The Offshore Voyaging Reference Site

A Windlass That Makes The Grade

In this chapter I’m going to write about the capabilities you need to have in a windlass when the anchoring gets tough.

And these features are not just for those voyaging to the high latitudes. Just about anywhere 50-knot winds can come at you out of a summer thunderstorm or an unexpected wind shift can leave you anchored on a lee shore, and being able to set or weigh anchor effectively may save your boat.


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More Articles From Online Book: Anchoring Made Easy:

  1. Introduction
  2. 4 Vital Anchor Selection Criteria and a Review of SPADE
  3. SARCA Excel Anchor—A Real World Test
  4. SPADE, SARCA Excel, or Some Other Anchor?
  5. Rocna Resetting Failures and Evaluation of Vulcan and Mantus
  6. Some Thoughts On The Ultra Anchor, Roll Bars and Swivels
  7. Specifying Primary Anchor Size
  8. Kedge (Secondary Anchor)—Recommended Type and Size
  9. Third Anchors, Storm Anchors and Spare Anchors
  10. Anchor Tests—The Good, The Bad, and The Downright Silly
  11. Making Anchor Tests More Meaningful
  12. We Love The Way Our Anchor Drags 
  13. Things to Know About Anchor Chain
  14. Selecting a Chain Grade
  15. Anchor Chain Catenary, When it Matters and When it Doesn’t
  16. Anchoring—Snubbers
  17. Anchor Rode Questions and Answers
  18. Q&A: Hybrid Rope And Chain Anchor Rodes
  19. Anchor Swivels, Just Say No
  20. A Windlass That Makes The Grade
  21. The Perfect Anchor Roller
  22. Install A Wash-down Pump—And Save Money!
  23. Anchoring—Kellets
  24. Anchoring—Chain: Stoppers, Termination and Marking
  25. 20 Tips To Get Anchored and Stay Anchored
  26. Choosing an Anchorage
  27. Choosing a Spot
  28. 15 Steps To Getting Securely Anchored
  29. One Anchor or Two?
  30. Two Anchors Done Right
  31. It’s Often Better to Anchor Than Pick Up a Mooring
  32. Yawing at Anchor, The Theory and The Solution
  33. Yawing at The Anchor, an Alternative Cure
  34. How To Use An Anchor Trip Line
  35. ShoreFasts—Part 1, When to Use Them
  36. ShoreFasts—Part 2, Example Setups Plus Tips and Tricks
  37. ShoreFasts—Part 3, The Gear
  38. Gale And Storm Preparation, At Anchor Or On A Mooring
  39. Storm Preparation, All Chain On Deck
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Colin Speedie

Hi John

I could not agree more with your post. One of the most difficult and nerve-wracking things to successfully achieve in strong winds is setting or retrieving the anchor, especially when there are other boats nearby, or space is tight. You need the best, most powerful windlass money can buy to improve the odds.

Even when winds aren’t too strong, the inability to let the chain go fast via a clutch or brake can make it really difficult to drop the anchor where you (and your future neighbours) want.

It also goes without saying that in strong winds all of this is rendered immaterial if you haven’t extensive experience of how your boat will handle in strong conditions whilst anchoring, and have worked up your teamwork and communications between bow and helm – as you and Phyllis have. Another case of practice makes perfect, in my view.

Best wishes

Colin

RDE

One of the very few windlasses that seems to meet a high standard is the Lighthouse. (http://www.lighthouse-mfg-usa.com) Anyone with direct experience with them?

Joe Casey

(just came across this article using link from the current mooring article)
The Lighthouse is an excellent windlass. Most Valiants over the past 20 years were so equipped. While it does have a remote, easy release option, without it you can drop fast (and with an 88lb Rocna that is what we do) and pay out chain fast and break with ease. Also the motor is rated for continuous use (unlike the starter motors some builders use) so you can retrieve with reasonable speed. Our 47′ Valiant displaces about 35K pounds and we have pulled her forward with this windlass in 20kt winds.

The one issue with this windlass is that the pad next to the gypsy needs to be removed and cleaned periodically or it will slip.

Joe
s/v Iolair
47V112

Rick

Hi John and Phyllis:
I continue to enjoy your blog, thank you. We have 300′ of 3/8″ chain as our primary rode and the windlass is a Maxwell Nilsson 3000 vertical capstan with brake and clutch. It is worked from the bow. I have often admired other boat owners with their cockpit switches to effortlessly raise and lower the anchor when needed. However your points about quick release are good ones, especially in windy conditions where quick action is needed.
Comment / Question … When we raise anchor our chain is fed below decks at the bow and if there is more than 100′ of chain out, typically the chain falls over on itself which blocks deployment at critical times. We have over come this by having one of us in the chain locker, down below, stacking the chain each time we raise the anchor when it is being raised, which means there is no one at the helm, because I am usually at the bow. I am curious how you raise your chain and stack it without it falling over on itself in the locker and therefore stopping deployment?
Could this problem be related to the fact that we have a vertical capstan and you have a horizontal one? It looks like the “pull” on your windlass would allow you to take the chain off the chainwheel and pull manually when stuck or do you have a special set up for the chain in the locker?

Colin Speedie

Hi Rick

I can’t speak for John and Phyllis, but from my own experience, this problem can occur with either vertical or horizontal windlasses. It is often a problem where the anchor well is shallow, or where there is already plenty of chain or warp, and in these cases the chain can often pile up under the windlass and block the hole. A deeper well, and/or some sort of distribution plate to divert the chain into the well better can help.

As your well is accessed below deck this may not be the issue – perhaps it’s just the fact that chain piles up! On our boat I generally handle the anchor, and stand on a stringer in the well and distribute the chain with a well aimed boot – not very technical I know, but it works. I use a wireless controller (effective, but flimsy) or a wire connected controller, so that I can see the chain coming in.

We do have a set of windlass controls at the wheel, but they are for emergency use only, i.e. when only one of us is aboard and a sudden windshift puts the boat in danger. At such a time, the only concern is to get control of the boat, retrieve the chain and clear out, and we can worry about any chain snags later. But we never use it to lower the anchor – for all of the reasons John outlined.

Kind regards

Colin

Stan Carlyle

I have 400 feet of 3/8 BBB in the chain locker on a HR42E. It quickly piles up and jams when coming in. I use a boat hook to continuously distribute it throughout the locker when incoming. I thought that this would be quite awkward but it works very well. On the way out it runs very smoothly.