Sail Life - Building a chain locker, part 4

[@Ingeanous]

Good job again Mads articulating being a sailor isn't all about boat drinks and smooth sailing. It's about perseverance and having a passion to get your hands dirty and take challenges head on. The sailing is the reward for being focused and driven to make your boat your own.

[@SailLife]

Orange Fish Thank you so much :) I think you hit the nail on the head there. Sailing is the reward! Very nicely put :)

[@stephenharriau1406]

I like the drain off to the side. I also like the metal fitting over the hole.

[@SailLife]

Stephen Harriau That seems like the best solution to me too :)

[@GoT_17k]

really nice video... quite enjoyed watching you tackle this project.

[@dgourdine50]

Excellent series Mads!

[@SailLife]

D Gourdine Thank you so much :) You're kind as ever :)

[@paul-kayak]

I am really enjoying your projects videos. Just want to add that when I do Fiberglass in restricted areas I wet out the glass before I put it in place. Much easier. Please excuse me if you have already got that hint. I am going through your videos at a much later date. Nice work anyway. I am watching all your videos and keeping up to date on your real time projects and I am impressed with both the work you are doing and your video skills.

[@mikeelliott7535]

Hi Mads. I'm enjoying your progress. At this point I would drill my drain pipe through to the outside of the hull and glass in a fibreglass tube. You can buy one of make your own fairly easily. I think your hull is solid glass so its relatively easy. A stainless clam that can be unscrewed can be fitted and it covers any rough looking edges you may get. Keep up the good work.

[@SailLife]

***** Thank you so much :) I'm almost ready to drill the hole in the hull. That'll be a fun experience ;) Tomorrow I'll glass in the last piece of the chain locker. I should be able to upload a new video withing the next 24 hours :)

[@topkat48]

Love the real time videos. Thank you.

[@SailLife]

truebluetopkat Thank you so much :) I'm glad you are enjoying the videos :)

[@SailingNervous]

Very informative....I am learning alot thru your videos. In my next video I have mentioned your channel as part of my 'sailing resources' portion. Look for it later this week, hopefully. Thanks for keeping these videos coming -- it is so helpful!

[@SailLife]

Sailing Nervous Wow, thank you so much! I've enjoyed every one of your videos :) Perhaps we could do some collaboration at some point :)

[@SVSouthernCross]

Great video Mads. I also try to get my videos up as quickly as possible, it helps keep the project fresh in my mind for questions and comments. I appreciate the detail you put into your work. Very helpful! Southern Cross also drains the chain locker from the bow like the boat you showed at 2:13 in your video

[@chrisjustiniano2254]

That is looking great, Mads! Thanks for uploading. I have to say I'm getting really motivated by you and Alfy @ LifeIsLikeSailing.

[@SailLife]

justice tek Thank you so much! I'm glad you are enjoying the videos :) I'm sure LifeisLikeSailing - Vancouver, BC feels the same way! Alfy seems like an awesome guy :)

[@lifeislikesailing]

***** yep.....I'm pretty awesome ;) lol

[@lifeislikesailing]

justice tek glad we are motivating you justice tek! :)

[@16eranc]

hi nice job.... and very quick upload.... take care

[@SailLife]

Eran Cohen Thank you :)

[@wimdreesen7923]

Hi Mads, Nice job of "glassing" the pieces in your boat !

[@SailLife]

Wim Dreesen Thank you so much :)

[@blueskyredkite]

Looks like a good job. I am impressed.

[@hanshans9291]

Hi . Nice videos. Probably is better idea to bolt the stainless attachment ring for the chain at the back bulkhead and higher instead of on the bottom. Will save you problems with water leaking trough the bolts ;-) Drilling the bottom is not good idea

[@SailLife]

Hans Hans Thanks! :) I think sealing up the bolts that are securing the stainless attachment will be quite easy. I'll show how in one of the upcoming videos :) If it does end up leaking I would actually prefer it to be from the bottom of the chain locker :) That way the water won't end up under my mattress in the v-berth :)

[@lifeislikesailing]

Looking awesome Mads!! I vote NOT letting the water drain into the bilge and think it is better to drain directly overboard. :)

[@SailLife]

LifeisLikeSailing - Vancouver, BC Duly noted my friend :P I'm leaning that way too :)

[@billbruce5528]

As always Mad, great work on the projects. My chain locker drains from a hole in the forward bow as shown in one of your examples in this video. I would be very concerned about draining the locker into the bilge due to the contamination from mud and sand brought up by the anchor chain. It could clog up the hose running to the bilge and turn your locker into a mud pond... it may also clog up your bilge pump as well as bring unpleasant odors in the cabin. Here in Nova Scotia most of the anchorages have muddy bottoms, the mud can be very fine, black and sticky. I often have to throw a few buckets of water into the locker to clean it out. Definitely would not want this stuff in my bilge, but maybe your conditions are different. Thanks for the update!

[@SailLife]

Bill Bruce Thank you so much :) I'm leaning towards draining the locker overboard too. We have some nasty back stuff around here too. Not getting that inside the boat seems preferable ;)

[@ParrotSailor]

I am missing my Sail Life videos. You must be busy at work. Since watching your show I started watching videos on travel to Denmark. The travel hosts say Danes drink a lot of beer. Will you build a beer locker in the boat? He also said Danes are very organized. So will Jokull have his own berth? Hope I can make it over to see you when I finally get a boat in the water

[@Bernster3040]

Enjoying your videos very much. Like your sense of humor. You make fiberglassing look pretty easy. Is that from experience, or is it really pretty easy to do?

[@thomasswenson1934]

Nice job, you make it look easy. Will there be enough room for your rode and chain ?

