Maxwell Windlasses

[Passion8]

Fellow sailors,

Considering installing a Maxwell VW1000 vert windlass on my 35 foot 14,000 lb sloop. It will get mated with all 5/16 BBB chain, 35lb anchors, and all the appropriate support equipment and fittings.

What experiences have any of you had with the Maxwell brand?

Already aware that Maxwell isn't making new windlasses. Still a lot of spares are available (I think).

Looking for comments and input.

Passion8

[colemj]

Maxwell isn't making new windlasses? When did this happen? They were alive and well when I was looking at them a couple months ago.

Maxwell is generally considered a top windlass.

Mark

[Horror Hotel]

Maxwell is alive and well according to my search. I have a VW15000 on a 32' Oday and wouldn't live without it .

[svtrio]

Scary thought about Maxwell (I have a VW-1500) … but <http://www.maxwellmarine.com> makes it clear that the windlass business is prospering. That said, a news link had a notice about SHEET winches:

"Maxwell Marine have sold all their Sheet Winch spare parts and tooling to the Australian Yacht Winch Company known as ARCO. ARCO are world renowned as a source for spares for old Sheet Winches. Their contact details are HUTTON-ARCO Yacht Winches or telephone: +61 2 9623 2448 or fax: +61 2 9623 2265. Arco are based in New South Wales, Australia."

Roger

[darylat8750]

I reciently shopped for a new windlass and heard good reports from Maxwell users.

Have you considered high test (G40 or 70) chain of a smaller size (1/4") ? G40 1/4" with a safe working load of 2600 lbs. would weigh 60% less and cost less than 5/16" BBB with a safe working load of 1900 lbs. You don't say where you will be cruising but in many parts of the world 400 feet isn't excessive and a 1/2 keg of 1/4" G40 is 400 feet. If you have some fall between the pipe and the top of the chain pile stacking and feeding doesn't seem to be noticeably worse with the high test than BBB.

[Passion8]

Thanks for those rapid responses.

My apologies. Didn't mean to scare any of us Maxwell windlass owners with my comment about Maxwell in the current windlass market.

My source was a distributer who has seen a major reduction of Maxwell products coming to the US market. What I also meant to say was that the model windlass I have is no longer in production. Nearly all the current models are coming here and are plentiful.

Some sources previously used to acquire Maxwell products dropped the line when the parent group changed. Why that is important only matters when you try to get support when something breaks. Each situation will be different. Hopefully, we can always get what we need at the time it's needed, and have good sources to do so.

Passion8