Lofrans Royal Anchor windlass

[john_q]

I have just bought a project sailing boat fitted with a Lofrans Royal manual windlass. I have managed to find the manual off the internet

However, when we went to anchor, we discovered that the anchor chain and gypsy are not compatible, the chain jumps off the gypsy in use. The anchor chain looks too small and does not seem to “fill” the chain link shape on the gypsy.

So 2 questions

1. How do I identify which Gypsy is fitted to the windlass?

2. How can I work out what size of chain I have

Thanks in anticipation

 

[TradewindSailor]

You operate in a part of the world that has a complicated set of chain sizes and standards.

1. Size of gypsy ..... best way is to take it off and take it to a chandlery and try the chain on it, unless it is stamped with the size .....
2 The chain should be stamped on at least some of the links. See the catalogue here http://www.peerlesschain.com/catalogs/catalog-2010/
The chain size can be measured mid link opposite to the weld ..... but the link length should indicate whether it is imperial, American or metric

Don't trust the chain you have to still be in calibration and fit the gypsy as a little bit of rust will extend the pitch of the chain.

 

[Tranona]

The size will be cast into the side of the gypsy. It is likely to be either 6mm or 8mm.

 

[vyv_cox]

The size will be cast into the side of the gypsy. It is likely to be either 6mm or 8mm.

Looking at the OP's profile the boat is 38 ft, for which 6 or 8 mm might be somewhat small. As Tradewind Sailor says, buying in the Caribbean means the gypsy might be of almost any standard, but it should be marked. Unfortunately in Imperial sizes USA and UK are not the same. Dimensions of metric and USA chain are shown here http://coxengineering.sharepoint.com/Pages/Chaindefinitions.aspx

 

[Tranona]

Yes, just checked and it is also available with a 10mm gypsy. Looks like a standard Lofrans gypsy, the same as on my Cayman. does not seem to be available in imperial or US sizes, but of course may have been in the past.

 

[vyv_cox]

Be very careful if it is 10 mm, the DIN and ISO sizes are not the same, unlike all the others. Details on my web page.

 

[john_q]

Thanks for all the information. Now it is back to the haul out to do some measuring

I should have said that the boat is 33 foot long and is based on a 1935 Sparkman and Steven design. It was built in 1970 in the USA, it is not the one in my profile

 

[john_q]

Thanks for all the advice.

An Update on what I found out.

The Chain and the Gypsy are compatible. The problem was that the hause pipe on the deck that the chain goes down is not lined up with the windlass correctly so it is pulling the chain off the gypsy

Oh the joys of learning about of new (to us) boat

 

[Caer Urfa]

I have just bought a project sailing boat fitted with a Lofrans Royal manual windlass. I have managed to find the manual off the internet

However, when we went to anchor, we discovered that the anchor chain and gypsy are not compatible, the chain jumps off the gypsy in use. The anchor chain looks too small and does not seem to “fill” the chain link shape on the gypsy.
Thanks in anticipation

I have the same winch and the chain is 8mm with a 20kg anchor

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