H34 windlass installation

Jul 1, 2014
252
Hunter 34 Seattle
Finally getting around to this project. Done a lot of research but can’t find a lot on the H34s. The consensus seems to be the H34 locker is too shallow for a windlass to work and some have cut out the bottom and extended with fiberglass.

In my boat it appears a PO cut out the bottom and opened the cavity to the hull below, see photo
93D9AEA2-5DEA-4331-B46E-E4139BBC6F19.jpeg
. Any concerns with the chain just dropping down against the hull there? Been that way for a long time so I’m guessing not. Also, it’s a pretty small hole so I’m wondering if I should enlarge it (by raising the height of the cutout) to get more volume. Any H34 owners who have modified their locker?
 
Mar 6, 2008
1,078
Catalina 1999 C36 MKII #1787 Coyote Point Marina, CA.
It needs 16" of drop for windlass to work properly, according to the manufacturer.
 
Jul 1, 2014
252
Hunter 34 Seattle
It needs 16" of drop for windlass to work properly, according to the manufacturer.
I’ve decided to go with a horizontal Lewmar Pro 1000 mounted on top the locker for a bit extra height. The manual says 12” drop for this model. Planning on 100’ of 5/16” chain and another 150’ of 5/8 rode so will still be tight unless I can create more volume.
 
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Oct 22, 2014
20,995
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
Charlie, When I explored the idea for my boat I bought 105 ft of 3/8 chain and 200 of 5/8 plait nylon rode. My boat is a bit more displacement then yours, so I think you will be happy with your planned setup if you have adequate space.
 
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Sep 11, 2015
147
Hunter 31 Marina del Rey
I can't see how this works. The chain locker cover is not water tight. So you will be getting water in the hull all the time. This is a safety issue. I would glass the bottom back as quickly as possible and possibly forgo the windlass completely. If you want a windlass, I would go with 35-50 ft of chain and 250 ft of rope and install a capstan.
 
Jul 1, 2014
252
Hunter 34 Seattle
I can't see how this works. The chain locker cover is not water tight. So you will be getting water in the hull all the time. This is a safety issue.
From the factory there was a drain in the locker bottom with hose connection to 2 thru-hull drains. The drains are functional and only leave about an inch at the bottom. Thought about possibly filling that inch with resin to minimize the retained water but the drain holes are small so thinking perhaps it’s better to have a sediment trap so they don’t get plugged up.
 
Jan 24, 2017
666
Hunter 34 Toms River Nj
Charlie98117
Be carful of the weight of the chain. 100' of 5/16 chain weights is about 100 lbs plus the rode and that's a lot to have in that anchor locker. I would fill a couple of gallon size water jugs that is equivalent to the chain and rode and make sure that it doesn't cause the bow to drop.
You should be ok , but i would make sure that all that waight of anchor, chain and rode doesn't cause a weight issue.
 
Jan 24, 2017
666
Hunter 34 Toms River Nj
Charlie
Why do you need so much chain? Do you anchor in a lot of sand or rocky bottom? I dont understand why you could ever need that much chain unless you anchor in the Caribbean islands or rocky conditions that could chafe the rode
 
Nov 6, 2006
9,885
Hunter 34 Mandeville Louisiana
Mr. Claude Auger put a windlass on his 34. Search forum on his excellent post about it
 
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Nov 6, 2006
9,885
Hunter 34 Mandeville Louisiana
Scroll down to post #4:
 
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Jul 1, 2014
252
Hunter 34 Seattle
Mr. Claude Auger put a windlass on his 34. Search forum on his excellent post about it
Thanks kloudie1, I’ve studied Claude’s pdf and was following his lead. He mentions others who just cutout the bottom of the locker and let the chain fall against the hull. It would obviously be easier than a fiberglass project and actually gives the greatest volume so I’m thinking what would be the drawbacks to that approach?
 
Jul 1, 2014
252
Hunter 34 Seattle
Charlie
Why do you need so much chain? Do you anchor in a lot of sand or rocky bottom?
Seems like most cruisers in my area say the more chain the better to minimize swing. My boat was probably designed for a 25 foot chain so Good point regarding the weight, I already have the chain so I should drop it in the locker and run a test.
 
