Redesigning Our Chain Locker, Part 1 | Ch 5 E 17

After cruising with her for 6 months and doing some short- term repairs, we decided it was time to do some big changes to the chain locker on our Van De Stadt Norman 40. This has included redesigning where our windlass sits, how our chain flakes, and where/ what type of door we have to access the chain locker. This is just the first part so please subscribe, like and comment to see more!
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Intro drone footage: Matt @ / sailingfloatingfreedom
SV Wind Gypsy's Channel: / @notankers
Music in this video:
Epidemic Sound

[@Blue-Steel]

To doors is good. Good job. ⛵⚓🍻

[@bull010163]

Enjoying the rebuild.

[@WaywardLifeSailing]

thanks for watching :)

[@marktracey387]

I am in the process of fitting the A winch..the futher aft ,the more grip on the A chain,when retrieving chain in rough weather .A forward feeding spurling pipe distributing the chain to the deepest part of the locker to avoid flaking is what i have done . ..raising the anchor should be a one person operation .Best regards ⛵

[@WaywardLifeSailing]

Thanks for watching!

[@david.seholm]

Having the access door in front of the load is a massive safety issue. You will want to add a chain stop somewhere near the anchor roller.

[@WaywardLifeSailing]

Hey David, we agree and that’s why we are going to split the door in half and have them offset so that we can open one door free of the chain line. Seems like a fairly common way of doing things on boats. Still not ideal in comparison to having the locker behind the windlass but a lot better than not being able to open the door with a chain running over it!

[@david.seholm]

​@@WaywardLifeSailing Yes, not being able to open the door without jostling the chain on the gypsy is an issue, but being in front of the tension is also a safety issue. If you need to work on the windlass from the locker (perhaps wiring) with chain out, gypsy gets worn, chain gets worn, the list goes on, you want to be able to move the tension point forward of where you intend to be. It's not a great solution, but a chain stop forward of the locker by the anchor roller will help keep you safe when you need it. You could use your bridal if necessary, but if it is a gypsy issue, that might not be an available option.

[@WaywardLifeSailing]

@@david.seholm we always use a bridal while at anchor, but I do understand what you mean. Def something to think about!

[@koobedo]

Maybe try a traffic cone in the bottom of the locker to help flake the chain

[@WaywardLifeSailing]

Thanks for the tip!

[@hansutstl1676]

ann chainbolb looks like smal water tower :) used to spread the chain

[@WaywardLifeSailing]

oh? this is my first time hearing of this thing!

[@kptbillburkett8735]

You can also turn the windlass around.it will work just fine and you may not have to redo your locker door. Just a thought. Ok Thank you for a Great video this week. So until next week, Aloha from the Big Island of Hawaii!

[@WaywardLifeSailing]

Well where were you two months ago?!!? haha. We didn't even think about that. Not positive it would have worked, but that def would have been worth trying out.

[@kptbillburkett8735]

@@WaywardLifeSailing lol. We did that on our Boat neighbors Boat. It worked perfectly. But I didn't know ya'll are two months out on the videos. Lol. Sorry for that. Just became a patreon a month ago.

[@WaywardLifeSailing]

@@kptbillburkett8735 haha maybe you will have more awesome ideas like that for us along with the WTW videos. Those ones are in real time :)

[@silvanocometta9760]

Hi. Consider to cut the locker door into two unequal sizes, the larger piece to be hinged, the smaller piece to be slided only, so that you can take it off completely when going inside the locker. I had this in my last boat and it worked. Good luck.

[@WaywardLifeSailing]

oh thanks! that's def something to think about! You don't happen to have any pics of the door you had to share do you?

[@silvanocometta9760]

@@WaywardLifeSailing I should have some pictures. What eMail adress or WhatsApp address should I send them to, for you?

[@WaywardLifeSailing]

@@silvanocometta9760 [e-mail] Much appreciated!

[@silvanocometta9760]

@@WaywardLifeSailing Thanks. I sent you two eMails with a total of 6 pictures. Regards, Silvano

[@theislandpackrat]

Use a chain snubber then take the chain off the windless you shouldn't have all the stress on it anyway!

[@WaywardLifeSailing]

we do that while we on anchor, but really would like an option that isn't contingent on the chain not having stress on it.

[@leonply]

Is it possible to rotate the windless by 180 degrees, so that the long end is facing forward? If done this way, the overhang is gone, the windlass can be moved a bit more to one side and there is plenty of room for a hatch. Oh, and you'll have to reverse the foot switches, of course. Great video!!

[@WaywardLifeSailing]

you are the second person to suggest this! If we hadn't already finished this project in real time I think we would have looked into that. I guess some windlasses are built to be able to be reversed and some aren't. I'm not sure on ours.

[@tommussington8330]

Reverse is just a name on the button the motor doesn't care. I was thinking can you flip it 180 and swapping capsin and chain wheel brings chain wheel back to same side but motor forward.

[@WaywardLifeSailing]

@@tommussington8330 if we ever redo this locker again (fingers crossed that doesn’t happen) this will definitely be at the top of the thought list!

[@NOTANKERS]

Who's the guy? At least you had a little bit of Max😍

[@WaywardLifeSailing]

Yay! ❤️

[@allornothing7957]

What about using a pulley to deflect the chain further after with the windlass in original place?

[@WaywardLifeSailing]

I think that would have been an extra headache as we try to keep mechanical systems as simple as possible. but def an interesting thought!

[@normfacey104]

Forget deck access, put door inside cabin

[@WaywardLifeSailing]

we did think about this! There were three reasons why we chose to keep it on deck. The first was the issue with still having to knock the chain down while it's piling which is a lot easier to do from deck., the second is that we are already limited on space in the v-berth and even putting a door in would cut down on that some more. the third is that we really want to keep that bulkhead waterproof! Thanks for your suggestion though :) much appreciated!