Installed Manual Windlass on C-27

[caguy]

I finally mounted the manual windless on the C-27 and it works great. I had to remake the stripper so that it allows the rode to exit the front of the gypsy. That is the copper piece you see in the picture.
I need to redo the rode/chain splice because it skips (second video). I am going to have to slim down the tucks in the splice. Hopefully it will transition smoothly then.
Any suggestions?

 

[woodster]

Man I think that's great ...its always nice to see salvaged things come back to life...good job Frank

 

[caguy]

Thanks Woody and the best part is it only cost $30 plus a can of Rustoleum Appliance paint,.

 

[Joe]

Where did you find the windlass? What's the story behind it?

 

[McIntoshUSA]

How do you close the anchor hatch?

 

[caguy]

How do you close the anchor hatch?

It's set back enough to clear the hatch door.

Joe,
From a salvage friend of mine. It wasn't as pretty as it is now.

 

[Joe]

Joe,
From a salvage friend of mine. It wasn't as pretty as it is now.

The place up in the desert?

 

[woodster]

i have been wondering about what kind of windless to use manual or electric and the more i think about it the more i like the manual ...we as people get trapped in our surroundings and become victims of the dead battery so having said that it makes better sense to be able to retrieve the anchor mechanically after all the reason we have them is to help pull up the weight of the chain and anchor ...you can pull the line up by hand and load the chain on the gypsy and crank away with out fear of having a dead battery.... i know this is not for every one..... but it make sense to me.... after all whats the hurry

 

[Ron20324]

It would be nice to hear if anyone has tried a Winch-Rite on a windlass. Electric winches can be used manually, also.

 

[Chief RA]

caguy: I like it! Makes since for boats our size. Happy New Year! Chief

 

[Benny17441]

In my book manual is a plus over electric. I like the utilitarian installation; as well as could be done in the constrained space. Great find.

 

[st nick]

I just did the exact job on my 384 Morgan Manual winch Royal lofrans. I use the drum for the line and set the chain in the gupsy.
I just added a second anchor roller for my 45 CQR all chain rode. 35 bruce is my main anchor 20 ft chain and 175 ft of 12 ply twist.
I did a whole anchor locker redo split it so it would hold 2 rodes divided . I did cut the locker lid beefed it up and mounter the windless there. hause pipes and all. Lee/Tarpon Springs fla

 

[weinie]

In my book manual is a plus over electric. I like the utilitarian installation; as well as could be done in the constrained space. Great find.

I dunno, seems like a lot more work for a small anchor.

 

[caguy]

I dunno, seems like a lot more work for a small anchor.

When you add 20' of chain and a 22# anchor it is doable but when you add another 20#s of mud or kelp it becomes a bit much for this old back. I remember pulling up a kelp ball that must have weighed 50#s. In Catalina you can rarely anchor in less than 70' of water and locally my favorite fishing hole is 75' deep.
I had back surgery in 1997 for a ruptured disk. It was a lousy 3 months waiting for diagnosis and approval for the surgery and then another 3 months of recovery. I had a reminder a year ago November when I spent 5 weeks in bed peeing into a bottle because I could not move do to a compressed vertebrae and sciatica. By the time surgery was approved for that the bed rest and painful therapy cured me. Got to love insurance companies. I now take better care of my back.

 

[wannabesailor]

Too Tough to Haul

On our maiden voyage from Port Townsend to Victoria, I found a nice overnight anchorage on the charts but when I arrived it was already occupied. So I moved over about a 100 yards and after noting that my depth sounder showed about 60 ft let the anchor out...and out...and out ...all 200 feet of 3/8 chain rode!! A quick check discovered that tsurprise, surprise ..the PO had calibrated the depth sounder, not in feet, but in metres!
The problem became even worse when the old wind anchor windlass stopped working. My daughter (who at the time was a very fit and strong University rower) and I physically hauled all 200 feet of chain plus a 45 lb CQR back up..as she said 'It was the hardest work-out she had ever done'. Damn near killed me....you can't believe how hard it was
The first thing I replaced on the boat was the manual windlass with a Lewmar electric , but with the manual windlass adapter.
The electric windlass has been invaluable....if I feel the slightest bit uneasy about whether or not the anchor has set properly then up it comes and we reset. In 10 years we have never had any problems with anchor dragging even when other boats have BUT if the electric windlass or the batteries fail I can always resort to the manual adapter.
So FWIW, anchoring is so important to your safety and peace of mind that I'd get an electric windlass with a manual adapter ...maybe a belt and suspenders approach but...

John Forsyth
s/v Mopion
Mazatlan

 

[caguy]

The only drawback to a manual winch is that it take two strokes for every foot of chain. For 200 feet that would have been 400 strokes not to mention the one in the chest.

200 feet of 3/8 chain is about 300#s, plus a 45# anchor, my hat is off to you and your daughter.

 

[deltaten]

caguy;

Thanks for the vids. Given your situation, understand the need for the windlass. I'm looking into a similar unit for the future. For now, I haul by hand (and back! ) ; but only seven feet of chain and (nominally) 50 feet of rode on a 13# (17?) Danforth makes it easy enuff
I'm considering alternatives to "standard issue" manual windlass'. I don't have a lot of real estate available on the foredeck for permanent proturbances; nor the desire for. a "toe-catcher".

Best,
Paul

 

[rowdy]

I finally mounted the manual windless on the C-27 and it works great. I had to remake the stripper so that it allows the rode to exit the front of the gypsy. That is the copper piece you see in the picture.
I need to redo the rode/chain splice because it skips (second video). I am going to have to slim down the tucks in the splice. Hopefully it will transition smoothly then.
Any suggestions?

caguy
i am a first time boat owner- have a newport 33 1985- with a front locker similar to what i saw on your C-27. Am thinking of doing what you did- impressive. A few questions if i may
how much chain- and what size
how much rode and type
weight of anchor
what type of bow roller
any trick to attach windlass to foredeck. any thing else i should ask?
thank you rowdy

 

[McIntoshUSA]

I have also considered adding a windlass from time to time. I have often wondered how much easier it would be to raise the anchor with the manual windlass compared to me currently pulling it in by hand. So far it does not seem to be too bad pulling it up by hand. Only bad when it is muddy. I am not sure which would be more tiring pulling it up by hand or cranking it 2 times for every foot?