Windlass Hunter 33

Aug 22, 2018
59
Hunter 33 Prinyers Cove, PE County, ON
No worries. Was just curious. At over $5 per ft. didn't want to be too much over. Will wait and take some measurements at the boat.
Hi Scott,
Did you get this figured out? I realized I did not get back to as quick as I said I would.
From the battery to the breaker I used 5'
from the breaker to the solenoid I used 25'
Solenoid to neutral bus bar 25'
Solenoid to motor 2' x 2 .

BTW,
I am rethinking the rocker switch at the helm. I have found that when I use the windlass to bring in the chain I have to continuously feed the chain into the anchor locker. If I am not feeding chain then the windlass will only bring in about 10' before the chain bunches up and locks up the windlass. If I'm not feeding the chain then I am hosing off mud and weeds. This weekend I must have removed a hundred pound of weeds from the chain. I know it was heavy because the windlass stopped working until I removed them! Anyway point being, somebody needs to be at the bow when raising the anchor hence on my boat at least the rocker switch at the helm would be redundant. If I had a different anchor locker where the chain had a higher free fall and didn't bunch up then yes I could see a use for it. I am toying around with the idea of installing some type of roller to try to manipulate the chain further forward. My chain is galvanized. Starting to wish i had spent the extra $ on stainless steel. :)
 
Sep 20, 2006
2,912
Hunter 33 Georgian Bay, Ontario, Canada
Hi Scott,
Did you get this figured out? I realized I did not get back to as quick as I said I would.
From the battery to the breaker I used 5'
from the breaker to the solenoid I used 25'
Solenoid to neutral bus bar 25'
Solenoid to motor 2' x 2 .

BTW,
I am rethinking the rocker switch at the helm. I have found that when I use the windlass to bring in the chain I have to continuously feed the chain into the anchor locker. If I am not feeding chain then the windlass will only bring in about 10' before the chain bunches up and locks up the windlass. If I'm not feeding the chain then I am hosing off mud and weeds. This weekend I must have removed a hundred pound of weeds from the chain. I know it was heavy because the windlass stopped working until I removed them! Anyway point being, somebody needs to be at the bow when raising the anchor hence on my boat at least the rocker switch at the helm would be redundant. If I had a different anchor locker where the chain had a higher free fall and didn't bunch up then yes I could see a use for it. I am toying around with the idea of installing some type of roller to try to manipulate the chain further forward. My chain is galvanized. Starting to wish i had spent the extra $ on stainless steel. :)

Thanks for the lengths. That's roughly what I figured. I haven't picked up the windlass yet, will be this weeks project. The one I bought has the helm switch, so I also ordered the wireless control. I've read about the bunching issues so figured I'd need to be at the bow and also return tot he helm for control when I'm solo. The wireless was $300, and 2 foot switches for the bow would have been over $200 so went wireless for full convenience. I'll let you know how the install goes.

I typically bring up a big mud ball, so hoping the windlass will handle as has been the main reason for getting one. Wore me out big time this past weekend when we moved / relocated 3 times.
 
Aug 22, 2018
59
Hunter 33 Prinyers Cove, PE County, ON
Thanks for the lengths. That's roughly what I figured. I haven't picked up the windlass yet, will be this weeks project. The one I bought has the helm switch, so I also ordered the wireless control. I've read about the bunching issues so figured I'd need to be at the bow and also return tot he helm for control when I'm solo. The wireless was $300, and 2 foot switches for the bow would have been over $200 so went wireless for full convenience. I'll let you know how the install goes.

I typically bring up a big mud ball, so hoping the windlass will handle as has been the main reason for getting one. Wore me out big time this past weekend when we moved / relocated 3 times.
I brought up a huge mud ball a couple of weeks ago. It was almost like wet concrete just before it set hard. The windlass handled it no problem. The weeds though were tangled around the chain and got bunched up on the roller. The chain couldn't pass through they were that tight.
 
Sep 20, 2006
2,912
Hunter 33 Georgian Bay, Ontario, Canada
I brought up a huge mud ball a couple of weeks ago. It was almost like wet concrete just before it set hard. The windlass handled it no problem. The weeds though were tangled around the chain and got bunched up on the roller. The chain couldn't pass through they were that tight.
Do you have any pictures of your set up? Got mine installed and it jams and the gypsy stops spinning ut the motor and cap keep going. Even with tension off all together it stops turning.

IMG_20190831_1244382.jpg
 
Aug 22, 2018
59
Hunter 33 Prinyers Cove, PE County, ON
Do you have any pictures of your set up? Got mine installed and it jams and the gypsy stops spinning ut the motor and cap keep going. Even with tension off all together it stops turning.

