windlass/anchor locker design
Hi Bob
Strength of the mounting is very important. Be sure the surface you choose has sufficient reinforcement to handle the max load the windlass is designed for. Avoid large horizontal surfaces that are open below like the center of the vee birth. The bow end where the hull comes together is preferred but you may not have the geometry to make that happen.
Are you using all rope, a rope chain combination or all chain? Also are you going horizontal or vertical on the windlass?
All chain rodes require a significant drop between the windlass gypsy and the top of the stowed chain level. More for the bottom of the locker to make room for "chain castles" A 34'er is going to take some doing to get that kind of drop without trading some room from the Vee birth. Also make sure you can get at least a 90 degree turn (180 is much better) of the chain on the gypsy.
All rope rodes can be "hand dropped" while you tail the rode and do not require any special configuration of the anchor locker.
Conbination rodes will require the chain to have at least a 90 degree turn on the gypsy and a drop to the locker to get the chain to stay on the gypsy.
