Advice on choosing a windlass, Lofrans X2, Lewmar VX2+, etc.

[Star-Lord]

Well Mikko, looks like your windlass thread has expanded somewhat!

I think the idea of removing chain from the anchor locker to near the centre of the boat has its merits for long ocean passages. But I quite like 100m of chain ready to deploy when coastal sailing and even during 48hr or 36hr hops it may be useful to keep the chain at the ready - because you will sooner or later end up near land and if something goes wrong - and you are forced to anchor - it may be a hassle to replace all the chain into the locker before it can be deployed - especially if you are tired. Obviously if you used 6mm chain, as recommended by our esteemed colleague, it would be easier to lug around.

 

[Neeves]

I could not lift 100m of 6mm chain, but then I am a bit of a wimp at a meagre 70kg with little muscle. . We only carry 75m and to load on our cat I split it between 2 paint pails which were just manageable. We loaded it into the chain locker direct from the dinghy tied at the bow and simply loaded it aboard with the windlass. I common with many cats our chain locker and windlass is just ahead of the mast.

From memory A7 x 8mm had a Min break strength of 7,000kg and with a 5:1 safety factor would give a WLL of 1,400kg ( I err on safety with safety factors). If it were important I'd check the MBS - and not rely on my memory

Jonathan

Edit see post 64

 

[Star-Lord]

6mm chain would be easier to move back up the proposed pipe than 8mm.

'Lug' in the context Stooriefit and Mikko are discussing would mean pulling, or dragging, the chain back into the anchor locker.

 

[Neeves]

If you want to store the chain at the mast the best way (but may not be impossible) is to have the windlass located there, at the mast. I have seen such retrofits - they are ugly.


Don't rely on memory

Anchor Rode Report - Practical Sailor

Jonathan

 

[Star-Lord]

Be prepared to accept you are not always correct ?

 

[Mikko M]

Well Mikko, looks like your windlass thread has expanded somewhat!

I think the idea of removing chain from the anchor locker to near the centre of the boat has its merits for long ocean passages. But I quite like 100m of chain ready to deploy when coastal sailing and even during 48hr or 36hr hops it may be useful to keep the chain at the ready - because you will sooner or later end up near land and if something goes wrong - and you are forced to anchor - it may be a hassle to replace all the chain into the locker before it can be deployed - especially if you are tired. Obviously if you used 6mm chain, as recommended by our esteemed colleague, it would be easier to lug around.

Yes, a bit of thread drift perhaps, but the overall context is still about 'anchoring'

I am quite positive that the anchor weight would be enough to pull the chain out of the bilge, provided that there would be smooth transition between the two pipes, ie. not introducing much resistance. So one would only need to manually pull the chain to the bilge from the locker, as the windlass would drop the chain to the anchor locker under the forward berths. So the anchor could be deployed quickly in an emergency, which i consider very important. But this is of course something i will need to design and test thoroughly before i can claim that it actually works

Having the windlass sitting on top of the coachroof beside the mast is not really an option in my case. It would look awful and the idea of having anchor chain hovering 30-40 cm above the whole foredeck ready to trip someone over would sure make life interesting - provided that the anchor would still be sitting in a bow roller ready for deployment.