Bouba
Well-known member
Stand on a box
Windlass why electric
- Thread starter billyfish
- Start date
dunedin
Well-known member
Not sure where you sail, but I would never lift the anchor remotely without being able to see it coming up. Often there is weed that needs removed, or huge clumps of mud that I don’t want going round windlass and into locker. Plus very difficult to keep alignment of chain with roller.
When single handed I use windlass to gently move boat forward and clear chain as we go. Rather service / replace the windlass occasionally than my back.
billyfish
Active member
That's the trouble I have although I know when to stop winding with a coloured marker a couple of meters from the hook, then I can motor away to clean it
Sandy
Well-known member
You will know how much chair you have let out. You should know what speed your windlass pulls in chain. Just count elephants. S*T=D
westernman
Well-known member
Mark the chain with some paint at 5M intervals. With some kind of colour/stripe code so you know if you have missed a mark when lowering it.
oldmanofthehills
Well-known member
For the final stage of haul in, thread some coloured rope through the chain about 0.6m from anchor shackle. As it comes over he bow roller like mudy coloured whiskers ease of on the control.
If you cant see the bow roller from the operating switch is in the wrong position. Our main switch is by the capstan, but we have a remote which I have never used even single handed as i like to stow anchor properly asap. With engine running at tickover I will be stemming the tide or running with it by that stage anyway and at 1m/sec I wont go far in the 20 seconds to get back to the helm
If you cant see the bow roller from the operating switch is in the wrong position. Our main switch is by the capstan, but we have a remote which I have never used even single handed as i like to stow anchor properly asap. With engine running at tickover I will be stemming the tide or running with it by that stage anyway and at 1m/sec I wont go far in the 20 seconds to get back to the helm
geem
Well-known member
That's what the charter boat renters are told here in the Caribbean because the company can't be bothered to mark the chain. Most charterers put out about half the amount of chain they need and drag all over the place
doug748
Well-known member
I think we might be in danger of straying into big boat considerations. I'm not saying the OP should not have a powered windlass, if you want one go for it. However.
Assuming a 28ft, 3 ton boat with 6mm chain and a 10kg anchor it should be very possible to get the anchor up easily by hand, unless there are mobility problems. It also quick, reliable, cheap and adds no weight or complication to the boat. A manual windlass is a good half measure for poor conditions.
I have never found yawing a particular problem, if it happens the helm is not very effective anyway as you little way on. Once you are underway, under power or sail, you soon have control.
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Assuming a 28ft, 3 ton boat with 6mm chain and a 10kg anchor it should be very possible to get the anchor up easily by hand, unless there are mobility problems. It also quick, reliable, cheap and adds no weight or complication to the boat. A manual windlass is a good half measure for poor conditions.
I have never found yawing a particular problem, if it happens the helm is not very effective anyway as you little way on. Once you are underway, under power or sail, you soon have control.
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GHA
Well-known member
A lot also depends on if you're mainly stopping for a bit of lunch or might be out there for many nights wanting to sleep & with the weather doing it's own thing.. anyone who says they'd move just as quick at 3am with a manual windlass compared to powered has never cruised with buttons
Windlass why electric
Stemar
Well-known member
The boat is a 9m cat, weighing in at about 5 tons. The anchor is heavier than I want to lift any distance, and I'm at an age age where I'm not getting any stronger.
The chain is marked, but I can't see anything of use from the helm. I do know how much chain I have out because I lay the amount of rode (~10m of chain, the rest rope) out on deck before lowering it by hand, which is so much quicker than waiting for it to clank out link by link, as I see so many boats doing.
I guess it's down to counting elephants, then
The chain is marked, but I can't see anything of use from the helm. I do know how much chain I have out because I lay the amount of rode (~10m of chain, the rest rope) out on deck before lowering it by hand, which is so much quicker than waiting for it to clank out link by link, as I see so many boats doing.
I guess it's down to counting elephants, then
vyv_cox
Well-known member
Could you fit deck buttons where you can see the bow roller? Not necessarily right forward, just not too far from the helm?
