I seldom anchor and have only used my Maxwell windlass a few times. It has been at least two years since I have used it. Yesterday I was going to operate it but I was unable to energize it by pushing in the switch located under the nav station. It seems as though the switch is seized. Has anyone had a similar problem. Any suggestions on how to test to see that the switch is the problem and not something else.
Windlass switch
- Thread starter R. Chapin
- Start date
The switch moves hard, but you will hear and feel it click when it is on. (You will also see a red light come on that lets you know there is power being fed forward to the windless)
Trying pulling it out to see that it switches position?
Trying pulling it out to see that it switches position?
I am having the exact same problem. I have no power at the windlass on/off switch, and the power button mounted near the nav station doesn't seem to be working. Basically no difference between on or off, and the light never illuminates. It seems improbable that I need to push a whole lot harder. Afraid I'll break something. Any advice?
I don't push mine in; I whack it in with my palm. Pulls back out much easier.
If it was corroded; I would think your whole electrical panel would be a green mess long before the windlass circuit breaker
Peter
That's it! I just whacked the on/off button in with my palm, and the light turned on. Tested the windIass foot switch, and it runs well. Guess I needed the courage to use a little more force. Thanks for your coaching. Hope I can return the favor some day.
Hit the button HARD and if you don't see the red light then you didn't hit it hard enough as it will not break, Been doing this for 15 years.
The push button was stock on all of the 310s I have seen. I would guess the rocker switch is after market.
Thanks for weighing in, JK (both here and in the battery/charger thread). Discovered your blog last autumn shortly after buying my C310, and I've been a fan ever since. Thanks for sharing so much of your experience. It's a huge help!
I would be very very concerned about a rocker switch. The big red button we all have is also the circuit breaker (safety / overload) and protects the wiring from burning up if you overload the windless. (I have had my anchor hooked where we did just that popped that switch)
What protection is in place if you have a rocker switch?
Russ
s/v Long Story
What protection is in place if you have a rocker switch?
Russ
s/v Long Story
I would venture that there is none. That model "windlass" is not rated to pull the anchor out; just to retrieve the weight of anchor and rode... If you "stand on it" with no circuit protection you could overheat the wiring and worst case; start a fire...
Peter
We don't make a practice of pulling anchor with the windless, in that case were motoring forward as the rode we coming up by power. Got to vertical, did not break out, and put the load on the windless - breaker popped right away.
Other time, (we use a snatch block on the stem fitting and bring the halyard through it and down to the windless) to power pull a chair up to work on the mast. Was fine for the 165# me, not so fine for the 245# buddy, that popped the breaker also.
There is a very interesting video on the internet today of a sailboat on fire - in short (no pun intended) protect your wiring...
Russ
s/v Long Story
Other time, (we use a snatch block on the stem fitting and bring the halyard through it and down to the windless) to power pull a chair up to work on the mast. Was fine for the 165# me, not so fine for the 245# buddy, that popped the breaker also.
There is a very interesting video on the internet today of a sailboat on fire - in short (no pun intended) protect your wiring...
Russ
s/v Long Story
There is, in fact, a breaker, built into the switch. It works because I stood on the windlass one day in June with the anchor buried, facing a 15 knot breeze, and oh yes, the Admiral had the engine in reverse. The breaker worked, as advertised. Go figure the windlass wouldn't retrieve the rode in those conditions. One must then move the switch to off, then back on, to get the windlass to function.
By the way, the hand signals functioned flawlessly. In the "discussion" afterward, it turns out the Admiral became confused on which way the "little left hand lever thingie" must move to shift into forward. Gotta love her.
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