Is an electric windlass a necessity when living on the hook solo?

[DarwinHolmstrom]

Is an electric windlass a necessity when living on the hook solo? I prefer to keep everything as manual as possible to eliminate electrical malfunctions but I have a heavy boat (Shannon 38) and worry about raising and setting the anchor when sailing solo. I intend to be living on the hook as much as possible from now on.

[richard_wb]

I don't understand why you are asking this question. Since you have a boat, you can presumably try raising your anchor manually to see if you have the physical strength to accomplish the task.

[denverd0n]

Necessary? Assuming that you are able to raise and lower the anchor by yourself, then no, a windlass is not necessary. It would, however, be a HUGE convenience.


Are you able to raise and lower it by yourself? And what exactly is it that you are worried about?

[DarwinHolmstrom]

I'm worried about having to motor the boat at the same time as raising the anchor if I need to get it loose. Lowering it I can walk to the helm and set the anchor with the engine, but raising it. well, that's about a 36 foot stretch. With an electric windlass I can operate it remotely from the helm.

[marshmat]

I've tried anchoring the manual, unpowered way, solo without autopilot, a few times using 30-35 lb anchors with chain leaders on nylon rode. It's possible but it's not fun. I can handle the hook just fine, but the slightest bit of wind makes it very hard to get the anchor in the right spot without someone at the helm. It's even worse trying to weigh anchor in anything but a dead calm. For one person to safely handle the hook, you really need to rely on engine & steering to unload the rode.

Living on the hook means you'll have a much heavier anchor, and more chain than I had on those trips. I would consider $2,000 and a few days to buy and self-install a 1000 watt windlass that can be controlled from the helm to be very much worth the money and effort, were I to be in your situation.

[DarwinHolmstrom]

Originally Posted by marshmat

I've tried anchoring the manual, unpowered way, solo without autopilot, a few times using 30-35 lb anchors with chain leaders on nylon rode. It's possible but it's not fun. I can handle the hook just fine, but the slightest bit of wind makes it very hard to get the anchor in the right spot without someone at the helm. It's even worse trying to weigh anchor in anything but a dead calm. For one person to safely handle the hook, you really need to rely on engine & steering to unload the rode.

Living on the hook means you'll have a much heavier anchor, and more chain than I had on those trips. I would consider $2,000 and a few days to buy and self-install a 1000 watt windlass that can be controlled from the helm to be very much worth the money and effort, were I to be in your situation.

Thank you. That answers my question. For the rest, I'm glad I was able to let the rest of you engage in a the ego autoeroticism of saying: "Why are you asking this question?" I'm glad I was able to liven up your tragic lives.

[Marathon1150]

An electric windlass changed my whole attitude towards anchoring. We have had boats with no windlass and two with a manual mechanical windlass. Prior to swapping the manual windlass with an electric version I was always reluctant to anchor "just for lunch". And once the anchor was down, I was not keen to move except when we were ready to leave for the next location. This included solo and crewed cruises. The electric windlass changed my life, particularly with respect to chronic back issues which were sometimes made worse using the mechanical windlass.

So an electric windlass is not necessary but it makes raising the anchor much, much easier, particularly when single handing.

One additional note, we have a wireless remote for the windlass on one of our boats and a switch at the helm. I still raise and lower the anchor from the bow to keep an eye on things.

[nuku34]

I assume you are thinking of using the anchor windlass to PULL the boat up the anchor since you imagine having a problem getting from the bow to the stern while motoring forward to get above the anchor .
Depending on the wind strength and wave action this can be a huge strain on the windlass. The windlass would have to be sized to fit this situation.
This would be a consideration also with any manual windlass.
Of course, some windlass models have remote control, so you could be in the cockpit...

On my 12m 14 ton steel boat, I had a hydraulic windlass (with a manual lever backup) that could pull 5 tons. The pump was belted off the engine, so the engine had to be running when the windlass was used.
However, the windlass was:
1) very powerful, 2) could never burn out like an electric one can, 3) if the strain was too much, the windlass pump had a bypass valve and the windlass just stopped pulling until the strain got less, 4) was totally waterproof and could never short out like electric ones.
I didn’t single hand, so my wife and I always motored forward to get over the anchor.
Yes, it required hydraulic lines, but an electric windlass needs long heavy cables.

[MicHughV]

my question is...(1) is it all chain...or chain/rode combo and (2) how deep is the anchorage ???

If shallow like the B'mas, hauling up by hand is not an issue...as all you are ever doing is hauling up the chain directly under the roller...more or less....