View attachment 169143
Hi Scott
Your setup is exactly the same as mine.
I found that the top has to be on tight. Also you need to constantly feed the chain into the locker or it will bunch up and jam.
Is this the first time that you are winding the chain on? My first time was difficult but once I got all of it in it seems to run a lot better.
 
Sep 20, 2006
2,912
Hunter 33 Georgian Bay, Ontario, Canada
Hi Scott,
How did you make out? Hope everything is now working.
Nope. Won't pull unless Im pulling on the chain both side. Tightened down the cap with the wrench but the cap will spin fire of the gypsy.

Going to email Lewmar and see what they say.
 
Aug 22, 2018
59
Hunter 33 Prinyers Cove, PE County, ON
Sorry to hear that. I found the wrench that they provided to be useless. I use a spare winch handle to crank it way down.
 
Sep 20, 2006
2,912
Hunter 33 Georgian Bay, Ontario, Canada
Sorry to hear that. I found the wrench that they provided to be useless. I use a spare winch handle to crank it way down.
Hmmm. Yeah never thought of that one. Was just using the plastic one but seemed tight but maybe not tight enough.
 
Sep 20, 2006
2,912
Hunter 33 Georgian Bay, Ontario, Canada
Sorry to hear that. I found the wrench that they provided to be useless. I use a spare winch handle to crank it way down.

Ok, so that finally worked. Used the big handle and cranked down hard and worked great. Thanks !!!!

Just have to figure out now how to get the rope /chain splice through. May end up adding more chain and skip the rope altogether.
 
Apr 21, 2014
184
Hunter 356 Middle River, MD
You can splice your rope to the chain and it goes through fine although I just pull the rope just during to the transition to get the chain to drop and feed into the locker without bunching up.

Jeff
 
Sep 20, 2006
2,912
Hunter 33 Georgian Bay, Ontario, Canada
You can splice your rope to the chain and it goes through fine although I just pull the rope just during to the transition to get the chain to drop and feed into the locker without bunching up.

Jeff

Thanks Jeff. The splice is a bit thicker than the rope and hung up going through. I will play with it some to see if I can hand feed the splice. Was sure nice not having to strain my back yanking up a huge mud ball on Sat.
 
Apr 21, 2014
184
Hunter 356 Middle River, MD
Full disclosure in that Defender did my splice of 3 strand 5/8" rope to G4 5/16" chain.

A little larger than chain but has never hung up as long as the chain does not bunch up just after going through the gypsy before it drops.

Jeff
 
Oct 22, 2014
20,993
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
Scott B could it be that the splice may need some attention. Not all splices are created equal. I know that I have had to pull a splice or cut a splice out and redo to get it to lay down correctly. Sometimes in a hurry the splice is not properly tapered. So it comes out looking like the Hunchback of Notre Dame. Redoing the splice with a proper taper may just solve the issue.
 
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Sep 20, 2006
2,912
Hunter 33 Georgian Bay, Ontario, Canada
Scott B could it be that the splice may need some attention. Not all splices are created equal. I know that I have had to pull a splice or cut a splice out and redo to get it to lay down correctly. Sometimes in a hurry the splice is not properly tapered. So it comes out looking like the Hunchback of Notre Dame. Redoing the splice with a proper taper may just solve the issue.
The splice is paretially visible in my pic above. I beieve it was done correctly and taperes, it's just thicker due to the splice itself.
 
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Oct 22, 2014
20,993
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
Yes I noticed that there is a bit of a shoulder and that the splice was whipped.
Check out this video link. It may help.
 
Aug 22, 2018
59
Hunter 33 Prinyers Cove, PE County, ON
Ok, so that finally worked. Used the big handle and cranked down hard and worked great. Thanks !!!!

Just have to figure out now how to get the rope /chain splice through. May end up adding more chain and skip the rope altogether.
Glad to hear it Scott.
 
Aug 21, 2015
15
Hunter 33 Hong Kong
Can anyone identify this windlass on our Hunter 33, 2008? Lewmar seems to think it’s a V2/V3 but the base doesn’t match with the parts diagram. Someone here mentioned a Hunter / Lewmar base?

Our windlass also jams if the chain is not manually fed into the chain locker - not the best design if you ask me.
 

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Oct 22, 2014
20,993
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
@woofetc Can you take a picture of the motor on the inside of the boat? It would help in identifying the windlass. You could find the serial and model number on the motor.

Looking at the top (the Gypsy) it has the looks of a few years ago. I note that the chain has been wearing on the front guard plate of the windlass (the 2 grooves between the chains). Perhaps a previous owner did not secure the chain to a cleat and just left the windlass to hold the boat in position. Or they used the windlass to drag the boat over to where the anchor was set. The chain coming up and over the bow roller is not at the correct angle and it drags across the guard plate.

This could be a factor in why the windlass jams.