The dangers of windlass

I don't have a windlass. But if I did, how would I stop the chain from kinking and jumping off the gypsy, which seems to have been this guy's problem?
 
Who was that top rated guitarist that only had two fingers? Reinhardt Django, or something like that.
Man-up, Tim Farriss.
 
jiris said:
Somehow the name "Darwin" is popping up in my mind...
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+1

I would have thought that anyone seeing a windlass in action is, if he has any brains at all, likely to realise that putting his fingers near its moving parts is likely to result in a serious injury and would take care to avoid doing so.
 
I can only think the chain towered in the locker, the towers fell over so the chain did not 'run' in the same way it was previously retrieved and kinked (I believe it is also called hockling).

The area that is being suggested in which he wanted to anchor is quite deep, its ria system, with a very steep sided shoreline (flooded ravines really) and is very sheltered. He would need to deploy a minimum of 30m (for a 3:1 scope), which may not seem much - but if the chain had towered, and towers collapsed plenty of opportunity for heckling.

My reason for posting was - be careful with crew and or guests on your yacht (and not specifically guitarists)..

Jonathan
 
Neeves said:
....

My reason for posting was - be careful with crew and or guests on your yacht (and not specifically guitarists)..

Jonathan
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Also applies to sheet winches and other gear.
The average person hasn't a clue how easy it could be to hurt themselves with unfamiliar gear. They don't realise the forces and power involved.
Dinghy sailors can be the worst guests in this respect, the stuff looks familiar but it bites.
 
Neeves said:
I can only think the chain towered in the locker, the towers fell over so the chain did not 'run' in the same way it was previously retrieved and kinked (I believe it is also called hockling).

The area that is being suggested in which he wanted to anchor is quite deep, its ria system, with a very steep sided shoreline (flooded ravines really) and is very sheltered. He would need to deploy a minimum of 30m (for a 3:1 scope), which may not seem much - but if the chain had towered, and towers collapsed plenty of opportunity for heckling.

My reason for posting was - be careful with crew and or guests on your yacht (and not specifically guitarists)..

Jonathan
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I see what you mean. The chain is coming up out of the locker with the chain links locked back on themselves. It's not something I have ever seen but perhaps rough galvanising or rust patches or something would exacerbate it? The locked links would then jam going onto the gypsy. Has anyone on here ever seen that?

Whatever, using you hand to try and straighten out the locked links as they goes up to and over the rotating gypsy has got to be a sign of madness, surely?

The court claim does not mention the condition of the chain but if it is demonstrably very poor and, if that is relevant, then I would base my case on that as it's going to be a tough one for the defendant to resist.

Richard
 
lw395 said:
Also applies to sheet winches and other gear.
The average person hasn't a clue how easy it could be to hurt themselves with unfamiliar gear. They don't realise the forces and power involved.
Dinghy sailors can be the worst guests in this respect, the stuff looks familiar but it bites.
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This a standard warning to all new folk on board our boat - "don't reach for / use a rope to steady yourself - only things made out of wood, GRP, metal or wire & Keep fingers away from winches"
 
There seems to be an assumption in this thread that such accidents only happen to beginners/fools/guitarists. In fact plenty of experienced people, including me, have trapped fingers between chain and windlass. Mine was fortunately quite minor and healed in a few days but one of our leading posters, very experienced, is recovering at home from a very serious accident to his fingers.
 
vyv_cox said:
There seems to be an assumption in this thread that such accidents only happen to beginners/fools/guitarists. In fact plenty of experienced people, including me, have trapped fingers between chain and windlass. Mine was fortunately quite minor and healed in a few days but one of our leading posters, very experienced, is recovering at home from a very serious accident to his fingers.
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sure, but you would not blame the windlass / winch.
 
I squashed a finger while using the anchor winch on my Beneteau. The Frenchman who installed it must have known the boat was going to England because the "up" button lowered the anchor and the "down" button raised it. Merci monsieur.
 
Surely to charter a boat, the owner/charter company would expect the charterer to be qualified or at least show evidence of experience? And an experienced sailor should know full well the risks winches or windlasses present to the foolish?
 
I'm paranoid about people using my anchor windlass and anyone doing so is instructed not to put any part of their body or clothing anywhere near it when it is running.

Having a hand-held remote helps IMO - at least the fingers operating the remote should be safe and there's no danger of a second person standing on a deck-mounted button while the other is fiddling with the chain or anchor.
 
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