Mar 6, 2008
1,078
Catalina 1999 C36 MKII #1787 Coyote Point Marina, CA.
I agree with pizzas. 50 feet of chain and 250 feet of rode is all that is needed. One must consider the added weight at the bow which effects the sailing characteristics.
 
Oct 22, 2014
23
Hunter 36 MD
Hi, I just saw this post and I have a 2004 H36 and I just this project this summer. If your willing I would like to see more pics of your anchor locker area. MIne was tricky but was able to get it in. Because of the angles in the locker, it caused me a lot of stress. Because of the Hunter setup, you will likely always need someone up from to guide the chain/rode in otherwise it will get caught up in the gypsy. How deep do you plan to anchor?.. 50' chain, 150 of line is plenty. Or just go all chain. What is the anchor you plan to use?
 
Jul 1, 2014
252
Hunter 34 Seattle
Hi, I just saw this post and I have a 2004 H36 and I just this project this summer. If your willing I would like to see more pics of your anchor locker area. MIne was tricky but was able to get it in. Because of the angles in the locker, it caused me a lot of stress. Because of the Hunter setup, you will likely always need someone up from to guide the chain/rode in otherwise it will get caught up in the gypsy. How deep do you plan to anchor?.. 50' chain, 150 of line is plenty. Or just go all chain. What is the anchor you plan to use?
Did you enlarge your locker? I can get some more photos but I'm curious how you set up your H36, mounting of the windlass, etc. I generally am in 50' max depth, there seems to be a consensus here that I don't need more than 50' chain which will help on the weight and volume issues.
 
Oct 22, 2014
23
Hunter 36 MD
Did you enlarge your locker? I can get some more photos but I'm curious how you set up your H36, mounting of the windlass, etc. I generally am in 50' max depth, there seems to be a consensus here that I don't need more than 50' chain which will help on the weight and volume issues.
For the Hunter 36 (as you can see) seems to have a ton of space..and it does in a way..but you can see the slot off of the windlass where the chan a rode goes through.. it is not such an easy drop for the anchor and rode.. someone needs to be there to help guide it. If I could see a picture like this from you I could possibly make some suggestions. The suggested length is "Depth plus the height from water to the nose of your boat times ( 5 or 7). There are some really great Youtubes on anchoring. in 50' you would need 275' to 385'. depending on the weather or currents. In a river, cove.. and the type of bottom. I just bought a35 lb Ronca Spade with roll bar. They were rated best in all conditions.
 

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Oct 22, 2014
23
Hunter 36 MD
For the Hunter 36 (as you can see) seems to have a ton of space..and it does in a way..but you can see the slot off of the windlass where the chan a rode goes through.. it is not such an easy drop for the anchor and rode.. someone needs to be there to help guide it. If I could see a picture like this from you I could possibly make some suggestions. The suggested length is "Depth plus the height from water to the nose of your boat times ( 5 or 7). There are some really great Youtubes on anchoring. in 50' you would need 275' to 385'. depending on the weather or currents. In a river, cove.. and the type of bottom. I just bought a35 lb Ronca Spade with roll bar. They were rated best in all conditions.
Here is a H33 Chain locker.. does yours look like this.. what year is your boat?
 

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Dec 14, 2003
1,393
Hunter 34 Lake of Two Mountains, QC, Can
Thanks kloudie1, I’ve studied Claude’s pdf and was following his lead. He mentions others who just cutout the bottom of the locker and let the chain fall against the hull. It would obviously be easier than a fiberglass project and actually gives the greatest volume so I’m thinking what would be the drawbacks to that approach?
Hello Charlie,
Saw your post and decided to attach the pdf I had created if it can help you with the installation. The reason I did not want the chain and rode line to drop in the bottom of the hull are twofold: 1) right or wrong, I did not want to have that chain rubbing against the hull ! And 2) Water and some muck do find their way in the anchor locker when retrieving the anchor. I did not want that to find it's way everywhere in the hull. Lewmar 1000 horizontal windlass.

