have a cheap chandlery-bought device, basically a wraparound scrubbing brush that fits around the chain. Clip it on and clean the chain by working the brush up and down underwater with a boathook, as the cain is brought up.

It works well.

 

[Ex-SolentBoy]

I fitted a pressurewash hosedown system that has 4 uses:

1. hosing down the deck
2. hosing the mud off the anchor chain
3. hosing the mud off the anchor
3. hosing down the grandkids when they misbehave
4. pretending to have a massive pee over the bow

Used a Jabsco PaxMax 4 pump, fed by a T off the toilet inlet. Fitted a Jabsco 'snap-in' deck connector for the (garden centre) curly hose and handgun.

The pump switch is in the toilet compartment, so I don't forget to change the diverter valve from the toilet inlet.

When raising anchor, I can operate the windlass control with one hand and the hose gun with the other.

Works well. The Par Max 4 generates enough pressure to shift even the most stubborn lumps of Essex clay/mud off the anchor, and also to 'pee' at least 30 yards

We have virtually the same installation and I would really recommend it. We also put in a selector valve so we can choose between fresh water from the tanks, or salt via the heads inlet. Makes a useful bow shower or washdown for salty decks, assuming you have enough capacity.

 

[david_bagshaw]

A low tec method (used for 19 years)

take a 1 1/2 hose, 2 foot 6 long.

cut along half its length and at the point where the cut stops make a hole of the dia the chain. cut a notch out at the end on split to make it easier to ...

push the split over the chain so it shrouds it and emerges through the hole.

connect deckhose to the other end.

It washes the chain well, with the advantage there is no muddy spray,that is evident with any high pressure method, as the dirty water tends to run down the chain.


once used a karcher to wash the chain, took 4 hours to clean the boat afterwards!!!!

 

[Sybaris]

take a 1 1/2 hose, 2 foot 6 long.

cut along half its length and at the point where the cut stops make a hole of the dia the chain. cut a notch out at the end on split to make it easier to ...

This sounds pretty good but I don't follow the explanation fully, can you make a small drawing to scan and post, or post a photo.

Cheers,
Per

 

[david_bagshaw]

well not good at drawing... so hope this helps

hope this gives the idea

if you use a curved bit of pipe , cut hole on the outside radius, then the chain goes straight through.

 

[Sybaris]

hope this gives the idea

Hi David,

Thanks, and that is brilliant. I have been thinking of ways to attach my hose and nozzle for a long time, but this is so much easier and it keeps the water from spraying all over.

Cheers,

 

[fuss]

hope this gives the idea

if you use a curved bit of pipe , cut hole on the outside radius, then the chain goes straight through.

Hi David,
Thats a great idea, I'm going to give it a go.

Just one thing I am not sure about.... what stops the hose from riding up with the chain and getting tangled in the bow roller? ... or does it just naturally not do this.

Thanks again for the idea

John

 

[david_bagshaw]

Hi David,
Thats a great idea, I'm going to give it a go.

Just one thing I am not sure about.... what stops the hose from riding up with the chain and getting tangled in the bow roller? ... or does it just naturally not do this.

Thanks again for the idea

John

The idea came when I got fed up with the mess on deck & getting cold and wet up anch during a autumn cruise.

Well we have a hawse pipe, and I just hold it while operatig the winch buttons.

When getting near the end where the anchor docks, I hold it with a foot while leaning over while operating buttons mounted on the bulwarks.

for a bow roller, suggest bolt to a stick at the appropriate angle

 

[Ariadne]

Two kids, a bucket (or two or six) of salt water and deck brush works well for me!

 

[DaveS]

Anchor chain scrubber

I have one of these, but I usually single hand so there's no-one at the bow while the chain's coming up. I tie the scrubber to the pulpit so that it's about a foot below water line with a heavy shackle attached to the bottom to keep it in the water. It does a pretty good job, but doesn't take everything off, so I've been toying with pumped water ideas for some time. I like the split hose idea!