Tryweryn
Well-Known Member
For a 30ft boat manual or electric windlass? Or has everyone gone electric?:ambivalence: Are manuals easy to raise?
Probably using a 25Ib anchor.
Probably using a 25Ib anchor.
Manual or electric windlass?
- Thread starter Tryweryn
- Start date
Phoenix of Hamble
Well-Known Member
What sort of anchoring (depth) do you usually do?
IMHO, manual's are bloody hard work, and if its windy, and you've got 30m of chain out, it spoils the whole experience, as you leave the anchorage knackered!
IMHO, manual's are bloody hard work, and if its windy, and you've got 30m of chain out, it spoils the whole experience, as you leave the anchorage knackered!
Tryweryn
Well-Known Member
Has been 10m but could be a lot more. I didn't realise they were hard work to crank.
doug748
Well-Known Member
They can be hard work awkward and slow. If you are singlehanded mucking about with a winch pins you at the wrong end of the boat for too long, at the worst time.
If you are a youngster, pulling up 8mm chain and a 25lb anchor should be ok by hand, even in deep water. I don't say it is easy but it is quick. The only advantage of my manual winch is if I need to take a rest or if the anchor is stuck.
If you are heading towards your 60s I think a powered winch is the way to go.
If you are a youngster, pulling up 8mm chain and a 25lb anchor should be ok by hand, even in deep water. I don't say it is easy but it is quick. The only advantage of my manual winch is if I need to take a rest or if the anchor is stuck.
If you are heading towards your 60s I think a powered winch is the way to go.
PetiteFleur
Well-Known Member
I have a 33' with 10mm chain and 12.5kg Manson anchor. I do have a manual windlass but it is veeeery slooooow... so I haul up by hand with my wife slowly motoring forward. easy peasy but not so easy if you are singlehanded in a breeze. Especially as the Manson really digs in! I'm 70 so it keeps me fit....... but have thought about a powered windless.
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Boathook
Well-Known Member
For a 30ft boat manual or electric windlass? Or has everyone gone electric?:ambivalence: Are manuals easy to raise?
Electric. More work to fit, but as you get older you appreciate the electric one more !
fergie_mac66
Well-Known Member
Second hand Vertical manual . SL anchorman , I know you said windlass ,but they are quick.I can lift 30 Meters 8 mm chain plus 16 kg anchor in a couple of mins . A manual windlass would take an age even a 2 speed. I believe there are some new verticals that can be bought without motor. Fitting of electric depends on your charging/batteries/engine use,at a 1000w they use a lot of electric
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Tranona
Well-Known Member
The Anchorman is the best of the manual windlasses but sadly no longer available. In fact there are very few manuals available now given that electric ones have fallen in price and are so much better.
fergie_mac66
Well-Known Member
just as an after thought verticals don't snag sheets anywhere near as often for extra purchase use a10 inch winch handle
William_H
Well-Known Member
I would think that the extra cost of electric small compared to the cost of a manual winch. Hence people have almost stopped making manual winches. So go electric. olewill
srm
Well-Known Member
My wife and I have cruised west coast of Scotland for 4 seasons and Scandinavia for one season. About 9 tons displacement, 25kg rocna, 80 metres 3/8 chain and Lofrans manual windlass. As I'm only 68 I am wondering why the rest of you needing electrics for lighter gear. Our anchor recovery may be a bit slow but so far never a problem. It takes time to hose the mud off the chain anyway.
I chose a manual windlass as high amperage electrics in the wettest part of the boat seems to lead to failures, then what do you do?
I chose a manual windlass as high amperage electrics in the wettest part of the boat seems to lead to failures, then what do you do?
Tryweryn
Well-Known Member
srm I'm of Scotland in the summer, how much chain/rope did u find you needed? http://www.marinescene.co.uk/product/13037/lofrans-royal-manual-windlass-8mm this looks good. Manual seems reliable and uses no power, electric means u can do it from the cockpit. Boats about 8ton 30ft. Decisions lol
AliM
Well-Known Member
We have a 31ft boat, a heavy (15kg?) Bugel anchor on 50m of chain, although we don't often use more than about 30m. We sail on the East Coast, across to the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark and Sweden (and back) and anchor whenever we can - about 30-40 nights last year. I am 63 and female, not built like an amazon! We have a manual windlass, which I operate - actually I usually do most of the hauling by hand, just using the windlass to break out and stow the anchor. The big advantage of having the manual windlass is that you can anchor and leave under sail because you don't need the engine to charge the batteries for the electric windlass, and we do this as often as we can. it is good to manage whole days without engine! Despite my gender and age, I very rarely have any difficulty raising the anchor by hand and manual windlass.
KREW2
Well-Known Member
The thing you don't mention is, that an electric windlass costs about as much again to fit it.
charles_reed
Well-Known Member
When you get to 78 they're moderately hard work - I've got a SWMF Anchorman - anchor about 120 times a season.
Electric ones involve a big re-wiring job and a hell of a lot of weight at the front end of the boat.
Boat's about 10.02m loa. and usually sailed single-handed.
Usually anchor in <10m but as much as 18m.
Agree, there's a shortage of hand-windlasses but only the dsylexic non-arithmetician could find any equality of price comparison.
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ghostlymoron
Well-Known Member
The thing that bothers me about electric windlasses is the electric side. To me its more aesthetically pleasing to sail without using power and to quietly leave an anchorage is v satisfying BUT hauling an anchor by hand is hard work and using a manual windlass is slow but what's the hurry. There is a fair bit of heavy cabling required with an electric (or dedicated battery) and generally you need to run your engine when weighing) and what do you do if engine or battery fails? I'd go for manual but I'm biased. I've got two Lofrans Royales in my shed but have never had a suitable boat to but them on.
charles_reed
Well-Known Member
No more than 10% of the boats I've seen lifting have self-stowing chain to go with their electric winches. I'm seriously considering an electric wincher rather than trying to fit an electric winch (of which the cost is the less important drawback).
fergie_mac66
Well-Known Member
just a though t if you go electric .Often there is a choice of 500w or 1000w if you are going to do much anchoring with 30 or more metres chain The 1000 is better, a bit of wind against you and a deep buried anchor 500 will probably struggle
RAI
Well-Known Member
One snag with manual methods is that the hard work discourages moving the anchor as circumstances change. An electric windlass makes re-positioning the anchor so much easier. Do it when the thought first occurs rather than waiting until it becomes necessary, and more difficult.
Tranona
Well-Known Member
That windlass will be fine for your application. you are on the borderline of size where an electric windlass starts to make sense. If you only anchor occasionally then it is difficult to justify electric, but if, like me you use your boat where you anchor every night or backed up against a quay where you are using the anchor to its full extent 2 or 3 times a day then it becomes essential.
A basic electric windlass is a bit more money, but wiring it in costs, so the overall cost is 50-60% more. Despite what some might say it is not difficult to make a good reliable installation provided you keep the electrical connections inside the boat rather than in the locker.
