Electric Windless Questions

Status
Not open for further replies.
D

Doghouse

.
Oct 3, 2005
159
Catalina 387 Hampton, VA
The new boat I am getting has an electric windless. I have never had one before, and I am sure the dealer will give a fair explanation on its use... maybe...

So I am looking for the tips and tricks that everyone here as for useing an electric windless.

The road they are putting on is 15' of chain with 150 of 1/2" 3 strand. I want to go a little heavier myself, but am concerned that 5/8 might be too big to fit the windless. Yes I am new at this so please excuse my ignorance.
 
R

Ray T

Larger line?

You have the same setup that I had on my Cal 227, 6800lbs. Minus the windless. I used to sail the middle Chesapeak. I never had a problem with this, however it probably wouldnt hurt to go a little larger. You could check with the manufacturer or if its not to old go to a chandlery that sells this stuff, if they dont know they may be able to offer some suggestions. Ray T
 
Stu Jackson

Stu Jackson

.
Feb 26, 2004
23,052
Catalina 34 224 Maple Bay, BC, Canada
15 feet of chain is probably not enough

Rule-of-thumb is as much chain as the length of your boat. More is better. The size and type of chain is determined by the gypsy on your new windlass. Suggest you read West Marine Advisor on windlasses, good explanation of what you are asking about (in the catalog or on line). Don't use your windlass to "pull the boat" up over the anchor, use the engine or your hands and only use the windlass to raise the anchor.
 
J

Jack

Windlass question

Same recommendation-- 1ft chain/ ft of boat length. Use engine power to take the tension off the rode. Go forward slowly- you don't want to go over your line with a propeller running. Wrap the anchor line 2-3 times around the windlass- like any winch and use the windlass to take up the loose line- its more effective than hauling it by hand- especially storing the line into an anchor locker. You have to check the specs on your unit whether it can handle chain or not. The Maxwell VC500 on my boat will not wrap a chain, but helps to maintain leverage when I pull the chain up.
 
D

Doghouse

No control over dealer's choice

Seeing as the dealer is putting the current road and chain on there, I have no control of what will be on the lunch hook until I own the boat.

I will look for the article referenced. Do you have the link?
 
J

Jim

Never use the windless to pull the boat

I only hit the button when there is slack in the line. That way I don't burn it out.

You'll have to guide the chain into the windless when the rope ends.

Never leave the chain in the windless when you are done. I wrap it arounf the cleat and use a snubber from the cleat to the anchor for tension.

For some reason it takes a good hit to turn the windless breaker on. When I first got the boat I didn't know how to do it and was worried. Where I sail you need a windless on a big boat.
 
J

jviss

Kedging, and other windlass pulling

I don't get this "Never use the windless to pull the boat" that a few respondents have cautioned.

It takes remarkably little force to push a floating boat around. Imagine standing on the dock and shoving your boat around. Even this weekend I had to separate mine and a poorly anchored boat, and one shove on his pulpit sent us 25 or more yards apart.

I routinely pull my boat up over the all-chain rode and anchor with the windlass. If its blowing 20+ kts., I will use the engine, too.

These windlasses are very similar in design and construction to off-road winches, and these guys pull 3,000+ vehicles out of the mud and across earth and rocks with them.

Consider the windlass specifications. The Maxwell VW1500, for example, which is essentially what I have on my C36, has a maximum pull of 1500 lb., with a 100A motor. I don't think pulling your boat up over your anchor will be a problem! Even kedging off a soft grounding, or warping in a difficult docking situation is fine. If your 100A circuit breaker pops, you'll know you've pushed it too hard.

Unless your windlass is severely undersized, or of poor design and construction, pulling up over your anchor is fine.
 
J

Jim

jviss jviss jviss

Have you every tired to pull a 28' boat or bigger against a 25 MPH headwind? The wind wins!

You must sail in the Cheasy Bay.
 
J

jviss

Read my post

"If its blowing 20+ kts., I will use the engine, too. "

Jim, what is your point, anyway? Never use the windlass to pull the boat because sometimes the wind blows 25 kt.?

Even so, how much force are we talking about? Just because you can't pull a 28' boat in a 25 kt. blow doesn't mean the windlass can't.

I have taken my windlass apart for service. It is massively built, with a gear-oil bath for the gear box, and a huge motor. It's probably in the same class as large starter motors, intermittent duty types, but hauling 100+ feet of chain is still intermittent duty.

By way of comparison, note that electric halyard and sheet winches are the exact same technology, and you can sheet in a big genoa, the largest load on a sailboat, with these winches.
 
J

jviss

Just for the record...

...in the spirit of full disclosure, I checked Maxwell's web site and they say don't do it!

