Anchor Winch Remote Control ?

[reiner]

Our anchor winch has two foot switches which are fitted above the v berth and look terrible from the inside with big box me guessing holding relays and bits. I was thinking it shouldn't be hard to use something like a garage door remote control and get rid of all the ugly bits on my bedroom ceiling.
I'm sure somebody here has done something like this or can point me in the right direction.

[conachair]

i use a garage door remote, less then 10% of the cost of one from budget marine. But you will still need the box of relays and bits, and the footswitches. Cos sooner or later it will break. Very usefull though, especially solo.

[Talbot]

If you have a canbus system, I believe that the fitting of a wireless remote control is a simple matter - easier than fitting a remote switch at the helm.

[svHyLyte]

See 3-Button Windlass Wireless Remote Control Kit . It works for us.

[capt_douglas]

I've never been a fan of wireless windlass controls, probably due to bad experiences with garage door openers, stereo/TV remotes, and radio controlled boats and cars.

I had the same unsightly problem. I installed a three pin high current waterproof connector in the chain locker bulkhead and used a 25' pendant with UP, DOWN, and STOP buttons on it. I plug the remote control in and have complete control over the windlass.

I also mounted a small control panel on the binnacle so I could control it from there. In all cases, these were hard wired controls. In the nearly decade since installation, the connectors and controls have worked with only one problem. On long passages, I sometimes forget where I stored the big remote.

[maxingout]

I have a hard wired remote switch at my helm, and it has been a big help when singlehanding. I have all of the relays in a forward locker where they stay dry and have been reliable long term.

[svHyLyte]

Originally Posted by svHyLyte

See 3-Button Windlass Wireless Remote Control Kit . It works for us.

We do have a hard wired controler at the controol panel in the anchore locker should it be necessary. However, we have virtually used nothing but the wireless controller since we installed the windlass in 2006. It allows me to deploy and recover the anchor from anywhere on the boat and is especially convenient when I am alone. Never-the-less, different ships, different long splices, eh?

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by maxingout

I have a hard wired remote switch at my helm, and it has been a big help when singlehanding. I have all of the relays in a forward locker where they stay dry and have been reliable long term.

Sorry to everyone for the thread drift! But please do tell -- how (!) do you use a windlass remote at the helm?! I inherited such a device on our boat, and I have never used it. Anchoring is an intimate process for me according to my education and experience -- every aspect done from the bow, even if it means leaving the ship's dog at the helm. I can't even imagine what can be done with that switch at the helm. Please shed some light.

[svHyLyte]

Assuming your windlass can power down chain as can ours, figure out how much chain it throws per second (ours is about 5 feet). When I anchor singlehandedly I figure depth from the bow-roller at my preferred spot, say 30 feet, let the yacht drift while I get the anchor on short stay and ready to drop, circle around and bring the bow to a stop at the desired point, hit the remote (I can see the windlass and bow roller from the helm) and count the seconds ("one-hippopatamus", "two-hippopatamus", etc) until I've paid out 6 seconds worth or about 30 feet of chain and laid the anchor on the bottom, then give the boat a burst of reverse and then every every other hippopatamus or so, give her another hyppopatamus of chain until I've paid out what I'm going to use--say 30 hippopatamus's worth for 5:1 in 30 feet. Likewise for the recovery although that's a tad slower as we let the windlass pull the yacht's head around to face the anchor and just give the boat short bursts of forward to ease the strain on the windlass which should only be lifting the chain and anchor, not hauling the yacht around, eh?

FWIW...

[lorenzo b]

I like to be right there next to my winch watching the chain come up, can't imagine using a remote. I shredded a 1/2 inch steel cable once not paying attention.

[bill good]

Garage remote is good for me with one recommendation. Run the receiver from a different battery than the winch because there will be a voltage drop that can cause the unit to malfunction. The different battery could be a small 12v just for the receiver if the boat does not have additional battery. I use the starter battery to power the receiver as the engines are normally running when getting anchor up.

[surfmachine]

Will the wireless signal work through aluminium hulled boats?

[surfmachine]

Ahoy.

I installed an 8 dollar wireless remote and it works great. Even through aluminium hull.

The button remote on the cable died. Luckily the wireless remote works on.

Carry Spare batteries!

Fair winds from Keith.



Sent from my ThL W7 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[Nicholson58]

Originally Posted by lorenzo b

I like to be right there next to my winch watching the chain come up, can't imagine using a remote. I shredded a 1/2 inch steel cable once not paying attention.

Agree with you on that. Our wildcat can't handle the 1/2 twist that results from the chain running over the roller on left or right edge of the rubber roller wheel. Once it has a twist, constant hand attention is required. Going down, I like to see the painted on color coding at 25 foot increments.