Windlass

single

single

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My boat is 32' and weighs 7tons+, so a few questions- what sort of wattage windlass would be suitable, taking into account massive currents in the Bristol Channel and is it hassle if i got a 24v one? My boat is 12v (x2 110ah domestics)
Another thing is horizontal or vertical drum? My current manual one has trouble feeding the chain back down the hole to the locker.
 
single said:
My boat is 32' and weighs 7tons+, so a few questions- what sort of wattage windlass would be suitable, taking into account massive currents in the Bristol Channel and is it hassle if i got a 24v one? My boat is 12v (x2 110ah domestics)
Another thing is horizontal or vertical drum? My current manual one has trouble feeding the chain back down the hole to the locker.
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A 12v 1000W windlass would be fine. Getting a 24v windlass would be a major problem for you. Horizontal or vertical is personal preference, I think. It can be difficult getting a sufficient fall of chain to ensure it feeds cleanly.
 
Choice of vertical or horizontal depends mainly on layout of foredeck and anchor locker. With a horizontal you can have all the mechanism on deck, whereas a vertical needs space under the deck for the motor. Have a look at installations on the same model boat to see what works. Fall is invariably a problem as there is not enough depth in many lockers unless you move the locker further back where the hull is deeper, but then it invariably ends up in the middle of the forecabin berth!

1000w 12v is fine. That is what I have on a 37 footer.
 
Its the fall that is the main problem.It goes in a zig zag to avoid going straight through the berth but it always jams unless a second person is helping down below.Are there any makes to look for or avoid?
 
single said:
Its the fall that is the main problem.It goes in a zig zag to avoid going straight through the berth but it always jams unless a second person is helping down below.Are there any makes to look for or avoid?
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Windlass make is irrelevant. You need to sort the chain fall if you want stressless anchoring.
 
An 850W is the minimum you should go for.

The size of the windlass is dependent of the maximum load that it is pulling: weight of anchor + weight of chain for maximum drop x 2 for comfort. The windlass should not be used to pull the boat to the anchor unless the conditions are calm, and you should never break the anchor out by using it ...... you'll strip the wormwheel .... just use the swell and a little time and it will come out.

The chain pile ups are due to the lack of fall for the chain ... the height available under the windlass. If your chain piles up, consider installing a chain pipe that directs the chain to a locker under the forward berths, or just store the extra chain there to leave more space in the chain locker to recover the working length.
 
It used to fall ok, but with it being manual i try not to anchor so i reckon the chain gets stiff.After a few recent uses its fine, so if i had electric i guess i would use it more and avoid the seizing chain problem.My mate has a vertical type and feeds it straight onto the deck then sorts it out later.Also the vertical seems easier to operate manually if need be?
 
single said:
It used to fall ok, but with it being manual i try not to anchor so i reckon the chain gets stiff.After a few recent uses its fine, so if i had electric i guess i would use it more and avoid the seizing chain problem.My mate has a vertical type and feeds it straight onto the deck then sorts it out later.Also the vertical seems easier to operate manually if need be?
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Depends on the windlass whether it is easy to operate manually. Not all vertical windlasses have a manual option. Horizontal usually have a handle that you can operate while standing, but rate of retrieval is slow. Horizontal also tend to have a warping drum on the other side which can be useful in some situations. Lewmar and Quick are probably the two most common makes. Lofrans was the market leader but their owner went into administration last year and the new owners don't seem to have got their act together yet. The manufacturers all have good data on their sites to help you choose with dimensioned installation drawings so you can work out what type will fit in your application.
 
Tranona said:
Choice of vertical or horizontal depends mainly on layout of foredeck and anchor locker. With a horizontal you can have all the mechanism on deck, whereas a vertical needs space under the deck for the motor. 1000w 12v is fine. That is what I have on a 37 footer.
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Not all horizontal have everything above deck some, Kobra for instance, have the motor underneath sticking down into the chain locker. Agree with 12v 1000w.
 
Being my own windlass I wouldn't know.I haven't felt the need for one yet but I'm sure the day will come when I will.Either because I got too old or richer and able to get a bigger boat!
 
bert49uk said:
Have a 32 Fulmar in Bristol Channel with 1000w 12v widlass works a treat
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How did you work out the chain locker?Mine has a door to the forecabin so I can't have it with a vertical opening on deck that allows water in.In fact when sailing in rough conditions I have a watertight plug that I put on the hawse pipe.
 
Modern windlass has a cover over the opening to stop most of the water entering, I have the standard locker
the Fulmar has a drain into the bilges this I blocked and put a drain through the hull so far so good

2013-03-08 14 46 45.jpg
 
Have a look at the South Pacific range of vertical and horizontal winches as well before making up your mind. spur gears= less heavy cables.
 
I see from Bert's picture that he has some kind of pawl or stopper on deck in front of the windlass. This is a good thing to have, as windlasses are not supposed to be used to hold the chain load once you have anchored. Whoever installed the windlass on Ariam put it so far forward that when the anchor is stowed in the roller there's no room between it and the windlass to fit such a thing. This means I have to mess around with bits of rope instead. If at all possible (obviously the location of the chain locker is a factor) site your new windlass far enough aft to put a chain stopper in front of it - in the future even if you don't bother straight away.

Pete
 
prv said:
I see from Bert's picture that he has some kind of pawl or stopper on deck in front of the windlass. This is a good thing to have, as windlasses are not supposed to be used to hold the chain load once you have anchored. Whoever installed the windlass on Ariam put it so far forward that when the anchor is stowed in the roller there's no room between it and the windlass to fit such a thing. This means I have to mess around with bits of rope instead. If at all possible (obviously the location of the chain locker is a factor) site your new windlass far enough aft to put a chain stopper in front of it - in the future even if you don't bother straight away.

Pete
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But surely if your anchor is "stowed on the roller", you don't need a chain stopper.
I have a loose chain stopper attached to a special strong point, with a strop. Once anchored, I stand on the chain to push it down into the stopper, and then ease off the clutch, to let the stopper take the weight. Then I tighten the clutch again, just in case.
 
I have a westerly with a Kobra 1000w 12 v which is great had it 8 years now. The bracket in front of the windlass is the same as mine but this would not be strong enough to ack as a fixing point for the chain when at anchor. It is to secure the anchor shaft I use a snubbing rope attached to one cleat and then I put the chain with a couple of turns around the other cleat if the snubber slips then the weight of the boat is taken by the chain on the cleat.
Regards Mike.
 
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