PaulRainbow
Well-known member
You should not pull the boat forward with the windlass. But, if single handed it's hardly practical to motor forward as you retrieve the anchor, because you should be at the bow to see what's going on. If you take all of the catenary out of the chain with the windlass then wait a few seconds, the wait of the chain will normally pull the boat forward, repeat as required.
You can fit foot switches at the bow, but a quick and simple method is to use a remote. No need to pay sill marine prices for one, get one of these : 12V ELECTRIC WIRELESS WINCH REMOTE CONTROL HANDSET Heavy Duty Truck ATV SUV New | eBay
Lots on Ebay.
You can fit foot switches at the bow, but a quick and simple method is to use a remote. No need to pay sill marine prices for one, get one of these : 12V ELECTRIC WIRELESS WINCH REMOTE CONTROL HANDSET Heavy Duty Truck ATV SUV New | eBay
Lots on Ebay.
TiggerToo
Well-known member
my 2p's worth.
After several batches of wasted money on the flimsy control switches sold by the marine suppliers, I went for something *like* this:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Winch-Switch-Control-Rainproof-System/dp/B0CFTQ35HH
Amazingly, it has been working perfectly for 15 or so years.
The windlass itself (Cayman 88) is still going strong, although there is quite a bit of corrosion on the base of the casing, and that will force me to swap, at some point. Still, 26 years on the bow is not bad innings, I think.
After several batches of wasted money on the flimsy control switches sold by the marine suppliers, I went for something *like* this:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Winch-Switch-Control-Rainproof-System/dp/B0CFTQ35HH
Amazingly, it has been working perfectly for 15 or so years.
The windlass itself (Cayman 88) is still going strong, although there is quite a bit of corrosion on the base of the casing, and that will force me to swap, at some point. Still, 26 years on the bow is not bad innings, I think.
GHA
Well-known member
Why not? Go nice & slow takes very little force - "If you take all of the catenary out" don't do that!! No need to stress the windlass. just go slow, little bit at a time keeps enough way on, how does the windlass know any different to pulling up some chain & a hook? When the breeze is up then motor time. Plenty reports above from cruisers who know how to do it & have been doing so just fine for donkeys years.
Stemar
Well-known member
I have a remote - one that you suggested in another thread, and it works well, though I haven't done more than a quick test yet. The difficulty is that, with mostly rope, I don't get a lot of catenary effect.
PaulRainbow
Well-known member
My windlass doesn't have multiple speeds, just the one, and dragging 20 tons of boat along is clearly imposing an unnecessary strain.
Why not ? It needs very little effort to haul in the slack chain, then the weight of the chain pulls the boat forward while you stop pulling with the windlass. Then repeat, pull in the slack, wait a few seconds.......
Isn't that what i said ?
My boat weighs about 20 tons, the anchor and chain weighs a bit less.
Plenty of others who choose not to drag their boats around with the windlass, i'll stick to being one of those, thanks.
GHA
Well-known member
You said "If you take all of the catenary out" - that's awful advice, why stress the windlass?? Takes a load of force to get the chain tight, no need to do that. Slow down, just take some belly out of the chain little & often.
But everyone knows you are incapable of admitting to being anything but 100% correct all the time
PaulRainbow
Well-known member
Usual obnoxious posts from you, try reading what's said, instead of being a smart ###. You're not the only one to use an anchor or a windlass.You said "If you take all of the catenary out" - that's awful advice, why stress the windlass?? Takes a load of force to get the chain tight, no need to do that. Slow down, just take some belly out of the chain little & often.
But everyone knows you are incapable of admitting to being anything but 100% correct all the time
I said "not pull the boat forward with the windlass", that clearly does not mean pull until the chain is bar tight and moving the boat, it means pull until there is no slack, before the boat appreciably moves, then wait, repeat, repeat.
geem
Well-known member
The specification on my windlass days it is a series wound motor. These are designed for moving heavy loads. As used on electric trains, cranes etc. It's probably why it doesn't say anything in thr manual about ensuring you motor forward. The windlass is designed to do it
penberth3
Well-known member
You're missing something there. A spec saying "series wound" tells you nothing about the load capacity of that particular motor.
