Locating anchor windlass

[Spuddy]

I'm fitting an electric windlass and about to put holes in the foredeck. Best location I expect is with the gypsy bang in line with the roller up at the sharp end which would put it straddling the centreline. But then it would be just in front of the hefty mooring cleat so the chain would clatter over the top of the windlass when secured. This isn't on of course so my options seem to be:
Offset the windlass a bit but dunno what angle is acceptable for the lead to the roller.
Shift the cleat off centre which means doubling up on the drilling and filling.
There might be an obvious (to other forumites) alternative to which I can say, "How simple and brilliant".
Any suggestions very welcome.

 

[NormanB]

I'm fitting an electric windlass and about to put holes in the foredeck. Best location I expect is with the gypsy bang in line with the roller up at the sharp end which would put it straddling the centreline. But then it would be just in front of the hefty mooring cleat so the chain would clatter over the top of the windlass when secured. This isn't on of course so my options seem to be:
Offset the windlass a bit but dunno what angle is acceptable for the lead to the roller.
Shift the cleat off centre which means doubling up on the drilling and filling.
There might be an obvious (to other forumites) alternative to which I can say, "How simple and brilliant".

Any suggestions very welcome.

Do you mean clattering over the cleat?

If so then I reckon you have two options.

1. Position the gypsy for perfect longtudinal alignment with the bow roller BUT with windlass sat on a 'pad' of sufficient height so that the chain clears the centre line cleat.

2. Position the gypsy for perfect longtudinal alignment with the bow roller AND re-site the bow cleat.

Note - make up a pad, preferably of teak, all drilled and check fit, then glass it up.

 

[PaulRainbow]

Do you mean clattering over the cleat?

If so then I reckon you have two options.

1. Position the gypsy for perfect longtudinal alignment with the bow roller BUT with windlass sat on a 'pad' of sufficient height so that the chain clears the centre line cleat.

2. Position the gypsy for perfect longtudinal alignment with the bow roller AND re-site the bow cleat.

Note - make up a pad, preferably of teak, all drilled and check fit, then glass it up.

"But then it would be just in front of the hefty mooring cleat so the chain would clatter over the top of the windlass when secured."

I'd probably remove the cleat, fit the windlass further aft and refit the cleat forward of the windlass. The windlass should cover the old cleat holes up (maybe even utilise them). If need be, raise the windlass with a teak pad (as mentioned above) so the chain clears it.

It's important to keep the windlass gypsy and bow roller in longitudinal alignment.

 

[alahol2]

Depending on your arrangement for chain stowage, you might want to site the windlass so that the fall from the gypsy is into the deepest part of the chain locker.
If there is an emergency 'manual mode' to the windlass, make sure you are able to swing the handle.

 

[Paddy Layback]

I'm changing from manual to leccy windlass at the moment, DIY, and have similar issues, due to the structure under the foredeck.
I don't see why the gypsy has to be EXACTLY fore and aft. But I would say it needs to be close. 10 degrees off would seem a maximum?
I have seen them at quite large angles on some ships, but it would have been part of the design.

Of course, during normal anchoring activities, the chain can leave the *front* of the bow roller in any direction, often completely sideways etc. So the roller should already be designed to cope with "a bit of sideways"...

The vital thing is to have the chain running straight off the gypsy at exactly 90 degrees to the gypsy shaft.

But IMO you've got a few degrees of give on the angle at which the chain arrives at your roller.

Moving the cleat sounds a good idea anyway, since you're basically revamping the whole foredeck.

I agree with the practical points raised by the previous posters.

Anyway just my two €'s worth PD

 

[MM5AHO]

I suffer from chain clatter in my bow "roller". Actually its not a roller, but a stemhead fitting that includes a guide for the anchor chain.
The gap in the chain guide is wider than the chain, or the anchor shank for that matter.
But at anchor the chain can slap side to side, and at night that could be sleep depriving.

My solution for this might suggest a solution for the chain slapping on other things.

I cut a section out of the sidewall of an old leather boot. Boots don't wear much in the high sides, so the leather there is good. This square, about 120mm square has a short string tied to it, so that the piece doesn't blow away.
Wrap the leather round the chain where it touches something else (in my case the stemhead chain guide), and no slapping! No slapping means peaceful sleep at anchor.

 

[PCUK]

I'm currently installing a new windlass in a compartment under the deck, to keep the deck clear. (I've seen this design on other boats and it looks very tidy) The anchor appears through an opening in the bow. Inside there is a water-tight compartment which self-drains. The down side is that it is a very big job!

 

[vyv_cox]

Depending on your arrangement for chain stowage, you might want to site the windlass so that the fall from the gypsy is into the deepest part of the chain locker.

This is the critical point. Chain will not slide down slopes, it needs to drop as far as possible. I located my windlass on the anchor locker lid after cutting it in half and beefing it up with 20 mm ply. Picture at https://coxengineering.sharepoint.com/Pages/Windlass.aspx I can typically haul 30 metres of chain without having to reposition it once, whereas we see dozens of people who have to move their chain every 5 metres or so. There was an article by Barry Nielsen in YM recently about the Sailing Holidays boats in which the depth of anchor lockers in production boats has been increased dramatically to overcome the shortcomings of the original designs.

 

[PaulRainbow]

Of course, during normal anchoring activities, the chain can leave the *front* of the bow roller in any direction, often completely sideways etc. So the roller should already be designed to cope with "a bit of sideways"...

The roller can, the gypsy won't like i though.

The vital thing is to have the chain running straight off the gypsy at exactly 90 degrees to the gypsy shaft.

But IMO you've got a few degrees of give on the angle at which the chain arrives at your roller.

You might want to try a sketch of that arrangement, where the chain is parallel to the gypsy and at an angle to the roller at the same time.

 

[Paddy Layback]

The roller can, the gypsy won't like i though.



You might want to try a sketch of that arrangement, where the chain is parallel to the gypsy and at an angle to the roller at the same time.

Sorry I didn't manage to express myself clearly..
Assuming a windlass with a horizontal shaft, the chain must exit the gypsy at exactly 90 degrees to the shaft.
However, you could get away with the chain not passing over the bow roller at exactly 90 degrees to the bow roller shaft.

So the windlass could be offset a few inches either side, at a slight angle to the fore and aft line of the vessel, as long as it was " pointing at" the bow roller.

 

[PaulRainbow]

Ah yes, if the windlass was at an angle it would be OK, with most rollers anyway.

 

[Spuddy]

Thanks everybody. My misleading use of "clatter" caused some confusion at first....sorry. Best solution then, seems to be to shift the cleat further forward and put windlass behind but on a pad so the chain won't "clatter" the cleat.

 

[geem]

"But then it would be just in front of the hefty mooring cleat so the chain would clatter over the top of the windlass when secured."

I'd probably remove the cleat, fit the windlass further aft and refit the cleat forward of the windlass. The windlass should cover the old cleat holes up (maybe even utilise them). If need be, raise the windlass with a teak pad (as mentioned above) so the chain clears it.

It's important to keep the windlass gypsy and bow roller in longitudinal alignment.

Its not important to keep the gypsy and bow roller in alignment. My Lofrans Falkon works superbly and the chain is not aligned. The shear size of the Falkon windlass makes this impossible.