Anchor windlass

[snooks]

But why ever did the test not cover the ability of the various windlasses to handle rope & chain rodes? This is a minefield for the potential windlass purchaser if he has to use such a rode.

This is down to the gypsy, not the windlass. IIRC all the windlasses tested could have a rope /chain gypsy fitted. Chain is a set size, rope isn't.

 

[charles_reed]

I'd certainly go with the manual windlass as being more in keeping with the boat as well as less expensive and far less trouble to fit.

IMHO an electric windlass only comes into its own for a lot of solo anchoring and lifting or when your anchor weight goes over 40-50kg.

 

[JimC]

This is down to the gypsy, not the windlass. IIRC all the windlasses tested could have a rope /chain gypsy fitted. Chain is a set size, rope isn't.

The thing is that some rope/chain gypsies will only work with 3 strand, some 8 plait, some are very particular about splices, some chew-up even the recommended type of rope. As I say it's a minefield and the manufacturer's published specifications are not always to be relied on in this regard.

 

[wotayottie]

I've always regarded my leccy windlass as safety equipment. Imagine getting to an anchorage late at night in the pouring rain and you're hungry. Manual windlass. First effort to anchor doesnt hold. Pull it all in and have a second go. Second attempt holds but you realise you are a bit near the shore if the wind changes. Do you have a third attempt of go below for a beer and some food> Guess it depends on you , but you are more likely to chance it if recovery of the anchor and chain is manual.

 

[ianabc]

We use the Simpson Lawrence 555 Sea Tiger

with the handle extended to make the lever just over 1 m in length

Works well with 200 feet of L3/8 chain

 

[NUTMEG]

I am about to remove a very good ''Royal" from Lady Jayne and was going to put it on eBay but open to offers. It is in really very good condition. PM me and I will take pics etc if interested. Only reason for sale is I think it is overkill on a 24' east coast (thin water) gaffer and not original equipment.

 

[Tranona]

Give it a season before you remove it. Think you will find it well worth keeping if you do any anchoring.

 

[snooks]

Only reason for sale is I think it is overkill on a 24' east coast (thin water) gaffer and not original equipment.

A windlass isn't just for bring in the anchor, it's a way of keeping mud free too.

If you want to cover yourself in east coast mud every time you bring up the hook, sell it. If you want to stay clean, keep it

 

[Gordonmc]

How about...

It came off a Miller Fifer.
Free if you can work out how to get it from SW Scotland to you.

 

[NUTMEG]

A windlass isn't just for bring in the anchor, it's a way of keeping mud free too.

If you want to cover yourself in east coast mud every time you bring up the hook, sell it. If you want to stay clean, keep it

Not wishing to hijack this thread but to explain why I may be selling the windlass. At the moment it is mounted next to the mast. No prob with that, except that means the hawsepipe is in the forecabin. At the moment all the rope and chain go down a plastic pipe into a basket next to the Stbd berth. Still no problem except when I try to encourage the missus to sleep aboard, next to stinky rope and chain. The anchor locker is unused but there is not room to fit the windlass (bowsprit in the way, with all manner of cleats and bits) above it. The windlass has a gypsy one side and a capstan the other, making it fairly wide. The anchor locker only extends some 18" or so aft of the bow.

 

[prv]

The anchor locker is unused but there is not room to fit the windlass (bowsprit in the way, with all manner of cleats and bits) above it.

Does the windlass absolutely need to drop the chain vertically below it? My vertical windlass is mounted at the inboard end of the bowsprit, but the navel pipe to the chain locker is right on the bow, to starboard of the 'sprit. The chain comes over the bow roller, along one side of the bowsprit, round the windlass, then forward on the other side and down the hole. I'd have thought most horizontal windlasses could be used similarly - taking as an example the one in this post: http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?p=3826663#post3826663 , the chain could come over the top of the gypsy, round, underneath, and back forwards again to feed into the anchor locker.

If your windlass is back at the mast you'll have a fair length of chain running along the deck, but that's not uncommon on older gaffers. Usually fit galvanised plates to the deck to stop it chafing. Of course you needn't store the chain on the windlass when underway, I don't, just pull a loop of it aft out of the locker and drop it on the gypsy when needed.

Pete

 

[AntarcticPilot]

+1 ......
We bought a second hand SL Anchorman manual windlass for £100
- We only anchor a few times per year
- I prefer to recover by hand whenever possible
- Good to know we have the windlass if necessary
- Don't have to worry about electrical installlation

Ditto. It happens that a vertical axis electric winch would be very intrusive below decks in the layout of my boat, and a horizontal axis winch can't be mounted where the chain could drop straight into the locker. As far as I can see, it is a requirement of horizontal axis winches that the chain can drop straight from the winch into the locker, which makes them difficult to install on a boat with a chain locker in the bow where the entire top of the locker is the hatch covering it. I suppose some sort of slanting hawse pipe might work but a) it would mean an extra large hole in the deck and b) would be intrusive in the fore-cabin (see above!)

 

[ditchcrawler]

I have the same boat as Ant Pilot and have a horizontal electric windlass on a frame inside the locker no problem.Several people with Moody boats have this configuration as I know from discussion on the Moody website.The chain can pile up under the windlass and you may have to stop and give it a quick kick to spread it out if you are bringing in a lot of chain.I have 30m of chain with 20m of 3 ply rope.Here on the East Coast we are not usually anchoring in deep water.

 

[Rivers & creeks]

We fitted an electric windlass and now we anchor all the time, there is a correlation!

Six week annual cruise and this year it was six nights in marinas and about 10 nights on buoys, all the rest at anchor, we hadn't spent more than four nights at anchor in all our cruising before that because of the PITA of recovery. It just makes it painless.

 

[Amazon8mCat]

I now need to research anchor windlasses. Boat 33' wooden motor boat, quite heavy (9/10 tonnes?), used East Coast, Thames Estuary, none fitted at present. Currently rebuilding front deck. I note from replies on my anchor thread that an electric windlass needed. Is this for certain as they seem to be mental money and of course I would need to re do all the charging electrics to cope with the extra elektrickery needed. What would be wrong with a nice Simpson Lawrence and suitable anchor rode.? Also I don't envisage much anchoring in any event as I would be more likely to take ground.

Forgive me for crashing in on this post but you may be able to help me. Having tried for some hours, I have not discovered how to post a new thread! I cannot find the "+ post new thread" icon (referred to under help) on any page I have looked at. Just in case you are able to help with the query I wish to post here it is - you may be able redirect me to an appropriate place.

I am trying to get a template for a very old Lofrans Royal windlass (it seems to be imperial not metric and somewhat different to the more modern ones ie with an attached oblong chain pipe surround (broken by a previous owner and now missing). Any help much appreciated. Once again, my apologies for intruding in your post. Many thanks, John