Electric Windlass - recommendations?

[Patti]

This is my first ever forum post, so I'll try to remember the rules and be very specific with my question.

I have just purchased my first boat; a 1989 Catalina 34.

A manual Lofrans Royale horizontal unit with a wildcat and gypsy is mounted in the rode locker. The windlass is aluminium and it is mounted on a steel plate which has caused a great deal of galvanic corrosion. I would like to replace it with an electric windlass. The surveyor suggested I ask you folks which would be the best type to get.

The anchor (not sure if this makes a difference) is a 25lb CQR type. The chain is 5/16 and the rode is 5/8 triple strand.

Thanks for your help!

 

[Stu Jackson]

C34 Windlass Ideas

Patti, welcome to the Forum and congratulations on doing your homework about how to create a very good post. Thanks.

We have a 1986 without a windlass, but am considering one now that the boat's getting older, the anchor's heavier, and, you know the drill. We do use a jib winch if necessary to get a recalcitrant anchor off the bottom.

I invite you to join our Catalina 34 International Association website, and to join the C34 International Association.

Our message board is here: http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/board,11.0.html and you register there to pose questions, same as here. Registration on the message board is not membership in the C34IA. See: http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,4782.0.html

Our new wiki and the older Projects and FAQ pages have invaluable information for someone like you with an older C34:

http://www.c34.org/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page

http://www.c34.org/projects/projects.html

http://www.c34.org/faq-pages/faq.html

A windlass installation on a 1988 boat is here: http://www.c34.org/projects/projects-anchor-windlass-apache.html

Joining the C34IA can now be done by PayPal: http://www.c34.org/join_top.html

You'll love your new boat, and we look forward to seeing you "over there" for more specific answers to your particular boat. I enjoy this forum as well as the C34 'site. The more you learn, the better a boater you will be.

Congratulations on your new boat.

 

[Tim C350 April IV]

You'll want to match the specific chain to the capability of the windlass - just knowing the size (5/16 as you note) isn't quite enough - you'll need to know if it's BBB or HT or... The gypsy on the windless can be pretty touchy about being matched to the chain being used.

Good Luck!

Tim Brogan
April IV C350 #68
Seattle

 

[Patti]

Thanks for the adivce Tim. Since I'm technologically handicapped (which may be a result of being female), I may go so far as to get new rode and chain to go along with the new windlass. The fewer glitches I have to deal with - the better.

The existing windlass resides inside the anchor locker and I'd like the replacement to be hidden as well. The Maxwell units all seem to be designed to mount on the deck. I'll keep doing my homework.

Patti