Operation of windlass with gypsy and drum

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srah1953

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What do you do with an anchor rode made up of chain and rope and a windlass with 2 drums, a rope drum and a chain gypsy? Do you change from one drum to the other in the middle of the process, and, if so, how?
I'm just curious. I have a gypsy which takes both rope and chain.
Thanks
 
I too have a windlass with both drum and gypsy. I also have warp with chain and all chain on board. When I'm using the warp with a ground chain I normally haul in by hand as much as possible and stick it on the drum if it gets hard going. By the time I get the chain through the stem-head roller the hook's probably broken out anyway, so easy, I hand that for speed... too bloody slow otherwise... its manual.
 
srah1953 said:
What's the purpose of having the drum if the gypsy can handle both chain and warp?
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Mooring lines. Plus just a general utility thing. If you have a powerful winding mechanism, why not make it available for hauling any other lines as required. Some people use them for pulling someone up the mast, though other people insist that's a terribly dangerous practice.

Pete
 
On my Maxwell rotating the winch handle socket fully anti-clockwise releases the gypsy so that the capstan can be used on its own. Attach the anchor first as it could launch itself! We use the capstan for lazy line moorings and for warps in strong winds. The latest Maxwells will handle rope and chain rodes through the gypsy without a pressure arm. The previous version needed the pressure arm to hold the rope into the teeth of the gypsy. Rotating the winch handle socket fully clockwise closes the clutch so the gypsy is turned by the shaft.
 
When I use the cruising chute, I put the tack around the capstan, which I release from the gypsy. As stated by Vyv, make sure the anchor is secured first!

Then if I want to tighten the tack, I can press the up button. If I want to let the tack out, then I let it slip as with any winch. Not my idea, taught to me by the sailmaker

TudorSailor (Currently in the Adriatic)

www.zebahdy.blogspot.com
 
Another good use is when you have two anchors out at 30-45deg (although inline off the one warp is preferred). My second anchor is 25m of chain then 75m of rope - which I control via the capstan. The primary anchor, 70m chain plus 50m rope, is controlled via the gypsie (I've had it all out several times).

I regularly use mine to kedge off shallows or to pull into my (very shallow) berth - its 770kg pull it is quite handy (Maxwell 1700). I bought it after taking 20min to hand winch 75m of chain in 20m deep water in heavy seas.

Andrew.
 
The Drum

Is just a general purpose item, we do use it to haul crew to top of the mast, not sure why that is hazardous, compared to hand winching? Also use it to haul us into pontoons if tide or wind is shoving us off.

Cheers
 
haul crew to top of the mast, not sure why that is hazardous???

If the motorrelay freezes, the whinch wil go on, until the hoisted person is pulled against the masttop.
There are people killed with this (unsafe) manner of hoisting.
 
HermanD said:
haul crew to top of the mast, not sure why that is hazardous???

If the motorrelay freezes, the whinch wil go on, until the hoisted person is pulled against the masttop.
There are people killed with this (unsafe) manner of hoisting.
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But most windlasses aren't self tailing so will surely need someone to do that even if they are not pressing the button. If the winch were to jam on wouldn't they be able to just slip one or two turns off the drum thereby limiting the opportunity for a disaster.

I assume that the issue is that the person up the mast falls due to the windlass putting so much load n the line that the line snaps and the climber falls.

If the deck crew can slip the line and then dash off to cut the power I can't see the risk.
 
Slight thread drift but I do use the capstan to haul up the mast but only with a very experienced helper after we've discussed the risks and practiced responses. The manual says don't do it. Relays do stick. Over-runs do occur - result if both happen is nasty at best.
- make sure the lead-in to the winch is perfect and that the tailee is wearing gloves and knows what to do - must not pull too high or the line will undo a turn off the top, cause a 1m drop and potentialy panic response (and huge loads on the system)
- minimum turns around the capstan so the line can be payed out (but NOT set free) if the relay sticks
- person up the mast belays a seperate safety line every meter or so and keeps legs around the mast to minimise any fall
- person up the mast carrys a sharp knife ready for use and ties off another line over the top of the mast while working (I have a pair of steps too)
- line around capstan wrapped around a couple of turns more and tied off (several rolling hitches) while working. (I use the main halyard which passes through a rope clutch around the halyard winch then forward to a turning block on the toerail to the windlass - I sometimes close the rope clutch but it is a pain with only two people. My main, spinaker and topping lift lines are all deliberately long enough to reach the water and windlass via the cabin top)
- let down by paying out line (NOT by powering the capstan) and be extreemly careful of not letting line uncoil off the top
- haulee pays out the safety line (as in abseiling)
- keep knees etc clear of capstan switches
and above all;
- take it slowly and take breaks (at 20m per minute it is quite a ride).

Andrew G
 
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