Rode Reels

[Franklin]

I ran across this from the Seven Seas site (thinking of sailing to Maine next month...or Grenada) and it got me thinking. I think it would be awesome if boat makers stopped making anchor wells with windlasses and built something like this built in. Put a electric motor on it and run the switch to the helm. So all we have to do is start the motor, go forward at idle and let the electric motor roll up the rode onto the reel. No need for a powerful electric motor like the windlass. Then when the boat is dead over the anchor, go up and hand crank it in if the motor can't handle your anchor. Easy.

Thoughts?

https://sites.google.com/site/ropereel/

 

[tsmwebb]

Done properly it needs some kind of level wind device adjusted for the rode. If not then you have to push the line around with a lever to keep it all even on the reel and this can be dangerous. You see the later type on the bows of many fishing boats and the former on tug boats and the like (where money is no object). Even done cheap and dangerous it will probably be more expensive than a simple rope/chain windless -- you need to build the reel with its axle, bearings, clutch and so on and fit it into some space on the boat. And, user errors can result in overrides, kinks and jams. And, it will be heavier than the windless. I think that few of us who grew up with wire reel winches on our halyards have much nostalgia for them...

--Tom.

 

[Franklin]

As the old westler turned governer turned retired said "you can't govern stupidity" so I say the ____ with idiots. The system isn't made to pull your boat up to it, just to take the slack out of the line as you motor to it. Think about it....we start the motor to create electricity to run the windlass to pull the boat up to the anchor....at like 5% effeciency. That really doesn't make much sense does it? Espeically if we can automate the taking out the slack as the motor moves slowly toward the anchor in idle (instead of nuetral) and no windlass involved. What you talked about doesn't need heavy gear if we are talking about just taking out the slack and rolling it up neatly without rubbing mud all over the deck. I bet a 50 watt motor would do the trick. Yes, I said watt, not kw.

 

[Ross]

They make a level wind devise on garden hose reels. The drum could be built from a small cable drum. Finding a neat place to install would be the toughest part.

 

[SamLust]

Reely

I have used a simple $19.95 vertical garden hose reel for the anchor rode on my Hunter 33 (C) for years. I think it holds about 150 feet of 1/2" three strand. The anchor is on a roller on the bow pulpit. The rode comes back to the cockpit around the outside of the stanchions to the self tailing Andersen sheet winch. To retrieve the anchor I motor forward gently while cranking or hand hauling the rode. The anchor is pulled free of the bottom with the winches low speed. If the admiral feels up to it she wanders up to the bow to hand signal me which way the rode is pointed. Once under way and clear of other anchored boats I reel in the rode onto the reel (Suncast, I believe) which is in the cockpit locker. If I need access to the locker I just pop the reel out and set it aside. All I can say is EASY, EASY, EASY!!

 

[Stu Jackson]

Oh, Sam

How about a picture, sounds very interesting. We've used our jib sheet winch(s) for hauling the anchor rode up when things get windy or the anchor is stuck deep (like it should be!).

 

[tsmwebb]

How about a picture, sounds very interesting. We've used our jib sheet winch(s) for hauling the anchor rode up when things get windy or the anchor is stuck deep (like it should be!).

Stu, is that lead foul on your turnbuckle? You might want to consider a snatch block on a stanchion base or something...

--Tom.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Good point

I don't do this all the time, actually it is unusual when or if I have to, but you're right. I'll watch for it next time, thanks. Wow, so much to continue to learn.

 

[sailingdog]

That's probably only foul because the sail is probably furled... the sheets on my genny do the same thing...

Stu, is that lead foul on your turnbuckle? You might want to consider a snatch block on a stanchion base or something...

--Tom.

 

[tsmwebb]

That's probably only foul because the sail is probably furled... the sheets on my genny do the same thing...

Errr... That's his anchor rode... No?

--Tom.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Anchor rode in flix

Errr... That's his anchor rode... No?

Yes, Tom, you're right.

 

[SamLust]

I currently have no pictures of the anchoring set-up. Who knew? I'll try to get a few over the weekend. Still trying to figure out how to take picture of myself steering, cranking winch and discussing same loudly with wife at the same time.

 

[Hermit Scott]

I'm glad someone else is asking unorthadoxed questions instead of me. This is my latest invention. It may have some application to what you are talking about. This machine is for running resistance. So you have a chest harness on and hook the cable up to your back. When you run away from the machine it turns the flywheel, which is used for resistance. The red can is a spring can for hose reels. It reels up the rope(3/16" sta-set) when you walk back. This one holds 130'. With a bigger reel you can hold more. The spring cans come in stainless, with stainless springs. I'm going to order one of those just because they look cool.
Anyway you could have a cable ran back to the cockpit that has a brake on the reel to stop it from reeling up until you are ready to pull the hook. Release the brake and motor up while it reels up your rode.
The flywheel has a clutch bearing in it so it will keep spinning even when you are done paying out rope but you would eliminate that altogether with an anchor retrival system. I would build crazy stuff like this if there wasn't so much stuff to just fix on my boat.