Flake or dump

[glynnffc]

New to using an electric windlass and puzzled as to whether I should still manually drag the chain onto the foredeck,flake out required length and then let windlass lower said chain, or just put foot on switch and drop some guestimate of chain, hoping to see paint marks as it goes.
Can't find any guidance on google just lots of ads, and this forum is usually more use anyway.

 

[Robin]

Have markings on the chain and lower it directly off the windlass, either power it down or release the clutch but drop it in a controlled way so that you can lay out the chain as the boat drops back and can also see the chain markings. I use coloured shock cord through the links and cable tied in place as markers as these can be seen easily even at night and they pass over the gypsy OK. I always power down as there is little load and it is Fast enough and controlled. Remember once the anchor is set to take the chain load off the windlass onto a cleat as the windlass is not designed to take snatch loads.

 

[Bilgediver]

Remember once the anchor is set to take the chain load off the windlass onto a cleat as the windlass is not designed to take snatch loads.

Seems a bit Mickey Mouse.. WHy not rig up a chain stopper if worried about windlass gears etc . Just need a strop and chain hook!

 

[Robin]

Seems a bit Mickey Mouse.. WHy not rig up a chain stopper if worried about windlass gears etc . Just need a strop and chain hook!

Yes it would be Micky Mouse but my own method, frequently touted in anchoring debates on here, has always been to use a nylon snubber line with a rubber mooring compensator wound into it and attached by a cast S/S chain hook to the chain. This line goes over the 2nd bow roller or foredeck fairlead onto a foredeck cleat and the chain is then let out to hang load free off the bow, but still in place on the gypsy. A chain stopper is also good if mounted with suitable strong backing to take the loads, but nevertheless doesn't stop snatch loads on the anchor which can be a prime cause of starting dragging.

Sorry I should have been less lazy in my original reply which was merely trying to say don't leave the load on the windlass.

 

[Bosun Higgs]

Have markings on the chain and lower it directly off the windlass, either power it down or release the clutch but drop it in a controlled way so that you can lay out the chain as the boat drops back and can also see the chain markings. I use coloured shock cord through the links and cable tied in place as markers as these can be seen easily even at night and they pass over the gypsy OK. I always power down as there is little load and it is Fast enough and controlled. Remember once the anchor is set to take the chain load off the windlass onto a cleat as the windlass is not designed to take snatch loads.

But how do you do it if you are single handed? Get the boat moving back first? Or dump the chain and then pull it out?

 

[Deleted member 36384]

Bosun_Higgs when anchoring myself just before the boat stops I go to the bow and let out until the anchor is just above sea bed. As soon as sh starts drifting back I lower and feed out and try and not drag the anchor.

I used to (with a CQR) snub the chain as it was being paid out but not any more. Once the scope is out I wait for her to lie too and only then apply reverse to dig in.

The boat normaly ends up beam on to wind as she drifts down but the not check snubbing appears to work with the CQR. My chain has cable ties to mark depth as well as the windlass having a counter.

When check subbing I believe the anchor was just falling on it's side.

 

[Bilgediver]

Sorry I should have been less lazy in my original reply which was merely trying to say don't leave the load on the windlass.

I was more worried about your fingers during the process of transferring the chain from the gypsy.

I am surprised there is no device to lock the drum other than the gears. One advantage of the old SL winches was a stout ratchet.

 

[Heckler]

I was more worried about your fingers during the process of transferring the chain from the gypsy.

I am surprised there is no device to lock the drum other than the gears. One advantage of the old SL winches was a stout ratchet.

I suspect he does what i do, put the hook on the chain, tied of to a cleat, then let some more off the winch so the load is taken by the cleat
stu

 

[Robin]

Single handed was not too different for me. The anchor was already in the bow roller so beforehand (aren't autopilots wonderful) I opened the anchor well as the windlass was below that, fitted the hand controller for up/down and release a few inches of chain to allow the anchor (Delta) to be ready to drop under is own weight when allowed by powering it down to my chosen chain mark. That done I would return to the cockpit and take the boat to my chosen spot above where the anchor would be dropped, whilst looking at the depth of course. Once in position and (momentarily) stationary, in neutral if under power, head to wind and/or tide I would go forward and as the boat starts to drift astern, then power the anchor down. As the boat is drifting astern it would tend to lay the chain out since this is being let out under power control and not dumped in a bunch. The boat would normally drift side on until the anchor caught then straighten up to the chain, after which I would gradually apply some reverse increasing eventually to be sure the anchor was dug well in (usually 2,000rpm or more on a 44hp Yanmar). I would then go forward and fit the snubber line chain hook in place with the line over the empty 2nd bow roller and the inner end cleated on deck. Then I powered out more chain whilst keeping some hand tension on the snubber line to keep the chain hook in place, until the load was all on the snubber line and a loop of slack chain was hanging off the bow. Next would be a coffee or a G & T depending on timing!

 

[Robin]

I was more worried about your fingers during the process of transferring the chain from the gypsy.

I am surprised there is no device to lock the drum other than the gears. One advantage of the old SL winches was a stout ratchet.

We had a Simpson Lawrence Horizon 1500 windlass on our last boat and a Lofrans Cayman windlass on the one before that. Both of these had ratchets but they were not designed to hold any more load than to hold gypsy whilst the manual clutch was released. The Horizon ratchet was actually plastic and I broke one unintentionally when I forgot it was in place and used the windlass under power, if you powered up and down in fact the ratchet was redundant.

There was a picture in one of Nigel Calder's books I think of a windlass shaft that sheared in half when it took all the load of a snatching anchor, good fore warning!

Good point indeed about the dangers of pinched fingers, We were in Studland once when the CG chopper arrived to airlift a lady off a boat where she had got her fingers trapped under the chain. Yikes.

 

[christinawilliams]

My Post

its Flakes!!