Looking for opinions & practice when anchoring

[MVAlzero]

Hi folks
When you anchor, do you mostly or always, free fall the anchor to the bottom or do you lower it with the windlass. I have been told that I will destroy my windlass motor and gears if I use the windlass to lower the anchor & chain, that it was only designed to raise the anchor. I would really appreciate some experienced feedback. I travel on a 63’ CPMY. Thanks,
Beth & Michael
Alzero

[Shrew]

What is the make and model of windlass??

[MVAlzero]

GalleyMaid , not sure of model. The problem I have is tightening and loosening the huge nut!

[chris mac]

Our windlass is new last year. We always drop with power. The weight isless than lifting so I don't see how that's an issue.
Free dropping can pile chain on top of the anchor if you aren't backing fast enough. I like having control of it.

[tilostahl]

That makes no sense. If you can destroy your motor and gears by lowering the anchor then you should get a new windlass.

[meirriba]

You cannot damage your windlass by using it to lower the anchor. It is much less an effort for the system than raising the anchor.
To the point, you can drop the anchor freely, it works, only more tiring than using electric windlasd��

[BenBowSirocco]

As part of a slightly different discussion, when anchoring it is good practice to lower it with control while moving away from the anchor's point of contact with the bottom in order to prevent any sort of fowling of the anchor with your own chain.

A anchor on the bottom with a pile of chain on top of it would not hold well.

[Scorpius]

From a safety point of view I would NEVER let an anchor drop free-fall. All that chain going around and whipping out at speed could easily cause serious injury if a body part or clothes got caught up in it. If you are on a 63' boat you probably have a pretty big anchor and the forces involved of it going out uncontrolled are going to be monstrous! Always, always, always keep the rode under control!


And, as others have said, I can't possibly see how using the windless to control the rode as it pays out could possibly harm it.

[MVAlzero]

Well all, thanks for getting back to me. I agree with all that was said. Apparently, the free fall part was my captain misspeaking. There is a large nut and lug wrench set up to apply a “ brake” for control when lowering it! I thought the idea of hurting this windlass by using the pwr to lower it seemed ludicrous, so I called GalleyMaid yesterday and spoke with their tech support and guess what he clearly told me......yup the motor and gear box are Not designed to lower anchors only to raise them! Of course I wasn’t too thrilled with that answer. We stayed at a marina last night and I played around with the wrench on the nut and figured out what l need to do for me to be able to apply the needed leverage to control that “brake “. I am going to try it tonight. I also have no intention to pile all my chain on out anchor . Our #150 Vulcan anchor tends to set very quickly without using the motor to back down on it except for possibly if we mistakenly put it down in grass.
Beth

[Scorpius]

Originally Posted by MVAlzero

Well all, thanks for getting back to me. I agree with all that was said. Apparently, the free fall part was my captain misspeaking. There is a large nut and lug wrench set up to apply a “ brake” for control when lowering it! I thought the idea of hurting this windlass by using the pwr to lower it seemed ludicrous, so I called GalleyMaid yesterday and spoke with their tech support and guess what he clearly told me......yup the motor and gear box are Not designed to lower anchors only to raise them! Of course I wasn’t too thrilled with that answer. We stayed at a marina last night and I played around with the wrench on the nut and figured out what l need to do for me to be able to apply the needed leverage to control that “brake “. I am going to try it tonight. I also have no intention to pile all my chain on out anchor . Our #150 Vulcan anchor tends to set very quickly without using the motor to back down on it except for possibly if we mistakenly put it down in grass.
Beth

Are you saying you are the one to go up to the bow and handle the anchor while hubby sits back in the cockpit driving the boat? I hate to sound sexist but there are strength issues at play here. The stronger you are the less likely you are to get hurt! Of course there are other factors but that is a big one. Maybe you need to have a conversation about who should be doing what!

[MVAlzero]

Had that frustrating conversation. I am the first mate and I do not drive this boat so when up against current someone needs to be doing the boat handling. Enough said on that subject ��

[Scorpius]

Originally Posted by MVAlzero

Had that frustrating conversation. I am the first mate and I do not drive this boat so when up against current someone needs to be doing the boat handling. Enough said on that subject ��

Please be VERY, VERY careful. Wielding a wrench directly on a lug nut on a winch spewing out chain sounds to me like a set-up for serious injury. Maybe I'm a male chauvinistic pig but I would NEVER ask my partner to do anything that dangerous!

[Stewie12]

I used to paint markings on the chain so that I would know how much chain was out. I would note the depth of water and lower the chain manually to that then go astern slowly letting out the rest of the chain.

[MVAlzero]

Originally Posted by tilostahl

That makes no sense. If you can destroy your motor and gears by lowering the anchor then you should get a new windlass.

That’s what I thought, but to my naïveté, this is normal for GallyMaid windlass and to replace mine with something I would consider better or more suitable would cost me close to 10k including the refit that would be needed on&in our bow. Out of my $$$ comfort range.

[Compass790]

Originally Posted by MVAlzero

That’s what I thought, but to my naïveté, this is normal for GallyMaid windlass and to replace mine with something I would consider better or more suitable would cost me close to 10k including the refit that would be needed on&in our bow. Out of my $$$ comfort range.

Can you post a pic of the windlass brake setup?
Or make a video of how you adjust it.

It might be possible to make something to lessen the effort needed for brake adjustment for a lot less than 10k if you wish to try that

I was a bit stunned they designed it not to power down but guess it happens.
Yanmar designed their exhaust elbows to drop salt water in the cylinders should they leak. ?????