How to Reassemble Simpson Lawrence HySpeed Windlass

[cburger]

I have just purchased a very nice old SL Hyspeed Mdl 510 windlass off ebay. Chain assembly is broken and I am in the process of completely overhauling the unit. I have a copy of the exploded parts diagram, however a step by step instructions as it pertains to the chain assembly would be really helpful. Does anyone have a copy of this paperwork if it even exists or able to help with the correct way to acomplish the mission?

Regards,

CB

[GordMay]

Simpson Lawrence Hyspeed 510
Parts list & Exploded View:
http://www.slspares.co.uk/Hyspeed%20510.pdf

S-L now owned by Lewmar, 800-946-3527.
Parts (and perhaps advice) available from:
Simpson Lawrence Yacht parts and spares
or
Florida Rigging & Hydraulics - Welcome
or
http://www.pyacht.net/cgi-local

[cburger]

Hi Gord,

Thanks, I already have this, it doesn't give any indication on how to get the chains around the rollers. I can't see anyway to remove the rollers from the windlass casing and I am finding hard to believe that you put the assembly pins in the chain after its around the rollers. I have called Florida rigging for prices on parts as per your last posting to me and will ask them if they have a repair manual that might provide some reassembly insights.
If you can think of anything else I would be grateful.

CB

[Dave6330]

CB - I realize this thread is a couple of years old - so much the better!

How did it work out for you with your Hyspeed windlass? I just removed one from a Pearson we purchased over the Summer. Seems to be inop and I've taken it home to see what I can figure out. When I engage the lever it draws the anchor chain up just fine but when I I make the backstroke (pushing the lever forward), it just lets the anchor down again...short back and forth (up and down) motions. I haven't had time to tear into it, but saw your old post and wondered if you had any luck with yours...

V/R

Dave Allen
SV Polaris
Seward, AK

[cburger]

Dave,

Even though I really like the S/L windlass they are no longer manufactured. There is an English outfit that is supporting them. To replace all the parts I need $700.00, a brand new one $750.00. Makes no sense financially, I have decided to buy a new traditional style electric that can be used manually as a backup. I would be more than willing to give you the old windlass and components if you will pay the shipping costs. If you need the manual and assembly photos I have give me an email address and I will be happy to send all the data I have.

“Chris”

[martinwd]

Dave,

Sounds as if one or both of the Freewheel sprockets have seized up!

Basically, when you move the anchor lever a chain, similar to a bike chain, is moved back and forth. The chain is wrapped around a sprocket which is on the main shaft attached to the Gipsy. The sprocket looks very similar to one used on a bike wheel. As the chain moves back and forth, in one direction it locks and drives the Gipsy in the opposite direction it "free wheels". The "high speed" windlass is a bit more complicated in that there are two chains and sprockets. One chain is thread in the opposite direction so that each lever stoke rotates the Gipsy. I think if just one sprocket is seized then the lever will just move the Gipsy in the way you describe.

My S/L windlass broke when anchoring this summer. Today, I have just managed to get it apart and strip it down. One chain broke at the attachment requiring a new connecting link. Replacement sprockets and chains appear to be available on line for a few pounds.

It took some time working out where to apply force as it was quite corroded. I might be able to help if you decide to look at your one.

I read CB's comments before tacking the job, so was a bit concerned about attaching the chain. One chain has to be passed around two rollers. I was lucky in that one roller simply fell out by gravity and vibration whilst applying brute force to remove the lever assembly. They appear to just drop in so if they are corrode it might be impossible to remove them. However, it appears that the chain can be threaded around the roller and attached to part of the lever (the rocking arm - no 9 in diagram). Then the main spindle can be passed through the chain and sprokets engaged. There should be enough slack to do this before the lever spindle (part 8) reinserted. Getting lever 8 removed required some force as the case had corroded sufficiently to make it a very tight fit.

Hope this helps, it might be easier to exaplain with a few photos,

Martin

[Inthewind]

I had one of these on my boat a few years ago. I was trying to pull the chain and anchor up in pretty rough water, as the bow was going up and down violently, it broke the windless. Getting the ground tackle after that was a bear by hand.

Anyway, I disasemble the windless and found the broken chain but that was not the only problem, the free wheel sprocket was also broke internally. There is a stop mechanism inside the sprocket the lets it roll one way and stops it in the other direction, that broke. It would free wheel in both directions. I ordered a new chain and a pair of sprockets and replaced them. Getting the sprocket off the shaft was no easy task. I used a master link to reconnect the chain together.

Be very careful when retrieving your anchor in rough water with one of these, because they are fragile under those circumstances.

[cburger]

I have photos of the chain dis and reassembly if anyone needs them for reference. Send a working email address.

[steve_hendry]

Inthewind, would you like to provide us any hints on how to get the sprockets off? I've got one that's freewheeling both directions. Thanks,

Steve

[cburger]

Chains have to be removed from the sprockets, this will allow the shafrt to be removed from the windlass housing, the sprockets are threaded on the shaft, it is simply unscrewing the sprockets from the shaft.

[steve_hendry]

I have had my windlass (which I bought at Bacon's years ago) disassembled for a while, but gave up at the point of trying to unthread the sprocket assemblies first attempts didn't work, and at the time, I didn't know where to get parts. Now I've got some motivation.

Your including the word 'simply' reminds me of the story about Nathaniel Bowditch. While he was translating Laplace's Celestial Mechanics, he said that every time he came to a statement that "it is obvious that A implies B," he knew he was in for several days of work proving that the statement was true.

Thanks,

Steve

[cburger]

Steve, I got a good chuckle from your response.

[onaroll]

Originally Posted by cburger

I have photos of the chain dis and reassembly if anyone needs them for reference. Send a working email address.

cburger:
I'm in the middle of an overhaul of my SL Hyspeed. Wish I read these posts BEFORE I started.
Anyway, if you could forward photos of the reassembly that would be appreciated. Fitting new bushings, sprokets, chain and bandages.
onaroll@gmail.com
Thanks

[steve_hendry]

cburger: photo for me too, please (chesagansett@yahoo.com)


onaroll: when I get back to working on the windlass, I'll take pictures. Don't know how soon; yesterday's project was installing a new pilot assembly in the oven of the Kenyon LP stove, and the admiral has decreed that we're putting in new opening ports over the winter (using NFM, ordered 4 at the Annapolis show Friday, had already scrounged 2).

[Inthewind]

I think if all else fails trying to get that broken sprocket off, you can take a thin metal grinder wheel and cut the sprocket off. You do not want to cut all the way to the threads but only enough to get the sprocket and bearings off. Then you cant take a pipe wrench or possibly vise grips to unscreww it off the shaft. You may want to keep applying PT blaster to it as it can still be difficult to unscrew that piece off the shaft. Hope that helps.