Windless - help

[hisw]

Help

I am thinking of investing in a windless as i am now weary of pulling up 10m of chain every weekend.

What type should i go for. The boat is 32ft and weighs about 10t.

I think i may go for a manual one so that it is stand alone. As to the type, i am unsure. Is it possible to get one with gears?

Am i better off getting a well known make second hand, are parts still avalable/easly serviced?

Any help would be warmly excepted

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[AndrewJ]

I have a seatiger 55 windlass, manual, with gears on my 39' boat. (the windlass, I believe is good for up to 42 foot boats)
Like you, I was hauling anchor chain and the last bit, getting the anchor to seat in the bow rollers really was a struggle.
Since putting in the seatiger, it's really amazing what I've been missing.
(I bought a used one and had to take all the gears out and regrease it. Not as daunting as it sounds as there are not that
many gears.) also the main shaft was frozen to the gypsy, took a large hammer to free it, but it works well now. the new ones
are around USD1500.00, but I would recommend it. (mine was considerably less and is about 30 years old).
regards...

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[Chris_Robb]

A few important points

Depending on your budget - I found manual winching almost as hardwork as pulling up by hand. (40ft 13 tons). I installed this year a Lofrans Tigress (horizontal winch) -for £700. Its transformed my life and I now enjoy anchoring.

Watch out for:

The chain size on the Gypsy. It is normally quoted as 8 or 10 mm - but does not specify the link lenght. So make sure your chain fits the gypsy you are getting - otherwise you will have to buy all new chain. My chain was 4.5 cm length of link, as opposed to the standard Lofrans (and only 10mm gypsy) of 5 cm. Luckily I had the old gypsy from the previous winch - other wise it would have been - buy 100 meters of new chain from EC Smith.

Vertical axis winches are more compact - buy only suitable for boats with a flat deck section at the bows. If you have a high roller - ie contessa - then a horizontal winch will be needed.



<hr width=100% size=1><P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by Chris_Robb on 03/09/2003 16:57 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[Guest]

So lazy - use those muscles abit more!! (it's terribly good excercise you know!)

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[Guest]

I have a manual geared ...

Mine is the combined windlass and warping drum. Operates by long handle enabling me to stand reasonably uprght.

Only used it about 3 times in the last 6 years !!! When moving mooring blocks !!!!!! Maybe 1 -2 times for an acnhor job.

No I wont sell it !!! It s good piece of kit and old, but works. I can't say what gearing it has - but seems to be about 2 - 1 and it is actually quite quick.

Haven't serviced it ........ in fact it may be datf - but I'm one of those don't take it apart unless necessary - it may never work again !!!!


<hr width=100% size=1>Nigel ...
Bilge Keelers get up further ! I only came - cos they said there was FREE Guinness !