windlass switch

[bill walton]

Has anyone attempted to add a remote switch assembly for their windlass somewhere in their cockpit.

 

[Jim Trammell]

P42 Windless

Bill, Do you have all chain? I have had so much trouble with the windless on my P42......Jim

 

[Paul Cossman]

P42 windlass tailing

It would be great to have a remote, but how would you tail the anchor rode as it comes off the windlass? I have a P42 with 350 feet of chain and a 60 lb. CQR. The chain jams after just a few feet come up the windlass unless I hand tail it into the anchor locker. I have searched, searched, searched for a solution to make the anchoring system hands-free, but have been unsuccessful. If you have an answer, PLEASE let me know what it is.

 

[bill walton]

remote windlass switch and tailing

you guys are both right. I have to hand tail my chain as well. I was thinking mostly about letting it out. Recently, my wife has been working on here backing technique and the need I felt has somewhat abated. I wish I could come up with a plan for having therode fall in where it should. I have been studying the photo archives for the project that added a sprit to a different model and mounted the windlass above deck. I have moved my furling drum out of the well already so perhaps this might be a solution. We'll see.

 

[Paul Cossman]

Moving windlass forward

Bill, I also moved my furling drum out of the well (and changed to a Harken). I looked at every model windlass I could find to see if one could be deck mounted so that the rode would tail down into the anchor locker. Couldn't find one.Also thought about creating a spot forward for the windlass so that there could be a newly supported spot for such a strain. Ended up giving up, because I am worried about the additional strain on the hull/deck joint that far forward, especially since there is inadequate deck support for the strain a windlass could put on the area. (My 1990 aluminum toerail is showing the beginning signs of corrosion, perhaps due to the dissimilarity of the aluminum toerail and the stainless bolts holding it together. We baby it with regular cleaning and polishing).If you come up with any ideas, I would LOVE to see them. Thanks, Paul.