Remedy For Chain Pile-Up In Locker?

[boden36]

We had that problem too and solved it by decreasing the length of the feed pipe - chain can only castle so high before it cascades.
Regards, Richard.

[Lancerbye]

I can't poke my chain pile. Covered chain pipe. I have to climb in the sail locker and pull the pile down in the chain locker bottom with a gaff.

[roverhi]

You might get better results with a 6 or 8 plait brait rope rode. This type of rope compacts into a much smaller area than standard 3 strand allowing more room for the chain flake out.

I sympathize with you. Had the same problem with my old boat because the anchor locker wasn't deep enough and would get a mound of chain pile up with about 50' of chain still be hauled in. Got real quick at running down below, lifting the cover off the chain locker and knocking the stack over. Usually had to to do it twice if I'd put out a lot of chain.

[Paul Elliott]

Originally Posted by foggysail

Guess misery loves company!

I read someplace that SS chain does not have this problem. Does anyone know if this is true?

Stainless remains smooth and slippery, while galvanized becomes rough. It's the increased friction of the corroded chain that causes the castles to be steeper and higher. The smooth chain slides down the edge of the pile much easier.

In a similar way, I'll bet that you can pile gravel more steeply than you can pile marbles.

[David M]

I was just looking up angle of repose for chain and came across an idea where you put a road cone directly below the spill pipe.

Also to get a little fussy perhaps, it's a spill pipe and not a hawse pipe. A hawse pipe goes from the anchor windlass overboard. A spill pipe goes from the anchor windlass into the chain locker.

It seems stainless would have a lower angle of repose because it is slipperier.

[Delfin]

Our solution turned out to be pretty simple, and might work for you depending on the shape and size of the locker.

We normally do not anchor with more than 100' of chain, although I have 400'. I dumped all the chain onto the dock and carefully lay the first 250' into a pile in the base of the locker, piling it up a bit on the edges leaving a bit of an indentation in the middle. The final 150' now is insufficient to create a high enough pile when raised in the normal manner to back up to the hawse pipe.

Worked for me.

[capngeo]

Originally Posted by David M

I was just looking up angle of repose for chain and came across an idea where you put a road cone directly below the spill pipe.

Also to get a little fussy perhaps, it's a spill pipe and not a hawse pipe. A hawse pipe goes from the anchor windlass overboard. A spill pipe goes from the anchor windlass into the chain locker.

It seems stainless would have a lower angle of repose because it is slipperier.

Beat me to the road cone.... Did that for years on a boat I skippered. We did fill the cone with foam to keep it from collapsing

[DRSandbo]

Originally Posted by capngeo

Beat me to the road cone.... Did that for years on a boat I skippered. We did fill the cone with foam to keep it from collapsing

Great idea.

[Exile]

Thanks for all the good ideas. If nothing else, at least I know my occasional misery has plenty of company!