No, but a sixty year old back does!Does a 29' boat need a windlass?
One point to keep in mind in this discussion is that a windlass or winch should *not* be used to break out the anchor from the bottom but rather is used simply to lift the combined weight of the anchor/chain/rope rode. In your particular case you have about 35 lbs. total to lift--not a great deal. (I have a 22 lb. Rocna and about 30' of chain on my E26 and don't use a windlass for it. And, just like a previous poster commented, my back is also nearly 60 yrs. old! )Facing the same issue on a 32. I thought I might be able to use the cockpit primary winch to lift the anchor with a cheek block attached to the rail near the bow. I use a 22 lb Bruce with 12 feet of chain. Planning to try it this summer.
Cheers
david
I don't doubt that it works but I guess I don't see the need for it for the kind of anchor setups we are talking about here. The 30-35 lbs. total that we are considering doesn't seem to make it worth messing with. Perhaps for other setups it might.Good post Alan. A float will lift the anchor and chain to the surface and all you need do is pull it to the boat and load it! Most sailors dismiss this method because they just can't believe it will float their anchor and chain, IT WILL! Its like magic using this system.
Chief
Good for you. My point was that the length of the boat isn't the right metric for deciding if a windlass is what one needs. I think the metric is the physical ability of the crew....(I have a 22 lb. Rocna and about 30' of chain on my E26 and don't use a windlass for it. And, just like a previous poster commented, my back is also nearly 60 yrs. old!
Quite agreed. You are right that the metric is indeed the physical ability of the crew in relation to the amount of exertion required to handle the weight of the tackle. I certainly hope my comment didn't come off as if I think I'm some kind of great physical specimen, for that's not the case! What I was trying to communicate, rather, is that 30-35 lbs. is not especially heavy even for someone with a pretty average back such as mine! But that comment was a bit shortsighted (and perhaps thoughtless), since for some--and maybe for me, too, at some point--a windlass could prove helpful for lifting even that much weight.Good for you. My point was that the length of the boat isn't the right metric for deciding if a windlass is what one needs. I think the metric is the physical ability of the crew.
Well, Chief, now you've got my curiosity up! I guess I should keep an open mind. Maybe I'll rig something like that up sometime just to try it.I am a pretty hardy ol' sailor, (much more than 60) but much prefer just bringing in a floating anchor to pulling it up! It is also a very inexpensive method as I just use a SS ring and my fenders to float my anchor and chain. Happy New Year! Chief