Makes one wonder, though, why you'd need a 1500 lb. rated windlass to pick up, say, 30 lb. of chain with a 35 lb. anchor on it.

If you always drove up on the rode, even with all chain, and never anchored in more than 25' of water, even with a 2:1 design margin a 150 lb. pull windlass would be sufficient.
 
K

kendall

Winches etc

the winch and solonoid normally have a short duty cycle.(most are essentially a starter motor) So when you use the winch to pull yourself to the anchor, You run the risk of burning out the solonoid or overheating the motor and cables etc. Plus the winch being a large draw on the battery so long use can cause that to overheat.

The starter type motor is chosen because it offers plenty of power in a small package, and is sealed up well enough to be used in a harsh environment, but that sealing means there isn't a lot of cooling going on.

That being said, As long as you stay within the rated duty cycle you should be safe from overheating it.
Just remember that the duty cycle is only for the winch, your battery/ies may not be able to handle the sustained high draw without damage.

Ken
 
J

jviss

Overheating

Right, kendall, but of course it depends on the size of the motor, the load, etc. I usually have the main engine running when using the windlass, because I usually motor out of anchorages; and I don't want to flatten the battery.

Also, mine had a high current switch wired directly, mounted in the deck (the kind you step on) - no solenoid.
 
F

Frenchie

Windlass details

Just because mine was not working well (jam with the chain) I took a look to the Lewmar web site. It gives you all details, tips and comments for uses. I send you the link.
Regards
 
J

jviss

Why use the windlass to pull the boat?

"it blow 20 plus almost every day where I sail." Wow, where is that?

Anyway, why use the windlass to pull the boat?

1. Weighing anchor single handed. On my boat, the motor controls and the windlass control are at opposite ends of the boat.

2. Won't run over the anchor if you're pulling with the windlass.

3. Kedging off a soft grounding. If you could drive off, you would.

Sure, you can drive up as you pull in your rode, but it requires some coordination to do so, and good communication bow to cockpit. If it's not blowing hard, and there's no current, its no big deal to haul it all with the windlass.

Since when did the windlass become such a delicate thing that needs to be babied? If you had a manual windlass would you drive up on the anchor too, even if you had the strength to pull the boat up with it?
 
A

Anchor Down

So Basic

If it's windless, you can't sail: you'll have to motor…
 
J

Jim

jviss this are good reasons

I have to admit you are 100% right.

1. Weighing anchor single handed, Yeap you are right, you have too use the windless.
2. Won't run over the anchor, Yeap, I have done this and think I might scrached the boat.
3. I don't understand number 3 "Kedging off a soft grounding. If you could drive off, you would. "

I sail on an inland bay in NJ. The water temperature in the bay is in the mid 80s and the ocean is low 70 high 60. The inversion kicks in and the wind goes into the 20 in the after noon. It is not always over 20. Sometimes we get 15 to 20. This year it been very windy.
 
J

jviss

kedging

Kedging means to move the vessel by means of the anchor. If you stick the keel in mud, as I have occasionally done, and you can't get off with the engine, you can take the anchor out in the dinghy and drop it towards the deeper water, and then use the windlass to pull the boat out of the mud.
 
J

Jim

Ok,

the third point makes sense to me too!

I guess that I was wrong because I agree 100% with the three reason you presented for using the windless to pull the boat.

I know that most times it is too windy to even think about not using the motor where we sail. I have to use the motor to get the anchor up most of the time.

Thanks for proving your point to me.
 
J

Jack O'Brien

Electric Windlass

1) Get serious about specifics. What size boat? Brand and model number of windlass? Horizontal or vertical? With or without gypsy? Where control(s) located?

2 DO GET the manufacturer's operating manual for your specific windlass. It has all the info you need - ESPECIALLY the sizes and types of chain and rode needed to work best, or work at all. You may need a professional "loose splice" between chain and rode to go over gypsy. A swivel between anchor and chain is good as is a proper bow roller for your SPECIFIC anchor. A plow anchor is best all around anchor with a danforth type as backups on bow and stern. Oversize the plow, can undersize the danforths for ease of manual handling. I had a 9-pound danforth hold in Weather Service reported 65 knots of thunderstorm wind in Key West on my 26X.

3) Nothing wrong with using windlass to pull in rode providing you do it in short intervals to allow boat to move up without excessive strain on windlass. Very similar to pulling in rode by hand. Also prevents excessive heat buildup. Lewmar makes an inexpensive radio wireless remote control useful anywhere on boat so you can motor up and windlass up even if single-handing.

4) Windlass with bow and helm controls, or wireless remote, second-best single-handing option next to autopilot. Especially true in crowded anchorage with current and/or wind instead of trying to run back to helm after anchor freed but rode/chain still dangling and closing fast on nearby boats.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Top Bottom