Electric (12v) windlass

[single]

I've had enough of pulling the anchor up by hand, so any suggestions to what size/make of electric windlass for the Bristol Channel currents? Boat is a Colvic Atlanta 31'6'' & 16000lbs displacement. I'm pretty sure i need to go bigger than what would be used on a 31' Beneteau in the Med!!? I'm also thinking of about 45m of chain?

 

[duncan99210]

When I bought our boat, which weighs about what yours does, it had a 600 watt windlass. That died not long after I bought the boat and it was replaced with a 1000 watt Lofrans Cayman. That has been in use about 150 days a year whilst we were living on board and has given no trouble at all. Anchoring in the Med doesn't encounter the currents prevalent in the Bristol Channel but we often have most of our 80 metres of chain out.

 

[Birdseye]

The boats weight is irrelevant - you should never be trying to pull the boat forward using the windlass. But in any case you will have the engine running so a nudge forward and then lift the anchor is the way to go. The only real relevance of the windlass power is the speed with which it will pull up the anchor and chain. You can get just as much pull from 600w as 1000 simply by making it lower geared.

I used a Lofrans 1000w on a cat with greater windage than your boat but a bit lighter weight and 60m of chain. I was entirely happy with the Lofrans. I currently use a SL 1500 windlass ( 1000 watts despite its name) on a heavier boat again with 60 m of chain. It will pull 575kg which is way more than my anchor and chain weigh and do so at 13m/min which is acceptable.

The key issue is the wiring. I found it economical to use arc welding cable ie the cable that goes from the transformer to the welding gun. It is multi strand copper, quite flexible and significantly cheaper than marine sources. You need to keep voltage drop to a minimum.

 

[single]

Talking of cables etc , i can't understand why most boats don't have a separate battery in the bow. Thats what i'll be doing.

 

[Allan]

I fitted one for a friend some time ago. I put the battery at the bow and fitted a special 12volt charger. I bought this in the States. I also remember fitting a relay which isolated the charger when the windlass was being used.
Allan

 

[single]

Finally ended up with the Lofrans Tigres 1500. Next question is what type of anchor? Currently i have a pair of 35lb CQRs but again after a fair bit or research, they don't seem to suit the BC very well. Any opinions on other types?

 

[Birdseye]

Talking of cables etc , i can't understand why most boats don't have a separate battery in the bow. Thats what i'll be doing.

Simple reason - its no great advantage. If you want that battery to be properly charged then you need fairly heavy cables to minimise the voltage drop between alternator and battery - this issue is more important for battery charging than it is for running a windlass. . Add to that you have another battery to fail and replace at some point, you have to make somewhere for the battery to sit, you put weight where you dont want it in the bows and you have 4 more cable joints to make up. And it costs more too.

As for the tyoe of anchor I have used CQR, Bruce, Manson Rocna and Fortress all in the bristol channel plus elsewhere. The CQR and Bruce cant hold a candle to the latest roll bar types in terms of digging in, at Combe for example. The Manson was great but a bitch to stow and heavy to hump in and out of the locker as was the Rocna. The Fortress has proved excellent and its light too.

 

[single]

Funnily enough i've been hunting for a second hand Fortress FX-23 to try.

 

[zebedee41]

I have a Pacific windlass made in Australia.
with a 3rd battery near the other 2 which I can isolate all near the alternator then used the recommend cable to the windlass