Bertramdriver
Well-Known Member
We have a 47" 18 tonne boat. We needed to replace our previous windlass and in 2006 I bought a Lewmar Horizon 900 at the SIBS. At first I couldn't believe its size but the salesman assured me it would do the job of my previous 3hp Ideal 110volt ploughing machine. For the first few years when the boat was being used for 4 weeks pa it worked fine.
Now we live aboard for 6 months pa and the winch is averaging a rebuild per month. The sequence is usually the double tap free fall fails first, then the up cycle stalls and throws the breaker out, and then it just seizes and will do nothing.
As we are are Med based everything we do is on the anchor and I am truly sick of the regular workout of hauling up 80 metres of chain and a 35 lb anchor by hand before we can go anywhere. It's only a matter of time before my heart burns out whilst the Lewmar sits on the bow and smirks.
Interestingly Lewmar do not answer emails requesting advice or support. Clearly we're on our own.
Is anyone else having similar problems? Can any member recommend a good reliable winch for a boat our size?
Now we live aboard for 6 months pa and the winch is averaging a rebuild per month. The sequence is usually the double tap free fall fails first, then the up cycle stalls and throws the breaker out, and then it just seizes and will do nothing.
As we are are Med based everything we do is on the anchor and I am truly sick of the regular workout of hauling up 80 metres of chain and a 35 lb anchor by hand before we can go anywhere. It's only a matter of time before my heart burns out whilst the Lewmar sits on the bow and smirks.
Interestingly Lewmar do not answer emails requesting advice or support. Clearly we're on our own.
Is anyone else having similar problems? Can any member recommend a good reliable winch for a boat our size?
