General Info: Anchor windlass replacement and mistake

[Two Drifters]

So our Quick windlass died about three months ago whilst in Menorca.

We figured that it would be worth upgrading the windlass from Quick to a better brand. Went for Lewmar.

Ordered from the UK and told two days for delivery - anyway long story short it got stuck in customs and eventually arrived 8 days later. And then it turned out to be the wrong one.

We had ordered the chain only version to fit in the existing space and they sent us a chain and rope version with the rope drum on top.

Had to take it as we were haemorrhaging money in a marina waiting for it.

Anyhow - the result is that we now have the ability to take a rope onto the drum either for a 2nd anchor or for a Med mooring line, it is so useful I am not sure how we coped before without it.

So if you have to upgrade or change or windlass get one with a rope drum, they are brilliant bits of kit.

[SkiprJohn]

Originally Posted by Two Drifters

So our Quick windlass died about three months ago whilst in Menorca.

We figured that it would be worth upgrading the windlass from Quick to a better brand. Went for Lewmar.

Ordered from the UK and told two days for delivery - anyway long story short it got stuck in customs and eventually arrived 8 days later. And then it turned out to be the wrong one.

We had ordered the chain only version to fit in the existing space and they sent us a chain and rope version with the rope drum on top.

Had to take it as we were haemorrhaging money in a marina waiting for it.

Anyhow - the result is that we now have the ability to take a rope onto the drum either for a 2nd anchor or for a Med mooring line, it is so useful I am not sure how we coped before without it.

So if you have to upgrade or change or windlass get one with a rope drum, they are brilliant bits of kit.

Congratulations! I'm glad it worked well for you. A lot of folks get stuck with the wrong sized gypsy for their chain when ordering. That's also a serious problem.

[roverhi]

Vertical wind lasses with a rope gypsy are the best windlasses. Sold the chain only windlass that came with the boat and replaced with chain gypsy and rope saps tan vertical windlass. The first time had need to use it, it saved the boat from serious damage. Ran aground on a falling tide and picked the only rock in the area to lay the bow against. Knew as the boat heeled as it dried out, the rock was going to put serious pressure on the hull. Rowed out a kedge anchor 90 degrees to the bow and used the rope capstan to pull the bow away from the rock. If I'd had a horizontal windless, would've been up the turbid creek as I had no way to get a fair lead to it. A vertical windlass can take the lead from any angle. A horizontal windlass only from front or back.

[UNCIVILIZED]

I too am a fan of windlass's with both vertical capstans and wildcats. And I'm glad that it got you out of that situation with the rock. How's that saying go... "The sea has little forgiveness, the rocks none at all.

FYI: If you find yourself stuck in an odd manner & have a horizontal windlass, a fair bit of the time one can lash/tie a block/snatch block to the bow roller & then lead a stout line from the windlass, through the block & in the direction where you need to apply the windlass's grunt.

[UNCIVILIZED]

A caution which I forgot to mention if/when using your anchor roller as the pivot base for heavy, eccentric loadings in this manner.
Before you do this, make sure it's structurally up for the task, as you may be pulling on it with a LOT of force in directions for which it wasn't designed. And this can stress; the roller pin, the roller's bracket, the deck & what it's mounted to, & it's mounting bolts. Primarily because anchor rollers, their fasteners, & what they're bolted to aren't designed with omni-directional pulls in mind. Rather, quite the opposite typically.