If deep, hauling in by hand becomes a problem..

as an example...3/8 chain is about 1.5 lbs/ft.....so in 10' of water, plus about another 6' to roller....16' chain x 1.5 = 24 lbs, give or take....

in 50' of water...obviously, trying to pull up almost 100 lbs becomes another matter..

the trick is to let the boat ride slowly up the anchor...so you have the chain near vertical under the roller..

finally, a tip, on my first boat, I had no windlass....in deep anchorages I sometimes led a rope with an anchor chain hook on the end....clip this around the chain at the roller and lead the rope back to a halyard winch on the mast...good for about 15' of chain being brought up, snub the chain, rinse and repeat...worked like a charm, requires a bit of co-ordination, but even single handed manage it without any trouble.

[MicHughV]

forgot to add the anchor weight....

last few feet, always add the 35-45lb of anchor...

[DarwinHolmstrom]

Originally Posted by nuku34

I assume you are thinking of using the anchor windlass to PULL the boat up the anchor since you imagine having a problem getting from the bow to the stern while motoring forward to get above the anchor .
Depending on the wind strength and wave action this can be a huge strain on the windlass. The windlass would have to be sized to fit this situation.
This would be a consideration also with any manual windlass.
Of course, some windlass models have remote control, so you could be in the cockpit...

On my 12m 14 ton steel boat, I had a hydraulic windlass (with a manual lever backup) that could pull 5 tons. The pump was belted off the engine, so the engine had to be running when the windlass was used.
However, the windlass was:
1) very powerful, 2) could never burn out like an electric one can, 3) if the strain was too much, the windlass pump had a bypass valve and the windlass just stopped pulling until the strain got less, 4) was totally waterproof and could never short out like electric ones.
I didn’t single hand, so my wife and I always motored forward to get over the anchor.
Yes, it required hydraulic lines, but an electric windlass needs long heavy cables.

I was planning to motor toward the anchor while pulling in the chain with the electric windlass but not pull the boat toward the anchor with the windlass. My boat is 20,000 pounds and that seems like it would be too heavy and place too much strain on the electric windlass. I could motor towards the anchor, go to the bow and bring up the chain and, depending on the current, repeat that as many times as necessary without an electric windlass. My bigger concern was if the anchor was caught. I could motor ahead of the anchor and try to get it loose with the electric windlass, but with a manual the current or wind would push me back a bit before I might reach it.

Also, even though I am extremely fit, i am 57 years old and I hope to be doing this for many more years. I broke my T12 vertebrae in a motorcycle racing crash some years ago and that sometimes bothers me. I imagine that might still be a problem when I'm 70. I suspect I'll appreciate the electric windlass more as the years pass by.

[pjShap]

I have an electric windlass on my 45' steel boat with all-chain rode, only operable from the bow, not the helm. When I'm pulling up the anchor, I prefer to be forward to wash muck off the chain as it comes aboard.

In calm-ish conditions this is easy. For heavier conditions, or more crowded anchorages, I found a remote control for the autopilot very helpful so I can steer from the bow. Adjusting gearshift or throttle requires a trip to the helm, but the remote steering reduces the number of trips.

[LoudMusic]

The only thing necessary on boats are items which meet legal requirements. Everything else is a convenience.

An electric windlass is high on the list of conveniences.

[DarwinHolmstrom]

Originally Posted by pjShap

I have an electric windlass on my 45' steel boat with all-chain rode, only operable from the bow, not the helm. When I'm pulling up the anchor, I prefer to be forward to wash muck off the chain as it comes aboard.

In calm-ish conditions this is easy. For heavier conditions, or more crowded anchorages, I found a remote control for the autopilot very helpful so I can steer from the bow. Adjusting gearshift or throttle requires a trip to the helm, but the remote steering reduces the number of trips.

Thank you. This is very helpful. So far the largest boat that I've sailed solo was a 28-foot sloop with an outboard motor. I'm going to invest some time and money into preparing my 38-foot ketch to be as safe to operate alone as possible over the winter. I'm mounting a stack pack and lazy jacks on the main boom for that purpose and am considering an electric windlass. This thread is steering me toward pulling the trigger on that.

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by DarwinHolmstrom

I'm worried about having to motor the boat at the same time as raising the anchor if I need to get it loose. Lowering it I can walk to the helm and set the anchor with the engine, but raising it. well, that's about a 36 foot stretch. With an electric windlass I can operate it remotely from the helm.

It's a technique issue you have incorrect. That's NOT what one does.


Assuming NO WIND (or very light) one pulls the rode in and the boat moves forward. It is only when you are directly above the anchor do you actually need strength.



With wind, it is difficult.


I have anchored on my boat since 1998 without a windlass. I would certainly like one, since it limits my anchoring spots. I do not live aboard, but that is immaterial.


It is also a safety issue.


Get one and install it right, hooked to the house bank.