Enlarging a watertight locker

[SvenH]

The storage locker in my cockpit is rather shallow, the man who built it did not want the locker to be a big hole through which waves could fill up the boat.

I like that Idea but would prefer the locker to be deeper, so I am contemplating to enlarge it.

But if i make it so that it is still enclosed, it could hold quite some volume of water.

What are the current guide lines on locker design?
Is it good to make them contain water that enters from above?
Should that water be able to flow out?
Or be pumped out?

 

[Lon nan Gruagach]

If it is watertight then it will fill up, hopefully only while you have it open, but it will fill. So either you only use if for items that are ok being immersed (in which case just tie them to a line and tow them) or put in a drain that can be plugged securely.

 

[FullCircle]

I enlarged the locker (3xtimes original size), but decided not to make it watertight.It is a very restricted flowaway though, as the gaps around the bulkhead, and the floor to the bilge are quite small.
The water then makes its way to the bilge where my automatic pumps kick in and empty it. It also has the benefit of equalizing the weight distribution of the water to the centre of the boat.
With your system of watertight locker, you would need a dedicated bilge pump, and probably quite a big one.

 

[prv]

The important thing is that the hatch is watertight, so that water doesn't get into the locker in the first place.

For any that does get in, the normal arrangement is for it to drain to the bilge where it can be pumped out.

Pete

 

[William_H]

Cockpit lockers on a small boat come in various arrangements. Some boats (around here) effectively open up into the hull. There will be apartition at the front end between the cabin (foot of quarter berth) and the locker. This may or should be a water tight partition. This makes a locker which is huge. big enough to take an outboard engine. The main problem is that it is difficult to reach the bottom to find things and I have seen people have to climb into the locker to reach the extreme places. This locker may reduce the available length of the quarter berth.
In my boat the lid might seem to be a similar size to the above arrangement but opens into a box set into the deck molding. The bottom of the box is just above the cockpit floor and it is totally sealed from the cabin. I keep the small (10l) o/b fuel tank in there so because of over flow from expansion etc I drilled a small drain hole from the bottom into the cockpit. The lid has a series of lips such that normal rain etc won't get in.
Although smaller in capacity it makes it easy to reach the bottom for small items and I can easily see what is there.
Most of my sailing is short trips or races of a few hours. So everything likely to be needed on the trip is put in the cockpit locker. So I would seldom venture into the cabin. That suits me but your style, habits and needs may be different.
I think however that I would recommend you make a new box and only expand your locker downwards a little. But that is just my opinion. olewill

 

[lpdsn]

Is it good to make them contain water that enters from above?
Should that water be able to flow out?
Or be pumped out?

Fit a small diameter drain hole (with small dia hose if necessary) so that if you get swamped with the lid open, the water will flow into the bilges but only at a rate that the bilge pumps can handle.

My lockers have a little sump for any trickle that gets in, but if there was any more I'd have to empty the locker and use a hand pump to get rid of the excess.

I'm certainly happy that the locker lids aren't essential for the watertight integrity of the boat.

 

[SvenH]

Thanks for the replies guys.
It was good food for thought during my holiday.

In studying the options I realised that I might not need to enlarge after all.
The main reason is to be able to fit the two bromptons in the locker and that may be possible. Strange that I did not study that before.