Lewmar Twisting anchor chain

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Jamesuk

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Hi all,

We are on board a boat that has terrible problems with "twisting" of the anchor chain as it goes out (Free drop) the build up is at about 30 metres and when it gets to above that it requires effort to send the twists further down the chain to 50-60 metres. This is no "easy exercise on board a 60 ft yacht with 13mm chain.

Has anyone a "solution" and "explanation" of why it is happening - could it be the Gypsy is warn out so is causing the chain to twist as it goes in? The Winch itself works as it should do but the Gypsy is certainly showing signs of being warn after 2 years use.

cheers for help as it is a nightmare. Oh and we have tried all the effort of untwisting all 100 metres of chain too but to no avail.

James
 
No real answer but here's a theory - the aerofoil shape of the anchor (which do you have?) causes it to rotate as it falls through the water. This would not be a problem if you were dropping in 10 metres, but 50 metres is quite a lot. A 'modern' anchor is probably more prone to this since they seem to have a 'wing' shape to them.

Slightly different, I know, but we had problems with a Spade anchor coming up the wrong way until we got rid of the swivel.
 
Old Varnish is correct and it occurs particularly with Deltas. I have watched mine rotating in the water many times, both lowering and raising it. My swivel pretty much corrects it but there is a lot less rotation with my Rocna.
 
Jamesuk said:
Hi all,

We are on board a boat that has terrible problems with "twisting" of the anchor chain as it goes out (Free drop) the build up is at about 30 metres and when it gets to above that it requires effort to send the twists further down the chain to 50-60 metres. This is no "easy exercise on board a 60 ft yacht with 13mm chain.


James
Click to expand...

What is puzzling me is why it should be a problem. If the twisting occurs as the anchor is lowered it should be located between the anchor and the windlass. And thew windlass should keep the chain straight as it is winched in until the anchor comes free and the twists come out.

Is your problem that you have loads of twists in the locker binding up as they get to the windless? If so you need to struggle to get all the chain out and then wind it back in. It might be easier to do this at sea and after disconnecting the anchor from the chain.
 
You can tell if it is the gipsy being worn quite easily. Tke the anchor off the chain. Let the chain out and check, then wind it in and check as you do it. No twists means it is not the gipsy.

Next borrow a different anchor, or use your kedge, and try running that out and back. If that is ok, then your Delta is out of shape or something.

Mike
 
Hi James,

I have exactly the same problem as you, and also a Delta anchor.

I have a swivel, and from what I gather you do not have a swivel. That could indicate that the swivel is neither the cause of the twisting or a solution to reduce the twisting. Not a conclusive observation of course because we are not comparing the rest of the setup, but nevertheless.

Cheers,
Per
 
Sybaris said:
Hi James,

I have exactly the same problem as you, and also a Delta anchor.

I have a swivel, and from what I gather you do not have a swivel. That could indicate that the swivel is neither the cause of the twisting or a solution to reduce the twisting. Not a conclusive observation of course because we are not comparing the rest of the setup, but nevertheless.

Cheers,
Per
Click to expand...


OK We sorted it rather interestingly the Gypsy Jaws top and bottom had come out of line with each other which caused the twisting of the chain when it went in and out.

After two weeks of putting anything from 20 metres to 100 metres it is actually slowly putting wear on the gypsy. Their is some talk that the chain supplied from a swedish firm is a millimeter out or sink per chain link with the lewmar spec windless.

Short term it has been fixed.

Great sailing in Croatia. Top boat speed this time was 10.8 knots from Split to Vis.
 
Has you bow roller got a grove in the center,large enough for the vertical link to allow the flat link sit on the roller, if not this will be the the answer to your problem.
 
Old thread I know but same problem.

We have a 2018 Dufour 460 Grand Large with OEM supplied 10mm chain and lewmar windlass.

Our problem is severe anchor chain twist when dropping the anchor.

Lots of analysis and taking video we have established when lifting the anchor everything is absolutely fine however when dropping the chain jumps on the gypsy causing it to severely twist. It does this as the chain comes out the locker and mounts the gypsy but it puts the twist into the chain locker side of the gypsy.

By the time you drop 10 metres of chain there are 10 about full twists inside the locker...this continues the more you drop eventually causing the chain to jam as the twist work there way along the length of the chain. In our case we have 80 metres of chain so you can imagine the mess by the time you get to the end of the chain.

The only way to remove the twists is to drop the entire chain until the end can finally hang free and untwist itself. We can then hoist it again perfectly with no twists until we drop it again

The chain is standard 10mm and the gypsy is a 203 which are correct for each other.

We have dropped the entire chain out about 10 times now in the hope the it was just the unused part of the galvanising causing "stiction" but to no avail.

No matter how slowly we try to drop it jumps every metre or so. We have blue greased the entire chain but to no avail. Measuring the chain it is bang on 10mm thickness although the centre pitch does vary 1 to 1.5mm in length from the ISO specs.

We suspect it is cheap chinese chain supplied by Dufour and it just doesnt load onto the gypsy when no under load. As I say raising it is no issue only dropping but it is a BIG issue if you ever had to drop anchor quickly and needs to be resolved. We do have an anchor swivel but it's not the issue as i said the twists happen inside the locker and only when dropping.

Although the boat is 2018 the previous owners had NEVER used the anchor so it is effectively a brand new chain and windlass.

Any suggestions welcome please



Jonathan
 
Last edited:
jonrarit said:
Old thread I know but same problem.

We have a 2018 Dufour 460 Grand Large with OEM supplied 10mm chain and lewmar windlass.

Our problem is severe anchor chain twist when dropping the anchor.

Lots of analysis and taking video we have established when lifting the anchor everything is absolutely fine however when dropping the chain jumps on the gypsy causing it to severely twist. It does this as the chain comes out the locker and mounts the gypsy but it puts the twist into the chain locker side of the gypsy.

By the time you drop 10 metres of chain there are 10 about full twists inside the locker...this continues the more you drop eventually causing the chain to jam as the twist work there way along the length of the chain. In our case we have 80 metres of chain so you can imagine the mess by the time you get to the end of the chain.

The only way to remove the twists is to drop the entire chain until the end can finally hang free and untwist itself. We can then hoist it again perfectly with no twists until we drop it again

The chain is standard 10mm and the gypsy is a 203 which are correct for each other.

We have dropped the entire chain out about 10 times now in the hope the it was just the unused part of the galvanising causing "stiction" but to no avail.

No matter how slowly we try to drop it jumps every metre or so. We have blue greased the entire chain but to no avail. Measuring the chain it is bang on 10mm thickness although the centre pitch does vary 1 to 1.5mm in length from the DIN specs.

We suspect it is cheap chinese chain supplied by Dufour and it just doesnt load onto the gypsy when no under load. As I say raising it is no issue only dropping but it is a BIG issue if you ever had to drop anchor quickly and needs to be resolved. We do have an anchor swivel but it's not the issue as i said the twists happen inside the locker and only when dropping.

Although the boat is 2018 the previous owners had NEVER used the anchor so it is effectively a brand new chain and windlass.

Any suggestions welcome please



Jonathan
Click to expand...
I guess you’ve already checked that it’s not an ISO/DIN mismatch?
 
When you say “motor” it down i assume you mean drop the anchor by means of the electric windlass rather than free release?

We only ever drop the anchor using the down button on the windlass so it is always motored down. There is no speed adjustment for dropping but even slow dropping by “pulsing” the button it still happens.
the gypsy is lewmar 203 and the chain is ISO4565
 
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