Sun Odyssey/Sun Fast 37 Windlasses

[WindyWindyWindy]

I'd be interested to hear which electric windlasses people have installed in these boats. I believe the locker moulding is the same in each, although the hatch varies a bit.
What've you got?
What do you think of it?

I'm looking to buy one, and it's looking like a Lewmar or Lofrans, there seems to be a plethora of near enough identical Lewmars which is confusing, and I quite like the look of the Lofrans SX2, but no-one seems to buy it. So any thoughts on that would be interesting too.

 

[Clancy Moped]

Look for a stainless gipsy, my Lofrans one wore quite fast being made of alu, that said we spent the best part 8 months a year on the hook.

 

[WindyWindyWindy]

I think the SX2 purports to be all stainless, but maybe the X's are bronze?

 

[KompetentKrew]

Bromze would be fine, wouldn't it?

I've read reports on here of aluminium-bodied windlasses deteriorating around the stainless bolts - my guess is that's what @Clancy Moped refers to.

 

[WindyWindyWindy]

Ah yes, I could see that, got too much aluminium and steel mixed on the boat as it is.

 

[Clancy Moped]

Bromze would be fine, wouldn't it?

I've read reports on here of aluminium-bodied windlasses deteriorating around the stainless bolts - my guess is that's what @Clancy Moped refers to.

I'm not sure of the proper name, but it was the teeth holding the chain on the gypsy that wore out.

 

[WindyWindyWindy]

The Lewmars are a composite, so maybe they've designed them to wear out...

 

[geem]

Ten years ago we replaced our Lofrans Falcon windlass with a new Lofrans Falcon. We used the gypsy off the old windlass as the new windlass came with a 12mm gypsy and we have 10mm chain. The bronze gypsy must now be at least 30 years old. No noticeable wear. Works perfectly. We spend most of our time on the hook. The windlass gets a serious amount of use. No corrosion evident on the aluminium case after 10 years of hard use. Very happy with Lofrans

 

[jwilson]

A Lofrans Airon 1000 watt was the usual fitment on these boats. Alloy and stainless,with a bronze gypsy and alloy warping drum, that suffers from corroding a bit as it is adjacent to the bronze gypsy, but easily replaceable. My Airon is 16 years old, have just put a new warping drum on for the second time at about £70 each, more to keep it smart than because it would not work. Apart from that still fine (touching wood).