Anchor locker access from V-berth in a Cutwater 28

[mariemuma]

We have removed the mirror and plywood shelf as well as the light panels. We now have excellent access to the rear of the anchor locker. It looks like it would be fairly easy to create a small window as high up as possible which would swing down and allow us to "flake" the anchor chain when pulling up the anchor. Presently my spouse has to go to the bow, lay on his tummy, and use his gloved left hand to flake the chain. We are not getting any younger and would love to be able to do this from INSIDE the boat. We are hoping this could be done without disrupting the integrity of the boat's structure. We have a 2015 Cutwater 28. Any ideas or comments would be appreciated.

 

[Dorman]

I wouldn't want to access the anchor locker from the inside even though it can be a pain especially in bad weather to go out on the bow. First you could be letting water and odors into the V birth, second you need to be on the bow to see what the anchor is dragging up, you don't want jelly fish in the anchor locker and third you need to be on the bow with the wash down hose to get the gunk off the anchor rode and anchor as they are retrieved.

 

[stwendl]

The only solution to proper chain fall is a deeper locker or some mechanism to curl up the loose ends and take them out of the way.

 

[Jeff58]

I had to cut a hole to access the anchor locker drain hose that was crimped when the boat was constructed (2014 C28). The Cutwater folks gave me some instructions because this is the same place you access the back of the large eye bolt in the bow where you hook the trailer strap. In any event my recollection is that you would be cutting 2 holes to get into that locker and they would have to be bigger than my 4" hole saw to be able to allow you to work. I think that as some other posters indicated you might be opening yourself up for other problems and maybe some structural integrity compromises depending on the cut,