T&T: Anchor washdown shower

[Robin Brueckner]

When I fabricated my own anchor pulpit, I ran a length of 1/2" copper tubing
inside the layers of 3/4 plywood with the end sticking out the front
underneath the anchor arm roller. The aft end has an elbow and tubing
protrudes down into my rope locker for connection to a pump.

I experimented with nozzles and finally added a few inches of copper tubing
via coupling flattening the end of the tubing with a vice grip til I got the
spray I liked. You want low volume and high pressure to get the mud off.

Running PVC or copper under an existing platform should work just fine.

People stare when I winch up my anchor as not many boats have such a washdown
without anybody standing there. The main problem I have is that the boat is
usually facing into any breeze and the salt water spray from the nozzle drifts
back onto the boat. I haven't figured any good way to eliminate that, but
sometimes I turn the boat sideways to the wind so the spray blows past.

You can also minimize mud accumulation by pulling in,say, twenty feet of chain
a few times during the hour or so prior to departure....if you do drag,  just
leave a bit earlier...

In addition, really sticky mud down near the anchor sometimes needs a few
rinses.....raising and lowering the chain....but the salt water washdown is
definitely worthwhile.  Rob Brueckner
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