FYI, I am using 75 feet of 5/16 Gr. 4 chain made for windlass operation. That chain is spliced to 150 feet of 5/8 nylon 3-strand anchor line. About 75 feet of that line is loved and loosely secured with a bungee cord on the upper part of the anchor locker, with the rest dropping to the bottom of the locker with the chain resting on it. With this set-up I can anchor in up to 20' of water without using the second half of the rode that is loved. If anchoring in 20 + depths, that second half gets deployed by itself without problems, but I then have to make sure that I retrieve the anchor from the bow control so that the first 75' rode is easily led on deck for coiling and the second 75' drops to the bottom of the locker followed by the chain.

I sail and cruise single-handed most of the time. So to coil safely, I retrieve the anchor until enough line to be coiled is on deck. cleat the rode for the minute or two that it takes me to coil and secure it and then retrieve the rest either from the bow control or from the remote in the cockpit. That way the boat is not going anywhere without me at the wheel LOL !

The drop length is about 12 inches when almost all retrieve iand I have rarely had to push on the chain to give it space on the of the pile !

I kept the locker drain going to the same through-hull and because of space it is now almost like a P-trap. Consequently I have to drop some antifreeze in it when I winterize the boat since our temperatures drops to minus 30 and I don't want any water left in that rubber hose. I have occasionnely had to clean the locker a few times but it is easily done with the wash-down hose once the anchor is set.

Good luck with your project. Drop me a pm with your phone number if you want to talk.
 

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Oct 22, 2014
23
Hunter 36 MD
Hello Charlie,
Saw your post and decided to attach the pdf I had created if it can help you with the installation. The reason I did not want the chain and rode line to drop in the bottom of the hull are twofold: 1) right or wrong, I did not want to have that chain rubbing against the hull ! And 2) Water and some muck do find their way in the anchor locker when retrieving the anchor. I did not want that to find it's way everywhere in the hull. Lewmar 1000 horizontal windlass.

FYI, I am using 75 feet of 5/16 Gr. 4 chain made for windlass operation. That chain is spliced to 150 feet of 5/8 nylon 3-strand anchor line. About 75 feet of that line is loved and loosely secured with a bungee cord on the upper part of the anchor locker, with the rest dropping to the bottom of the locker with the chain resting on it. With this set-up I can anchor in up to 20' of water without using the second half of the rode that is loved. If anchoring in 20 + depths, that second half gets deployed by itself without problems, but I then have to make sure that I retrieve the anchor from the bow control so that the first 75' rode is easily led on deck for coiling and the second 75' drops to the bottom of the locker followed by the chain.

I sail and cruise single-handed most of the time. So to coil safely, I retrieve the anchor until enough line to be coiled is on deck. cleat the rode for the minute or two that it takes me to coil and secure it and then retrieve the rest either from the bow control or from the remote in the cockpit. That way the boat is not going anywhere without me at the wheel LOL !

The drop length is about 12 inches when almost all retrieve iand I have rarely had to push on the chain to give it space on the of the pile !

I kept the locker drain going to the same through-hull and because of space it is now almost like a P-trap. Consequently I have to drop some antifreeze in it when I winterize the boat since our temperatures drops to minus 30 and I don't want any water left in that rubber hose. I have occasionnely had to clean the locker a few times but it is easily done with the wash-down hose once the anchor is set.

Good luck with your project. Drop me a pm with your phone number if you want to talk.
Wow... That is a very robust solution. Must really want a windlass. How did Hunter install them from the factory?
 
Jul 1, 2014
252
Hunter 34 Seattle
Wow... That is a very robust solution. Must really want a windlass. How did Hunter install them from the factory?
I don't believe Hunter offered a windlass option for the H34 series. There certainly is not any provision as appears to be the case with your H33. Claude's solution is definitely a fairly big project but it's the best I've seen to mount something directly over the locker. Agreed you must really want a windlass to undertake and I do...
 
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