Anchor Windlass

[Guest]

Following on from the posts about cost of living an anchor windlass has moved up the list of priorities.My boat is a Kelt 28 - typical light displacement French yacht with fin keel.My wife and I are in our 50's and aim to be in the Med next year.Due to cardiac problem last year I am not allowed to raise the anchor so this job falls to my wife who is quite strong.
1. Should we go for a manual or electric windlass?-I like the idea of manual as I feel happy to do maintainance/repairs on it.Had an electric windlass burn out on me in Turkey and did not have clue how to fix it plus it is yet another electrical mouth to feed.
2.Any suggestions as to preferred make?
3.We intend cruising Western Med especially Spain initially so is it likely to be of much use?
4.Is it better to have it fitted in U.K. or wait till we get to Med?
5.I have thought about taking a tripping line back to one of the sheet winches and raising the anchor that way whilst my wife takes in the slack on the anchor chain.Has any one tried this?

All replies/suggestions welcomed

Keltman

 

[tony_brighton]

Looking to buy one myself. It would seem sensible to get it as soon as possible to a) take advantage of it, and b) make sure it works and is reliable.

Re: electrical mouth to feed - most people raise and lower with the engine running - so its not so much battery power dependent.

A question though - if you do have an eletcrical fault, can you still raise them by hand?

 

[MedMan]

My wife and I, both mid 50's, have been cruising the Med for the last 5 years. We have an electric windlass and it rates right up there with the autopilot as a 'must have' item without which our quality of life would be adversely affected.

Whether you need the same depends entirely where you fit on the marina/harbour - anchorage spectrum. If you are at the marina/harbour end and only anchor if you have to, clearly a windlass will not be a priority. However, if like us, you are right over at the anchor-it-at-all-possible end, then it certainly will.

We sail a 35ft Trident Voyager 35 with over-the-top ground tackle. We have a 20kg Bruce and 60 metres of 10mm (3/8") chain. 10 metres plus of 10mm chain plus the 20kg Bruce hanging over the bow most certainly needs a windlass to haul in, and I would say, a power windlass. Its not so much when you anchor first time in 4 metres of clean sand, it is when it takes 5 attempts to cut through weed in 10 metres.

On your 28 ft Kelt you will only need 8 mm chain so the equation will work out differently. However, I would still advise a power windlass - anno domini will not make the job any easier as the years roll by!

Worry not about the power consumption - it is not relevant. 6 minutes (that's enough for several attempts) at 60 amps is still only 6 amp hours and you will, in any case, have your engine running at the time. However, what is important is to use heavy enough cable to prevent too much voltage drop or the windlass will not work correctly and will be more prone to burn out. Use the tables in Nigel Calder's book to work it out - you do need VERY fat cables. Pay the extra and get heavy-duty, fine-stranded flexible cables or routing them will be a nightmare. I would install in the UK so that you have no language problem when you need to ask for help - I did and asked several times! Fit a circuit breaker, not a fuse, as it will trip out from time to time when your anchor is bedded deeply in mud.

I suggest a vertical windlass where the motor is below deck. Make sure it can also be used by hand - usually with a winch handle - as a back up and to help breaking out in mud. Buy one with an 8mm gypsy, not 5/16" and buy 8mm chain. If you don't, and you need to replace the chain, or add to it, when in the Med you won't be able to match it up.

Ours is a Simson Lawrence Anchorman vertical power windlass - sadly no longer available. It is great!

Do not be tempted to have a system that powers downwards as well as up - they are instruments of the devil! They let out the chain far too slowly and you end up dragging the hook all over the place on a too-short scope. Gravity does the job far better!

I am flying back to my boat in Greece this evening so I will not be around to answer any more. However - the best of luck.

 

[Guest]

was going to reply to this post, and then found medman had said almost all i was going to say, almost word for word. only point i would mildly disagree on is the bit about powering down. i found it no problem using a 1000 watt lofrans.

do get an electric one - there are times when a willingness to re anchor 4 times is a safety issue. get a big one. you can make a 400 watt windlass lift almost anything if you gear it down enough ie make it slow. get a 1000 watt one and it will be much faster. finally, try to rig it in such a way that your partner can use it to hoist you out of the drink if you ever fall in.

 

[snowleopard]

I've been very happy with my Lofrans 1000 over the course of the last year in Europe and the Caribbean. I even invested in a radio remote controller. The whole thing functioned perfectly and was a blessing when having to re-anchor repeatedly in a blow in the Spanish rias. BUT, it can't be operated manually (in theory you can use a winch handle but you have to drive the motor as well as lift the chain and it's too much like hard work for me.

p.s. if you plan to use a rope-and-chain rode you need a vertical spindle type to get sufficient grip as the rope passes round 180 degrees of the gypsy against only 90 degrees for the horizontal type

 

[ponapay]

I have a 32 year old Simpson Lawrence electric windlass in my Nic 38. It has survived well with only a few repairs needed.

Its horizontal with a gypsy and drum. It is invaluable in both modes.

Only problem is that when something goes wrong everyone says buy a new one. I was quoted £1400 for a new one fitted for a repair that cost me £3.50 once I found out what the problem was.

My bower weighs 60lbs and with up to 40 fathoms of 3/8 cable a power windlass is essential.

Good luck with thehunt.