Retro fit windlass to Bav 34

[Ricd]

Hi

I have above 2000 boat that has never had a windlass fitted. I recently saw another Bav 34 of same year with windlass installed by factory onto a platform in chain locker. The platform was clearly part of the original mould. My chain locker has no such platform. Has anybody out there ever retro fitted such a platform...any pit falls?

 

[Tranona]

On my 37 of similar age I think the platform is a separate moulding bonded to the underside of the deck, the hull and the forward bulkhead. It needs to be very strong and retrofitting is a major job. An alternative is to cut the back bit of the locker lid off, reinforce and bond it to the deck and bulkhead, then mount the windlass on top. Not as neat, but I have seen it done on other boats.

Post on the BOA website might get some better response.

 

[Ricd]

Thanks for the reply and advice Tranona..will try the BOA

 

[jackho]

I had a 2000 Bav 34 and moulded in a piece of 3/4" ply. Worked fine with no problem although you need to ensure it not too lagre and restrict access to the chain locker.
Should you install an electric winch you should find the wiring already existing as all extras are allowed for in the standard wiring loom.

 

[CharlesSwallow]

Thanks for the reply and advice Tranona..will try the BOA

Don't take the seemingly neat and convenient recessed windlass as a good thing. Mine has this arrangement but on a bigger boat. It has the disadvantage that the windlass being below the bow roller, the chain only meshes with three "teeth" on the gipsy and the chain has a long run between the two. This long run generates an oscillation in the chain which often causes the chain to jump off and out then clatters a great deal of unconrolled chain. The chain also piles up inside the locker as it is rendered too small by the platform which necessitates a couple of stops to push over the pyramid during the course of a recovery. This can be a dangerous operation for which I insist that my wife wears gloves!

With the benefit of hindsight, I would have had a deck mounted windlass which would mean a bigger wrap around the gipsy (four teeth holding four links) and the full volume of the chain locker being available for chain.

Chas

 

[Bobc]

This can be a dangerous operation for which I insist that my wife wears gloves! Chas

You make your wife do it? I'm surprised you get away with that. Mine makes me do it while sh stands at the back and drives.

 

[fireball]

Don't take the seemingly neat and convenient recessed windlass as a good thing. Mine has this arrangement but on a bigger boat.<snip>

Ours is the 37 with this arrangement - never counted the number of teeth engaged - the only time it failed to pull the anchor up was when the anchor caught on something on the seabed - at which point I dumped a load of chain, reversed round and pulled the anchor along 180° from the initial attempt - which freed it ..
Your other point about the chain piling up - this can be a problem on many installations - regardless of the horizontal or vertical windlass - a prodder (broom handle) is all that's required to nudge the chain ... I sometimes just use my feet ... I keep my hands well out of it!

 

[Stu Jackson]

Here's what one of our skippers did, don't know if your anchor locker is the same arrangement.

http://www.c34.org/projects/projects-anchor-windlass-apache.html

 

[Tranona]

That is very similar to the Bavaria anchor locker except it has a single lid and the platform is full width. There is already a structural bulkhead at the rear so it is not too difficult to bond in a platform. There are pros and cons of vertical vs horizontal with the latter (usually a Lofrans or a Quick) normally fitted.

Would avoid putting foot buttons on the platform as it puts bits of precious body to close to moving bits! On my boat I have the control on a wander lead from inside the forecabin so you can operate well away from the chain. Wireless control from the helm is also useful.

 

[Bav34]

My solution was a Mrs Bav.

A bit noisy, squeals and groans a bit but generally reliable.

I would of course raise the anchor myself but SOMEBODY has to be on the throttle.

Big responsibility.

 

[CharlesSwallow]

Ours is the 37 with this arrangement - never counted the number of teeth engaged - the only time it failed to pull the anchor up was when the anchor caught on something on the seabed - at which point I dumped a load of chain, reversed round and pulled the anchor along 180° from the initial attempt - which freed it ..
Your other point about the chain piling up - this can be a problem on many installations - regardless of the horizontal or vertical windlass - a prodder (broom handle) is all that's required to nudge the chain ... I sometimes just use my feet ... I keep my hands well out of it!

But the bigger boats have a longer span from the gipsy to the bow roller and use 10mm chain (much harder to "nudge"). This encourages a harmonic slow oscillation of the chain which, as the amplitude increases causes it to trip off the gipsy at regular intervals if you can't stop to let it settle down a couple of times in the recovery. It would be better if the chain came UP to the windlass not DOWN as it does when the latter is in a well. We need to use our anchor at virtually EVERY overnight mooring, don't forget.

Our broom handle has a scrubbing brush on one end and a scraper on the other to clean the anchor in the often muddy Med harbours - we have had one as long as we've had the boat. I'm thinking of getting a brush manufacturer friend to knock up a few hundred and sell them via our local Corfu chandler!

As to the chain piling up, this only causes a problem when the peak of the pyramid reaches the bottom of the Chain Pipe which would not happen if all of the locker space were available for chain. Removing the windlass platform would free up at least another 150% of volume. 70metres of 10mm chain takes up a lot of space.

Chas

 

[fireball]

Med anchoring - from memory of the little bit of anchoring we've done down there - "hundreds" of meters of chain every time you drop the hook ..... so yer - I guess you're going to be running the windlass non-stop for a period ...
We only put down 20 or so meters ... so it doesn't take long to lift and hence never had an oscillation problem ... oh - we're only on 8mm too ...

Chain piling up - sounds like you need a deeper anchor locker ...