Two bad shoulders are forcing me to consider a windlass. Hauling in anchor just too painful. Any recommendations on which windlass to install and how to install it ? I also want to thank LaDonna for her input to the forum. She is a very knowledgable lady and I have always found her responses to be of help.
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Good Question!
I was having this same discussion with a sailing friend just yeserday. If Mike doesn't mind, I'd like to ask an additional related question. Windlass are very expensive through the normal marine stores. Has anyone ever attempted to use a standard 12-volt electric winch from a 4x4 shop? I don't see much difference other than maybe mounting and they are considerably cheaper. Any thoughts?
I was having this same discussion with a sailing friend just yeserday. If Mike doesn't mind, I'd like to ask an additional related question. Windlass are very expensive through the normal marine stores. Has anyone ever attempted to use a standard 12-volt electric winch from a 4x4 shop? I don't see much difference other than maybe mounting and they are considerably cheaper. Any thoughts?
Windlass experience
My 1984 C-36 came with a Maxwell-Nillson vertical capstan electric windlass installed. It is nicely made. It is very powerful. It draws perhaps 75 to 100 Amps in use - I don't know for sure yet, but it buries the needle on my 50 Amp panel meter. Its wired through a 100 Amp breaker and 00-gauge cable thorugh a foot switch on the foredeck. There are a lot of options available. I woul drecommend a marine windlass and avoid the automotive winch. They are just not made for this. On Maxwell-Nillson, I can't say enough about service. I needed a part and email them. I received a personal phone call at home inhte evening from the customer service guy in New Zealand. When he found what I needed on the phone, he faxed engineering drawings to me, and put me in touch with a parts and service depot in California. Wow! I would buy my next one from them. jv
My 1984 C-36 came with a Maxwell-Nillson vertical capstan electric windlass installed. It is nicely made. It is very powerful. It draws perhaps 75 to 100 Amps in use - I don't know for sure yet, but it buries the needle on my 50 Amp panel meter. Its wired through a 100 Amp breaker and 00-gauge cable thorugh a foot switch on the foredeck. There are a lot of options available. I woul drecommend a marine windlass and avoid the automotive winch. They are just not made for this. On Maxwell-Nillson, I can't say enough about service. I needed a part and email them. I received a personal phone call at home inhte evening from the customer service guy in New Zealand. When he found what I needed on the phone, he faxed engineering drawings to me, and put me in touch with a parts and service depot in California. Wow! I would buy my next one from them. jv
Why a Windlass?
Don't know how bad your shoulders are, and hope you feel better. We've seen altogether too many people use their windlasses to pull their boats up to the anchor. Why do that, when there is an engine to do that to begin with? It's usually on by that time anyway, isn't it? Last weekend, we were anchored in a wind against tide situation. To "de-anchor" we simply ran up along the anchor line, pulling the rode though as we moved up VERY slowly (at idle in forward). When the rode was straight up, we disengaged the forward engine to neutral, and we stopped, and let the boat set back again, and then repeated the process. It only took two of these to be directly above the anchor, and when I pulled up on the straight down anchor rode, it came up easily, and the anchor popped (boy, was I glad we'd just put the dinghy on deck and I had somewhere to sit, instead of falling on my kiester right on the foredeck!) When there is no wind, just pull in the anchor line a small bit at a time, go back aft and get some more coffee, and do it again, and again. Who's in a hurry? A windlass is a very heavy duty maintenance item, to say nothing of the electrical system implications. I suggest you consider the non-invasive, stres-free possibilities already available. Our boat is a C34. I'm 56 and don't like pulling any kinda strings that require kind of heavy heaving. One time we ended pulling up a major underwater telephone cable with our anchor. Since the abovementioned techniques didn't work at first, we used the anchor lines led back to the primary winches. The winches pulled the telephone cable right up. Long story, want a copy let me know, but there are less costly and very useful, non-stressful alternatives than windlasses. What's the hurry? PS: Yes, there may be a hurry if the weather changes and you're in a bad spot. Whole different story, and the answer could be simply tripping and floating your anchor line for retrieval later.
Don't know how bad your shoulders are, and hope you feel better. We've seen altogether too many people use their windlasses to pull their boats up to the anchor. Why do that, when there is an engine to do that to begin with? It's usually on by that time anyway, isn't it? Last weekend, we were anchored in a wind against tide situation. To "de-anchor" we simply ran up along the anchor line, pulling the rode though as we moved up VERY slowly (at idle in forward). When the rode was straight up, we disengaged the forward engine to neutral, and we stopped, and let the boat set back again, and then repeated the process. It only took two of these to be directly above the anchor, and when I pulled up on the straight down anchor rode, it came up easily, and the anchor popped (boy, was I glad we'd just put the dinghy on deck and I had somewhere to sit, instead of falling on my kiester right on the foredeck!) When there is no wind, just pull in the anchor line a small bit at a time, go back aft and get some more coffee, and do it again, and again. Who's in a hurry? A windlass is a very heavy duty maintenance item, to say nothing of the electrical system implications. I suggest you consider the non-invasive, stres-free possibilities already available. Our boat is a C34. I'm 56 and don't like pulling any kinda strings that require kind of heavy heaving. One time we ended pulling up a major underwater telephone cable with our anchor. Since the abovementioned techniques didn't work at first, we used the anchor lines led back to the primary winches. The winches pulled the telephone cable right up. Long story, want a copy let me know, but there are less costly and very useful, non-stressful alternatives than windlasses. What's the hurry? PS: Yes, there may be a hurry if the weather changes and you're in a bad spot. Whole different story, and the answer could be simply tripping and floating your anchor line for retrieval later.
Anchor Technique
As pointed out in another reply, technique can work for you almost better than machine brute force. I have a Cat320 with a 35# CQR & a 200 ft rope/chain rode (20 ft chain). The boat has a winch (standard equipment) but I've never had to use it. You can motor, sail, drift or pull until the bow roller is directly over or slightly ahead of the anchor. Most of the time we can just haul it up manually using the bow roller. If you need extra force, you can loop the bitter-end side of the rode over the forward cleat horn to gain extra purchase and "sweat" the business end. Or, you can run the bitter-end side back to a jib sheet winch and crank. As an added precaution, I usually tie a 3/8 inch trip line to the top of the anchor spade (not the shank end where the rode chain is attached!), with the bitter end tied off onto a float. If deep into mud, running forward of the anchor and gently pulling the trip line can free it fairly easily. --Ron
As pointed out in another reply, technique can work for you almost better than machine brute force. I have a Cat320 with a 35# CQR & a 200 ft rope/chain rode (20 ft chain). The boat has a winch (standard equipment) but I've never had to use it. You can motor, sail, drift or pull until the bow roller is directly over or slightly ahead of the anchor. Most of the time we can just haul it up manually using the bow roller. If you need extra force, you can loop the bitter-end side of the rode over the forward cleat horn to gain extra purchase and "sweat" the business end. Or, you can run the bitter-end side back to a jib sheet winch and crank. As an added precaution, I usually tie a 3/8 inch trip line to the top of the anchor spade (not the shank end where the rode chain is attached!), with the bitter end tied off onto a float. If deep into mud, running forward of the anchor and gently pulling the trip line can free it fairly easily. --Ron
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