H34 Windlass Installation - Looking for how others have done it

[SabreToothedEngineer]

We have an '83 Hunter 34. We anchored in Pendrell Sound in the Desolation Sound area this last week, and Pendrell is REALLY steep sided. The shallowest spot I could find to stern tie was 90' deep, and that left me roughly 1-1/2 boat lengths from shore. All was fine until it came time to pull up the anchor. It's a 10 kg Bruce (yes, an actual Bruce, not a copy) and 35' of 3/8" chain. That weighs about 75 lb, and it very nearly did me in hauling it up 90'. The idea of a windlass has never been anywhere near the top of my priority list, but oddly, it's suddenly shot up in desirability.

I'm interested to see how others have gone about the installation. I've only seen one in person, and I wasn't completely thrilled with how he did it; he split the anchor locker lid in two, fixing the forward bit in place and putting the windlass on top of that, and re-hinging the aft portion so it still opens.

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

We have an '83 Hunter 34.

Depends entirely on how your anchor locker looks. A better idea would be to photo your anchor locker from every possible angle and let every one have a look. This is a very common topic as of late and we've seen people convert Kleenex boxes into anchor lockers WITH a windlass mounted above it all. Wouldn't believe it if I hadn't seen it.

I know I was lucky with my anchor locker as it was supposedly one of the largest lockers built into an H-310 up until 1999. It also has a pedestal for the windlass. As you research this topic in the archives here, recognize that there is no way you are going to have a 12" drop for the entire length of your rode. Get what you can and be thankful for it. Remember that 90 ft. lift.

Here' a few notes I cobbled together when I installed my Lewmar V1 windlass.

 

[jssailem]

On my “not a Hunter” foredeck I chose a spot the gives me optimal drop into my anchor locker for the Lewmar V3. That way the chain can settle with minimal binding up.

 

[SabreToothedEngineer]

I'm not sure what I did wrong before, but when I searched "Hunter 34 windlass installation" earlier, I came up with very little and none of it too enlightening. That is why I posted the question. However, I just tried it again, and got a brazillion posts, several of which are excellent, particularly this this one. I guess that's why there were so few replies here; you were all thinking "Not this again! Go read the other posts first!". Apparently my searching skills need work.

 

[fetterswr]

I have a 1987 hunter 34 the previous owner installed a manual horizonal windlass and did a poor job. (the picture is before repair) The steel plate that the windlass was screwed into the fiberglass which cause water to leak in below the V-berth. Also the locker door was not sealed and water destroyed it. This was all removed, and holes were filled and sealed, and the plate was installed to the tow rail with two stainless steels plates; the door was repaired and sealed. I have 50FT of Chain and 200 ft of rode.
If you are interested, I can get pictures of completed job.

 

[gfrazzle]

I don't know the layout of your foredeck but have attached my installation on a non Hunter(it may be the one you were not thrilled with) but here it is for what it's worth:

 

[SabreToothedEngineer]

Thanks for everyone's advice. In the end I've gone with a similar approach to many others:

• Split the door.
• Mounted a 3/8" aluminum plate with 1/4" plate ears on it through-bolted outwards to stainless backer plates.
• Put the partial door (with the balsa core stripped off of it) on the plate and filled the void with FRP resin.
• Installed a Lewmar Pro-Series 1000 on top of the now-fixed section of door.
• Did a fair bit of FRP rework to make pretty edges on both the fixed and moving sections of door so the whole thing looks intentional.
• To my pretty complete amazement, 50' of 3/8" chain and 250' of rode fits with LOTS of room to spare. I really didn't think it was going to fit before I tried it.
• I mounted the switch that comes with the windlass inside the locker, near the top on the starboard side, and also installed a cheap remote handheld switch ($35 or so on Amazon). The breaker is on the back wall of the forward cockpit cubby on the starboard side so it's easy to get to and very close to the batteries.

No pictures as I'm away from home at the moment. If anyone expresses interest I'll post some later.

 

[splax]

I have a 1987 hunter 34 the previous owner installed a manual horizonal windlass and did a poor job. (the picture is before repair) The steel plate that the windlass was screwed into the fiberglass which cause water to leak in below the V-berth. Also the locker door was not sealed and water destroyed it. This was all removed, and holes were filled and sealed, and the plate was installed to the tow rail with two stainless steels plates; the door was repaired and sealed. I have 50FT of Chain and 200 ft of rode.
If you are interested, I can get pictures of completed job.

I like that toe rail mounting for the windlass. It looks tidy.