Hanging Locker, Workbench, Chain Locker

You might wonder how all of those items could be discussed as one topic, but here goes.
I had loved many of the ideas that Steve Dashew had incorporated into his Deerfoot Yachts back in the 80's. Selectively, I incorporated some of them into my own boat as the project list allowed. One such idea, was the removal of hundreds of pounds of weight out of the standard forward chain locker. Since my CSY was so similar to most any other sail boat in this designated area, this project might be doable on many other boats with similar benefits.

The idea was to get 700 pounds of chain and windlass out of the bow and aft 10-12 feet.  I thought long and hard, with many drawings ending up in the trash, until I worked out the details.

I will leave out of the discussion here, the Above Deck Decisions and Solutions for how I was to route the chain and where the windlass would sit. That will be approached in another writeup. Here I will show and explain what transpired in the V berth area, specifically the typical Hanging Locker.



The hanging locker on the starboard side of V berth area, became my chain locker and that is the short and sweet of it. This area was deep enough to hold a full drum of chain, (400' of 3/8" HT/G4 chain). This allowed me to relocate,  800 lbs. of chain and windlass 10' aft.

Now on a 44' boat, that makes a big difference on how it rides and takes on the waves.


The bow is lighter now than it's siblings and rises and falls more in sync with the waves. The hanging locker upper section was cut off. The inside of it had it's Formica peeled off and glassed with bi-axial 1708 fiberglass and West System Epoxy. Any fiberglass material and resin type would be fine, but this is what I had and it worked well.
The face of lower section was modified and strengthened with a double layer of 3/4" marine ply/also glassed, but removable if necessary, by unbolting the panels, one at a time.

A false bottom was built using glass and marine ply again, and a 1.5" drain was incorporated to lead any water that might enter this new chain locker to drain through an easily cleanable screen filter just underneath, to our sump box. This sump box, takes ALL our head sink and shower water, Air Conditioner condensate water and with a float switch inside and a Whale Gulper 220 diaphragm pump under the galley sink, pumps it out through our galley sink drain(no added through hulls.)
 ***actually not more than an occasional shot glass of water comes in during heavy winds or seas.

On top of this box, I leveled it off with the forward counter, added 1/8" 6000 series structural and corrosion resistant aluminum to protect the surface that would now be my workbench. Added my 35 year old Sears Vice, (normally red and a bit rusty, but now blasted and double Nickle plated chrome at an aircraft plating co. and closed storage up with a front vinyl door on snaps. Now, much of this effort could be eliminated IF, someone ONLY wanted to make a workbench area and not bother with the chain locker portion of this project. Walk Overs, pilothouse's, 37's and 33's might consider this as a good project to get your workstation, off the galley counter or saloon table!




 Access to the windlass is real easy, just flip up the aft section, open the back panel facing you and hold with the bunjy shock chord. Simple. This affords quick access if needed to the windlass, wiring or chain.