I have a new windlass-and it even looks good

[Mark Maulden]

Decided to install a windlass since we might be going to AK in a few yrs and it's nice to have in the PNW in some anchorages. Took the anchor locker door and cut it in half lengthwise and beefed up half of it and glassed it into the deck. Even matched the non skid pattern. Made a new pedestal for it. Ran big wire back to the batts. I did not want a separate battery up fwd. And, added a new bow roller and new Rocna 15 anchor. I still have to figure out how to secure the anchor to the roller. (piece of rope) We have yet to try it out under actual anchorage conditions but looking fwd to it. The locker isn't as deep as it should be so I know I'm going to have to tend the rode below. Also having two acrylic hatches made in Seattle so that's keeping me dockside for next week. Hopefully, there are some pix attached here of before/during/after. And, you're asking if I did this..... No

 

[Mark Maulden]

Decided to install a windlass since we might be going to AK in a few yrs and it's nice to have in the PNW in some anchorages. Took the anchor locker door and cut it in half lengthwise and beefed up half of it and glassed it into the deck. Even matched the non skid pattern. Made a new pedestal for it. Ran big wire back to the batts. I did not want a separate battery up fwd. And, added a new bow roller and new Rocna 15 anchor. I still have to figure out how to secure the anchor to the roller. (piece of rope) We have yet to try it out under actual anchorage conditions but looking fwd to it. The locker isn't as deep as it should be so I know I'm going to have to tend the rode below. Also having two acrylic hatches made in Seattle so that's keeping me dockside for next week. Hopefully, there are some pix attached here of before/during/after. And, you're asking if I did this..... No

Try one more time

 

[justsomeguy]

Nicely done! How was the half-locker top beefed up?

 

[Joe23455]

looks beautiful, nice detail ! I like the hatch cut lengthwise.

joe
s/v trinity

 

[Mark Maulden]

The half locker top was beefed up with some special thick fiberglass roving and then matt. The pedestal was made from some dense foam glassed over with a the same thick glass roving and then matt. I loaded the chain and anchor today and it seemed pretty solid. Going to "load it up" and see what the "flex factor" is later. The locker top that opens has some flex and it bottoms out after the latch activates. That means when someone walkes on it the latch takes all the body weight. We're solving that (somehow).

 

[onecoolair]

The half locker top was beefed up with some special thick fiberglass roving and then matt. The pedestal was made from some dense foam glassed over with a the same thick glass roving and then matt. I loaded the chain and anchor today and it seemed pretty solid. Going to "load it up" and see what the "flex factor" is later. The locker top that opens has some flex and it bottoms out after the latch activates. That means when someone walkes on it the latch takes all the body weight. We're solving that (somehow).

Looks like nice detail work. But I hope you do not leave the anchor load on the winch while anchored were's the anchor cleat . Why did you not mount the windless aft of anchor locker and reinforce that area below deck. Then the locker hatch lid would have only needed a small modification . Is the reinforced anchor rode cleat located in anchor locker.... You need something that can handle full weight of boat and shock loads. Seen plenty of windlasses pull right out and leave big hole. Not pretty!

 

[justsomeguy]

The half locker top was beefed up with some special thick fiberglass roving and then matt. The pedestal was made from some dense foam glassed over with a the same thick glass roving and then matt. I loaded the chain and anchor today and it seemed pretty solid. Going to "load it up" and see what the "flex factor" is later. The locker top that opens has some flex and it bottoms out after the latch activates. That means when someone walkes on it the latch takes all the body weight. We're solving that (somehow).

I think if you could re-glass the 90 degree lip back onto your cover's new perimeter, it'd stand up to the standing on somewhat better.

And onecoolair has a good point. Figure on a snubber/chain stopper.

 

[Old Skool Neil]

The half locker top was beefed up with some special thick fiberglass roving and then matt.

I'd be interested in learning more about this 'special thick fiberglass roving.' If there's something new out there it would be good to learn about it.

I also just finished up an anchor windlass installation but opted against posting it for the reasons you are experiencing here. It's your boat, if the installation is up to your standards that's good enough. From the finished appearance of your work you've been around the block before.

BTW and as the original poster knows, once deployed the anchor load is never applied to the windlass. It's always snubbed off to a cleat or cleats. Every windlass manufacturer I know of says so in their operation instructions.

