Wireless remote for windlass

Os you want a remote control for your boat

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I also have remote control of street gates garage doors car port gates and several security lights around my house.
 
Or there is the industrial crane wireless control units. While more expensive they have some advantages over the more common winch control units Paul has suggested.
 

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My wife can deploy and retrieve the anchor confidently - she is not remote and I have no need for a remote wife :) In the unlikely time my wife is busy, with a more important chore (making the cocktails), we have a windlass control at the helm.

Jonathan
 
Lots of us on here using these too :

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2X-Wirel...593092&hash=item5b45027ee1:g:eh8AAOSwsGdaqNta

Example listing, others are available.

I seem to remember seeing some complaints about poor range on earlier versions. I bought a pair about 18 months ago after seeing some claims about better range. I tested it at home, fine at the end of my drive, still OK across the road and working well as I continued to walk away. I decided that range wasn't going to be a problem unless I mounted the receiver inside a Faraday cage at the bows. :D

They are so cheap that it doesn't matter if they only last a few years. I have one in reserve stored in a sealed bag but the other shows no signs of wear or corrosion. It has a pretty easy life and I expect it will probably last for several years per remote unit.

I'm going to build a remote chain counter and reckon I can manage that for around £5. Beats £300 for the manfacturer's version. :D
 
They are so cheap, going to fit one just as backup. Have used them before. The only disadvantage of the ebay units (I have bought 2) is the small delay in both starting and stopping when the remote buttons are pressed
 
I has a Winchit on the previous boat with a Lofrans Tigres and had the delay. I fitted the same type Winchit on my current boat with a Lofrans Kobra and don't get a delay - maybe the design has changed.

Can you post a link to the latest winchit version you bought?
 
They are so cheap, going to fit one just as backup. Have used them before. The only disadvantage of the ebay units (I have bought 2) is the small delay in both starting and stopping when the remote buttons are pressed

I had read about the delay but was pleasantly surprised by the response time. It was negligible and not really worse than the wired control. My wife agreed when she first tried it.
 
i bought one of those and planned to use it on the windlass.... thenthought about the auto pilot... then thought about the deck lights....

still thinking.... but if anyone has a mod for a raymarine auto pilot...
 
Nice. Some of that kit looks more robust than mine. We will see how long it lasts. Fitting a hard wired momentary rocker switch as backup.

I'm interested in the remote auto pilot thing. The raymarine android app is junk. Frustrating as it's rletivrly low tech and all I want is to remotely do the plus and mi us thing. I can't see an easy mod to the current setup though.
 
Trouble is, how do you tell how much chain you've let out?
Fitting chain counters on even Loftrans winches is far from easy, despite their hand-held remotes apparently being equipped to recieve the non-existant signals.
 
Trouble is, how do you tell how much chain you've let out?
Fitting chain counters on even Loftrans winches is far from easy, despite their hand-held remotes apparently being equipped to recieve the non-existant signals.

Chain deployment hardly needs great precision nor is it rocket science. We deploy in 'units' of 10m.

You know, or can measure, the speed of deployment - use that stopwatch on Kukri's list :) - or your phone - even count it down.

Works for us

Jonathan
 
Yep. And I'll still be going to the bow to tie off the chain. I'll be even less likely to leave it on the Windlass now its wireless.

The main benefit is when I'm on my own, positioning the boat perfectly and letting the anchor go at the press of a button. Looking forward to that.
 
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