anyone have a windlass...and use it

[letterman]

I did the ditch once and was the muscle man pulling up the 55 pound anchor every time we anchored. We didn't have a roller or anything to help, so it was pull it straight up, while trying to wash it down by jerking it in the water. My boat is a 37 and has a smaller anchor and it has a roller in the front for the rode to go over. However, trying to pull that sucker out of the Lake Erie mud is a pain single handed. So I was thinking of getting a windlass, manual or otherwise.So...who has one, what size boat, and how often do you use it, and is it worth it or should I waste my money on something like radar. I stop bidding at $250 on Ebay and just missed several units over the last year.

 

[Waffle]

Never go boating without one

I like to anchor in a somewaht protect shoal at the shore. The wind speed is almost always in the twenties. I don't like to fight the wind trying to pull ou an anchor in any boat over 28 feet. I don't care what they cost, it is worth every penny!

 

[Chris Burti]

Go for it!

I have a Catalina 320 that comes stock with one from the factory. I use it almost every time I anchor. It also hoists someone up the mast without wearing the deckhand out on a winch.I added a washdown pump with an outlet and hose in the anchor locker. I can bring the anchor up and wash the gooey mud off as it comes up.The Admiral is very petit and has a bad back, there is no way she could get a well set anchor up without the windlass if something happened to me.I thought it was a nice touch when we bough the boat, I now consider it indespensable.

 

[Maine Sail]

The proper wiring ..

Will cost more than the $250.00 you stopped at for a windlass. Depending on run and amp draw of your windlass you'll most likely need 2/0 or 3/0 wire in both positive and negative runs. 2/0 is 7.99 per foot and 3/0 is 11.99 per foot and these prices are from Hamilton Marine who has much lower prices than West marine.For example 60 feet or 30 feet X 2 for a pos and neg run on a 37 footer is $479.40 for just the wire alone. Even if you could get away with a 1/0 it runs $6.19 per foot for a raw wire cost of $371.40. Plan on about $1500.00 for a DIY install on a powered windlass. I'd be very cautious buying a used windlass as these things can take a beating!When weighing anchor, by hand, let the boat do the work! Get the boat moving slowly forward then take in the rode as the boat moves towards the anchor which requires very little effort. Once you are directly over the anchor cleat it off and let the boats momentum rip it out of the mud. Now all you have to lift is the weight of the chain and anchor X the actual water depth..I use my windlass but if you're only hauling a 35lb anchor you can easily do it by hand using the technique above..

 

[Marc14857]

Your Not Getting Any Younger

That's what my wife told me when we purchased our H 356, so we added the windlass. We use it every time we anchor. One of the best decisions we made.

 

[Leviosa]

go electric!

We have a Simpson Lawrence 555 tiger manual windlass.....and as much help as that it is...cranking on that lever to bring up our 60# CQR can be a real bear,,,its a 2 stage and we have 100' of chain then 200' of rode...so Ive been cranking all chain for some time now...I wish we could convert this unit to electric because the replacement new does cost a few Boat units$$$$...Good luck with your search,,,Id definitle go for one,,,and make it electric!Rob

 

[LoriPetersen]

Costs lots, but worth it

I agree with Maine Sail's comments above, if you go electric the unit is a small part of the cost. I put mine in and figure it was also about 35 hours of labor. Plus don't forget the cost of the breaker and control box. However, that being said I'm very glad I did it -consider how many times you set the hook and think, hmmm, that wasn't a great set. But after a long day you figure you don't really want to pull it up and start over. With a windlass you can easily reset, and sleep better as a result. Plus you can haul the dinghy on deck in a flash. FYI I had a friend whose $2000 windlass crapped out about a month after the 1yr warranty, I think these things don't last forever.

 

[Alan]

Try another option,

We get move fun out of watching folks drop and retrieve anchor when we're out cruising.I do have an anchor roller and no windlass. I have found a retrieval method that takes little effort and always works. Sitting at the anchor locker on the bow I pull the boat forward on the rode until the rode is completely vertical, then snub the rode on the bow cleat. If I have crew someone could motor forward with short forward bursts. Now I just wait for the anchor to break itself out. In really muddy bottom I might have to readjust the slack to keep a vertical pull on the rode. In short order the rode goes slack which indicates that the anchor is free of the bottom. Them I simply pull the anchor up to just below the water level and snub again. Proceeding forward at dead slow cleans the anchor of mud. After it appears clean I pull it up the rest of the way and park it on the roller.I have used this method successfully for years with never a problem.

 

[PHitchcox]

Snub that anchor line

Just wanted to echo a few other posts.Whether using a windlass or not, pulling the boat forward over anchor, tying the line off and allowing the boat to rip the anchor out is key. Unfortunately, sometimes the windlass is left to bear the stress and strain of pulling the anchor out. Just to be redundant - tie off the line even if you have a windlass when you go to break out the anchor; then release the line and let the windlass pull up the anchor.Your windlass will thank you.And yes, the necessary wires, switches and control units add considerably to the cost. editorial note - haven't yet used the switch at the helm because our anchor rode doesn't behave (locker not deep enough). A second pair of switches at the bow are wonderful - I can pull up the anchor with my big toe (pushing on the switch).Paul

 

[sailaway78]

Windlass

A windlass is worth every penny. I don't have one, but will in the very near future. I single hand a 37, and here is what I do. If the wind is blowing too hard for me to pull the boat forward by manually pulling the rode, I start the engine and make a circle around the anchor, till I am upwind. Then get up on the bow and pull the rode in as the boat drifts toward the anchor. On my previous boat, I used to just try to motor up on it, taking in rode as I went. Untill I ran over it one time, and had to dive and get it off the prop. And the water temp was in the 50's. No more of that for me. Once it is vertical, I snub it off on a cleat, get back in the cockpit and motor forward. This will break the anchor loose. Then pull it up. Another trick of mine. I have the rode marked so I know when I have it in enough it can't get in the prop. And usually leave it just barely in the water. I leave it in the water, and motor for a hundred yards or so, just dragging it. This washes off most of the mud, and beats the h&* out of splashing it around. With at least some chain, it will not hit the boat, if you motor slow, but will get rid of 90% of the mud.

 

[abe]

H36, 47yo, all chain with big delta anchor....

...you bet I use my windlass. Unless there is a pretty girl around and my mrs is not watching....then I pretend I am pulling up all that chain by myself.abe

 

[Ross]

Rather than running very large cables to the

windlass from the battery bank, would it not be cheaper to place a battery close to the windlass and just run wire adequate for charging from the bank to the secondary battery?

 

[Donald6441]

I did the ICW from philly to fort lauderdale

single handed on a new-to-me boat without an any type of windlass. Let me tell you, fighting with the anchor every morning, often against wind, is a hell of a way to wake up. The first upgrade i did when i got it home was the windlass, and I'm glad i did, my back is really thanking me... Btw, i put a group 24 battery in the bow for it and thinner 8 gauge wires to hook that battery it into the charging system. It was cheaper than 00 wire from aft to bow..

 

[Ross]

Do you need an isolation switch to interrupt

the 8 ga. wire when you run the windlass to avoid drawing from the main battery bank through the smaller wire?

 

[Donald6441]

I haven't put one in as the windlass is 4 feet from

the windlass battery with 2/0 cable. It will pull the current from that before trying to pull current from the thin wire. I guess if i tried to connect a dead battery to the thin wire it would overload the wire, trying to pull large amounts of current to charge the battery though a small wire, but i have a 10 amp circuit breaker to protect from overloads. I have the 60 amp breaker that came with the windlass between the windlass breaker and the windlass.