Elevating Horizontal Windlass above deck

[steve_carm]

I am installing an electric maxwell HRCFF-8 on my boat. The vertical distance from the deck to the cap rail at the bow roller is about 7 inches. I need no more than a 90ﾟ angle for the chain coming off the windlass. The maxwell instructions say that it is 4 and 1/8 inches from the deck to the chain line. So I need to raise the windlass about 3" off the deck.



Has anyone else run into this and what did they use to get the desired height?

[model 10]

I laminated a stack of 1/2" high density plastic sheets. Each piece a little bigger than the other and then faired out.

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Steve.


Ecos describes a common solution.

[Matt Johnson]

Originally Posted by steve_carm

Has anyone else run into this and what did they use to get the desired height?

Even on an aluminum boat I used 1" GPO3 fiberglass sheet to raise and level my windlass (GPO3 is an electrical insulator). You can buy sheets of fiberglass from MCMaster.com for pretty cheap and it can be glued to laminate into the 3" you need.

Plastic HDPE will deform and compress under pressure loosening the mounting bolts over time. Not a good choice IMHO... especially three inches thick.

Matt

[Terra Nova]

HDPE would be an exceedingly poor choice. Laminations will slip and slide under load.

An appropriate choice depends on the style and construction of your boat, which you failed to mention. A simple spacer can be laminated from marine plywood, then epoxied (even glassed over) and painted to match the deck. It could also be done with solid teak, with the grain of alternating layers at 90 degrees to each other. Also a mount could be fabricated from stainless or aluminum.

[stormalong]

Originally Posted by Terra Nova

HDPE would be an exceedingly poor choice. Laminations will slip and slide under load.

I am using a one inch King Starboard (HDPE) spacer under my Maxwell VWC1500. Don't rule it out. To prevent laminations from slipping screw each layer to the next one where the screws won't show. The advantage of a King Starboard type product is that it is easily shaped and very durable. Mine has been it place over twenty years and still looks good.

[MJH]

Installation of a Maxwell HWC 1500 electric horizontal windlass was one of the first projects I undertook for my new-to-me boat.

I got assistance from a shipwright and he used a solid block of teak to replace the one he destroyed removing the manual windlass block but I'm sure other materials would also do the job. Just make sure you get the correct minimum angle for the windlass to work properly as I believe that is the shortcoming of horizontal windlass designs.

~ ~ _/) ~ ~ MJH

[Matt Johnson]

UHMW plastic would be a much better choice if instistant on plastic.

Edit: Just checked MCMaster.com and 6"x12x3" block of UHMW is $65

Matt

[SuW]

For a manual windlass we used teak; a laminated pad made up of scrap half inch teak. About 4 inches high, includes a hole for the chain that we put a chain pipe cover over.
We made the teak parts about 1 inch wider all around than the windlass case plus chain pipe cover.
The teak stack was glued together with epoxy then sanded on the sides. Finished in Cetol, plus gloss.
The bolts for the windlass go right through the teak, the deck laminate (reinforced with epoxy) and a large backing plate of aluminum.
All bedded in 4200 caulk "gaskets".
It looks great and has served really well for 4 years.

The windlass is mainly for hauling up the chain, right? You need a chain hook or strong point to take the boat's weight when anchored.

[wrwakefield]

Welcome to the forum, Steve.

Depending upon your bow configuration, the chain lead angle to a horizontal windlass can be optimized by either raising the windlass or lowering the chain [right in front of the windlass...]

Following are examples of both from our windlass install page:

A sistership that installed the same windlass as us had the windlass manufacturer [Lighthouse] fabricate a [reasonably priced] stainless pedestal: [The windlass body is also stainless...]



Some other friends with the same windlass chose to lower the chain right in front of their windlass:



If you are fabricating your own riser, consider laminating thicknesses of either G10 or structural fiberglass sheet [available from McMaster Carr] with thickened epoxy. Either of those materials can readily handle the compression and shear loads imposed on a 3-5" tall pedestal [assuming the windlass is through-bolted with ample (e.g., the largest possible diameter) stainless fasteners and an appropriate backing plate is used.]

The same material [in suitable thickness] can be used for the backing plate too...

Best wishes with your project.

Cheers! Bill

[01kiwijohn]

I got extremely lucky and found a block of purple heart, then burned up a router blade, rounding the edges. Looks and works real nice.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by SuW

For a manual windlass we used teak; a laminated pad made up of scrap half inch teak. About 4 inches high, includes a hole for the chain that we put a chain pipe cover over.
We made the teak parts about 1 inch wider all around than the windlass case plus chain pipe cover.
The teak stack was glued together with epoxy then sanded on the sides. Finished in Cetol, plus gloss.
The bolts for the windlass go right through the teak, the deck laminate (reinforced with epoxy) and a large backing plate of aluminum.
All bedded in 4200 caulk "gaskets".
It looks great and has served really well for 4 years.

The windlass is mainly for hauling up the chain, right? You need a chain hook or strong point to take the boat's weight when anchored.

A good practice for installing or maintaining fittings or equipment on cored decks is to drill oversized holes for the fasteners and fill them with thickened marine epoxy. Once this has gone off properly, the correct sized holes for the fasteners can be drilled and the bolts sealed with the appropriate sealant. This insures that the core is isolated from the holes and will remain dry even if the sealant does leak down the track. Many core materials (particularly foam types) are not at their best under compression, and can crush under the force of the tightened bolts; hence compressions tubes, and backing plates (or the largest washers practical) are (additionally) often utilized to spread the compressive load.


➥ https://marinehowto.com/sealing-deck...vent-core-rot/

➥ http://wavetrain.net/boats-a-gear/34...-deck-hardware

[SuW]

Originally Posted by GordMay

A good practice for installing or maintaining fittings or equipment on cored decks is to drill oversized holes for the fasteners and fill them with thickened marine epoxy.

Zactly. Great explanation! Some boats were not designed to have a windlass on the fore deck. If you're lucky the core is of plywood in most places where there is a high load expected or hardware to be fastened. You still have to reinforce it and make it proof against leaks.

Take heed, folks. Only buy a used boat from someone like him!

[Quadrille in JB]

I used 1” pieces of ipe laminated together on the top and a 1” piece inside for a backing plate. All held together with 3/8” stainless all thread.

[GrowleyMonster]

I would suggest that the layer next to the deck, both above AND BELOW, be about 50% longer, fore and aft, than the base of the windlass, especially on thin skinned boats. The windlass is not only being pulled forward, but also the aft end is being pulled up while the forward end is being pushed down, and the elevating base increases the leverage of the forward torque on the deck. Fiberglass is very forgiving, but why take chances?