A cheap alternative to the washdown pump
Issue 57 : Nov/Dec 2007
Washdown pumps are great when a muddy anchor chain comes aboard. But there is a cheaper alternative. I took two scrub brushes and linked them together with a piece of plywood so that their bristles touched one another. Brushes with long bristles work the best. Another piece of plywood was hinged on the other side to provide access for the chain. I used a piece of shock cord and a hood to keep the “door” closed, but any kind of latch or bolt will do. Next I drilled a hole at the top through which to attach a piece of light line and two 2-pound scuba weights to make it sink. Now, when we bring up the anchor, the scrubber is put around the chain and lowered to about 10 feet below the surface of the water. As the chain comes up, the brushes clear the mud and the chain comes on deck without all that goo. It really works well.
Three years ago Bob Steadman and Kaye Nottbusch left Los Angeles. They went through the Panama Canal and worked north to Boston last summer. Currently they are in the Rio Dulce, Guatemala, hiding out from hurricanes. Their boat is a custom Cascade 36 that Bob built. It was launched in 1984.
Thank you to Sailrite Enterprises, Inc., for providing free access to back issues of Good Old Boat through intellectual property rights. Sailrite.com
