Anchor chain

[Slowtack]

I have an old (mid 1980s) Simpson Lawrence manual vertical windlass from a scandinavian built boat. I have tried a short length of 8mm chain which seems to fit the gypsy. Should I use 5/16ths or will the difference matter in practice?

 

[hlb]

You need a chain that fits the gypsy, it also needs to be calibrated, so all links are the same. Corse you mght manage with a slight difference, but expect the anchor to go back down a metre or two, every now and then.

 

[vyv_cox]

I used a mixture of 8 mm and 5/16" chain on a 5/16" gypsy for several years. Three lengths of chain were joined with C-links, which I subsequently found were long series, not short as the chain was. The windlass never even stuttered, it was perfectly capable of coping with this mixture.

Take your gypsy to the chandler's and try the 8mm chain over it for several metres. It will very likely be OK but if not you have found out without spending anything.

 

[Chris_Robb]

[ QUOTE ]
I used a mixture of 8 mm and 5/16" chain on a 5/16" gypsy for several years. Three lengths of chain were joined with C-links, which I subsequently found were long series, not short as the chain was. The windlass never even stuttered, it was perfectly capable of coping with this mixture.

Take your gypsy to the chandler's and try the 8mm chain over it for several metres. It will very likely be OK but if not you have found out without spending anything.

[/ QUOTE ]

Vyv, I think you were lucky! My 8mm chain kept jaming up, and not shedding off the bottom of the horizontal winch. I have now bought 80mtrs of new chain, and the problem has totally gone away, and runs with no clanking at all. I will rest easier at night to now that the C links that I put in the old chains last year!!! (with your helpful advice!) are no longer there.

 

[Tranona]

IIRC there were diferent sizes of gypsy and it should be marked - either stamped or cast in. I think the Anchorman (if that is what you have) is less tolerant of differences because of the way the chain comes off the gypsy horizontally rather than vertically.

 

[cobolt]

Slowtack, there will be a 3 digit number which should be stamped in one of the "pockets" of the gypsy.

If you could get that number on here, I'll let you know what chain it is designed to take.

BR, Ben