Lofran Royal Manual Windlass.

[silverdawn]

Hi, Ive fitted a secondhand windlass yesterday, was told by the seller it suited 8mm chain which I thought my existing chain is, when placing the links onto the wheel they seemed to fit but on a trial anchor retrieval the chain kept bouncing off the wheel whilst under tension then completely slip and dump the anchor at speed back into the water! The chain Dimensions are link length 45mm /width30mm/ thickness 8mm.I tried a smaller link chain which gripped much better this size was 40mm/26mm/8mm but this was also slipping.
The problem is there are no serial Numbers on any part of the winch.I have measured the chain wheel and tried on the Lofran website to try and match mine but have drawn a blank,they do say that the chain size must be exact or bouncing and slipping of the chain will
occur.
As mentioned I have the dimensions of the chain wheel (Gypsy)with this information can any of you forumites tell me a company or website which can help me to identify the size of chain I need. Thank you.

 

[mitiempo]

Best I think to take the gypsy to a chain supplier and find a perfect match.

 

[Poignard]

I don't have it here to check but I'm fairly sure that the size of chain is marked on the gypsy.

Is your chain calibrated? It needs to be to work with a windlass.

I bought my chain from Griff Chains Ltd, Dudley, West Midlands, and specified that it was for a Lofrans Royal windlass. It fits perfectly.

 

[charles_reed]

Hi, Ive fitted a secondhand windlass yesterday, was told by the seller it suited 8mm chain which I thought my existing chain is, when placing the links onto the wheel they seemed to fit but on a trial anchor retrieval the chain kept bouncing off the wheel whilst under tension then completely slip and dump the anchor at speed back into the water! The chain Dimensions are link length 45mm /width30mm/ thickness 8mm.I tried a smaller link chain which gripped much better this size was 40mm/26mm/8mm but this was also slipping.
The problem is there are no serial Numbers on any part of the winch.I have measured the chain wheel and tried on the Lofran website to try and match mine but have drawn a blank,they do say that the chain size must be exact or bouncing and slipping of the chain will
occur.
As mentioned I have the dimensions of the chain wheel (Gypsy)with this information can any of you forumites tell me a company or website which can help me to identify the size of chain I need. Thank you.

Sounds as though your chain is not calibrated - in which case it won't work with any normal gipsy.

 

[nigelmercier]

Sounds as though your chain is not calibrated - in which case it won't work with any normal gipsy.

+1

 

[silverdawn]

Lofrans Manual Windlass

Hi, Thanks for your replies going to the boat tomorrow to check for any markings on the Gypsy, if not will remove it and take to chain suppliers to get some calibrated chain.

 

[GrahamM376]

Hi, Thanks for your replies going to the boat tomorrow to check for any markings on the Gypsy, if not will remove it and take to chain suppliers to get some calibrated chain.

As stated above, your chain may not be calibrated or, you may have wrong spec - ie DIN chain and an ISO chain wheel. Lofrans can supply different chain wheel at around £150, my new one took 12 weeks to arrive.

Chainwheel specs here - http://www.seatechmarineproducts.com/download/Lofrans_chainwheel_chart.pdf

Forgot to say, the part number is cast on to the side of the chainwheel.

 

[Martin_J]

Silverdawn..

FWIW - I have just checked the gypsy on my Lofrans Royal.. It was marked Ø8mm DIN766.. . but as I wound chain in I saw that half a turn round the gypsy was also marked 5/16

Measuring the chain links are 8mm diameter and the link is 40mm overall length and 26mm overall width - so it looks like the same chain you tried although can't guarantee mine is correct but it looks like it fits.

Was yours slipping (or jumping off) whilst lowering or retrieving the anchor. If whilst lowering then perhaps it does not do a full 90 degree turn as it passes over the gypsy....

 

[GrahamM376]

Measuring the chain links are 8mm diameter and the link is 40mm overall length and 26mm overall width QUOTE]

Easiest way to check the chain is to remove the chain wheel and put a complete turn of chain around it, you'll soon see it start to run out if it's wrong. Very hard to tell just by just a few links on a quarter turn.

Problem is that Lofrans can be supplied with either ISO or DIN766 chain wheels as I found out last winter - got the wrong chain!!

 

[silverdawn]

Lofran Windlas update

Hi all, remove the Chain wheel to-day sods law no markings! so took wheel to the chandler
who tried 8mm calibrated chain a full turn around the wheel all fitted nicely, he assure me this is the correct chain so hopefully problem solved , now to order new chain spliced to my existing rope £42-00 for new chain £ 14-00 for the splice not to bad but not allowed in my budget when I brought the secondhand windlass but budgets are a bit of a nonsense in the boating so best not to have one in the first place! Once again many thanks for your replies.