Windlass

[Chris Hyland]

Question for everyone, I have an electric windlass but have questions about using Chain rode.If I use 250ft of 5/8 rope and 40ft of chain, when I pull up anchor do I have to hand over hand the chain?The chain gypsy looks like your either use rope and wrap around the drum, or use all chain rode and run through the gypsy.Am I missing something? Pulling up 40ft of chain with a 35lb CRQ on the end of it, hand over hand, doesn't strike me as fun!Regards,Chris

 

[Jack]

Not enough info

Not knowing what kind of boat or Gupsy you have I can't answer your question. We have a 2001 Catalina 36 that has a Maxwell 800 windlass that uses 9/16 line spliced to 5/16 HT ADDCO chain. I'm told the chain must be exactly that. This windlass gobbles up rope and transitions nicely over the splice to the chain. Check out supply catalogs to find what your windlass uses for rope chain. The drum on top of our windlass serves no useful purpose other than another place to attach a dockline. Getting an instruction book for your windlass would also be a good idea.

 

[Chris Hyland]

Thanks Jack

Jack, I have the exact same boat, Hull#1971.I didn't know the windlass gypsy would do both rope and chain. The dealer setup the anchor rode and never ran it though. I always used the rope rode on the drum. With two wraps it worked fine.I'd like to go with more chain. Maybe not all chain. Thanks,Chris

 

[Jack]

You're Welcome

I have hull # 2000.

 

[Chris Hyland]

Hull 2000!

I saw the pictures of the celebration at Catalina when they rolled your boat out.... Really cool....Regards,Chris

 

[Kerry Roller]

Help from Maxwell

I have hull 1843 a 2000 model with the Maxwell 800. The people at Maxwellare very good about answering questions and supplying a operators manual if yours is missing.I replaced the anchor rode that came with the boat and went to 70ft of chain and 200 of rope. I bought thisfrom Maxwell. They were a littlecheaper than my local marine stores.When you select the rope for your rode,be aware of the nylon three strand. When the rope is pulled through the windless it can place a curl in the rope. This makes it hard to feed back out. I went to a braid type of ropebased upon advice from Maxwell.

 

[Tom]

Yes...Ditto on the comment about the 3 strand

I went with the higher quality braid and it made all the difference in the world!