Lewmar H3 vs Lofrans Tigres

[windsaloft]

Have done the legwork, the numbers, even find that on the massive equipment survey on the Seven Seas Site, the possession rate and breakage rate are about the same, so in terms of people liking them and quality, they seem equally matched.......

Bottom line -- cruising South Pacific / Australia -- getting parts/maintenance any easier/harder for either?

We are going to replace the manual ABI windlass with an electric with manual backup -- just b/c we have a lot of chain rode, and as we get older, we don't want to find our decisions of pulling up and trying again anchoring based on the exertion. We've loved our ABI, and it's awesome, but repeated attempts at 50-60' anchorages with chain rode makes the decision to change easier as we age.

So - just looking for anyone who sees a clear + of one over the other due to parts/maintenance.

Terri

[Pblais]

but repeated attempts at 50-60' anchorages with chain rode makes the decision to change easier as we age.

That would be understandable. If you use 3/8 (10mm) chain near 300 ft it would really be required. By the numbers the two match up. Price wise they also are close. These are the higher end of the the line for Lewmar and not as high end for Lofrans.

I'm thinking parts wise if you need parts then the install was screwed up. Lots of ways to screw up a windlass install. The amp load goes off the scale when you snag. It is those times when you'll bit by bit trash it if the breaker does not blow so much that you get mad. The power on both is impressive but when used but in fact you can't hoist the chain any different than you would by hand. You can't pull an anchor loose with it and you can loose fingers so easy it should scare you half to death to operate it.

Minimally you need power up and down. Current boat has a free fall with power up and I hate it. On our CSY 33 we had a Vetus Alex III and that had 165 ft of 3/8 chain and it was amazing. Both of these are more power but if you needed more length in a 3/8 chain they should both be fine. For 5/16 high test you are talking a whole lot on muscle for small chain. On the lower end I would never buy a Lewmar.

[Viking Sailor]

I have a new Lofran Tigres. My old windlass used 3/8 BBB chain so I ended up with 300 ft of old (but good) chain. I wanted to lessen the weight foreward so I switched to 400 ft of 5/16 ht and moved the old chain aft. It turns out to be easy to change the chainwheel on the Tigres. The cost of a 3/8 BBB chainwheel was only about $100. Lofran seem to make chainwheels for every type of chain know to man!

[windsaloft]

Viking - we are just up the street from you. Where did you get your Lofrans -- online and shipping, or local supplier? PS says they can't get it......so, interested in where you found the best price.

[donradcliffe]

You might want to look at the Maxwell HWC1500, a few dollars more at Defender, but IMHO a better windlass, and made in NZ.

[windsaloft]

Checking it out. Thanks for the reference.

[windsaloft]

So -- figured out my windlass question -- and now -- I have 5/16" G3 rode -- 300' of it. Please tell me -- do I really need to trade that out for HT or BBB to use in an electric windlass? The ABI did fine with the G3 old stuff, (although insanely slow and backbreaking...........)

My aging back craves an electric windlass, and as we set out for our big adventure, it is one item promised to make it more tenable............so, do we need new chain rode?

[windsaloft]

To answer my question, and to close this thread -- yes, we needed new chain to be windlass compatible - my G3 proof coil did not have the right measurements to make it run smoothly in the 5/16 HT chain wheel. Sigh.

[stevensc]

Today I finished the installation of a Lofrans Tigres I bought to replace the Sprint 1000 which was not working the Lewemar dealer diagnosed it as more expensive to repair than it was worth. I have not used the Lofrans yet except to drop and retrieve the anchor a couple of times in the slip. the installation was quite a job as the holes, of course did not match up with the holes of the Sprint so it required mounting and backup plates.
I can say the Lofrans looks very well built and easy to maintain. It runs smoothly and is much more quiet than the vertical Sprint 1000 was. My existing rode of 5/16" G4 chain fit the gypsy I had specified for it well. The Lofrans comes with a handle to use for manually lifting the anchor in case of a malfunction I hope I never need to use it it is very slow.
A couple of questions came up during the installation, I called IMTRA the US importer/distributor they were very helpful.
Good luck,
Steve

[bobfnbw]

Originally Posted by donradcliffe

You might want to look at the Maxwell HWC1500, a few dollars more at Defender, but IMHO a better windlass, and made in NZ.

Can't understand why you would say so.
The lofrans tigress is cheaper, faster, stronger, better looking..

Tigres Horizontal Electric Windlass


HWC Series Horizontal Windlass

You made a good choice in the tigress.

[donradcliffe]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. The Maxwell is 8 1/16" high, while the Tigres is 11/14", so it doesn't fit my boat. I'm sure that your Tigres will serve you well over 15 years and more than 2000 anchor retrievals, just like my Maxwell has.

[pacific_voyager]

I know this is an old topic, but for new readers I want to say that the concept of "downsizing" chain (e.g. 3/8" BBB to 5/16" G4) is not sensible or advisable.

It is the WEIGHT of the chain not it's strength that gives chain it's advantage over rope anchor rode. For a given amount of chain the heavier chain will flatten the curve more and cause the pull on the anchor to be closer to the horizonal.

If possible, make a "secondary" anchor locker below the one in the forepeak so that you can draw out the extra length in the deep anchorages. It can be re-flaked before a passage.

Jeff
s/v Beatrix
KP44

[colemj]

I have to disagree with you Jeff. By the time the bottom has failed and a well-set anchor has pulled out, there will be no functional difference in cantenary between 3/8"BBB and 5/16" G4 - both will be bar tight and straight.

Weight is not the advantage of chain past a certain point that allows the anchor to set and provides some cantenary for shock absorption. Only in very deep water does heavier weight provide a cantenary advantage - and that is only up to a certain point. In shallower water, weight is of no advantage and in very shallow water (>10') chain itself is a disadvantage compared to a mixed rope rode.

And this isn't my opinion - the physics and math have been done and published.

Mark