Anchor Locker

I use my Hanse 400 for bareboat charter and that means that everything had to be monkey proof. At the moment the windlass and the anchor chain locker are not working at all I basically have to pull the chain true constantly. With 65 meter of anchor chain and a very shallow anchor locker I need a better solution. One solution I am considering is raising the windlass with around 15 cm and maybe place it a little more forward and install a inox slide.

A second solution involves using the big empty space below the anchor locker (now uses as a collision buffer). Has anyone considered making the locker deeper as there is more then enough unused space? What would be the negative results of doing this on sailing performance?
 

Edited by walterkruk - 13 June 2010 at 22:48

Hi Walter,

I'm just going through this process right now. I've glassed in a plywood shelf in the forward half of the locker, and will be moving the windlass onto the shelf this week. I've got 60 metres of chain, and am hoping this will solve my problem.

I would think that using the space below the locker would not be satifactory especially in a charter situation - unless you glassed in a new floor above the waterline.

Any photo's?

Steve,
Yes the first option has been discussed, but I am mostly interested in the second option, opening up the locker. I am really wondering why this was not  done from the yard as I have seen photo's from the 430 and the 370 where it seems to be a standard solution. Bringing the anchor winch up and front will not solve the whole problem, as making the locker deeper will.

Hi Landlocked,

I've moved my windlass into much the same position as you, except I glassed in a plywood shelf. I considered just using screws into the side of the well but on my model the side panels are only a couple of mm thick. I haven't actually tested it yet - will be doing so in the next few days. I'll try to get a picture at the same time.