Anchor locker drain holes.

[Boatname]

Sitting in the marina on our 2001 34 with its unequal height drain holes looking at a new 40 ... with unequal height drain holes and really can't think of a reason.

Illogical Germans? Surely not 

Any idea why?

[Ricd]

If they were both of equal height you would have a rust stain running down both sides?  Guess second one only comes into use in extreme conditions?

[Salty]

By having one hole lower on one side than the other, almost all of any water that collects in the chain locker will drain out of that one side. Because of this any solid matter, sand, mud, seaweed etc., that you have pulled up with your anchor chain and which you didn't wash off before it went into your chain locker, will tend to collect on one side next to that lower hole, thereby leaving the upper hole clear to handle those occasions when your boat buries it's bow into a solid wall of water. If both holes were at the same level, any build up of solid matter within the chain locker would likely block both holes at more or less the same time, thereby allowing your chain locker to fill with water before you had noticed there was a build up that would alter the vessels trim, forcing the bow lower in the water, and which in consequence might endanger your safety.

Sitting in the marina on our 2001 34 with its unequal height drain holes looking at a new 40 ... with unequal height drain holes and really can't think of a reason.

Illogical Germans? Surely not 

Any idea why?

Illogical, most definitely not !

[Ricd]

Drain hole plugging is an issue on those boats with a single hole on the bow so I guess Salty is right.

[Boatname]

Good one Salty. Wonder why it seems to be just Bav as I've not seen it on other yachts.

German innovation 

[Clivert]

We have a 2001 34 and have never had a problem.
Make sure there's no weed on the chain to block the drain hole

[Sitesurfer]

That explains it then!

I replaced the drain covers with nice stainless ones in the yard before launch and was cursing the incompetence of the shipwright who drilled the holes for not getting them in (normally) perfect Germanic symmetrical order.

[MarkTheBike]

That all makes perfect sense (and so logical!) but, how odd - I'm absolutely sure my B34/2001 has equal height holes with equal stains on both sides. I've scoured all my pics but there are none bows-on so I'll have to check tomorrow. What's the difference between the holes on your boats? I should add that I always keep the anchor locker clear of mud and weed...

[Bav32]

What's the difference between the holes on your boats?

The difference is about 3-5cm if I remember correctly

[Boatname]

Mine

[Ricd]

Like Bav32 only my port side is the lower one with the rust stain. No stain on higher one. B34-2000

[Sitesurfer]

That looks exactly like mine, all makes sense now!