need help with Lewmar windlass

[davil]

Hi
installed a new Lewmar windlass,chain is 5/16 as per specs to match gypsy and cannot close//lower the upper lip,this looks strange as expected the lid to close/fit the chain,just does not look right,yet the chain is the right size.
Any ideas,perhaps what I am doing wrong?
thanks

[pesarsten]

That's how mine looks with the chain in it. I don't believe it's supposed to close when the chain or rode is on the gypsy.

[pesarsten]

Also, is the shackle wired to keep the pin from unscrewing? And, you may want to read the many threads on the wisdom of having a swivel on the anchor, I have removed my swivel without any real negative consequences .

[davil]

is kind of awkward,seems to me if indeed with the chain on the gypsy cannot close will need to find a way to minimize the entry of water,as is now is a 2 inches or more of open deck on the bow open to not only rain but also green water,am really surprised.

[benkay]

The sprung arm is there for rope (or chain/rope mixed) rode, to ensure the rope is pushed into the teeth in the inner part of the gypsy.

If you have chain only rode, then you could remove this arm, it’s doing nothing other than making noise and scraping the galvanisation off your chain.

[NYSail]

Send a picture to lewmar...... they are great (my experience).

Greg

[benkay]

Originally Posted by NYSail

Send a picture to lewmar...... they are great (my experience).

Greg

They’ll say as I did above. I’m an ex-employee at HQ in UK, and wrote the manual for this windlass [emoji23]

[NYSail]

Originally Posted by benkay

They’ll say as I did above. I’m an ex-employee at HQ in UK, and wrote the manual for this windlass [emoji23]

Well then there is your answer!

[SVRocinante]

Originally Posted by davil

is kind of awkward,seems to me if indeed with the chain on the gypsy cannot close will need to find a way to minimize the entry of water,as is now is a 2 inches or more of open deck on the bow open to not only rain but also green water,am really surprised.

I too have a Lewmar windless (have had it for years) and benkay is correct - that is exactly as it is intended to function. As to your concern about water entry; your anchor locker should have a drain, so that shouldn’t be an issue.

regards,

[BobFord]

Hey Benkay ! May I take advantage of your experience ? I have a horizontal Lewmar windlass. It works very hard and is 6 years in to almost constant service , 24 volt. 10mm chain only but it also doubles as Main halyard windlass via lead blocks.Two questions- It works faultlessly but should I put it in for a professional service as maintenance ? Stupidly , I have set a slight kink in the drive shaft ,( squeaks when rotating but no obvious resistance).Can the squeak be ignored ?

[benkay]

Originally Posted by BobFord

Hey Benkay ! May I take advantage of your experience ? I have a horizontal Lewmar windlass. It works very hard and is 6 years in to almost constant service , 24 volt. 10mm chain only but it also doubles as Main halyard windlass via lead blocks.Two questions- It works faultlessly but should I put it in for a professional service as maintenance ? Stupidly , I have set a slight kink in the drive shaft ,( squeaks when rotating but no obvious resistance).Can the squeak be ignored ?

Hi Bob. Without knowing the model it’s hard to say what should or shouldn’t be done, as it will depend greatly on the drive-train in your particular windlass.

Based on your description I’d guess you maybe have a H3 unit....is it a white powder coated aluminium housing?

If so it’s got a sealed motor/gearbox combo unit inside it which is sealed for life. It powers the gypsy via a worm/wheel gearbox so is inherently both simple, reliable and robust.

The worst thing you can do with these is never to release the manual clutch and free-falling the anchor.

If you never free fall the anchor; then when you recover the anchor to the bow roller, it always slams into the stem head (no matter how careful you are there is still a significant shock load) at the same point on the circumference of the drive wheel within the gearbox.

Free-falling, even occasionally, moves the shock-load point around the wheel; thus distributing wear more evenly.

I’d say that this (gear teeth completely gone from a tiny section of the gearbox) and massive overloading (from not tying off the anchor rode to a strong cleat when at anchor) are the 2 main causes of failure.

If you never gravity drop, then I’d recommend doing it occasionally and also recommend taking off the clutch nut, pulling off the gypsy etc. and cleaning all the shaft, gypsy inner diameter etc. well.

Re-assemble with some grease on the shaft (BUT NO GREASE ON THE DRIVE/FRICTION CONES).

Other than that, stay on top of any chips in the powder coat to prevent case corrosion.

Then just the the usual check of electrical connection tightness, and that there’s no corrosion creeping into crimp connectors or wiring.

Your squeak, presuming it’s once a rotation, would indeed indicate a slight bend in your main shaft. Not much you can do about that and it shouldn’t do much harm; though it may elongate the lip seals over time and allow water inside the unit if it’s really severe (by severe I mean you’d see a noticeable “wobble” in the gypsy when running as it would be far from concentric).

On the whole, they pretty much run themselves and if there’s no reason to go inside the sealed casing, I wouldn’t recommend it.

Hope that helps, but if I’m way off the mark on your windlass model, let me know if you have a model reference, or
Post a photo if you can’t find one.

[NoWorries1]

I have exact same equipment .. cover looks the same ..
It will not completely close unless chain is removed

[BobFord]

Hi Benkay,
Your advice is well received ! The Windlass is the Drum/Gypsy V5, all stainless. I have never used " free fall " , but it will now be a regular maintenance item, thanks for that !! The shaft kink probably occurred during an anchor set regime , snagging rock? It is minor and hard to see a wobble. I'll put that concern to rest ! As Indigo is a cat , the Windlass is protected by a significant Nylon bridle.Good sailing , Cheers, Bob

[benkay]

Hi Bob.

OK way off the mark on my guess, but you steered me wrong

FYI you have a vertical windlass, not a horizontal windlass, if you have a V5.

The vertical/horizontal refers to the axis of the main shaft. Don’t worry, many people get it wrong!

In that case, same thing. Free fall your anchor occasionally otherwise you’ll be impacting the same point in the worm/wheel gearbox.

Also has benefit that you get practice and know nothing is seized if you ever need to drop in a panic with failed electrics!


Keep it clean with freshwater rinses.

If you can, take off the top cap (and washer), pull off warping drum, the gypsy and the lower cone. Clean all. Grease shaft carefully (only a little) and grease inside diameter of gypsy.

Don’t grease the angled surface st bottom of the warping drum or the angled friction surface top and bottom of the gypsy, or the lower bronze friction cone.

Whilst everything’s off, you could try a couple drops of oil (machine oil) whilst you can see the top of the main seal/bush when the gypsy is off. It may help your squeak and won’t do any harm there.

Under deck : Check the main bolts are tight that hold the gearbox assembly to the deck unit through the deck.

Check connections etc.

Again, a sealed motor/gearbox so no need to do anything in there.

Great units the V-series.

Ben

[JD-MDR]

I have the profish1000, and keep having trouble getting the clutch to release for freefall, Sometimes it gets so tigh.t I bent the hell out of the wrench it comes with. The service rep told me to use a breaker bar on both sides. I don't think this is right its way to tight.