Most of the mid-size to larger boats now have electric windlasses. (thank goodness!) What used to be a very pricey luxury has now become within reach of most sailors.
But here are the disadvantages to the typical installation:
Most units run from foot switches. What this means is that as you're looking over the bow trying to locate your anchor, you have stretched your leg in an unnatural, (and painful) pose to keep your foot on the switch.
Then there are the hand-held remote units with the curly cords that get constantly fouled. Furthermore, the plugs are always intermitent. Lastly, they seem to have a problem with getting wet, which is odd considering they are meant to be up on your bow in a torrential rain.
Lastly, the windlasses have to be controlled from the bow, and if you're short-handed, this won't work.
The obvious solution, which works beautifully, is a wireless remote.
This allows you to lean over the bow pulpit, remote in one hand, watching your chain come up. They are super-easy to control, and you can just nudge the anchor up, a few links at a time. Where this really pays off is when you are trying to get the anchor shank over the roller, and itis coming up backwards. With a wireless remote in one hand, pole in other, it is very easy to flip the shank around.
And then there is the big plus....being able to lower your anchor from the cockpit behind the wheel. Can't tell you how nice it is to motor up to your drop zone, look at the depth guage, push your down button, and then slowly motor astern to set.
So, what's the catch?
Price. The wireless units from lewmar , Quick, etc. are about $300. Ouch.
So, what if I told you you could do the same thing for a little less. About $290 less in fact.
Yes, I found a remote that will do exactly the same functions, is waterproof, and absolutely compatable with most all of the windlass contactors. And it looks exactly like this:
And it costs ten bucks plus shipping.
What you will notice is a handy-dandy remote control, and a small black box.
Inside this black box is the RF receiver, and 2 relay output channels.
This box will wire up to the existing Lewmar windlass relay contactor, and instructions are enclosed with the unit.
There is only one type of windlass this won't work with, and that would be the units that don't have an external contactor. 90% plus of the windlasses use an external contator relay which is controlled by the foot switches or hand held remote. The ones that don,t have a contactor have large guage wires running to the foot switches. These are very rare, and I haven't seen one in years.
So, where do you get such a bargain?
From ebay of course, and the listing number for this unit is 220950199266
You will find other similar remotes, but this is the only one I found that was listed as "waterproof".
Word of extreme caution!!!!
Yes, it is great to drop your anchor from the cockpit, but do not retrieve it from back there. You must watch your anchor come up, and be very sure to stop when the chain is fully up. Doing this from the cockpit is very dangerous.
Any questions,,, i'll be happy to answer
But here are the disadvantages to the typical installation:
Most units run from foot switches. What this means is that as you're looking over the bow trying to locate your anchor, you have stretched your leg in an unnatural, (and painful) pose to keep your foot on the switch.
Then there are the hand-held remote units with the curly cords that get constantly fouled. Furthermore, the plugs are always intermitent. Lastly, they seem to have a problem with getting wet, which is odd considering they are meant to be up on your bow in a torrential rain.
Lastly, the windlasses have to be controlled from the bow, and if you're short-handed, this won't work.
The obvious solution, which works beautifully, is a wireless remote.
This allows you to lean over the bow pulpit, remote in one hand, watching your chain come up. They are super-easy to control, and you can just nudge the anchor up, a few links at a time. Where this really pays off is when you are trying to get the anchor shank over the roller, and itis coming up backwards. With a wireless remote in one hand, pole in other, it is very easy to flip the shank around.
And then there is the big plus....being able to lower your anchor from the cockpit behind the wheel. Can't tell you how nice it is to motor up to your drop zone, look at the depth guage, push your down button, and then slowly motor astern to set.
So, what's the catch?
Price. The wireless units from lewmar , Quick, etc. are about $300. Ouch.
So, what if I told you you could do the same thing for a little less. About $290 less in fact.
Yes, I found a remote that will do exactly the same functions, is waterproof, and absolutely compatable with most all of the windlass contactors. And it looks exactly like this:
And it costs ten bucks plus shipping.
What you will notice is a handy-dandy remote control, and a small black box.
Inside this black box is the RF receiver, and 2 relay output channels.
This box will wire up to the existing Lewmar windlass relay contactor, and instructions are enclosed with the unit.
There is only one type of windlass this won't work with, and that would be the units that don't have an external contactor. 90% plus of the windlasses use an external contator relay which is controlled by the foot switches or hand held remote. The ones that don,t have a contactor have large guage wires running to the foot switches. These are very rare, and I haven't seen one in years.
So, where do you get such a bargain?
From ebay of course, and the listing number for this unit is 220950199266
You will find other similar remotes, but this is the only one I found that was listed as "waterproof".
Word of extreme caution!!!!
Yes, it is great to drop your anchor from the cockpit, but do not retrieve it from back there. You must watch your anchor come up, and be very sure to stop when the chain is fully up. Doing this from the cockpit is very dangerous.
Any questions,,, i'll be happy to answer
