I need more gravity!

[peter bush]

I have a new electric anchor winch.It works.......but the problem is getting the chain to fall in to the chain locker.The installer fitted a 45 degree ramp for it to slide down but the "drop" to the bottom of the locker is not long enough from the bottom of the ramp for enough weight of chain to pull it down.Moving the winch forward is difficult because of a deck beam and Sampson post.Moving the chain pipe aft would bisect the forward berth. After many hours of head scratching I can only think that one solution is to have some kind of powered roller,or chain wheel running at a slightly faster speed than the winch pulling the chain forward so that when it comes off the roller it is over the deepest part of the chain locker.The roller would be driven by another,smaller electric motor under the foredeck and wired to the winch.Does anyone have a simpler solution?

 

[Daverw]

A stick, keep poking it

 

[Champagne Murphy]

A stick, keep poking it

+1

 

[Stemar]

+ another. It's what a friend had to do on his Starlight.

It's a pain in the bum, though so, if you do come up with a workable and affordable solution, I'm sure he'd be interested.

 

[greeny]

+1
I'm at the sharp end anyway when winching so it isn't normally a problem and it means i can flake the chain into the locker nicely.

 

[scrambledegg]

Make your ramp, or your chain, more slippery?
(eg stainless chain, smaller link size, ptfe sheet)

 

[PetiteFleur]

Reduce the length of the 'ramp'? Then the chain will fall further and hopefully not snag?

 

[Tranona]

Nothing unusual about the OPs "problem". It is inherent in the type of anchor locker he has. Stainless chain will slide more easily, but is far more expensive than a stick.

My solution is to stop every 5m of chain and push it down to clear the ramp for the next 5m. Cheap, fool proof and nothing to break or go wrong.

 

[Sticky Fingers]

Could you make the chain locker deeper?

 

[Norman_E]

If the windlass is in the locker is there any way you can deck mount it instead? If it is a horizontal shaft one and you can mount it high enough you might be able to drop the chain straight off the back of the gypsy and do away with the ramp. Have you thought of mounting it on the deck beam?