40-50 knots and a lee shore? Good Lord!! Call me a wimp but no thanks. That's not my idea of recreational boating. So far I've been able to plan my outings so such conditions are avoided.

 

[MrBill_FLL]

PROBABLY BIAXIAL CLOTH. http://www.fgci.com/bp_productlist.aspx?subcatID=1520&level=3 it looks beautiful, but do wonder about about front load bearing. how is it supported?

 

[Old Skool Neil]

I'm familiar with biaxial cloth and don't see it as either special or thick as Mark described. Let's hope he comes back to clear the haze.

 

[caguy]

I still don't understand why you couldn't mount it behind the locker.

 

[Old Skool Neil]

I still don't understand why you couldn't mount it behind the locker.

I'm guessing he didn't want the windlass motor showing in the V berth overhead.

Mark, come back! We need ya!

 

[seadaddler]

How Strong

Well hard to see how strong the windlass is mounted,don't use the windlass to pull up the anchor all by it self and use the boats engine to move forward as the windlass pulls up the anchor and have a good strong kleet to secure the chain when anchored and don't secure the chain only to the windlass even if using a snubber,always take the load off the windlass when not pulling up the anchor and let the boats engine to break loose the anchor with
the chain secured to something solid on the bow and do not let the windlass do the hard work other than retrieving the chain and anchor,this is all explained by the windlass manual.
Nick

 

[Mark Maulden]

Yes, Nick is absolutely correct no matter what the installation is. I probably mis lead ya when I stated "special thick" glass. It is some "special" high strength glass but the thickness is multiple layers. As I stated above, I did not do the work but I will find out exactly what was used but probably won't be able to for 5-6 days and I'll post it. The perimeters of the new stationary deck were "Vee'd out and glassed across the cross sectional area per good glassing process. Yes, I could have mounted it farther aft but there were several reasons I didn't. 1) I do have an admiral and no motor/big wiring etc over the V-berth and I concurred. Over time gear trains can leak and condensation can drip etc etc. Did not want that. 2) As stated previously, I did not want to make big/numerous holes into the cored deck for obvious reasons. 3) I wanted to keep as much of the foredeck clear of "obstacles". Earlier today, I ran the chain out a bit and back in until tight. I hit the switch again and again and really loaded it up. Nothing moved. It is still there loaded and we'll look at it tomorrow... I did not go until windlass limits reached though. So time will tell. We'll see if gelcoat cracks appear. I think this will work fine for it's intended usage. (not 50kt surfy lee shores).......

 

[onecoolair]

Yes, Nick is absolutely correct no matter what the installation is. I probably mis lead ya when I stated "special thick" glass. It is some "special" high strength glass but the thickness is multiple layers. As I stated above, I did not do the work but I will find out exactly what was used but probably won't be able to for 5-6 days and I'll post it. The perimeters of the new stationary deck were "Vee'd out and glassed across the cross sectional area per good glassing process. Yes, I could have mounted it farther aft but there were several reasons I didn't. 1) I do have an admiral and no motor/big wiring etc over the V-berth and I concurred. Over time gear trains can leak and condensation can drip etc etc. Did not want that. 2) As stated previously, I did not want to make big/numerous holes into the cored deck for obvious reasons. 3) I wanted to keep as much of the foredeck clear of "obstacles". Earlier today, I ran the chain out a bit and back in until tight. I hit the switch again and again and really loaded it up. Nothing moved. It is still there loaded and we'll look at it tomorrow... I did not go until windlass limits reached though. So time will tell. We'll see if gelcoat cracks appear. I think this will work fine for it's intended usage. (not 50kt surfy lee shores).......

Mark.... just stay out of the Matagorda Triangle Area down here on the Republic of Texas Coast and hopefully you will be fine. Remember weird S*** usually happens at 3am!!!
Best of Luck

 

[seadaddler]

Chain

When I first came to Florida from NY I had 50' chain and 200' of rode and was thinking Fl is very shallow and I would be good to go but after dragging 1or 2 times in the middle of the night 3 years ago I changed to 100' chain 200' rode and only need to put out the chain almost the whole 100' when anchoring at night with 35 delta and guess what even when hit with thunder storms with 30 kts of wind and swaying all over and wind also changing directions we are good and no dragging.
So good anchor plenty of chain and good cleat on boat you will be OK.
Nick