[@SailLife]

Thomas Swenson Thank you :) Then it must be easy ;) I've got no special skills or training. There should be just enough room. I usually anchor in very shallow water :) I'd love to have more room, but I can't spare a single inch of the v-berth. Another thing to look forward to when I get a bigger boat ;)

[@MaverickSailing]

Mads I've used both the West System epoxy and traditional resin when working on varies airplane parts, I really prefer to use West System.

[@SailLife]

Maverick Sailing I've only ever used West System epoxy. How was the other stuff different? :)

[@MaverickSailing]

The biggest difference is that epoxy systems create a strong mechanical bond to the surfaces you are working with, as opposed to polyester resins that bond due to chemical reaction, that is why often you will fiberglass repairs that will delaminate from the original surface. Polyester type resins are great for building something where you are adding many layers together in a short period of time, such as building a complete hull, but so good for repairs to older cured fiberglass.

[@chrisstoughton5560]

You have a ghost in the port window at about 1:10 or so. Too funny!

[@doo262]

Mads, your videos are the best! I recently purchased a boat and it doesn't have a chain locker. I absolutely like the little deck hatch thingy that you used. Where did you get it?

[@ibcornish]

Use plastic party cups or glasses for your epoxy mixing, once hardened you can break out the old epoxy and reuse. They cost around £1 or €1 for 10 or 12. Also if you have a hobby chain near you (we have hobbycraft in the uk) you maybe able to get lollypop (ice lolly) sticks very cheap for mixing epoxy. At hobby craft I can pay for 100 sticks, what I would pay for 10 sticks at the yacht chandlers!

[@SailLife]

Michael Weir Thanks for the tip :) I have a ton of those paint mixing sticks laying around, but I'll give the party cups a try :)

[@alansailing1387]

Will there be any issues when you fill the chain locker with chain and the sides of the boat bulge out a bit? You radiused joins which is good, will there be any cracking along the joins. Did you glass or glue underneath?

[@hellsop]

Ah epoxy mixing in the era before discovering disposable styrene drinking cups... :)

[@chaddthompson]

Have you been using your Sony for recording your videos?

[@SailLife]

Chadd Thompson I have been using it but mostly for short clips. I did shoot an entire video with it last week (about how youtube removed the Branding Intro feature) but I ended up not uploading that one. I look forward to using it more this summer when going sailing! :)

[@wimdreesen7923]

Hi Mads, Is it not time to start with some sailing with Obelix ? Here in Belgium we had in the last 2 weeks already some fine days for sailing, with a lot of sun and a "sporty" amount of wind !

[@SailLife]

Wim Dreesen Hi :) Any second now ;) Tommorow I plan on doing a bit of motor sailing to test the engine but within a few weeks I should be able to bring Jökull with me to spend a weekend on the hook :) There have been a few nice days up here too but I need to finish the chain locker so Jökull and I can start spending weekends aboard the boat again :)

[@mikeelliott7535]

Hi Again Forgot to mention that 70mm+ is a good length for the tube and the steeper the angle down the better.

[@ParrotSailor]

how has your diesel heater worked out for you? any chimney issues? or soot? how much fuel has it used? maybe u could answer in a q and a video.

[@rmckillop100]

DO not drain the chain locker into the bilge, I had a boat that did that and it left a smell in the boat. Kind of half compost half sewer. Forever dumping bilge cleaner into the bilge to get it to smell better.

[@SailLife]

Bob McKillop Yikes, that doesn't sound nice at all! I could imagine some of that horrible black stuff that comes up with the anchor doesn't start to smell any better after being left in the bilge for a few days :)

[@ChristopherYoung5977]

Are you using wood? I would be concerned about it rotting in since chain lockers are so wet. Did you consider using Starboard? www.kingplastic.com/products/king-starboard/

[@JeffLovett]

Epoxy will not bond to starboard.

[@JeffLovett]

Structural FRP would be the way to go. No concerns about rot and epoxy will bond.

[@SailLife]

Jeff Lovett I don't suppose you'd have any idea what FRP is called on this side of the pond? :)

[@JeffLovett]

***** FRP (Fiberglass Re-enforced Plastic) can assume many forms. Structural FRP is very dense with a smooth surface on both sides. In the US I order the material from McMaster-Carr's plastic section ( www.mcmaster.com/#plastics/=wuqcse ). I believe GRP (Glass Re-enforced Plastic) is a more European term for the material. I google searched Structural GRP and found a couple UK companies selling the material. 1/4" (6mm) to 1/2" (12mm) material makes great backing plates. 1/2" (12mm) to 3/4" (18mm) make great mounting pads for seacocks. I'm currently using 1/8" (3mm) to fabricate the interior walls of a new ice box on our sailboat.

[@NorthernInsights]

Mine drains into the bilge, I don't like it.... Usually most of the wAter ends up on the floor in my v-berth, when the tiny hole I can't get to plugs up

[@SailLife]

SV HEXE I think I would have the same problem. The hole leading from the area under my v-berth to the bilge is tiny. Draining overboard seems like the best option (for me at least). But it was cool learning that not all boats drain their chain lockers the same way :)

[@pierremitham2964]

NEVER EVER drain your chain locker into the bilge! well not unless you want your boat to stink! Chain lockers always drain to the outside of the hull. people telling you to drain to the bilge are handing out BAD advise! Tip: when you are glassing multiple pieces in that are in vertical, horizontal and angles, just a little bit of hot glue to tack the pieces of ply in place (sort of like sport welding!) then you cna glass everything in one shot and not have to deal with sanding off the amine blush that occurs when epoxy sets up

[@parrotsailor8220]

Keep water OUT of the Boat dont drain to bilge

[@SailLife]

Parrot Sailor I'm leaning that way too