Help me Work out my Foredeck Layout

[sully75]

How things stand.


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[JPA Cate]

sully,

You do have a toggle on the headstay, right? If not, it would be best to install one.

Problems to solve:

1, roller furler drum clear of anchor

2, windlass placed so that the chain has a straight shot to the gypsy, in such a way that you have room to access it, and the snubber lines

3, if snubber will be a bridle, need two cleats, raised on backing plates (ply's ok) so that line will lead fair over the rail, not pulling down. (It looks like there's some "crown" to the foredeck, so placing them just inside the toerail may lower the line relative to the toerail.) Suggest you use your old chocks on top of the rail. The line will stretch and work back and forth through them, but most of the actual force will be on the lines as they turn around the base of the cleats. If the old chocks worked okay for 30 yrs., may not need to change 'em. See where you want the windlass, and the hawse pipe, making sure the chain has a straight shot into the locker, and make sure you have a way to secure the bitter end in the locker. The best location for the cleats will probably become obvious to you once the windlass decision is made. Aesthetically, they will be best if symmetrically sized and placed.

Ann

[Terra Nova]

What Ann said.

[sully75]

Thanks for all this.

Before I start drilling more holes, do you think a tiny angle for the chain coming over the windlass will affect anything? I'd like to keep the windlass on the centerline but would need to cheat it over slightly to get a perfectly fair run of chain from the roller.


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[sully75]

Vs


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[Terra Nova]

Originally Posted by sully75

...do you think a tiny angle for the chain coming over the windlass will affect anything?...

Do it right or don't do it at all.

[sully75]

Erm yeah. That's why I was asking. I'm assuming you mean that the chain should have a straight shot over the windlass?


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[Jim Cate]

Sully, IME horizontal windlasses have a tendency to have the chain skip on the gypsy now and then... under the best of conditions. Usually a matter of twist in the chain upsetting how it lies in the pockets in the wheel. Adding a misalignment factor just means it can happen more easily. When you are anchored i n deep water, there is a lot of tension on the chain, and if it skips it can develop into a runaway situation, and that ain't good! (Guess how I know that!).

So, I heartily recommend that you get the alignment as near perfect as you can, and ensure that there is at least a full 90 degrees of wrap on the gypsy... just like the installation manual says! You will be glad that you did, and any cosmetic flaw from asymmetry will soon become invisible to your eye.

Cheers,

Jim

[Terra Nova]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

...When you are anchored i n deep water, there is a lot of tension on the chain, and if it skips it can develop into a runaway situation, and that ain't good! (Guess how I know that!)...

It should be pointed out that, at anchor, loads should be removed from the windlass via a chain stopper, bridle or cleat/bollard/post...

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by Terra Nova

It should be pointed out that, at anchor, loads should be removed from the windlass via a chain stopper, bridle or cleat/bollard/post...

TN, I've heard that windlasses are often used to raise anchors from the bottom, and during that process it is hard to avoid loads on the gypsy. That is obviously the situation to which I referred. The use of a proper chain stopper will avoid any runaway issues, but are fitted to few boats.

As I mentioned, if the chain comes up with twists in it, and it often does, this can and has lead to the chain jumping off of a horizontal windlass gypsy. This is why I advised the OP to get the alignment right. Vertical windlasses don't seem to suffer as much from this failure mode IME.

Jim

[sully75]

Thanks again for the help. I got the alignment right and drilled my holes.


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