Dave Gerr - Boat Mechanical Systems Handbook-How to Design, Install, and Recognize Proper Systems in Boats

separate, dedicated locker. Two rodes can

never share the same locker. If they do, they

will get tangled and jam. The further from

these ideals you get, the more likely you are

to experience kinks, jams, or fouls in the

rode. The ideal chain locker is a tall, narrow,

round, vertical drum, though it’s not neces-

sary or common to go this far for perfect

chain storage.

The minimum inside diameter of the

spurling pipe should be 8 times the nominal

chain size or 7.5 times the rope warp diameter,

whichever is larger. This is to allow adequate

clearance for the shackle and any knots.

Ideally, the bottom of the spurling pipe

should be flared out in a bell mouth. The

flareis optional (though always best) if there

is 24or more inches (60 cm) from the top

of the full chain pile to the bottom of the

spurling pipe and the spurling pipe is less

than 10 degrees from vertical.

In the majority of the boats my office

draws, the chain lockers are worked in at an

early stage in the design. They are located

fairly far back from the bow (to get the weight

farther aft) and are dead vertical, with the

windlass located directly above them. This is

exactly the setup on Imagine, pictured ear-

lier. It makes for a clean deck and reliable

chain stowage and deployment. You can also

see this in the drawings of the 75-foot (23 m)

cutter (Figures 24-18 and 24-19).

When you’re looking at a new boat or a

retrofit, consider carefully how the chain/rope

locker is arranged. Shallow, flat lockers with

long, twisting, or steeply angled spurling-pipe

runs are a sign of potential trouble.

Use Formula 24-6 for chain-locker volume.

PART SEVEN: ANCHORING SYSTEMS

Figure 24-18.
75-foot (23 m)
cutter with double
vertical chain
lockers