hornblower
Well-Known Member
Has anyone experience with electronic chain counters on Lofrans windlasses?
Electronic chain counter sensors
- Thread starter hornblower
- Start date
jerryat
Well-Known Member
I'd be interested in any answers too. Despite having the chain clearly tagged, it's impossible to see them from the helm when anchoring single-hannded.
I've often thought a digital readout in the cockpit would be the answer.
I've often thought a digital readout in the cockpit would be the answer.
alan17
Well-Known Member
Have only just thought of this so maybe there is a problem with it but why not paint the chain in various colours. Say the first 10 meters white, the next 10 red, then orange etc. A quick glance will then tell you roughly how much chain has been deployed.
jerryat
Well-Known Member
Yes, tried that some years ago, but we cruise full time a lot and, because we anchor virtually all the time, paint lasts a few weeks at best.
In addition, the 'colours' effectively disappear in that time due to mud/silt etc and become virtually impossible to detect from one another from the tiller.
In addition, the 'colours' effectively disappear in that time due to mud/silt etc and become virtually impossible to detect from one another from the tiller.
charles_reed
Well-Known Member
The latest Quick
range of windlasses are fitted as standard with chain counters. They also have quite impressive torque and chain-recovery figures
Quick are probably European market leaders so I suspect Lofrans will soon be following suite.
I'm going to get a 700 watt one delivered to Tunisia for £M250, instead of a 1000w Lofrans at x2 that price.
(Avoids EC TVA).
range of windlasses are fitted as standard with chain counters. They also have quite impressive torque and chain-recovery figures
Quick are probably European market leaders so I suspect Lofrans will soon be following suite.
I'm going to get a 700 watt one delivered to Tunisia for £M250, instead of a 1000w Lofrans at x2 that price.
(Avoids EC TVA).
jerryat
Well-Known Member
Re: The latest Quick
Thanks, but I already have a superb Lofrans Airon and wouldn't dream of changing it. I doubt if the Quick windlass would help anyway as I assume the counter is fitted to the windlass itself. I need a remote, probably electronic, counter that will give me a readout at the helm where I have a second windlass control switch.
BTW, I suspect that Lofrans sales Europe-wide far exceed those of Quick!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Thanks, but I already have a superb Lofrans Airon and wouldn't dream of changing it. I doubt if the Quick windlass would help anyway as I assume the counter is fitted to the windlass itself. I need a remote, probably electronic, counter that will give me a readout at the helm where I have a second windlass control switch.
BTW, I suspect that Lofrans sales Europe-wide far exceed those of Quick!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
FWB
N/A
Not used one but here is one The manual for download is in Italian and English, scroll down. Looks simple enough to fit.
jerryat
Well-Known Member
Thanks Dylan. I did see this some time ago but had forgotten about it! I'll see if they will sell it without the remote as I already have the identical one. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
JerryHawkins
Well-Known Member
I plan to fit one of these from CruzPro:
http://www.cruzpro.com/ch30.html
At around £275 its not cheap, but then it does a lot more than just count the chain. Program length of chain to release, automatic retrieval including slowing last few feet to stow the anchor carefully.
Cheers,
Jerry
http://www.cruzpro.com/ch30.html
At around £275 its not cheap, but then it does a lot more than just count the chain. Program length of chain to release, automatic retrieval including slowing last few feet to stow the anchor carefully.
Cheers,
Jerry
GMac
Well-Known Member
Auto-Anchor ( http://www.autoanchor.co.nz/ ) is also worth a serious look. Great units.
Something we see often really makes me do this:
READ THE MANUAL WELL AND IF THE COUNTER NEEDS TO BE CALIBRATED - DO IT !!
Sell, say, 40mts of chain to punter, punter goes boating, punter rings us "you only supplied 20mts", we go to boat, calibrate counter and don't change chain, punter nows goes boating with 40mts. Lofrans and Quick using punters head this list /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Charles - your 700w Quick will be a very different animal to a 1000w Lofrans so you're not quite doing an apples for apples thing there. Nothing wrong with a Quick though.
Something we see often really makes me do this:
READ THE MANUAL WELL AND IF THE COUNTER NEEDS TO BE CALIBRATED - DO IT !!
Sell, say, 40mts of chain to punter, punter goes boating, punter rings us "you only supplied 20mts", we go to boat, calibrate counter and don't change chain, punter nows goes boating with 40mts. Lofrans and Quick using punters head this list /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Charles - your 700w Quick will be a very different animal to a 1000w Lofrans so you're not quite doing an apples for apples thing there. Nothing wrong with a Quick though.
Billjratt
Well-Known Member
The quicks in our club could benefit from being covered. The plating is aging "quickly", also led to believe there is no manual backup if the power fails? I'm happy with my Lofrans...