Anchor washdown

Audrey II

Audrey II

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After reading another thread it reminded me of something I think about adding but not sure what to buy. I have a fresh water washdown for my anchor but this requires holding a hose while raising the anchor. I know they made automatic anchor chain washdown systems what I'm wondering is can I buy just the sprayer. I can install a solenoid that activates any time I raise the anchor even if I need to add a pump for more pressure it would not be a big deal to do.
 
The pressure from your pump should be enough, i have rinsed with a back up shurflo and it's plenty

Ideally I would try to wire the solenoid separately from the windlass to save water when not needed
 
I hold over a 100 gallons and I have never run out of water. I would wire it to only trip with the up voltage but I will only do this if I can find a really good sprayer (cheap).
 
I like the handheld. Some mud just won't come off without a little more work than a fixed sprayer. Just my opinion.
 
quote:
Originally posted by Ghost

I like the handheld. Some mud just won't come off without a little more work than a fixed sprayer. Just my opinion.

Click to expand...

I agree I wouldn't be able to get some of the muck that is stuck to my anchor without a handheld sprayer nozzel. 100 gallons isn't that much water Dave you could use up to 1/5th cleaning a really dirty anchor and chain rode.
Bill
 
By "sprayer" I assume you mean a spry nozzle? In many cases they are just home made by crimping the end of a piece of pipe. Or you can buy a spray nozzle and thread it on to a piece of pipe that you stick out through the bow or mount to the underside of your anchor pulpit.
 
Problem with a hand held hose is that someone needs to be there holiding it
 
Your best bet it to install a saltwater washdown pump, a big one, this way you do not worry about water.

I've seen washdowns on yachts that spray like a small fire hose. Pretty cool.
 
I would not be giving up my hose I would be added this with a switch so it can be turned off. I don't have access to a thru hole in the front of the boat and I don't want to add one. I have been using my hose for years with little impact on my hold tank.

And I agree the issue is I can't be on the bow and the helm at the same time my wife is usually at the bow and I was just hoping to make her life a little easier with the automatic sprayer.
 
I don't like rising with saltwater, yes you get the mud off but not the salt

Water usage depends on many factor... For a week ended with 2 or 3 people 100 USG should be enough and fresh water rinsing won't be a problem. On a longer trip with more people esp teens or women, you may have to skip rinsing the rode

I would use a brass nozzle mounted close to the roller and aimed at roller. How to feed it depends on the pulpit layout, a SS tube may work and look pretty good
 
I guess it helps if you understand 99% of my anchor use is for the weekend and usually when I pull up I'm heading back to the dock so I'm really not to concerned about usage. I rarely travel and stay on a hook we enjoy all the comforts of marinas. As for mounting or installing I'm not really concerned my roller in enclosed with a hatch so nothing would be seen with this hatch closed. The big challenge here is finding a nozzle that would do the trip the rest is simple.
 
Dave, it would be real easy to just flatten a piece of copper tubing about 6" x 1/2"D until it sprayed just right on the chain as it comes up. Then mount it right here. You could probably epoxy it in fairly easy and connect the solenoid to the up foot switch.

show_zpse4fb806b.jpg
 
Just water Google spray nozzles. Lots to choose from in all kinds of metals and spray patterns.
 
I'm single handing almost 95% of the time for the last 3 years. I anchor a lot now. I have a windlass switch at the helm, but I still find that I'm pulling the anchor at the pulpit itself most of the time. So for me, I'm there anyways. My wash down is salt. Kind of wish I had both salt and fresh. For volume on a muddy bottom, I would prefer the salt, but as Pascal notes, your not getting a fresh water rinse and that does build up in the locker over time. No question. Actually a smaller volume fresh water fixed spray AND the salt water on a hose nozzle might be the best of both worlds.

I just got curious that I seem to be the only one who still prefers to be at the pulpit. Of course, the device you need is fairly linked to the process by which you operate. If I was not at the pulpit, obviously I would not like a handheld as much. I just find that I have plenty of time to walk the long way back all the way to the flybridge without fanfare. On my boat I have a helm on the same level as the bow, so If I had to run to it in short notice I could, just find that I almost never do.

I certainly remember the days where it took two to anchor, one at the helm, the other at the pulpit. It's just over time that this no longer seems necessary, or even preferred. If you asked me even just 5 years ago I would have a different story.
 
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