anchor windlass choice

[Peter]

Looking at fitting a electric vertical windlass, at the moment a loftens project 1500 windlass or a Lewmar V series windlass. Any comments on choice as regards reliabilty, build quality etc, or are from the other windlass manufacturesn to consider, ie Quick. Any commments on windlass choice appreciated. To fit to a 14m yacht, with 12mm chain and 25kg delta.

Peter

 

[Moscowman100]

Fitted a 1500W Quick - so far very pleased. However, IIRC they do not do a 12mm gypsy. Worth buying their cockpit remote as well - simple wiring & accurate payout meter.

 

[mocruising]

Lofrans

I have a lofrans on a 15 m yacht 22 tonne 10mm chain boat is 12 years old we anchor all the time in the med its the one bit of kit next to auto pilot I could not be without. Build quality is excellent spares available and reasonable although I have only ever ordered a new kick bar and foot switches.

 

[GeorgeLlewellin]

Have you considered the South Pacific :-
http://www.seateach.com/SouthPacificVA600_1000.asp
It came out very well in a Sailing Today survey some months ago, particularly with regard to low power consumption. I have no personal experience of them but I am sure others on this forum have. George.

 

[TiggerToo]

Whatever you do consider installing a PROPER heavy duty automotive solenoid switch. The flimsy ones that come with the excellent Lofrans windlasses tend to burn out after a few years' use. the automotive solenoids are much more robust , cheap (relatively) and a doddle to fit.

 

[Manuel]

The Lofrans is good. I went diving on a pro diveboat in the summer and the skipper told me that he had had his Lofrans for twelve years and done nothing but change the gypsy a few times (wear). He anchors twice a day every day in the (long Mediterranean) season.

 

[Chris_Robb]

Vertical or horizontal axis.

Looking at fitting a electric vertical windlass, at the moment a loftens project 1500 windlass or a Lewmar V series windlass. Any comments on choice as regards reliabilty, build quality etc, or are from the other windlass manufacturesn to consider, ie Quick. Any commments on windlass choice appreciated. To fit to a 14m yacht, with 12mm chain and 25kg delta.

Peter

You only consider a vertical axis winch here. I take it that you have no significant rise to the bow fairlead from vertical axis winch? If you do, a horizontal axxis winch would be more suitable.

I had one of their big horizontal winches on my last boat, and it was excelent. I now have a Lewmar H series, but whilst it has worked perfectly, I had to send it back to get all the fastenings drilled out after 2 years, as the tiny alan key heads has stripped. I now take each bolt out each year = grease and put back. They need a more robust bolt than an alan key.

 

[Leonidas]

The Lofrans is good. I went diving on a pro diveboat in the summer and the skipper told me that he had had his Lofrans for twelve years and done nothing but change the gypsy a few times (wear). He anchors twice a day every day in the (long Mediterranean) season.

I'll go along with that.Mine ( Lofrans Tigres 1500) is nearly 20 years old and apart from the normal oil changes, seals ,motor brushes etc I had no other work done to it.