The anchor locker and hatch are often overlooked when cleaning your Krogen Express 52’. Good maintenance of the foredeck, locker, and hatch will help ensure the longevity of your anchor line and rode. Also, it will allow for easier hatch operation and will keep any unpleasant smells out. While all KE52’s have fresh water wash downs on the fore deck, many are also equipped with raw water wash downs. While the raw water washdown is clearly there primarily for cleaning your anchor rode, consider using freshwater when available to reduce corrosion, even on your galvanized chain. Or if you use raw water, clean the rode periodically with fresh water as noted below. Following are some suggestions to reference while cleaning your anchor hatch and locker to ensure good maintenance.
First, rinse all surfaces of the hatch, locker, anchor line, and rode with fresh water whenever available. If there is mildew, or worse, present within your locker, an ecofriendly product such as West Marine Mildew Stain Remover can be used to spray into your anchor locker. Another option is to use simple household cleaner such as bleach at a 4:1 ratio with water. Simply spray the product of your choice liberally onto the walls and rode and scrub the areas you can reach from above with a pole and brush. Let it sit for 5-10 min, and then rinse thoroughly with water. The more you spray and rinse your anchor locker, the easier it will be in the future.
For an even deeper cleaning, you can climb into the anchor locker and wash all surfaces. We recommend wearing a mask to protect yourself from the unpleasant smell of the cleaning product or bleach. Always be sure to thoroughly rinse the anchor rode and line as well.
Anchor Locker Drain Grate
Anchor Locker Drain Seacocks
You also want to ensure the anchor locker drain is free and clear, so that all water drains properly. The drain is located at the bottom of the locker, under the grate, as pictured to the left. If it does not seem like the locker is draining properly, check the seacocks to the drain to ensure they are open. They are located under your master berth, forward, as pictured to the right. Once you’ve washed and rinsed your anchor hatch and locker, leave the hatch open to allow the locker to dry out properly. This will also allow the water in the cups on top of the anchor hatch to drain out as well.
When you are at the dock, on a rainy day, it is a good idea to clean the entire line, chain, and anchor every so often. Let out the anchor, chain, and line completely. Once all of it is out of the locker, consider cleaning the locker as above, and then start bringing in the line, rinsing thoroughly with fresh water from the dock. This will ensure every foot of the line and chain are cleaned thoroughly. This also helps with preventing corrosion on your anchor chain. When complete, leave the anchor hatch open to allow it to dry.
You may have discovered that the anchor hatch becomes very difficult to open over time. If not opened regularly, the anchor hatch gasket tends to stick and sometimes requires super human force to open. To prevent this, keep the anchor hatch lip clean and gutters free and clear of any dirt and debris, and every so often, apply Carnauba wax to the anchor hatch rubber gasket and lip. This will prevent sticking in the future and extend the longevity of the gasket. These simple steps go a long way to ensure ease of access to your anchor locker.
When you wash your boat, spray directly down into the hinge area of the anchor hatch using the high pressure setting on your nozzle. If you’re like us, you’ll be amazed at how much debris comes out. Lift the T-handle to clean and rinse the cups and handle area. Then open the hatch and let the cups drains before closing.
If you have any questions, concerns, or need assistance, feel free to call us. We are ALWAYS here for you!