Windlass shelf

[Laysula]

My wlndlass sits on a shelf in the anchor locker. Unfortunately this has gone rotton and needs replacing. Currently the shelf is 30mm plywood sheathed in fibreglass and glassed in. I am currently chopping it out for replacement. The question is, what do I replace it with? Is there something better than marineply or do I do like for like? If i go like for like should I sheath it with fibreglass or epoxy or would I leave the underside bare to allow it to breath?

 

[AMOREST]

You can get fibreglass sheet look - up G10 Glass sheet. Very strong and very stiff - can be epoxied into place and machined / drilled / cut for the windlass.

 

[simonfraser]

You can get fibreglass sheet look - up G10 Glass sheet. Very strong and very stiff - can be epoxied into place and machined / drilled / cut for the windlass.

can this be cut with normal hand tools ?

 

[AMOREST]

Yes. Easy with a grinder and slitting disc. Hole saw for the chain hole.

 

[Wandering Star]

You can get fibreglass sheet look - up G10 Glass sheet. Very strong and very stiff - can be epoxied into place and machined / drilled / cut for the windlass.

That looks perfect for fabricating a windlass shelf in my own chain locker - didn’t know the stuff existed!

 

[AMOREST]

I had some issues with my windlass shelf and re enforced it with G10 plate. Here is a picture from underside - The brown goop is epoxy resin to bond to the windlass shelf. The white trunking is the windlass cables. If you’re bonding in a new shelf - use glass tape - and epoxy resin. Use big fillets of epoxy. Messy job but rock solid. Plenty of YouTube footage.

 

[Poignard]

If the existing ply shelf has lasted a long time, why not replace it with the same construction?

If you sheathed it with fibreglass cloth and epoxy, and made sure all edges are sealed against water ingress, it ought to last a very long time.